The Duck Report - Fall Edition
Mum went and emailed me another Duck Report. Reports of its demise have been exaggerated, apparently...
DUCK REPORT 91 September 16th 2013
I had so many “thank yous” on the last duck report that I thought I had better stir my stumps and start another. This week I am on a course: Defensive Driving. We have to take this every 3 years and my time is up so I have 2 days of classroom work. Unfortunately, the weather is just great and I am stuck indoors instead of driving my pony. By the time I am done I am so tired that I can’t face doing it after my run.
Saiko just had his weigh in and is now 102 lbs. He is doing so well and is so much happier, now able to play and run. He and Bart went to the vets as he had an ear infection, and Bart was biting his bum. When we came out of the vets $230.00 lighter I told them they had better live long to justify all this expense. Tigger is still with us but failing fast to the point that I asked the vet what to look for as a sign we should be putting her down. I have no illusions about putting her down, she has had a good long life and when it becomes too hard for her to cope she will have to go*.
The last 3 weeks I have been under the house tearing out plywood and insulation in preparation for the guys to come in and spray 4 inches of insulating foam on the underside of the floor. This was not supposed to be my job as I had arranged for the Amish boys to come and do it. They lasted a half day and quit, saying it was too hot and too hard. Ha, no stamina these young kids. I admit it is not easy as you have to work on your back, and all the spiders, dust and cobwebs fall in your face. I have it all finished but for the cleanup which Michael is supposed to do (and of course is not happening) and I still have to cut down half the vapor barrier, but that will only take about an hour. Every time I go under the house I come out so dirty that I have to strip off and dump everything in the laundry.
After all this I hope to get on with riding and driving Twix. He really is lovely and we are having so much fun, I just hope we have a mild winter where I can keep on working him. Usually the dogs come out with me and they also seem to love the exercise.
DUCK REPORT 92 September 23rd 2013
I just came back from riding Twix, we went trespassing on Rodney’s fields**, he would not approve, but fortunately he is away working on the roads up north and will not be back 'til the weather gets bad, so I am making the most of his absence. He is a really odd bird who believes the US government is controlling the world and creating the unusual weather patterns, not to mention spying on him. He also believes there is a superior race that is mostly made up of politicians: they are supposed to control everything. Not sure how he thinks this all works but he looks it all up on the internet and believes everything he reads. (Mum, please stop talking to the crazy people in your neighborhood, love - Blythe)
Twix has been just great. Two days ago we went out in the carriage all over the Christmas tree lot. I have found that Twix, while behaving very well is not great at turning quickly, he did a lot of road work and not a lot of turning it would seem, so we scurry around the fir trees and do lots of turns. Now he is improving, but still not as fast and accurate as I would like.
The dogs have a hard time keeping up but have learnt to short cut through the lot. Saiko still gets left behind but is keeping up much better, and occasionally is ahead. I don’t think he can really believe it when it happens.
We lost one of the beepers*** this morning. I don’t know what happened, if the duck stood on him or what, but he was dead in the stall and the one remaining one was still running around. If it had been a predator the body would be gone, and if it had been Saiko also he would have been eaten, so it must be poor parenting again.
Yesterday it rained all day so I finally drove all the insulation and plywood to the dump. It took 4 trips and I got soaking wet, but it is done, now all I have to do is cut out the vapor barrier. I plan on calling the insulation company next week and they should be here next month and hopefully we will have a warm floor.
Tack sales have ground to a halt, so I think I will take what is left to the auction in Claremont next month when I go to the opera.
DUCK REPORT 93 28th September 2013
Yet another lovely day and I went for a ride taking the dogs along. Ran into the neighbors at the end of the lane, Lynda and Sue, they were also going for a walk. They were very impressed by Saiko who went galloping up to them. Twix was very good and stood still while we talked.
For the last 2 days I have been gathering and sorting all the tack stuff and discovered I am going to have to clean all the bridles again as they are going moldy. I just cannot believe how much stuff there is; it goes on forever, and just when I think I have it all, I find something else. It has taken 2 days to list and label it all for the auction.
Matilda has a mucky bum again, so I sent Michael to the vets with some poop, the vet said she is stressed out. Wow! Did you know sheep could get stressed out? I did not, and what has she got to be stressed about?! Vet said it could be something small like the weather. Well, I told her I did not think much of that. I think she just wanted more attention, as now we have to give her drops, so she has to be caught every day, and medicated. She seems to just love that and gets easier and easier to catch.
On the 30th we should have insulation. He is due to start Monday and be complete by Tuesday night, let’s hope all goes well.
