In my 7 years of dealing with an Autistic child, I have come across quite a few articles and other moms who have reported to me that their autistic children are also BIG FANS of chicken and fries for dinner. I AM NOT A SCIENTIST OR A RESEARCHER but I have to wonder if there is some sort of link between Autism and chicken. Maybe it provides a protein that they are deficient in. Or maybe it's just that they prefer really bland food. I don't know but it's curious to say the least.
I write this only because my DH came home from work the other night saying that he was talking with a co-worker who he found out has an Autistic son. By some weird coincidence, his son is also 9 years old and their prenatal care was at the same hospital that we went to. And YES, his son's favorite meal is chicken and fries - TYSON chicken. Hmmmm?
The last few days have been somewhat productive. My DH and I cut out another garden bed out of our yard and he's currently working on a third (I've got other chores to do). Our gardens are coming together and he's already talking about being a part of our local farmer's market within the next 2 years. Not bad - if we can do it. The plants are ready to move; they are starting to look pretty pathetic in their containers under the grow lights. If only plants could talk.....
I've personally been working on moving my chicks to another containment area - in other words, they're getting too big for the cardboard box that they've been kept in up until this point. Since we moved the chickens to the barn, the old coop was available. After cleaning it out and putting in new pine shavings, 7 of my chicks moved to their new home. (I had the same nervous feelings that I had when we moved each of our boys from the crib to a toddler bed.) It's bigger and easier to clean - not to mention it's outside so it doesn't stink up the shop anymore! I only moved 7 because they were a week older than the others when I bought them. The other 5 are still in the cardboard box in the shop, but I gave them new pine shavings too and it smells a LOT better in there. It's still hard for me to believe that we'll be culling the Cornish X's in 2-4 weeks.... Hopefully it won't be on Mother's Day.
I am really bad about staying in contact with people. I made some really wonderful friends while we were in Japan and I feel so bad at the end of the day because I don't keep in touch with them like I should - will they forgive me?? I get reports from them that the cherry blossoms were beautiful this year, but that their season was short lived and that they've been getting some freakishly weird weather there - snowing in April!! I'd take the snow in exchange for the rain....and the chance to be in Japan again. Odd that we were only there 2 years and yet it feels like home. Kate, whose blog you can read here, talks about being homesick for her family and home town. I completely understand the feeling as I miss Japan that much!
Today was a great day! I made a Chinese Chicken Pasta Salad for lunch and my oldest son LOVED it! He ate two bowls of it! He also is voluntarily doing his schoolwork. I had errands to run yesterday so I missed our normal learning time (that's what he calls it). When I got home I found that he had gotten out his worksheets and did his schoolwork on his own - not even my DH knew that he did his schoolwork. Maybe this homeschooling thing WAS the best thing for him.....
