Hi Jan, hope you made a complaint to the sheriffs office. They should have come out to make a report of damage. What a nasty thing to have happen. Do you have fencing around the areas where chicken tractors are parked? Perhaps you could just put up some T posts with several strings of electric to prevent dogs getting close again. Paint ball guns are also a good weapon to mark the dogs if you can't do the 3S's. Paint balls will sting pretty good too, could be evidence if you can locate dog homes for reparation. We had a lovely day, great presents, son was able to come home for a visit. He brought along one of his house buddies who had no place to go. Made for a lively day. Weather was terrible, raining in the AM, snow after noon. Made roads slushy and slippery, slowed driving down a lot. We passed 3 accidents on country roads as we went for the whole family dinner at 5pm. Slides into a ditch, spun into a tree. No people hurt, just shaken up, wrecked vehicles. Son, husband, buddy, all worked Saturday to get a new roof on the workshop. Did pretty well, laid the perlons, foam insulation. Sunday after church, they worked late AM till afternoon in the nasty weather, they laid the sheet metal. Handling the big pieces is hard, but fastening it down went pretty fast. They got one side all down, looks very nice in dark green. Hope to get the rest done this week ourselves. Son went back home today so it will have to be husband and me. I had tried to talk husband into sheet metal roofing before and he wouldn't. When shop needed new roof I tried again, time saver, metal will shed snow quickly, last a long time. He went for it this time. May even get metal on house when roof needs doing! I have always liked how metal roofs looked, probably because I saw so many on great barns! Never seem to need repair work. The dark green on white shop building is real sharp. With his woodstove going so well, the insulation and metal roof should help with keeping in the heat while he works out there on the really cold days. With the break in temps we have melted a lot of snow. Grass is showing!! I have to mulch some bushes now that I can see the ground again. Amazing how 35F can feel like 60F after all those below 20F days! Barnyards are clearing of snow, horses are racing around with firm grip on dirt. Only a couple had winter shoes and snowball pads on before husband got hurt. They had good traction but the rest were much more tenative on snow and ice. Husband is feeling much better, arm is coming along very well. Ribs are still a bit of trouble in damp air, hard to breathe deep. He is back to work full time. We all got good gifts, everyone was pretty happy. I think this is the best organized I have ever been. Ready to go to bed by midnight! Everything was done. I was sure I forgot something, to be done so early. They did morning chores, let me sleep in until 9A. Great present right there!

Oh my, she is just beautiful and so blonde and blue eyed. I also think every kid should have their own cake at that age, just dive right in! A year already. Sigh. Annie

Thanks for your ideas. As far as a tradition, we would like to make it somethiing consistant each year with each (future) grandchildren. My children had a very unconsistant Grandmother (not my side)! and would sometimes get their feelings hurt by this. I like the idea of a sum of money, and perhaps a small gift. Deffinatly a day together!!! Thanks all...

I remember when my niece turned 1. My sister had invited many of their friends and BIL's family to the party. I called one evening and she was in tears, heartbroken because all of their friends had called to say they couldn't come and the only ones who would be there were her MIL and SIL. Well, the next morning, I called the airlines and booked a flight to Toronto. She didn't know I was coming but I did tell my BIL so someone would be at home when I got there. She didn't hear me come into the house because she was vacuuming the living room. She had her back to me so she didn't see me. When she turned the vacuum off, I said, "What does a person have to do to get some lunch around here?" She got such a fright she just about jumped out of her skin. Then she just cried, so thankful that someone was coming to her DD's 1st birthday party. I think it was the best birthday present I ever gave anyone. I hope your little darling has a great 1st birthday!!