DUCK REPORT 94 October 17, 2013
The insulation is complete and looks very good. We will have to wait for the cold weather to see if it makes a difference. They finished the whole thing in one day, but had to come back the next day for some final touch ups.
The weather has continued to bless us with outstanding warm sunny days and mild nights. I have made the most of it riding and driving Twix almost every day. Saiko keeps up very well but has learnt to go find a friendly neighbour when he is tired. They dutifully take pity on him and call for a lift home. I think he knows now that this will happen and takes advantage of the situation. This week he went for the monthly weigh in and is now down to 92.5 lbs. So, getting ever closer to the 70 lb. mark we are supposed to achieve. While picking him up this week from one of the neighbours, I found they had a stray cat, which I also collected and installed in the barn. She is officially called Puss, so let’s hope she stays and the coyotes do not get her. She is just a kitten but quite sweet and missing half a nose, so must have been in a fight.
Last weekend I went to Toronto and Blythe and I had an Opera Fest seeing Peter Grimes on Friday night and La Boheme Saturday afternoon. They were really good, especially La Boheme, which had very fine stars.
Carding and spinning are not going too well. I have finally carded one whole fleece and now realize how important it is to keep the fleece as clean as possible. I spent so much time removing wood shavings I could probably have done 3 fleeces in the time it took to do one. I tried a little of Ralph’s fleece and it is just lovely and much much cleaner. Spinning is not going well. I have now got the hang of the treadle but getting fine even wool is eluding me. I am told the wheel is going too fast, but it is hard to feed the wool in smoothly. When the weather changes and I am not tempted to stray outdoors, I will persevere.
DUCK REPORT 95 October 25th 2013
I just came back from the Belleville dog show, which was quite disappointing: very small classes and poor quality. So won’t do that again.
Bart has fleas, so the whole troupe are being treated for them. I don’t know if Puss brought fleas or if the Raccoon we have around deposited them, but this is the very first time we have ever had fleas. I have also picked 3 ticks of the dogs in the last 3 or 4 weeks. This also is something we have never had before. This has been quite a wet year, but I am wondering if the additional long grass has not exacerbated the problem. Having only 2 ponies means we have an abundance of grass no one is eating. The sheep don’t seem to put a dent in it. Maybe I shall have to get a beef calf again.
I am going down town today to have the ‘clean drive’ testing done on the truck. I also have to pick up a light fixture for the back door. We are moving the existing one to the very back of the house as the trees have grown so much that they obstruct the light. This one will be in place of it and angle down over the door; it is also bright red which should be fun.
I really have to get started on making hats for the children on the bus. I think I need about 50, which is a bit of a tall order, but I will see how it goes. I have yet to get the size right but when I do it should go quickly and be done in a week.
I just bought tickets to the Royal Winter Fair and had to print them out instead of having them sent to me. This proved a little tricky as there was no print symbol to allow me to do this. I left it for a day and Wow! there was the symbol and out they came. So, a new challenge conquered. (IT specialist-Mum, FTW!)
DUCK REPORT 96 November 17th 2013
The last two weeks have been deer hunting season. Twix, the dogs, and I have not been venturing out in the woods, but lying around getting fat. Saiko went for his weigh-in and has gained weight to 98 lbs, so we will really have to get going on the walks again.
The Royal was good but I think smaller this year and not as interesting. Maybe I won’t go next year. I have also bought tickets to 3 more operas in February and May.
We re-arranged the ponies and sheep last week so all would be in fields with heated water troughs. This meant that Ralph had to share with Twix. I thought this may be a problem but they turned out to be great pals and get along well. Mayflower goes out with the girls and they graze all around her. I quite often let Ralph out on the lawn, and last week when I did this he encountered Saiko and wanted to play. Play to Ralph is butting heads. Saiko was not amused and lost the contest.
Last month I had the vet out to do shots for the pony’s dogs and cats, and while he was here I had him put Tigger down. It was sad but had to be done. The last week of her life she had started crying at night and when she thought we were not around. I think she was in pain and not able to tell us. It was a lovely sunny day and she just went to sleep in the house and I buried her under our favorite tree. Sad but strangely I do not miss her that much. It was far more traumatic when the cow was put down, as it was sudden and unexpected. (Mum, I do not believe this for a second. Just sayin')
*Tigger was put to sleep the first week of October. She was 21 years old.
**Rodney is an irascible neighbor. He has been known to shoot at people who trespass on his property, which is ridiculous given the amount of land he owns. Also, considering the criminal past that his extended family possesses in the county, he oughta watch his Ps and Qs a bit more.
