Wednesday, July 21, 2010

The Girl Without a Pearl Earring

I like to wear pearl earrings.  In my 20s I bought my first pair.  They were small, and had a beautiful pinkish blush to them.  Eventually I lost one of the pearls and went without for a while.

Then in my 30s, when I had a "career," I bought another pair of pearls.  They were a bit larger, brought a soft glow which I find about the most jewel-y jewelry I can wear day to day.

That pair met an untimely end last winter.  We were at the start of one of the many blizzards to accost our area.  I had a 4:00 hair appointment, and planned to zip straight home after.  As Alaina dried my hair I felt my earring loosen, and quickly I tightened it back to my earlobe.  I advised her to cancel her remaining appointments and get home and off I went.

Not two blocks away I needed to stop to clear the ice off my windshield wipers.  I popped out of the car, cracked the ice, then continued my trip home.  At the gas station I began pumping gas, then realized my earring was gone.  But where did it fall off?  The salon?  The side of the road?  The gas station?

Long story short, I never found it.  But I was determined to have a pair, so I trekked to a mall in South Bend.  I selected the jewelry store formerly owned by people from my former suburb (if you are from the Chicago area, you might remember "jewelry created for now, and forever"!).  I presented the remaining stud and requested a match.  They sent it off into the great unknown.

Weeks passed.  I called for an update.  No news.  Then I was notified that the matching earring was in.  Upon returning to the store, the manager formally opened a jewelry box with the old and the new earring -- glaringly unmatched!  I asked her "does anyone look at these when they come in, because I know nothing about it and I can see that that is NOT a pair."  Honestly!

More weeks passed.  Finally they did, indeed, match the earring.  I paid a small fortune for the privilege of once again having two glowing orbs on my lobes.

By now you are wondering why I am posting this on my Busy Solitude Farm blog, right?  Here is the rest of the story.

Remember Spot?  He likes to jump on my back when I am in the barn.  This evening I was closing their outside door and up he popped.  Egglebert was at my ankles, harassing me, so I was a bit distracted.

And suddenly I felt a little peck at my ear.  And when I reached up, my earring was gone.  It was nowhere to be seen in my clothes or on the bedding.  I think it is inside Spot.  And so I ask you...

Any chance it will pass?

Addendum, Thursday morning.  When I checked in the barn in the cage, nothing.  No, I mean literally nothing.  Spot got out!  So I am now resigned to the fact that if fate wants me to have that earring back, it will present it to me.  I'm not fighting this any more!

10 comments:

Unknown said...

If it's in his crop, it probably won't pass for a long time. I'm not sure you'll want it when it does.

Foothills Poultry said...

It should pass, but there is a chance that is won't. Once it gets to the gizzard it is going to be used as a grinding stone for food. The gold will be shot, but the pearl may make it through ok.

To speed up the process you can give the bird a laxative. 1 once of water and 1 teaspoon of epson salt. Mix and let stand. Draw off the clear liquid and give the bird about 6 CC or half a crop full of it.

Pen and wait a couple days. If you have access to a metal detector you can make sure it is still in the bird.

~~Matt~~

Foothills Poultry said...

OH...and Good Luck.

If it doesn't pass then it may imbred in the lining of the gizzard and remain there for the life of the bird. I heard of this happening for all kinds of materials that a chicken has eaten.

~~Matt~~

Anonymous said...

Chicken soup will get it back quick.

Anonymous said...

Are you serious????? I'm glad I got a chance to see you sporting the pair in Lansing recently.....

Tomi

Anonymous said...

One more thing......have you considered getting a jewelry rider on your HO's insurance? They are usually only a few bucks...

Tomi

Anonymous said...

This story has a crappy ending!

--Gayl
;-)

Chicken Boys said...

Yeah, you won't get it back. We killed a few roosters for dinner. It was amazing the things we found in their gizzards. Mostly little rocks. But they were polished to look very pretty. Little BB's from the neighbor's BB gun. Quite interesting, as they were not free range birds.
~Randy

Sara said...

I wonder if you will get it back, I'll watch with interest! I love the video of Mamma Hen & all the sounds of your barn. I've just had my very first natural hatching & it's been a real pleasure watching my Momma Hen caring for & nurturing her chicks. Beautiful stuff :0)

The JR said...

Oh no, I think that's a omen that you aren't meant to have one.