The Duck Report - 2014 has been snowy an' stuff...
In which dogs are inexplicably burnt, wildlife becomes frightening, houses are painstakingly maintained, and maple sap joy goes EPIC.
DUCK REPORT 102 January 31st 2014
I just have to give you these snow stories. Michael was at the Foodland and overheard a snow plow operator telling this story. He was plowing in Trenton when this car came toward him going just a little too fast. They tried to slow down but were on ice and skidded across the road and into a snow bank, but not just into it but right up it. The car ended 8 feet up in the air on top of the snow bank. The snow plow driver rescued the lady driver, but claimed it was not his job to rescue cars.
Brad, one of the mechanics at the bus company, has a neighbour who went out to snow blow her driveway. It was all ice and would not clean up. She went back to the garage and came out with the rotor tiller. Tilled up the ice and snow blew it over into the field. They are very resourceful north of highway 71.
Saiko was so cold last week he lay by the stove and singed his fur on the side, now he is a pretty dark orange on one side2. How he managed to do this without feeling it I really do not know. In the morning he lays by his food bowl just to remind me that dinner is nigh. I persuaded Michael to come with me and take him for a walk yesterday. That was a short lived achievement as I was on my own today.
We had another round of snow overnight which brought us about 6” of really wet snow, hard to shovel and walk in. I tried to ride Twix today but the snow was too deep and there is still ice which he was breaking through, so I just gave up and went back to the barn.
As I drive around on my bus route I pass field after field of white, virgin snow, with not a footprint anywhere. After trying to ride Twix, now I know why. All the animals are staying in sheltered places where they can browse but not have to tackle the deep snow and ice. Earlier when it was very cold I could see deep fissures in the ice and snow. This is something I have never seen before and the weather man said we were getting ice quakes, so these must have been the end product of the ice quakes. We could also hear the quakes during the night we would hear great bangs and cracks.
DUCK REPORT 103 6th January 2014
We have just had yet another huge snow storm all day yesterday which left us with yet another foot of snow. This time they decided to run the buses, so we were out there trying to take kids home in the most awful mess. It took me 10 mins to get to my bus at the top of the driveway and 45 mins to get to the school. The OPP had highway 401 closed but we plowed on. On part of my route I came across a snow plow in the ditch, and in one subdivision I was following a truck which decided to stop on a hill and could not get going again, so I just kept going and snuck past him3. On the way back he was still there and this time I could not get by so had to wait while he decided to back into a driveway.
I do believe we have a fox coming around the house. I have seen foot prints on the driveway which I thought were a cat but now think they are too big and spread too far apart for a cat. I would love to see him, but he seems to come by just before I set off for my morning run so is very early. My neighbour has seen him and Paul Martin4 said he had foxes breeding near his house, so I should think this one will be one of his.
The painter finished the painting today and it looks just lovely. I picked a very dark purple/grey and this combined with the gold/rust carpet is a very nice contrast. Michael was appalled, but what does he know? He is colour blind, after all. Tomorrow the carpenter comes to see what we need done. I asked Michael to do a drawing5 of the hall coat rack and fireplace surround, but nothing has materialized, so I drew something up myself, and it is too bad if he does not like it.
Saiko has re-singed himself. You would think the silly dog would know when he was burning, but no sense no feeling I guess. He now has a huge orange mark down one side of his body. I was vacuuming the carpet and could smell burning so came down to tell Michael something was on fire. We checked all around and could find nothing, but of course we neglected to look at the dog, so I only noticed the singe later.
DUCK REPORT 104 February 11 2014
We had a strange episode today. Michael heard a bang on the window and looked out to see a little bird had run into the window and knocked itself out. It got up and flew to a tree branch, and then suddenly a hawk dived down through the tree and flew away with it6. This was at the back door and the fir trees are very thick and tight to the house. I just do not know how the hawk got through the trees to catch the bird, in fact I thought the birds were pretty safe being fed at this feeder as it was so sheltered. I guess the hawk was just very hungry and would try for anything. The snow is so deep that the mice will have their runs under it all making it very difficult for bird of prey to find them.
