The Duck Report: Winter 2014
More missives from the hinterland.
DUCK REPORT 119 October 2014
This has been a very busy month. Blythe and I saw 2 operas: Madama Butterfly and Figaro, both were excellent and Figaro was all Canadian, which bodes well for our talent. We also jaunted off to the Fleece Festival in Woodstock. I think Blythe was a little leery about the trip but we had a great time. The show was huge with dozens of booths selling everything to do with wool. I got one blue dye which was OK but I was hoping for many more natural dyes. I did get a good dye book for natural dyes which is very interesting and should teach me a lot. In the afternoon we both attended a workshop, Funky Felted Jewelry which was just right. We learned how to make wet felt and rolled tubes, horns and balls, a very good start that we can now work on. I have so much to do that I left it all with Blythe as she had some great ideas*.
The weather has been great, but I have hardly been out with Twix and am feeling very bad about it. The dogs get walked every day but by the time I think of Twix it seems to be dark.
My Kaffe Fassett waist coat is coming along well. I have the back done and am working up the left side. I get a little fixated on it and don’t seem to be able to put it down. I don’t know who it is going to fit as I pressed the back and it seems pretty big. It is made with all the worst spinning and mite-ridden wool so who cares. Now I know how hard it is I can knit the next with better product and hopefully a better outcome.
I am also working on the kids** stockings for Christmas. I have most of them cut out, and have made four trial stockings to see what worked best, so most of the hard work is done. I think I shall have about 60 to 70 when I am done. I just have not decided what to put in them, as you can hardly give a kid an empty stocking and there are so many things we are not allowed to give the kids on the bus, so I will have to have a big think. The idea is the stocking which will be spectacular but it can’t just be that.
DUCK REPORT 120 17th November 2014
I am making great progress on the final piece of knitting, and have finished half the stockings.
It is snowing today and has been for a day. I got the bus stuck sliding sideways on the slippery roads, but I managed to back it out of the impending ditch it was doing its best to slide into***. Then had to back it about a kilometer in order to turn around, but I managed and we are back home safe and sound. This afternoon’s trip may be quite trying.
Today is the end of deer hunting season so I should now be able to do my usual walks with the dogs. We have for the last two weeks been restricted to walking round my fields with orange jacket and hat. Hunters will shoot anything that moves and go see what they have hit as an afterthought.
I was at the Spinners and Weavers meeting last week and rented a set of combs to try comb the Lincoln fleece, and a mixing board. I have not tried either yet but hope to start this week and see if either is of any use. The loom is still sitting there waiting for me but it is a monumental task to take apart and clean, something I think I will save for spring.
The dishwasher died last week, the machine not Michael****, so when the roads get a little better we will be off to buy a new one. The problem is that most dishwashers are higher than my counter top will allow for. This restricts the choices to two manufacturers who build machines 1 inch lower in height. Unfortunately the old machine is 20 years old and not repairable, plus it had past its best before date several years ago.
DUCK REPORT 121 1st December 2014
We had this really strange weather at the end of November. Buffalo go 6 feet of snow in 2 days. While this was going on we had none but as the sun came up in the morning we had this spooky vision of a blue/grey bank of cloud to the south with a gold edge to it. Very pretty but menacing. We eventually got about 6 inches but it has all gone now.
I have 30 stockings fully made and the rest half sewn, then the sewing machine crapped out on me. I eventually got it back up and running, but I can’t say the same for the printer. It has one piece of printing stuck in its memory and will not let me cancel it or print it, but just says default. Well, I really do not need to be told that - I can tell it is in default. I have asked Marilyn to print out the last 7 pages of the duck report so I can get it sent off to everyone. Marilyn also has the latest Mrs. Giggleswick photos to give to me, so that should be exciting to see. If I cannot get this printer to work I think I will buy a laser printer so I will not need to keep going out to buy cartridges. Of course I have just bought a pack of 2 and hardly used the first one let alone the second.
We were out on Friday to buy a dishwasher but hit the snag I already mentioned, namely they were all too high, so the dishwasher repair man was here to tell me what I suspected that the dishwasher motor was toast and could not be replaced. But he said he could get a dishwasher to fit, so I have sent him off to supply same!!
On the weekend I had some fencing to fix, and hauled two truckloads of old wood to my maple syrup making fireplace so that it will be ready for the spring. I think I will ask Wally to move the manure pile and then all my outdoor jobs will be complete and it can snow all it wants.
DUCK REPORT 122 9th December 2014
Well, we have a new dishwasher and it seems to work and be very quiet.
