Exhausted in a great way!

After spending last week feeling mentally exhausted, what a great feeling it is to be physically exhausted after a fantastic day of hard work!

It poured overnight and when I got up, it was still raining.  But mother nature decided to be kind and soon the clouds were parting and it was quickly getting warm.  I was finally going to get to do a long run outside!!  I was so excited!

I knew from my first few steps that this was going to be a good long run.  I demanded of myself to take it easy and enjoy the journey.  I told myself to run a slower pace and just enjoy the wonderful weather.  

I ran easily and effortlessly until about 11 miles.  It is definitely more physically demanding to run outside when you've been doing your long runs on the treadmill.  I slowed and stopped at 12 miles and enjoyed a gel.  It helped for sure and I managed 15 miles.  I looked at my watch and was SHOCKED to see that I had run the 15 miles in 1:55:05!!  

A hearty lunch and then on to the task of the day.  For almost 3 hours, I worked on the chicken coop.  That involved shoveling and raking up hard packed chicken crap and bedding.  I loaded the wagon that Marc took and dumped 3 times.  Then I had to fill a bucket with clorox and detergent and scrub all the walls that had poopy on them.  The new chicks will be moving in soon, and you have to make sure that any potential germs and diseases are at their minimum before the babies move in to give them the best chance to survive.  Then I had to open large bags of fresh pine bedding and lay and rake it.  

As I was scrubbing the walls I was thinking about people that have such a more - well - glamorous lives.  One of my relatives is in Jamaica now and has been posting pictures.  Part of me is absolutely green with envy.  But I also feel a sense of pride in what I was doing.

Look how great this coop looks (should have done some befores!!)  

 Clean nest boxes which the girls will HATE!!

Speaking of the baby chicks, they are getting SO BIG already!  And they are sticking out their chests at me when I fill their water - a common adult behavior!

  You can see where this Rhode Island Red is losing her down and getting real feathers!

It got up above 70 today.  Do you know how long it has been since we have seen 70??!!!  

So today was glorious.  For some people, this life would probably be a nightmare, but for me?  I'll go to sleep tonight peaceful, exhausted and happy!