Today I went and picked up the cherry flooring, and tomorrow I will be back for the entire cherry baseboard. Michael and I started to clean out the library in preparation for laying the floor, and, surprisingly, I got very little grief for all the work I put him through. He has also decided that the upstairs hall is actually a good colour. Wow, can you believe it?
We were walking to the barn this morning and a coyote trotted across the paddock. I had seen his footprints in the snow all around the house and lane beside the field when I was walking down from the bus, so he must have been around for quite a while. That is a little scary as he could easily get at the sheep, cats, or Bart if he was out on his own.
Saiko went to the vets today and he is 84lb7, and they say his ideal weight is 82lb and not 70lb so he is really there!! His energy level is very high so I hope when I can get him out walking he will stay with me as he used to.
As I walk up to the bus every day I admire my fence lines, and what did I spy yesterday but a fence down in two places in Twix’s field. And he has been admiring them too, as there are footprints right up to where the fence is down. This weekend I will have to go fix it, but this is easier said than done as the snow is so deep I can’t walk across the field. So I think I am going to have to walk down the road to the nearest point and crawl over the snow bank and up to the fence. I will let you know how I make out; Michael may have to come rescue me.
DUCK REPORT 105 15th February 2014
I made it and fixed the fence. I actually walked across the field from where the bus was parked as that section is pretty wind swept and the snow was only about 12 inches deep. When I reached the fence line, it was another story and I was up to my waist in snow. There were no posts down just a lot of connectors to be straightened and tape to be tightened. It was a lovely day and I would love to have gone for a walk, but fixing the fence was enough, as just walking is very hard work in deep snow especially when sometimes you sink and sometimes you don’t.
I hope to have someone coming to install the cherry wood floor today so we will see how that goes.
I have a new tax program I plan to get started on this weekend and do my first electronic tax return. Wow!! Isn’t technology great: that is if I can get it to work??
DUCK REPORT 106 20th February 2014
On my bus route I saw two hawks fighting over what looked like a pigeon one had just caught. They were not the usual red tail hawks but a soft beige to white colour and very big. At least one was, and one was smaller, probably a male and a female. I think they might have been Cooper’s hawks but all my bird books are packed away so I can’t look them up.
DUCK REPORT 107 2nd March 2014
I am knitting my own wool - how about that? I have knitted 2 pairs of mitts, a pair of socks, and half a sweater. I showed the sweater to Dianne, my teacher, who said I had a bad fleece and should turn it into felt and make insoles for my boots. That worked out very well. The sweater came out in stripes yellowish and white, which apparently would not change. This is a condition of the fleece which is caused by stress in the sheep. Boy, my sheep sure are a stressed out bunch. Dianne thought it may be due to clipping them in the fall, as this was a very hot summer and they may have been suffering from overheating. While the sweater was a bust I did at least learn how to knit on round needles, and also on 4 needles for the socks, so all is not lost. Ralph’s fleece is much nicer but still quite coarse, so I may have to change my chosen breed of sheep - perhaps to Shetland - they have long soft coats. Who would have thought there was so much involved in getting a nice fleece and turning it into wool? All those old Yorkshire farmers never seemed to have any trouble.
I just dug myself a path to the maple trees for my maple syrup foray. It was a lovely day and not such hard work with Bart supervising. After I had a bath and talked Bart into a bath also. He did not object until drying time when he growled right through the toweling process, but I think that was enjoyment as he kept coming back for more.
I think I may make a harness for Saiko so he can pull the maple syrup out of the bush. He has lots of energy now and this may settle him down.
DUCK REPORT 108 7th March 2014
I have been thinking about my stressed out sheep and I think maybe I have the answer. I talk to all my animals quite a lot and the sheep are no different. Sheep are a little stupid so they get sworn at rather more than the rest, with the exception of the ducks who are truly stupid. Perhaps these sheep are brighter than I think and are taking affront to the language8.
