The Heymann Family Journal

Nicole, Sarah and I baked 6 pies today, and a big dish of lasagna, and au gratin potatoes. We are also brining a whole lot of turkey. But now most of the work is done. I have to clean a little, and set tables but I think we will have a nice Thanksgiving party tomorrow. What beautiful pies, my mom would be proud!

We have 32 people coming for Thanksgiving. I am going to make a few extra things just to be safe. I don't want anyone left hungry! I love Au Gratin Potatoes. Easy and cheap to make. I'm basically going for comfort food!

My daughter Sarah had to be rushed to the hospital by Jürgen and Nicole. She got a scratch from a cat she was playing with. It turns out she is very allergic. She was swelling up. A little scary for a short while. But they gave her something and an hour later she is fine. In a few weeks we will run some tests to see what else she might be allergic to. I’m sure she could have died, but thank God she is OK. update: She will stay home from school today. She has a small fever. But I am so glad we have "modern medicine". It clearly cannot heal everything. But simple things like an allergic reaction use to kill people (well sometimes still do). We are all living by grace. But I am glad she is fine. I am also glad they told us to see what else she is allergic to. It is wise to know.

My daughter starts to record 5 of her songs soon (with professional musicians in a studio). How exciting! All that money spent on music lessons :) And she has her talent from her dad.

I just won another steamer trunk on eBay. I plan to store dishes in my attic. I get some porcelain from Jürgen’s parents, and I'm buying more of the same porcelain so we can serve 100 people at our 25th Anniversary next year. I want the party in our garden next summer. Some of my friends had their 25th Anniversary party’s in castles. Those were great parties! We cannot afford a castle, but I still want to make it special. Our garden is so beutiful in the summer.

If you want to follow Nicole's art blog it is here.  http://nicole-heymann-art.com/

I keep finding cool chicken coop ideas.  I found this one made from an old wardrobe.  It is thin and high, but has everything a handful of chickens could need.  And it does not take up allot of space.  A door that can lead to a chicken run, and windows with screens for ventilation. nesting box is easy to get to, and you can see how they framed the roof the ramp takes the chickens up to a roost, and the trays under the roost catch the poop 3 trays pull out for easy cleaning

My autistic daughter Jessica loves Christmas. She wants me to sit with her and watch Christmas trees on you tube. I think I need to decorate the whole house this year.

What do you think of a baby crib coop?   I would use a wooden fence as the siding, and add a nesting box.   I can find free cribs on eBay’s local ads. Here is one I found on line, but mine would be even better because Nicole is an artist and Jürgen is a perfectionist!

I just bought a very big steamer trunk on eBay for 3Euro 50 cents.  I think maybe it could make a good house for 4 chickens? The first photo is my box, the 2nd picture is a cat litter box someone has made.  But I could adapt the idea.  Put the box on a short platform, cut a door on one end, and a window on the other end.  Put some sticks in it for the birds to roost on.  I think it could work.