Set The Damn Standard Shirt
I was just starting to build my flock of chickens from the four I already had (one rooster, three hens) to a Set The Damn Standard Shirt of ten. I bought six little two day old chicks from the local feed store – assured by the staff that all six would grow to be beautiful hens. Since I already had a rooster – and two roosters rarely get along – so wanted to be sure these were female. I named my chickens after dead movie stars (yes truly… don’t judge) but my Aunt Delores wanted one named after her, so I chose a Golden Phoenix chick and named her “Delores”. When Delores was eight weeks old, I began to have suspicions that she was edging towards a gender change. Delores was quite a bit larger than her step sisters, and was growing a more pronounced comb and longer tail feathers than the typical hen. However, denial is a powerful characteristic, and I tried to convince myself that Delores really WAS a hen and maybe she was just big boned.

Set The Damn Standard Shirt
Off we drove, with the Christmas tree comfortably between the two of us! I drove Robin back home and we maneuvered the Set The Damn Standard Shirt out of the car as pine needles dropped profusely all over the VW bug. I setup the tree in her home after moving a few pieces of furniture and she went off to get a box of decorations. At that point in time, I could sense she wanted me to stay to decorate the tree, but I knew I could not because my girl-friend was waiting. I gave her a big hearty hug, and told her Merry Christmas as I left. In my life time and with all due sincerity…that was my best ever holiday… “So this is Christmas.” moment!