I went out today and tapped my Maple trees, probably too soon but the sap was running and I just could not wait to try9. It was not hard but the battery operated drill is only good for about 4 trees and then it runs out, but I only needed 4 trees so that was OK. The driver for the spigots that I bought is useless as it gets stuck in the spigot and won’t come out, so I gently hammered and that worked fine, although a small piece of dowel would have been good. Two of them were running when I tapped them but two were not - don’t know why - but I guess I will find out soon enough.
I suppose I shall have to get a move on and finish Saiko’s harness as, I hope, I'll soon have to haul sap. I am off to see Erica and the offspring this week if I do not get stuck in yet another snow storm they are predicting for Wednesday.
DUCK REPORT 109 19th March 2014
Erica is settling into her new house which is lovely, and gradually her legs are starting to work better which is heartening, considering the news I got on returning home. My dear friend Sue, in England, had died at just 77. Very young and not what I was expecting. Just makes you realize how temporary life is, so make the most of it while you can.
My maple trees are still not producing anything as the weather is just too cold, but hopefully today the sap will run as it is above freezing and quiet pleasant.
Saiko was weighed yesterday for the last time as he has finally made his optimum weight. He is now so strong that he knocked me over in the vet’s office, so our next project is obedience training, which should be a hoot as he seems never to have been trained to do anything10.
Suddenly we have lots of Robins. Yesterday there were none and today dozens. I also saw one lonely red winged blackbird standing on a bull rush in the swamp. He looked a little perplexed - I guess no one told him we still have snow and the weather man is calling for yet another storm.
DUCK REPORT 110 March 23, 2014
I just went down to my maple trees to see how they were doing and guess what? They are doing nothing, zip. So I called Wally to get the scoop and he is having very little success also. Apparently, the conditions are just not right yet, so I guess I have to be patient. For my first try this is not a good year to start as the season seems to be upside down.
My flooring guy came in today and we have agreed to a price and we will be starting on Tuesday and be complete some time the following week. This is much anticipated and now requires some coordination, i.e. the painter, millwork man and fireplace installer, although the latter could be done any time.
DUCK REPORT 111 March 31, 2014
The snow is finally starting to recede and we have patches of brown grass showing everywhere except on my land, which seems to have vast quantities of snow still. I finally got one small bucket of sap from the Maple trees, not enough to start making syrup, so I froze it as instructed by Wally. Today should be a good day as we are expecting high single digit temperatures and sap should run.
The flooring guys are making a mountain out of this job just because it is the way flooring used to be and not engineered, and pre-finished as it is today. First they got the colour wrong and I had to go to the store and pick colour. When it was stained, I still found it too red, so went and bought another can of stain and had them do another coat. It now looks great just the same colour as the 25 year old kitchen cabinets, but now it does not seem to be drying. Now it is darker the sanding job does not look to good but I don’t think I can face having them re-sand it and stain it again. There was sawdust all over the house the first time and I don’t want to go through that again, so I guess its urethane today.
DUCK REPORT 112 April 11th 2014
The floor is finally finished and looks absolutely fabulous. All my worries were for naught: the colour came out great and the semi-gloss finish looks lovely. We have to stay of it for a week, so have scheduled the painter for two weeks from now, and called Clarence to pick up the base board to be shaped, stained and sealed. One of these days we may get the house back to normal. As it is we are just about out of space everywhere.
When they finished the floor we had quite a lot of wood left over, so much to Michael’s annoyance I have ordered more to do Blythe’s bedroom (the middle bedroom)11.
Finally the snow has almost gone, so I had a word with Twix and I think we will go for a ride on Saturday if not sooner. This will be the first of the season. I think this winter has been the longest I have ever experienced.
The sap is finally flowing and I made maple syrup this week. First batch looks very good, the second I left too long and burned, but now I know better. It is hard to tell when it is just right, you have to check temperature and my second batch looked too pale when it reached the right temperature so I reduced it some more and over did the job.
