of electricity and eggs

I've been nearly devoid of energy today. It was a very full week.
5 full days of seeing the house get totally out of hand and 5 evenings of sweeping, dusting and generally trying to clean up the major messes before the next day begins. I'm not saying that my electricians weren't careful. On the contrary. They were amazing. But at every opened outlet or light cavity, fragile, old, crumbling, insulation and plaster bubbled forth. At one point the skeleton of a mouse was discovered among the cloth covered wires in the light switch by the back door. I'm not sure what was more unnerving, seeing the poor mouse or seeing the frightening old wires sitting exposed in the insulation at the cavity.
As the electricians braved the complexities of our electric upgrade they've discovered clues to the age of the house. Their best guess, in light of the materials they've encountered and the construction techniques, is that our house was most likely built very near 1910.
5 full days of work and we still have much to finish.  Some happy results so far:

 
there is a sweet pendant lamp hanging over the kitchen sink where there was no lamp of any kind before, I now have an outlet next to the kitchen counter that is a single circuit so I can go ahead and buy the toaster oven I've wanted since I got here, and the house lights no longer flicker, glare, or dim when the microwave is on. I'll know exactly what is powered by which circuit. And when it's time for the Christmas lights I could go absolutely crazy if I wanted to and the electricity would flow.
Just look at the breaker box so far. I love it.

It's oddly quiet without the workmen here today. Dovey and my chickens have been blessed company. The chickens hear me approach and come running to their gate. A few often perch up on the gate top calling to me as I walk from the house. They all swarm around my ankles making it difficult to walk without stepping on their toes. Several of them stop and squat for me to stroke them and no longer verbally object to my picking them up. Even John Wayne allows frequent strokes. They're getting heavier each day too. Maybe it's the snacks...
Each afternoon I bring what's comparable to an after school snack. Today it was apples, popcorn, sunflower seeds and a few dehydrated green beans. Yesterday they devoured the insides of the jack-o-lantern I carved. Snack time is also when I prepare their food and water for the night and check for the last of the day's eggs. Today was our first 5 egg day!

The eggs are still pullet size, but lovely shades of tan and brown and their yolks are so orange! I made a vegetable omelet for lunch with garlic, onion and spinach from the garden. Such happy satisfaction.