***Beepers are ducklings, FYI.
DUCK REPORT 91 September 16th 2013
I had so many “thank yous” on the last duck report that I thought I had better stir my stumps and start another. This week I am on a course: Defensive Driving. We have to take this every 3 years and my time is up so I have 2 days of classroom work. Unfortunately, the weather is just great and I am stuck indoors instead of driving my pony. By the time I am done I am so tired that I can’t face doing it after my run.
Saiko just had his weigh in and is now 102 lbs. He is doing so well and is so much happier, now able to play and run. He and Bart went to the vets as he had an ear infection, and Bart was biting his bum. When we came out of the vets $230.00 lighter I told them they had better live long to justify all this expense. Tigger is still with us but failing fast to the point that I asked the vet what to look for as a sign we should be putting her down. I have no illusions about putting her down, she has had a good long life and when it becomes too hard for her to cope she will have to go*.
The last 3 weeks I have been under the house tearing out plywood and insulation in preparation for the guys to come in and spray 4 inches of insulating foam on the underside of the floor. This was not supposed to be my job as I had arranged for the Amish boys to come and do it. They lasted a half day and quit, saying it was too hot and too hard. Ha, no stamina these young kids. I admit it is not easy as you have to work on your back, and all the spiders, dust and cobwebs fall in your face. I have it all finished but for the cleanup which Michael is supposed to do (and of course is not happening) and I still have to cut down half the vapor barrier, but that will only take about an hour. Every time I go under the house I come out so dirty that I have to strip off and dump everything in the laundry.
After all this I hope to get on with riding and driving Twix. He really is lovely and we are having so much fun, I just hope we have a mild winter where I can keep on working him. Usually the dogs come out with me and they also seem to love the exercise.
DUCK REPORT 92 September 23rd 2013
I just came back from riding Twix, we went trespassing on Rodney’s fields**, he would not approve, but fortunately he is away working on the roads up north and will not be back 'til the weather gets bad, so I am making the most of his absence. He is a really odd bird who believes the US government is controlling the world and creating the unusual weather patterns, not to mention spying on him. He also believes there is a superior race that is mostly made up of politicians: they are supposed to control everything. Not sure how he thinks this all works but he looks it all up on the internet and believes everything he reads. (Mum, please stop talking to the crazy people in your neighborhood, love - Blythe)
Twix has been just great. Two days ago we went out in the carriage all over the Christmas tree lot. I have found that Twix, while behaving very well is not great at turning quickly, he did a lot of road work and not a lot of turning it would seem, so we scurry around the fir trees and do lots of turns. Now he is improving, but still not as fast and accurate as I would like.
The dogs have a hard time keeping up but have learnt to short cut through the lot. Saiko still gets left behind but is keeping up much better, and occasionally is ahead. I don’t think he can really believe it when it happens.
We lost one of the beepers*** this morning. I don’t know what happened, if the duck stood on him or what, but he was dead in the stall and the one remaining one was still running around. If it had been a predator the body would be gone, and if it had been Saiko also he would have been eaten, so it must be poor parenting again.
Yesterday it rained all day so I finally drove all the insulation and plywood to the dump. It took 4 trips and I got soaking wet, but it is done, now all I have to do is cut out the vapor barrier. I plan on calling the insulation company next week and they should be here next month and hopefully we will have a warm floor.
Tack sales have ground to a halt, so I think I will take what is left to the auction in Claremont next month when I go to the opera.
DUCK REPORT 93 28th September 2013
Yet another lovely day and I went for a ride taking the dogs along. Ran into the neighbors at the end of the lane, Lynda and Sue, they were also going for a walk. They were very impressed by Saiko who went galloping up to them. Twix was very good and stood still while we talked.
For the last 2 days I have been gathering and sorting all the tack stuff and discovered I am going to have to clean all the bridles again as they are going moldy. I just cannot believe how much stuff there is; it goes on forever, and just when I think I have it all, I find something else. It has taken 2 days to list and label it all for the auction.
Matilda has a mucky bum again, so I sent Michael to the vets with some poop, the vet said she is stressed out. Wow! Did you know sheep could get stressed out? I did not, and what has she got to be stressed about?! Vet said it could be something small like the weather. Well, I told her I did not think much of that. I think she just wanted more attention, as now we have to give her drops, so she has to be caught every day, and medicated. She seems to just love that and gets easier and easier to catch.
On the 30th we should have insulation. He is due to start Monday and be complete by Tuesday night, let’s hope all goes well.