The dog had a great day on Wednesday as Michael went to town and I decided to get my hair cut. The appointment was for 11:30 am and that is the dog's dinner time, so I fed them before I left. I also left some cheese out on the counter as I was making baggettes with cheese on top. The baggettes were just proofing on the wood stove. I fed the boys and left, getting back at 12:15 am. Michael was back and, sure enough, he had taken pity on the poor woofs and fed them!! I went to finish off my baggettes and there was the cheddar cheese but no Parmesan. Saiko must have snafu-ed the nearest piece off the counter. Two dinners and cheese must have made him very happy, but he was not telling anyone.
Speaking of dogs we have now an extreme distribution of dog logs12 to be collected. Michael says he will clean up on Monday but that remains to be seen.
Notes by Blythe:
1I'd should say so!
2ROFLMAO! Seriously? I just don't 'get' that dog at all...
3My Mum - the insanely large, bright yellow BUS ninja.
4I have no idea who she is talking about here. The only Paul Martin I know is the former Prime Minister and I'm pretty sure that he didn't just become a gentleman farmer in my Mum's 'hood.
5My father used to be a draftsman, although Mum made her living drawing up blueprints, so for the life of me I can't understand why she'd ask him to do something that she could probably do better and faster than him anyway. *eyeroll*
6Mutual of Omaha specials have nothing on my Mum's back porch, apparently...
7Followers of the Duck Report will remember that Saiko originally weighed 140lbs. That was almost exactly one year ago when Mum first rescued him.
8Now I'm really interested in what she's telling these sheep because I don't believe that she can talk enough smack to make sheep fleece nervous.
9I cannot express to you how excited she's been about making maple syrup. She sends me daily email updates on her trees.
10I envision a reprise of the swearing conundrum here.
11Wait... what? SHUT UP, DAD! I WANTZ CHERRY WOOD FLOORS, PLEASE!!!
12Ummm, this is code in my family for dog shit. I have no idea if the term is universal.
DUCK REPORT 102 January 31st 2014
I just have to give you these snow stories. Michael was at the Foodland and overheard a snow plow operator telling this story. He was plowing in Trenton when this car came toward him going just a little too fast. They tried to slow down but were on ice and skidded across the road and into a snow bank, but not just into it but right up it. The car ended 8 feet up in the air on top of the snow bank. The snow plow driver rescued the lady driver, but claimed it was not his job to rescue cars.
Brad, one of the mechanics at the bus company, has a neighbour who went out to snow blow her driveway. It was all ice and would not clean up. She went back to the garage and came out with the rotor tiller. Tilled up the ice and snow blew it over into the field. They are very resourceful north of highway 71.
Saiko was so cold last week he lay by the stove and singed his fur on the side, now he is a pretty dark orange on one side2. How he managed to do this without feeling it I really do not know. In the morning he lays by his food bowl just to remind me that dinner is nigh. I persuaded Michael to come with me and take him for a walk yesterday. That was a short lived achievement as I was on my own today.
We had another round of snow overnight which brought us about 6” of really wet snow, hard to shovel and walk in. I tried to ride Twix today but the snow was too deep and there is still ice which he was breaking through, so I just gave up and went back to the barn.
As I drive around on my bus route I pass field after field of white, virgin snow, with not a footprint anywhere. After trying to ride Twix, now I know why. All the animals are staying in sheltered places where they can browse but not have to tackle the deep snow and ice. Earlier when it was very cold I could see deep fissures in the ice and snow. This is something I have never seen before and the weather man said we were getting ice quakes, so these must have been the end product of the ice quakes. We could also hear the quakes during the night we would hear great bangs and cracks.
