New hair and bad food day...

I notice my posts have been getting shorter and shorter, I'm hoping to change that. I've been a bit lazy, sorry.

Today I went to have my hair done, I think it turned out ok. It was highlighted and cut and blow-waved. I love it.  It did take all of three hours to do though, yikes! I got home and the LDL had done so much of the chicken run I felt awfully guilty for sitting in the worlds most uncomfortable chair for three hours and reading girly magazines. So on the way home I bought myself a combo from McD's and him a quarter pack from KFC. Once I'd got changed, showed off my hairdo and thanked him for all the work he'd done we went up and concreted the posts in. Unfortunately he hit the grave of my sister's goat Peanut which I'd totally forgotten had been laid to rest in the paddock (!!!!) instead of the graveyard which is where all the animals should go for this precise reason. Apparently the post hole borer suddenly started churning up clumps of hair bones and chunks of rancid fat. It seems over two years and still a body doesn't break down in clay soil. LDL said something about the soil being so wet and acidic that it almost preserved the body. Ew, and yet another reason to always dig a a deep grave IN THE PET CEMETERY!!!!

In the evening bad food choice number two struck...pizza! And then a movie "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" which I found hard to watch as the Swedish version was so much better. It was nice to go out on a date with the LDL. I'm looking forward to doing more work on the chicken house tomorrow. And I'm starting to get nervous about our trip away, I'm not taking my car so I feel a little out of control which is a scary feeling for me.  

Happy Anniversary Auckland.

Today is Auckland Anniversary Day, and I usually spent this weekend close to the long-distance lover's home, but not this year. Instead we made a start on the chicken run.  Then it was off to my sister's house for a BBQ and a swim. I had a great time so did the LDL (long-distance lover) and the dogs, Hoby played with his 'cousins' Brooke and Bailey.

Early night scheduled but somehow I don't think it is going to happen. I'm such a night owl, I can't help it. Off to the hairdresser's tomorrow. I'm excited and nervous all at the same time.

Concert time!

Wow, what a day, lots of tidying up and then off to the concert with the long-distance lover. I love when you go to a concert and then discover the songs you didn't know they sang. I was extra surprised that Icehouse was an Australian band AND that Electric Blue is their song. Hall and Oates were fabulous. The picnic I created was a little hurried but nice all the same.

The horses are doing well, they're on their starve / eat rotation at the moment.

Hoby spent some time with his nanny and poppy. And the chicks were responsible for putting themselves to bed, which they did successfully. I think they snore, it isn't as annoying as human snoring though it is a whuffley-tweet if that makes any sense.

I'm aiming for a sleep in tomorrow, it wasn't a very late night after all, home by 11 pm. Goodnight to all.

A change is as good as a rest.

Much time was spent inside today. First was the task of tidying my desk. I decided a change was due so I've moved my desk around and I now face a different wall but this time I have a window to my right so I can gaze out the window when I get a case of writers block! I also built a little shelf in my bedroom and mounted some old kitchen door handles on the wall to hang my necklaces from. I have a little stand for my earrings and now they're not swamped with strings and pendants. So boosted was I by the shelf construction that I measured up for the tv surround I've been meaning to make for a while. Dad helped me construct it as he has a table saw at his work. While there I also lay out the kitchen cupboards and found that they are in fact quite conveniently sized. Two of the units only need very minor modifications. I'm thrilled that in the next couple of weeks I may have two new units on the wall. I'm starting up high and will tackle the mind-draining lower units (which need constructing from scratch) for a later time.

I went to my parent's house for dinner again. On the menu this time was fresh Snapper. I'm slowly introducing seafood into my diet after having been a vegetarian for the last year. I have also decided that wild meat may also fit with my values so I'm considering re-introducing wild pork, goat and venison to the menu. I've already had some bunny this year. I hate the thought of a "pest" being shot and then wasted. Pigs and goats are considered pests at certain times of the year by my farmer-lover, bunnies are always on the target list. Occasionally deer are also on the list. So if anything is shot and would otherwise be wasted point it in my direction.

I went through the motions with the chooks and horses and realised that I've been so caught up in the chooks that my best pal and constant companion hasn't had much of a mention yet. Hoby.

