Making a Mummy

Just a quick note this morning...we're late to get ready for school...

I'm teaching a World History class at school.  I LOVE it.  We've begun at the earliest nomads, and we've just concluded ancient Egypt.  The kids are really engaged and we're having a great time!

Some years back, one of my homeschooling buddies back There told me she was studying Egypt with her daughter and they were going to mummify a chicken.  I laughed, thought it was some sort of "uber-mom" activity, and said to myself that I could "NEVER" imagine doing something so cool as that.

Well I've been on a hunt for these past two weeks.  Gathering all the supplies necessary to begin our very own mummy.  Volumes of salt (very inexpensive here), baking soda (harder to find), and baking powder (quite expensive), wine, spices, linen, and RUBBER GLOVES!

On Monday, it begins.

Using a "How To" guide for mummification...we will preserve a chicken...for the afterlife.

Today, the selection of the lucky bird will take place.  One that is not too big (I've only got so much salt!)...one that looks eager for the afterlife...but is not too bashful about being turned inside out for the sake of my students' learning.

We have a dear friend back there who is an undertaker.  One time he was performing in a little play I was directing.  On the day of the show, I was doing his make-up for the performance.  He, being of great humor, chuckled and said "I'm not really used to people doing MY make-up, I'm always doing theirs."  The reality of the state "they" were in while he was making them up settled upon me....a shiver moved along my spine.

I'm thinking, strictly no make-up for the chicken.  The eyes are simply too small for me to do a good job of applying the eye-liner.