DUCK REPORT 103 6th January 2014
We have just had yet another huge snow storm all day yesterday which left us with yet another foot of snow. This time they decided to run the buses, so we were out there trying to take kids home in the most awful mess. It took me 10 mins to get to my bus at the top of the driveway and 45 mins to get to the school. The OPP had highway 401 closed but we plowed on. On part of my route I came across a snow plow in the ditch, and in one subdivision I was following a truck which decided to stop on a hill and could not get going again, so I just kept going and snuck past him3. On the way back he was still there and this time I could not get by so had to wait while he decided to back into a driveway.
I do believe we have a fox coming around the house. I have seen foot prints on the driveway which I thought were a cat but now think they are too big and spread too far apart for a cat. I would love to see him, but he seems to come by just before I set off for my morning run so is very early. My neighbour has seen him and Paul Martin4 said he had foxes breeding near his house, so I should think this one will be one of his.
The painter finished the painting today and it looks just lovely. I picked a very dark purple/grey and this combined with the gold/rust carpet is a very nice contrast. Michael was appalled, but what does he know? He is colour blind, after all. Tomorrow the carpenter comes to see what we need done. I asked Michael to do a drawing5 of the hall coat rack and fireplace surround, but nothing has materialized, so I drew something up myself, and it is too bad if he does not like it.
Saiko has re-singed himself. You would think the silly dog would know when he was burning, but no sense no feeling I guess. He now has a huge orange mark down one side of his body. I was vacuuming the carpet and could smell burning so came down to tell Michael something was on fire. We checked all around and could find nothing, but of course we neglected to look at the dog, so I only noticed the singe later.
DUCK REPORT 104 February 11 2014
We had a strange episode today. Michael heard a bang on the window and looked out to see a little bird had run into the window and knocked itself out. It got up and flew to a tree branch, and then suddenly a hawk dived down through the tree and flew away with it6. This was at the back door and the fir trees are very thick and tight to the house. I just do not know how the hawk got through the trees to catch the bird, in fact I thought the birds were pretty safe being fed at this feeder as it was so sheltered. I guess the hawk was just very hungry and would try for anything. The snow is so deep that the mice will have their runs under it all making it very difficult for bird of prey to find them.
Today I went and picked up the cherry flooring, and tomorrow I will be back for the entire cherry baseboard. Michael and I started to clean out the library in preparation for laying the floor, and, surprisingly, I got very little grief for all the work I put him through. He has also decided that the upstairs hall is actually a good colour. Wow, can you believe it?
We were walking to the barn this morning and a coyote trotted across the paddock. I had seen his footprints in the snow all around the house and lane beside the field when I was walking down from the bus, so he must have been around for quite a while. That is a little scary as he could easily get at the sheep, cats, or Bart if he was out on his own.
Saiko went to the vets today and he is 84lb7, and they say his ideal weight is 82lb and not 70lb so he is really there!! His energy level is very high so I hope when I can get him out walking he will stay with me as he used to.
As I walk up to the bus every day I admire my fence lines, and what did I spy yesterday but a fence down in two places in Twix’s field. And he has been admiring them too, as there are footprints right up to where the fence is down. This weekend I will have to go fix it, but this is easier said than done as the snow is so deep I can’t walk across the field. So I think I am going to have to walk down the road to the nearest point and crawl over the snow bank and up to the fence. I will let you know how I make out; Michael may have to come rescue me.
DUCK REPORT 105 15th February 2014
I made it and fixed the fence. I actually walked across the field from where the bus was parked as that section is pretty wind swept and the snow was only about 12 inches deep. When I reached the fence line, it was another story and I was up to my waist in snow. There were no posts down just a lot of connectors to be straightened and tape to be tightened. It was a lovely day and I would love to have gone for a walk, but fixing the fence was enough, as just walking is very hard work in deep snow especially when sometimes you sink and sometimes you don’t.
I hope to have someone coming to install the cherry wood floor today so we will see how that goes.
I have a new tax program I plan to get started on this weekend and do my first electronic tax return. Wow!! Isn’t technology great: that is if I can get it to work??
