Chicken Day

I pulled my hair up and into a bun. It would still have looked nice down even though this was the day after I washed my hair. I am still getting used to not washing it every day. But I knew that my hair is a magnet for smells, and this morning of all days I certainly did not want to add to the “attraction” that was already there. 

Chicken day. Limited had found some buyers for our newly started chicken venture. After 6 weeks of buying feed every few days, the kids and James feeding and watering them on the weekends, wrestling them back into their pen when they escaped, challenges for the kids doing their chicken chores, and a host of other unpleasant duties,  they were ready for selling.  There was a plan that was pieced together at the last minute, having to switching things around and rig something up...so in other words, we had a Zambian plan! 

If we weren’t there early enough in the morning they would go and buy the chickens from someone else. 

Perjuite would arrive early and load up all the chickens in the back of the Prado. I would then drive the kids to school and turn around and meet Limited with the chickens just 3 minutes from the school to sell them. 

Last night the kids were a bit leary of riding to school with chickens in the back of the car. 80 of them. Who wouldn’t be?  So James made a joke about it and started singing a rap like song about low riding with our chickens. It was quite funny. 

So this morning, of course Perjuite didnt show up on time and Limited called me from where he was supposed to meet me. I asked if he could come all the way to the house on his bike in 20 minutes. He said he would try. But the thing is I knew I could count on him. He is dependable. So he hurried, dodging traffic and he said his heart was still racing. He made it in time, helped finish load up the chickens with Perjuite who had just arrived and Caleb stood by with his backpack on, counting chickens as they put them into the car. 

They finished, the kids were waiting by the front gate, they all hopped in and we took off. I let the girls sit together in the front seat and it was a good thing because as I was driving one of the chickens squeezed his head around the back seat and ended up with Limited and the two boys in the middle row. Thankfully, He picked it up and threw it behind him into the other chickens. 

We got to school a few minutes late, which might have been a good thing and I parked far enough away that not many would see the chickens in the back of the car, though the windows were all down they might have heard them and smelled them. 

I hopped out of the car and hit the dust and feathers off the kids uniforms and told them I loved them and thanks for being good sports about it all!  Eh, they were fine. 

Even though the girls covered their noses with tissues the whole drive to school, I can’t say I blame them. We passed a truck going the opposite direction carrying pigs. I said well guys, it could be worse we could have pigs in the car!  Emma seemed to think that would have still been better.

We got to the side of the market where they were waiting for the chickens. Individual ladies that had their own stalls for selling chickens. As soon as we pulled up, about 5 people came to the car and Limited opened the back door. Then it seems as all “chickens broke loose”,  about 8 of them escaped, under the car, walking toward me as the onlooker, heading across the dirt road, and there was really no way I was going to pick that chicken up.  The “buyers” started grabbing chickens and carrying them to their pens just a few feet away from the car. It became chaotic as they all took them, would weigh them just buy holding them, put certain ones back, take other ones etc.This went on for a little while, and then a disagreement broke out between a few of them to something unrelated to us and our chickens but that added to the confusion. 

A few chickens climbed into the middle seat and one of them pooped right there on the seat.  I tried to gauge what they were saying, getting the gist of it, even though it was in nyanja.  A few times I said something to Limited and he just said “Wait”... 

So after the commotion and confusion when all was said and done everyone had the number of chickens they wanted to buy, in their pens and then I went to each of them and counted the chickens and told them what they owed me. They all paid and it all worked out, but the process was certainly an experience. 

And sadly one chicken died. Ha!  Well they all were about to die soon after they were carried home live in a plastic bag with their head sticking out, or taken on the bus home for dinner. 

But I think they thought I was pretty dumb because they tried to get me to give them the dead chicken for free. Then when that didnt work, it was 10 pin.  I give you 10 pin..less than half the price. I told them no, I will just take it home and we will eat it. 

But I didn’t tell them that I will never be touching the bird. I will let Limited carry it, then pluck the feathers off and gut it out and give it to Catherine who will then skin it and put it nicely in a ziploc bag and then hand it to me to put into the freezer. 

And that is exactly what happened. To 12 other chickens today that are now nicely placed into my freezer. 

Caleb had a blast watching them and then proudly showed me the chicken head that he was carrying around on a plate. Which he then also showed to Emma and her friend and Grace and later  I heard that he brought it into the house and Sarah got to be part of the experience as well. 

Hmm. Boys! He then asked for the feet. I was in the outside kitchen organizing and he and Jackson sat behind the fence near the car talking about their chicken heads and feet.  They kindly put them behind their backs when I walked over their way, then they took them back out after I passed by. 

The workers finished with their part of the slaughtering and left the chicken bodies on a mat on the ground outside for Catherine to take over. Flies were starting to swarm around. I brought over a table and then we put them on top of the table outside. 

Just about this time the stray cat that comes around at night to our house, showed up and I could just hear Catherine screaming in the distance at the cat to get away from the chicken but more so I think it was to get away from her!

The cat used to be our neighbors but then they moved and so we had heard that the cat just wanders around. We have not had a problem with mice/rats of which I have been SO THANKFUL. So we think this cat has something to do with that, the kids even saw a dead one in the yard near the garden today. 

A bit stressful all the chicken work today but overall still a good day. 

The kids are happy. 

I was able to get all the clothes together that we had in storage for the kids in Kabanana and Lawrence will be coming by to collect them tomorrow. I was thinking as I was going through all their stuff, that we are very blessed not only to have the children that we have, but that they have clothing to wear. Then I thought of the kids in Kabanana and smiled that every time I would see them all as a group there was always several of them wearing something that used to be one of my kids. And that made me happy and still makes me happy today as I was preparing the next batch of clothes. 

Means so much more knowing where it goes, than just throwing it in a box at goodwill. 

Fine to do, just different now. Then I was thinking of some of the baby clothes from Grace and my older clothes and thought about some of the poor ladies that come to church and maybe I should save them and give them some as well. 

When I finally arrived at work today I stopped to talk to Auntie Yvonne. She helps make the bread and does house work as well. She had a little girl with her today so I asked her if that was her daughter. She said no, its her granddaughter. She was fairly shy and sat there on the step holding a doll. I talked to her but she didnt say much. 

She is 2 and her mom just took off. She had to drop out of school when she got pregnant and had the baby, and I think she stayed home for awhile with the baby but then she just took off and hasn’t come back. 

So sad. Later in the conversation it came up that she, the grandmother,  is only 35. 

But it is just taken in stride. It happens, its part of life. 

After work I said goodbye to Anna and her doll, Tina. 

Then I drove out the gate and waved to Elvis, the boy that was keeping the gate today. 

I headed to school to pick up the kids. I drove past all the piles of trash, people walking, dust flying in through the windows of my car and I could feel the grit in my teeth all of a sudden. I passed the rusted out junky frame of the minibus that has sat in the same exact spot for at least 3 and a half years. Its just a road mark on the way to school which used to be an eye sore and bother me. 

It doesn’t anymore. 

Unfortunately I don't have pictures of the chickens in the car. That would have been good, so you will just have to imagine you are there and what that would have been like...

After the 80 chickens in the back of the car, this was made to fit on TOP of the car.  :-)