HOBY is my best mate in the whole world. He's this woman's best friend and has been for about ten years although. He was already between 2-4 years of age when he came into my life and at that time he was living as a hobo, going from place to place making friends and scavenging for food. Nothing much has changed, I'm his permanent traveling companion now and he travels by car some of the time too now, he still makes friends, not easily but he does still make friends and he continues to be a master scavenger! Now he has his own bed, food and water bowls, toys and a mega expensive enclosure which he stays in when I'm out. He gets guaranteed meals every day and he even gets Christmas presents. Hoby is getting to his twilight years now, he has trouble seeing and hearing but he still shows the most enthusiasm I've ever seen in a dog for a game of flinger. I love Hoby with all of my heart and he is a pleasure to be around, we've got a great routine going and when I'm away from him I feel like a part of  me is missing. He came with dad and I to the factory to construct the tv cabinet and tinker with the kitchen cabinets. Everywhere I went Hoby was beside me. He watched me constantly and dad commented on how loyal and attentive he is. I spread out a blanket for him to lay on and he snoozed with one ear up the whole time. It is moments like this that I am so thankful to have such a cool companion.

Rain at last!

Just when I was starting to get worried about the state of the water tank, its rained. It didn't do much to the overall situation but it almost filled the horse's trough and for the main tank at least it was something.

I did lots of indoors stuff, things that I meant to do for a long time but didn't get around to like putting all my clothes together that need to be mended or altered. I haven't mended and altered them yet but tomorrow is another day. I've also had a look at the kitchen cupboard situation and my head is throbbing from all the thinking, I'm not confident in my building ability anymore. I've got to get some faith back.

I sent out some debt collection letters too, time to get all the loose ends tied up.

The chooks were completely soaking when I went up to feed them, even though they are free ranging and can hide out under the bushes out of the rain it appears they like the occasional summer rain bath. Bless them. Today Nigel threw himself into the feed bucket and took quite a bit of convincing to remove.

The horses were out on the driveway mowing the grass today, when it rained they took shelter in their shed, I love seeing them defying the weather and staying dry when it's raining. They think it is pretty cool too.

Tonight I went to Mum and Dad's for dinner, I picked up my sister on the way. I love family dinners, they're great. Not only is the food great (roast pumpkin & potatoes, baked mushrooms stuffed with feta, tomato and spinach, and a fresh garden salad) but the company is great too. Kirsty had a fringe cut and dyed her hair darker, it really suits her. I went to have a shower, at mum and dad's the hot water cylinder is miles away from the shower so you need to run the shower a bit before getting it. Unfortunately I didn't realise that Kirsty had removed the hand held shower nozzle and put it on the floor of the shower so when I turned the shower on (completely clothed) I got sprayed in the crotch. It was hilarious. Thank heavens they have a dryer.

I watched another episode of River Cottage, I'm starting from the beginning again. And then I copied some recipes from a library book into my recipe book. Can't wait to try them out.

This reminds me, I owe the blog some photos, I've got a heap on my camera but I am still quite clueless when it comes to this design and template thing. I will try to add some photos in the next week. Also I'd like to share some of the recipes I try.

Here's a link to a website created by the authors of two books I've just finished reading. I recommend the books they're well written and easy to read, they had some great tips too. You can find a lot of the info on their website too, it's worth a look: http://www.oilyrag.co.nz/
Enjoy!

Fish 'n' Chips on the beach.

I started the day with an omlette, oh how I've missed fresh eggs! Pippi and Xena are both laying an egg per day in the nesting box. The yolks are beautiful and orange and they taste fabulous. I've been feeding them an assortment of kitchen scraps too, they enjoy them, grated carrot, shredded cabbage and cooked vegetables are their favorites. I'm thrilled that their bravery is advancing too, they now come right up to me and although I can't touch them I don't feel like the big scary monster they thought I was at the start.

Speaking of monsters, I picked up some pigtail standards this afternoon and called in to see Kimberlee and the family on the way home. Samantha gave me a fantastic picture of a monster she'd drawn at kindy, it has been added to the fridge with the picture of a school from Matthew. I'm loving my arty fridge, kids pictures are so neat.

