New on the Suburban Farm

 I was on my way home from dropping off Little Fire Faery for in-person classes at the local community college when the phone rang.  My ring tone is the late (and GREAT!) Prince singing, "Wanna Be Your Lover."  The familiar intro blended with the music on the radio, and it took me a minute to realize my phone was ringing. 

I have a phone holder that slides into the CD player, because I have an older car and luddite-tendencies which mean that even if I could, I probably wouldn't connect my phone to my car's blue-tooth.  Luckily, for me, I don't have blue-tooth in my car, and so I don't have to make that choice, but  Maine is a "hands-free" state, which means I can't hold my phone and drive - legally.  I drive a standard shift car - always have in the nearly four decades that I've been driving - and so driving and talking on the phone isn't something I can do anyway.  I need both hands and both feet to drive my car.  

I glanced over at the phone, and it was an unfamiliar number.  I've been getting a lot of those "Hi, this is Beth with Car Warranty Services" lately.  I assumed that's what it was, but just in case ....

I turned off the radio and hit the answer button, but failed to hit the speaker phone button.  I could hear some mumbling.  It didn't sound like Beth from Car Warranty services.

I hit the speaker button.

Me:  Could you repeat that?

Caller:  We have some checks.

Me:  I'm sorry.  Who is this?

Caller:  It's Bev.  From Long Horn. We have chicks.

I laughed.  I had just checked my calendar this morning, and I thought it said that we were expecting our hen-chicks in April.    

Me:  Oh.  They're early!

Bev:  Well, a little.  They were supposed to be here on the 5th.

I told her that I would be there in a bit to pick them up.

I drove home and grabbed Precious and a box for the chicks.

One of the breeds that I wanted didn't come in, and the breeder wouldn't have them until June.  I ended up substituting with a different breed.

So, here they are.  The newest additions to the Brown Family Suburban Farm: two Australorps and an Ameraucana.   The Australorps will lay brown eggs and the Ameraucana's eggs will probably be green.  

We haven't named them, yet, except the Ameraucana.  We're considering "Fluffanutter" as a name.