Wear running shoes all the time!

Last year, I began following the Fly Lady and started wearing lace up shoes all the time. It has made me much more productive and it came in real handy this past week. Gracelynn ran in the house yelling about a dog in the yard. Our front yard is fenced but we often leave the gate open. Indeed a large, white lab mix was wandering around the yard. I tried to shoo the dog out but the white dog and its blue healer pal wanted to stay and were quite friendly. A few seconds later this big white monstrosity caught sight of one of my chickens. A few of our chickens always loiter in the front yard. The only weapon I had was a broom which I quickly grabbed and started chasing the dog who was chasing my chicken. Of course, this chicken was no match compared to this huge determined dog. Around and around the three of us ran. Keep in mind I've not run in many years! I'm screaming for Laine to help and the chicken is squawking loudly! The dog finally caught the chicken, stopped running and I thought it was all over. Of course, feathers were flying everywhere. But from past experience I know that chickens are quite hardy. So under our play scape where the dog stopped to finish my chicken off I began to beat this dog with my broom! After a few good whacks the dog finally let my chicken go and it quickly ran for safety. The dog was a bit stunned so somehow(it gets a little fuzzy here probably from lack of oxygen on my part) I got this dog out of my yard and I shut the gate. Laine showed up at this point to help. Whew! Oh but my story is not over yet! The dog, I and Laine all spy one lone chicken on the outside of the fence! It was a race to the chicken. Luckily, I got a bit of a head start and cut through the yard. So, Laine is trying unsuccessfully to catch the chicken, I have my broom and am keeping myself and the broom between the chicken and the dog. Picture something similar to guarding in basketball. Back and forth, back and forth! Finally, Laine catches and throws the chicken to safety. Unfortunately, our neighbor drove up right at this moment with me out of breath, shaking from the adrenaline and horribly embarrassed! The moral- where your running shoes! You never know when you will need to rescue someone or something!