DUCK REPORT 106 20th February 2014
On my bus route I saw two hawks fighting over what looked like a pigeon one had just caught. They were not the usual red tail hawks but a soft beige to white colour and very big. At least one was, and one was smaller, probably a male and a female. I think they might have been Cooper’s hawks but all my bird books are packed away so I can’t look them up.
DUCK REPORT 107 2nd March 2014
I am knitting my own wool - how about that? I have knitted 2 pairs of mitts, a pair of socks, and half a sweater. I showed the sweater to Dianne, my teacher, who said I had a bad fleece and should turn it into felt and make insoles for my boots. That worked out very well. The sweater came out in stripes yellowish and white, which apparently would not change. This is a condition of the fleece which is caused by stress in the sheep. Boy, my sheep sure are a stressed out bunch. Dianne thought it may be due to clipping them in the fall, as this was a very hot summer and they may have been suffering from overheating. While the sweater was a bust I did at least learn how to knit on round needles, and also on 4 needles for the socks, so all is not lost. Ralph’s fleece is much nicer but still quite coarse, so I may have to change my chosen breed of sheep - perhaps to Shetland - they have long soft coats. Who would have thought there was so much involved in getting a nice fleece and turning it into wool? All those old Yorkshire farmers never seemed to have any trouble.
I just dug myself a path to the maple trees for my maple syrup foray. It was a lovely day and not such hard work with Bart supervising. After I had a bath and talked Bart into a bath also. He did not object until drying time when he growled right through the toweling process, but I think that was enjoyment as he kept coming back for more.
I think I may make a harness for Saiko so he can pull the maple syrup out of the bush. He has lots of energy now and this may settle him down.
DUCK REPORT 108 7th March 2014
I have been thinking about my stressed out sheep and I think maybe I have the answer. I talk to all my animals quite a lot and the sheep are no different. Sheep are a little stupid so they get sworn at rather more than the rest, with the exception of the ducks who are truly stupid. Perhaps these sheep are brighter than I think and are taking affront to the language8.
I went out today and tapped my Maple trees, probably too soon but the sap was running and I just could not wait to try9. It was not hard but the battery operated drill is only good for about 4 trees and then it runs out, but I only needed 4 trees so that was OK. The driver for the spigots that I bought is useless as it gets stuck in the spigot and won’t come out, so I gently hammered and that worked fine, although a small piece of dowel would have been good. Two of them were running when I tapped them but two were not - don’t know why - but I guess I will find out soon enough.
I suppose I shall have to get a move on and finish Saiko’s harness as, I hope, I'll soon have to haul sap. I am off to see Erica and the offspring this week if I do not get stuck in yet another snow storm they are predicting for Wednesday.
DUCK REPORT 109 19th March 2014
Erica is settling into her new house which is lovely, and gradually her legs are starting to work better which is heartening, considering the news I got on returning home. My dear friend Sue, in England, had died at just 77. Very young and not what I was expecting. Just makes you realize how temporary life is, so make the most of it while you can.
My maple trees are still not producing anything as the weather is just too cold, but hopefully today the sap will run as it is above freezing and quiet pleasant.
Saiko was weighed yesterday for the last time as he has finally made his optimum weight. He is now so strong that he knocked me over in the vet’s office, so our next project is obedience training, which should be a hoot as he seems never to have been trained to do anything10.
Suddenly we have lots of Robins. Yesterday there were none and today dozens. I also saw one lonely red winged blackbird standing on a bull rush in the swamp. He looked a little perplexed - I guess no one told him we still have snow and the weather man is calling for yet another storm.
DUCK REPORT 110 March 23, 2014
I just went down to my maple trees to see how they were doing and guess what? They are doing nothing, zip. So I called Wally to get the scoop and he is having very little success also. Apparently, the conditions are just not right yet, so I guess I have to be patient. For my first try this is not a good year to start as the season seems to be upside down.
