the atari farm

Sometimes I feel like I have been dropped into some kind of alternate universe where we live on a strange farm with plenty of roosters and atari music. We will just be driving down the road and suddenly hear atari sounds blasting from giant speakers that they have set up for school field days. Goats are always crossing the roads and the other day we were in the middle of Freetown and saw several hilarious things including a guy pulling a giant wagon(which you see all the time) but with an oversized helmet on so he looked like an atari character. I couldn't get my camera out in time or I would have an extra photo on the blog today. Also, we saw several motorbike taxi drivers wearing coats. One was wearing a fur coat. I guess it gets cold when you buzz through heat waves. Another alternate universe phenomenon. Again, I didn't get my camera out in time.
I have been amazed at the fact that we have been here for 2.5 months and it has not rained once-not once! I don't know how the trees stay green. I guess the oceans humidity is enough.
We sit outside to eat every night because it helps us to avoid mopping the dining room and because in this alternate universe it is so hot that sitting outside is better than the heat inside. Our tin roof could burn the skin off you. When we sit outside there are two patio type areas in the back and we always line up on the edge of them. We have been trying to have what we call 'mommy daddy time' periodically with each of our kids so that they get to spend one on one time with us. I overheard Levi say to John as he sat down next to him on the patio that he had really enjoyed Levi Johnny time. I laughed and asked him what that was and he replied that he and John had sat on the front porch together that afternoon and played and talked together. So that was Levi Johnny time. So sweet! There is always a lot of giggling and throwing toys from bed to bed at rest time too. While sometimes I have to go in there 40 times to tell them to be quiet I usually give it my sternest voice and then smile to myself when my back is turned to them because I am glad that they are bonding.
There is a common scene at our house where Samuel the guard and Albert huddle around the radio to listen to the soccer game. That feels so old school to me and I love it.

Also during dinner-we are all eating and talking when suddenly Ivey shrieks, "Look at my mustache!". Yes, that is a chicken bone. I can't promise that she is not always this dirty but I will say she is sometimes clean...


We painted the chicken coop today and are getting the shavings tomorrow. Friday is the big day for chicken hunting. We have been learning about them all week and I just have to share this hilarious excerpt from a fantastic site for beginning a backyard chicken farm;
• Young pullets often lay malformed eggs before getting established in a normal laying routine. Older hens may occasionally lay abnormal eggs due to age, stress, or illness.
• Pullet eggs--the first ones produced by each pullet--are smaller than the eggs that the same hen will produce as an older hen.
• “Fart egg” and “oops egg” are terms for tiny eggs that quickly pass through the oviduct without reaching full size.

You can imagine how that went over sitting in the chicken coop reading that to 3 boys.
I couldn't quit laughing myself so we moved on to the painting.
You really don't have buy kids toys for them to have fun. This "shooting hat gun" made by Levi from discarded wire was the source of hours of enjoyment on his part and torture for everyone else that he was 'shooting' by running at and poking.
And after all that is it any wonder that this is what the end of our day looks like?