We have talked about building a chicken coop for years, but we finally did it this year. Hip
surgery recovery and retirement are good for home projects! So is having Bethany around!
First we poured a concrete pad and footings for out door pen.
The forms are ready. Let the pouring begin!
I shoveled the gravel and added the water. Dad did the
sand and cement powder. Bethany ran the wheel barrow.
We took turns helping Dad with the screed board.
Bethany was worth her weight in gold on this project.
The end is in sight.
Dad is placing screws to bold the chicken coop on to.
Then we moved on to the footings.
This is what it looked like for a couple weeks while the concrete cured.
It's tradition! Dad, Mom, Bethany and Baby Wil. (SJ was with her dad.)
Wil demanded a snack break.
Then he was good to go!
The Chicken Coop must go UP!
Does this look like safe scoffolding for someone with two hip replacements?
East and West walls are up!
This is the north wall.
Dad removed the windows from the house trailer and put them in the coop.
The roof is on.
Should he cut the end off without a face guard?
There were too many sparks for that!
Apples and Cherokee were both very interested in the project.
The Lucky residents moved on on April 21, 2016.
The coop has two rooms, one for feed and lawn tools.
This one is complete with nesting boxes and roosts.
Welcome to the Chick-Mahal!
The little door on the bottom can open to let the chicks out when they are big
enough and when we get their play yard completed. What for a future post!
Dad and Bethany moved all the hay from the south side to the north side so
Dad can pull his boat under the awning. It fits perfectly. He plans to enclose it by winter.
In Bethany's spare time she made tails for the kites and matching ribbons for SJ.
Baby Wil was the main project supervisor.
LEVAN HOMESTEAD NEWS: April
2016 Edition
Dad and I: April was a great month for us. Of course it began with Dad’s official
retirement on April 1st. It
was so fun to have Janna, Ammon and Sam here to help us celebrate with our
“Utah” family. Nothing about that day
could have been better except to have had a few more here. Everything went like clockwork and Dad could
not have been happier. (NOTE: It took over 3 hours to get his retirement
blog up, so if you haven’t checked it out, please do!) On the 26th,
Ash Grove hosted a luncheon in his honor.
It was
impressive to walk into a room filled with every available employee. That sight was a real tribute and compliment
to dad. After their little speech about
Dad’s 27 years of service and how the records show the amount spent on major
break downs decreased noticeably when Dad took over, they asked Dad to say a few
words. After thanking Ash Grove for a good job that allowed our family to have
a good living he said, “Some of you have given me a hard time occasionally
because I have so many kids, but I just want to say that there is nothing that
brings me more joy that my family. I
would not give them up for anything.
And…. I also want you to know that when I retired, my kids bought me a
Bay Liner Bass Boat with a 125 HP motor.”
There were some ooo’s and ah’s and some chuckles as well. The day Janna flew home we went to our first
session in the Provo City Center Temple.
It was a miracle that we got on the session, and we felt we had some
divine intervention.
Of
course the kick-back of a new boat is going boating. Tyler and Dad took it out on April 2nd
and then Dad took me and Bethany and her kids out for a spin later on. It can definitely scoot across the water.
General
Conference was just perfect for us. There was light shed on so many current
challenges and events and some much needed comfort, counsel and validation. We
took 40 day challenge and are just about done with that. Our hard copies arrived, so we are set to go
again.
Dad has
clipped off a couple of retirement projects this month. The biggest was remodeling the main bathroom
upstairs, followed by a new swing set for the Wilkin’s family. To make room for the boat, all the hay was
moved to the north side of the barn. We
have cleaned up and graveled the walkways around the barn, and replanted the
bald spots in the lawn, so things are looking pretty good.
I was
able to visit Maggie at the prison this month.
The 90 minutes went so fast. She told me all about her life and schedule
in prison. Maggie has worked her way
into everyone’s heart. The guards know
her by name and treat her kindly. When I
was processed in, the guard said, “You are here to see Maggie Baum?” I said, “Yes,” and she smiled as if that was
a personal thing for her. Maggie has also worked her way up through the
employment ladder. She just applied for
a job with the print shop. She was so
pleased to tell me she would be getting $1.75 per hour.
Sister Kenison is no longer the only missionary out from our ward. Four more left this month: Paul and Shauna Harmon, and Jon and Kaye
Mitchell. That was exciting for us. Elder Packer dedicated the Ukraine for
missionary work and now his son is the mission President. That is where the Mitchell’s are serving. The Harmons are in Little Rock, Arkansas! Our
R.S. birthday party was on missionary work this month. Bethany is on the committee and it was a posh
affair.
In our
spare time we took Lionel and Linda to the temple and Katie and I threw a baby
shower for Tassie, David Spencer’s wife.
Dad and I went to the new Saturday’s Warrior movie (well worth seeing) and
a play about the life of Ann Sullivan. (Educational and inspiring, but not
really well done.)
On Earth
Day, April 22, we planted peas, beets, carrots and potatoes. Then it rained for the next five days. We felt like we lived in Seattle! But….our
new garden looks great!
Family news for April: Devin Evans (His grandma is
Dad’s 1st cousin. He is Rebecca’s oldest brother.) passed away and his funeral was on April 4th. He was found dead in his apartment and
it appeared he may have passed away the day after Easter.
The
funeral was packed. There was great
spiritual diversity in attendance, and the Spirit was strong. Much more was said about the Plan of
Happiness than about Devin. Both Ray and Lesa spoke. Each simply bore their testimony. I loved
that Lesa could see the Lord preparing her for this week before it
happened. She spoke on the Resurrection
in sacrament meeting on Easter Sunday.
Of
course you all know about Uncle Kieth’s heart attack this month. There was slight heart damage, but he is
doing super well now. It was definitely
a mortality check for him and for us.
April
was our first month of actual retirement and we are not certain how Dad had
time to work full-time! We received our
first pension and Social Security checks and it appears that we are going to be
okay financially. We are feeling very
blessed as May begins. Love you all!
Sister Kenison: See andreaapril.blogspot.com