My flooring guy came in today and we have agreed to a price and we will be starting on Tuesday and be complete some time the following week. This is much anticipated and now requires some coordination, i.e. the painter, millwork man and fireplace installer, although the latter could be done any time.
DUCK REPORT 111 March 31, 2014
The snow is finally starting to recede and we have patches of brown grass showing everywhere except on my land, which seems to have vast quantities of snow still. I finally got one small bucket of sap from the Maple trees, not enough to start making syrup, so I froze it as instructed by Wally. Today should be a good day as we are expecting high single digit temperatures and sap should run.
The flooring guys are making a mountain out of this job just because it is the way flooring used to be and not engineered, and pre-finished as it is today. First they got the colour wrong and I had to go to the store and pick colour. When it was stained, I still found it too red, so went and bought another can of stain and had them do another coat. It now looks great just the same colour as the 25 year old kitchen cabinets, but now it does not seem to be drying. Now it is darker the sanding job does not look to good but I don’t think I can face having them re-sand it and stain it again. There was sawdust all over the house the first time and I don’t want to go through that again, so I guess its urethane today.
DUCK REPORT 112 April 11th 2014
The floor is finally finished and looks absolutely fabulous. All my worries were for naught: the colour came out great and the semi-gloss finish looks lovely. We have to stay of it for a week, so have scheduled the painter for two weeks from now, and called Clarence to pick up the base board to be shaped, stained and sealed. One of these days we may get the house back to normal. As it is we are just about out of space everywhere.
When they finished the floor we had quite a lot of wood left over, so much to Michael’s annoyance I have ordered more to do Blythe’s bedroom (the middle bedroom)11.
Finally the snow has almost gone, so I had a word with Twix and I think we will go for a ride on Saturday if not sooner. This will be the first of the season. I think this winter has been the longest I have ever experienced.
The sap is finally flowing and I made maple syrup this week. First batch looks very good, the second I left too long and burned, but now I know better. It is hard to tell when it is just right, you have to check temperature and my second batch looked too pale when it reached the right temperature so I reduced it some more and over did the job.
The dog had a great day on Wednesday as Michael went to town and I decided to get my hair cut. The appointment was for 11:30 am and that is the dog's dinner time, so I fed them before I left. I also left some cheese out on the counter as I was making baggettes with cheese on top. The baggettes were just proofing on the wood stove. I fed the boys and left, getting back at 12:15 am. Michael was back and, sure enough, he had taken pity on the poor woofs and fed them!! I went to finish off my baggettes and there was the cheddar cheese but no Parmesan. Saiko must have snafu-ed the nearest piece off the counter. Two dinners and cheese must have made him very happy, but he was not telling anyone.
Speaking of dogs we have now an extreme distribution of dog logs12 to be collected. Michael says he will clean up on Monday but that remains to be seen.
Notes by Blythe:
1I'd should say so!
2ROFLMAO! Seriously? I just don't 'get' that dog at all...
3My Mum - the insanely large, bright yellow BUS ninja.
4I have no idea who she is talking about here. The only Paul Martin I know is the former Prime Minister and I'm pretty sure that he didn't just become a gentleman farmer in my Mum's 'hood.
5My father used to be a draftsman, although Mum made her living drawing up blueprints, so for the life of me I can't understand why she'd ask him to do something that she could probably do better and faster than him anyway. *eyeroll*
6Mutual of Omaha specials have nothing on my Mum's back porch, apparently...
7Followers of the Duck Report will remember that Saiko originally weighed 140lbs. That was almost exactly one year ago when Mum first rescued him.
8Now I'm really interested in what she's telling these sheep because I don't believe that she can talk enough smack to make sheep fleece nervous.
9I cannot express to you how excited she's been about making maple syrup. She sends me daily email updates on her trees.
10I envision a reprise of the swearing conundrum here.
11Wait... what? SHUT UP, DAD! I WANTZ CHERRY WOOD FLOORS, PLEASE!!!
12Ummm, this is code in my family for dog shit. I have no idea if the term is universal.