Angela

Tonight's dinner: I planned to make fried eggs on toast. Here is what actually happened.

3:15: Brady struts into the house saying he just finished my chicken plucker he has been building and we should go pluck a chicken. I evaluate the time and decide a quick switch to chicken and potatoes for dinner would work out just fine. I peel some potatoes super fast, plop them in water, and put my canning pot on to boil to scald the chicken in for plucking. Brady goes to wash his hands and eat some toast.

3:30 We head outside with sharpened knives to find it has started to rain. No problem, we will be inside in a jiffy with an awesome new chicken plucker. We haul the scalding pot of water outside next to the chicken plucker and watch the raindrops plip in it. Brady goes to get a chicken and we debate over the many ways to kill it ending with Brady deciding to poke the knife through it's brain and then slit it's throat.

3:35 Brady pokes the knife into the chicken's brain so hard that it goes right through the chicken and stabs the palm of Brady's hand. Undaunted, he maintains enough composure to continue on and slit it's throat, then makes a mad dash inside to assess the damage leaving me to hold the chicken through it's death struggle during which I am liberally sprayed with chicken blood. (Or was it Brady's?) When it is all over I put the chicken on some clean cardboard in the rain and rush inside to help Brady.

3:45 We emerge outside after bandaging Brady's hand which has a very deep and painful puncture would right in the pad. We dunk the chicken in the scalding water and turn on the chicken plucker! Nothing could make us miss this momentous occasion where the plucking is the easiest part! How long we have dreamed of never plucking by hand again. Alas, the rain made the belt slippery and the chicken plucker is not working. The belt just slips. We exchange dismayed looks and go to plan two; skinning the little bugger.

4:00 We bring the chicken inside for gutting. Gutting goes without a hitch.

4:15 I rub herbs all over the nekked chicken and pop him in the oven to roast.

Currently starving and can't wait to eat! Will finish the mashed potatoes and cook some frozen peas.