I returned my library books and found a great book, I can't wait to read it. Oh, and I picked up my new glasses, they're going to take some getting used to! I have already tripped up the steps and smashed an egg and I've sellotaped them to my head to stop them slipping down my nose, some rubber grips on the bridge or on the arms should sort that. But for the time being I'll have to look like a doofus and walk around totally unco'.

I picked up Kirsty and we went to the beach for fish and chips. I took Hoby and he had a great time playing "flinger" (fetch with a big extension arm, ball throwing thing) and swimming in the sea. I love watching him having fun. Then we went in search of some willow trees to pillage some branches top make some natural rooting hormone for my hydrangea cuttings. Rain is forecast so I'm happy about that, just when the tank was starting to get low. I doubt it will be enough to get it back up to where it should be but every little bit helps.

I have been talking to the former long-distance lover, I'm not sure what's going to happen but we're seeing each other this weekend, we're going to a concert together and then he's going to help me construct the chicken run behind the coop. We have been talking on the phone a fair bit, he's called me a lot and we are talking instead of yelling which is a nice change of late. He isn't ready to give up on us yet, I don't know what I feel.....perhaps some hope, perhaps in a false sense? I don't know.

Another busy day.

Wednesday. Another lovely sunny day with not a cloud in the sky. The farrier came out this morning, I waited for him from 8.30 am, he didn't arrive until 11.30 am. In the meantime I brushed the horses, and painted the roof of their house, it looks great but painting in the midday sun leads to sticky paint and a clogged brush and sunburned shoulders. I also got to know the chicks a bit better. The littlies have certainly developed personalities too. Let me introduce them to you one by one.....

NIGEL
Well, I think he is a boy, hence the name. His markings are stunning, "barred" is the correct term for his feather markings I believe. He is certainly very boisterous and had been significantly larger than the others until Voilet had a growth spurt so now they're on par in height. His comb is bright and more developed than the others. Nigel is outgoing and usually leader of the pack, he attempts to hang out with the big girls too and is often kicked out of their triangle which results in squawks of disgust on his part. He likes to interact with me, and will leave the rest of his mates to come and see what I'm doing. If I sit down he will jump into my lap. He enjoys attacking outsiders, ie. my sister, my mum and anyone else he doesn't know. He's never pecked me with as much enthusiasm as he did with my sister's breast and stomach. Male? I think so! But if not s/he'll be renamed Nigella.


VIOLET
A big girl with a big appetite. When I open the lid of of the feed bucket she always dives in head first. She is not vocal at all and seems to know what she wants and gets it without making a fuss. Other than at feeding time she doesn't interact with me much. She seems to be a leader in her own right, she and Nigel spend a lot of time together. I love her grey/ lavender feathers, hence the name Violet. I am almost certain she is a girl, her features appear feminine and she carries herself like a hen. I have no idea how I'll manipulate her name if she is a boy, lets hope she's not as I can only keep one rooster.

MILDRED (Millie)
Mildred was named so because of her markings, she is mainly white with grey edging on some of her feathers which I felt gave her the appearance of a having mildew or mold on her back. She has a very sweet nature and it is hard not to have a soft spot for this sweet little girl. She deserves a nicer name, so I try to call her Millie but Mildred seems to roll off the tongue easier, unfortunately. Mildred, is a singer and is effortlessly happy. She interacts with a girly innocence. If I crouch down she's always the first to jump onto my back and run up to my shoulder where she'll happily sit while I go about my chores. At feeding time she'll come to see me while the others are eating, this is how she keeps her slim figure. Again, I am almost certain she is a girl so I haven't given much thought to the renaming if she turns out to be a he.