Wally was just over and the manure pile is now under control. The asparagus patch is covered in manure and the veg patch has a 12 inches cover of new manure. It all looks lovely and should be a lot better to deal with.
I think the sheep are ganging up on me, I have had 3 sick sheep, which is pretty bad as I only have 7 in total. First Ralph went lame, the vet did not know why, so blamed the weather, gave me some drugs and said he should be fine. Then Gertrude got sick, she had pneumonia and promptly upped and died. Then Burr Patch went lame. She had managed to tear part of her hoof which we removed and bandaged. Now today Ralph again is sick he has terrible diarrhea, so we are waiting for the vet yet again. It’s my fault this time I let Ralph into the corn field after it had been thrashed. I did not realize there was that much corn left and he ate too much, poor guy. He and Twix are now fenced out again and very pissed off; hay is just not as tasty as corn left-overs.
I have some thoughts for you on blow-up Christmas decorations. They seem to be all the rage this year. Everyone’s lawn seems to be covered with Santas and snow men, which is fine when they are inflated, but when I see them early in the morning they are not inflated and lying about on the lawn looking a lot like used condoms [JESUS, MUM! *facepalm*].
DUCK REPORT 123 20th December 2014
This I think will be the last duck report for this year. I have finally finished the bus route for this year and handed out the stockings which were well received, I eventually made 80 and handed out 46 so have a surplus stockpile for future undertakings.
Blythe and Synap are coming for Christmas so - Australian gang - we may Skype you on Christmas day. In any event please all have a lovely Christmas and we will be thinking about you all as will all the animals who are all going to have a special Christmas dinner. Apples and carrots for ponies and sheep, Fancy Feast for cats, bones for dogs and extra grain for ducks, and a great big turkey for the large animals!!!
Bye for now.
Notes by Blythe:
*Mum believes that encouraging my tentacle fetish is a worthy, creative cause.
**'Kids' means the children on her bus route, not us grown, somewhat tiresome spawn.
***My Mum, the 70 year old stunt driver...
****I'm so glad she clarified that Dad isn't dead even though his only real use to her is as a dishwasher *eyeroll*. The relatives might have gotten worried.
That's all for now, blossoms. I'm off to the country tomorrow, so to everyone on my f-list, have a grand Christmas ♥
DUCK REPORT 119 October 2014
This has been a very busy month. Blythe and I saw 2 operas: Madama Butterfly and Figaro, both were excellent and Figaro was all Canadian, which bodes well for our talent. We also jaunted off to the Fleece Festival in Woodstock. I think Blythe was a little leery about the trip but we had a great time. The show was huge with dozens of booths selling everything to do with wool. I got one blue dye which was OK but I was hoping for many more natural dyes. I did get a good dye book for natural dyes which is very interesting and should teach me a lot. In the afternoon we both attended a workshop, Funky Felted Jewelry which was just right. We learned how to make wet felt and rolled tubes, horns and balls, a very good start that we can now work on. I have so much to do that I left it all with Blythe as she had some great ideas*.
The weather has been great, but I have hardly been out with Twix and am feeling very bad about it. The dogs get walked every day but by the time I think of Twix it seems to be dark.
My Kaffe Fassett waist coat is coming along well. I have the back done and am working up the left side. I get a little fixated on it and don’t seem to be able to put it down. I don’t know who it is going to fit as I pressed the back and it seems pretty big. It is made with all the worst spinning and mite-ridden wool so who cares. Now I know how hard it is I can knit the next with better product and hopefully a better outcome.
I am also working on the kids** stockings for Christmas. I have most of them cut out, and have made four trial stockings to see what worked best, so most of the hard work is done. I think I shall have about 60 to 70 when I am done. I just have not decided what to put in them, as you can hardly give a kid an empty stocking and there are so many things we are not allowed to give the kids on the bus, so I will have to have a big think. The idea is the stocking which will be spectacular but it can’t just be that.
DUCK REPORT 120 17th November 2014
I am making great progress on the final piece of knitting, and have finished half the stockings.
It is snowing today and has been for a day. I got the bus stuck sliding sideways on the slippery roads, but I managed to back it out of the impending ditch it was doing its best to slide into***. Then had to back it about a kilometer in order to turn around, but I managed and we are back home safe and sound. This afternoon’s trip may be quite trying.
Today is the end of deer hunting season so I should now be able to do my usual walks with the dogs. We have for the last two weeks been restricted to walking round my fields with orange jacket and hat. Hunters will shoot anything that moves and go see what they have hit as an afterthought.