DUCK REPORT 94 October 17, 2013
The insulation is complete and looks very good. We will have to wait for the cold weather to see if it makes a difference. They finished the whole thing in one day, but had to come back the next day for some final touch ups.
The weather has continued to bless us with outstanding warm sunny days and mild nights. I have made the most of it riding and driving Twix almost every day. Saiko keeps up very well but has learnt to go find a friendly neighbour when he is tired. They dutifully take pity on him and call for a lift home. I think he knows now that this will happen and takes advantage of the situation. This week he went for the monthly weigh in and is now down to 92.5 lbs. So, getting ever closer to the 70 lb. mark we are supposed to achieve. While picking him up this week from one of the neighbours, I found they had a stray cat, which I also collected and installed in the barn. She is officially called Puss, so let’s hope she stays and the coyotes do not get her. She is just a kitten but quite sweet and missing half a nose, so must have been in a fight.
Last weekend I went to Toronto and Blythe and I had an Opera Fest seeing Peter Grimes on Friday night and La Boheme Saturday afternoon. They were really good, especially La Boheme, which had very fine stars.
Carding and spinning are not going too well. I have finally carded one whole fleece and now realize how important it is to keep the fleece as clean as possible. I spent so much time removing wood shavings I could probably have done 3 fleeces in the time it took to do one. I tried a little of Ralph’s fleece and it is just lovely and much much cleaner. Spinning is not going well. I have now got the hang of the treadle but getting fine even wool is eluding me. I am told the wheel is going too fast, but it is hard to feed the wool in smoothly. When the weather changes and I am not tempted to stray outdoors, I will persevere.
DUCK REPORT 95 October 25th 2013
I just came back from the Belleville dog show, which was quite disappointing: very small classes and poor quality. So won’t do that again.
Bart has fleas, so the whole troupe are being treated for them. I don’t know if Puss brought fleas or if the Raccoon we have around deposited them, but this is the very first time we have ever had fleas. I have also picked 3 ticks of the dogs in the last 3 or 4 weeks. This also is something we have never had before. This has been quite a wet year, but I am wondering if the additional long grass has not exacerbated the problem. Having only 2 ponies means we have an abundance of grass no one is eating. The sheep don’t seem to put a dent in it. Maybe I shall have to get a beef calf again.
I am going down town today to have the ‘clean drive’ testing done on the truck. I also have to pick up a light fixture for the back door. We are moving the existing one to the very back of the house as the trees have grown so much that they obstruct the light. This one will be in place of it and angle down over the door; it is also bright red which should be fun.
I really have to get started on making hats for the children on the bus. I think I need about 50, which is a bit of a tall order, but I will see how it goes. I have yet to get the size right but when I do it should go quickly and be done in a week.
I just bought tickets to the Royal Winter Fair and had to print them out instead of having them sent to me. This proved a little tricky as there was no print symbol to allow me to do this. I left it for a day and Wow! there was the symbol and out they came. So, a new challenge conquered. (IT specialist-Mum, FTW!)
DUCK REPORT 96 November 17th 2013
The last two weeks have been deer hunting season. Twix, the dogs, and I have not been venturing out in the woods, but lying around getting fat. Saiko went for his weigh-in and has gained weight to 98 lbs, so we will really have to get going on the walks again.
The Royal was good but I think smaller this year and not as interesting. Maybe I won’t go next year. I have also bought tickets to 3 more operas in February and May.
We re-arranged the ponies and sheep last week so all would be in fields with heated water troughs. This meant that Ralph had to share with Twix. I thought this may be a problem but they turned out to be great pals and get along well. Mayflower goes out with the girls and they graze all around her. I quite often let Ralph out on the lawn, and last week when I did this he encountered Saiko and wanted to play. Play to Ralph is butting heads. Saiko was not amused and lost the contest.
Last month I had the vet out to do shots for the pony’s dogs and cats, and while he was here I had him put Tigger down. It was sad but had to be done. The last week of her life she had started crying at night and when she thought we were not around. I think she was in pain and not able to tell us. It was a lovely sunny day and she just went to sleep in the house and I buried her under our favorite tree. Sad but strangely I do not miss her that much. It was far more traumatic when the cow was put down, as it was sudden and unexpected. (Mum, I do not believe this for a second. Just sayin')
*Tigger was put to sleep the first week of October. She was 21 years old.
**Rodney is an irascible neighbor. He has been known to shoot at people who trespass on his property, which is ridiculous given the amount of land he owns. Also, considering the criminal past that his extended family possesses in the county, he oughta watch his Ps and Qs a bit more.
***Beepers are ducklings, FYI.