I was at the Spinners and Weavers meeting last week and rented a set of combs to try comb the Lincoln fleece, and a mixing board. I have not tried either yet but hope to start this week and see if either is of any use. The loom is still sitting there waiting for me but it is a monumental task to take apart and clean, something I think I will save for spring.
The dishwasher died last week, the machine not Michael****, so when the roads get a little better we will be off to buy a new one. The problem is that most dishwashers are higher than my counter top will allow for. This restricts the choices to two manufacturers who build machines 1 inch lower in height. Unfortunately the old machine is 20 years old and not repairable, plus it had past its best before date several years ago.
DUCK REPORT 121 1st December 2014
We had this really strange weather at the end of November. Buffalo go 6 feet of snow in 2 days. While this was going on we had none but as the sun came up in the morning we had this spooky vision of a blue/grey bank of cloud to the south with a gold edge to it. Very pretty but menacing. We eventually got about 6 inches but it has all gone now.
I have 30 stockings fully made and the rest half sewn, then the sewing machine crapped out on me. I eventually got it back up and running, but I can’t say the same for the printer. It has one piece of printing stuck in its memory and will not let me cancel it or print it, but just says default. Well, I really do not need to be told that - I can tell it is in default. I have asked Marilyn to print out the last 7 pages of the duck report so I can get it sent off to everyone. Marilyn also has the latest Mrs. Giggleswick photos to give to me, so that should be exciting to see. If I cannot get this printer to work I think I will buy a laser printer so I will not need to keep going out to buy cartridges. Of course I have just bought a pack of 2 and hardly used the first one let alone the second.
We were out on Friday to buy a dishwasher but hit the snag I already mentioned, namely they were all too high, so the dishwasher repair man was here to tell me what I suspected that the dishwasher motor was toast and could not be replaced. But he said he could get a dishwasher to fit, so I have sent him off to supply same!!
On the weekend I had some fencing to fix, and hauled two truckloads of old wood to my maple syrup making fireplace so that it will be ready for the spring. I think I will ask Wally to move the manure pile and then all my outdoor jobs will be complete and it can snow all it wants.
DUCK REPORT 122 9th December 2014
Well, we have a new dishwasher and it seems to work and be very quiet.
Wally was just over and the manure pile is now under control. The asparagus patch is covered in manure and the veg patch has a 12 inches cover of new manure. It all looks lovely and should be a lot better to deal with.
I think the sheep are ganging up on me, I have had 3 sick sheep, which is pretty bad as I only have 7 in total. First Ralph went lame, the vet did not know why, so blamed the weather, gave me some drugs and said he should be fine. Then Gertrude got sick, she had pneumonia and promptly upped and died. Then Burr Patch went lame. She had managed to tear part of her hoof which we removed and bandaged. Now today Ralph again is sick he has terrible diarrhea, so we are waiting for the vet yet again. It’s my fault this time I let Ralph into the corn field after it had been thrashed. I did not realize there was that much corn left and he ate too much, poor guy. He and Twix are now fenced out again and very pissed off; hay is just not as tasty as corn left-overs.
I have some thoughts for you on blow-up Christmas decorations. They seem to be all the rage this year. Everyone’s lawn seems to be covered with Santas and snow men, which is fine when they are inflated, but when I see them early in the morning they are not inflated and lying about on the lawn looking a lot like used condoms [JESUS, MUM! *facepalm*].
DUCK REPORT 123 20th December 2014
This I think will be the last duck report for this year. I have finally finished the bus route for this year and handed out the stockings which were well received, I eventually made 80 and handed out 46 so have a surplus stockpile for future undertakings.
Blythe and Synap are coming for Christmas so - Australian gang - we may Skype you on Christmas day. In any event please all have a lovely Christmas and we will be thinking about you all as will all the animals who are all going to have a special Christmas dinner. Apples and carrots for ponies and sheep, Fancy Feast for cats, bones for dogs and extra grain for ducks, and a great big turkey for the large animals!!!
Bye for now.
Notes by Blythe:
*Mum believes that encouraging my tentacle fetish is a worthy, creative cause.
**'Kids' means the children on her bus route, not us grown, somewhat tiresome spawn.
***My Mum, the 70 year old stunt driver...
****I'm so glad she clarified that Dad isn't dead even though his only real use to her is as a dishwasher *eyeroll*. The relatives might have gotten worried.
That's all for now, blossoms. I'm off to the country tomorrow, so to everyone on my f-list, have a grand Christmas ♥