LARRY
Now, I'm unconvinced that Larry is a boy but the lady I purchased him off seems to think he is so he was named accordingly. If he is he's the whinging type of male. He is also very clingy and if he gets separated from the rest of his mates he makes a heck of a racket. It sounds heart breaking so I often run to his aid. I'm wondering if the others intentionally turn their backs on him or if it is accidental and comes from him wandering around without paying attention to where the others are. He is a timid worrier (yes worrier, not warrior). Many a time I've had to rescue poor Larry when he's found himself all alone. He craves company and one day he was on the driveway calling out for his mates in desperation, I made my way up to him, I saw him run to the hens and Berlina, Pippi and Xena shooed him away not feeling in the mood to babysit, he was heartbroken as he ran away in a panic. I called him, he saw me and came running, he jumped straight into my cupped hands for a cuddle. "Lets find these mates of yours" I said, he snuggled and whimpered while we searched, truth be told they were only about three metres away from him and they didn't seem as relieved as him when he joined the flock again. Another time he ended up under the deck at the house while all his friends were on the deck, his screams of desperation from under the deck were so loud. Eventually he found his way back up. Larry has a red comb that is more developed than the other two white Leghorns. I have a real soft spot for white Leghorns as this was the breed of my beloved Cluxy and Knuckles, they're meant to be skittish and unfriendly but this wasn't true of my girl. Cluxy and Knuckles also fooled me when they were young by growing the brightest and biggest combs before all the others. So Larry could be a Larissa. I think I would prefer him to be a Larissa but for now he's Larry.

MAGDELINA and MATILDA (Maggie and Tilly)
I call these girls "the twins". Side by side they are easy to tell apart but they are very similar in personality and they seem to be quite a team which is nice. From a distance I can't tell who is who. Their combs aren't as bright or developed as Larry's so either they're girls, slow to mature or they're going to surprise me. They made my heart flutter a little yesterday when they came out from under my car with black oil stains on their backs, they looked just like darling Maud who was white with the occasional black feather thrown in. One of them had the most adorable reaction when I cuddled her for the first time way back on the first day we met. She was the one that gave me the ear, eye and nose inspection with wide eyed interest and then fell asleep on my chest. They too are sweet and get on well with the hens, one of them started eating big-bird food before the others.

And then of course we have:

PIPPI
She's the brown and white freckled Bantam X Shaver named after freckle faced Pippi Longstocking. Pippi is terrified of people and I don't blame her after the awful treatment from her previous owner kicking her and grabbing her by the wings. I'm glad she's part of the family now. Pippi is the mother hen, she was very broody when she arrived and was delighted to see the babies when they arrived. I think they've helped get her out of the coop and into the sunshine. In the start when she heard a squawk from any of the babies she'd run to comfort them, now she is much more relaxed and leaves them to their own devices. She is a pretty girl at the bottom of the pecking order but she does socialize well with the two other hens.

XENA
Xena had the same treatment as Pippi although she is more gutsy and has adapted to life here much quicker than Pippi. She is the of the same breeding as Pippi. Xena is a real Warrior Princess, she has iridescent black feathers with white freckles. She is stocky and her temperament is level. She took an instant like to Berlina and they are very close mates. She comes very close to me without fear and has a healthy appetite.

BERLINA (Biggie-B, Robo Chicken, Big Red and formery "The Bitch")
Ask me this time last year what I thought of Berlina and I would have used some choice words to describe her. She is the last remaining old girl. She would be about 4 years old and has had quite an eventful life. Most recently she was attacked by the neighbour's dogs and rescued from the mouth of one of them by sheer luck that I caught the dog in the act. And through pure robustness Berlina remains. She is monstrous, one of the largest hens I've even seen. She is a pure Rhode Island Red and she has an unsure and suspicious nature. She was always the third wheel when part of team Cluxy and Knuckles, they picked on her and were scheming against her constantly. I often found her eggs smashed by the other two and once even caught one in the act of consuming her egg! Until the dog attack incident Berlina attacked me on a daily basis, viciously. She once attacked a mouse, tucked into a dread rabbit, ate a skink and whole dragonfly in front of me and pecked the eye out of a live rat. My theory was that I was next on her list of disfigurement or murder....until the dog attack. I suppose that rescuing her from the jaws of death made her see me in a different light. After the attack she had a different look in her eyes. I nursed her back to health and in that time developed a strong bond with her. She is my creepy chicken, she will stand outside my bedroom and watch me dress in the morning, not tapping on the window to let me know she's there, instead she just stares and I feel her gaze burning through me. She has been such a trooper and in the time she spent on her own she regained strength but was lonely, I couldn't bear to see her like that. Since the introduction if Pippi and Xena I've noticed that Berlina has become a leader and relishes the role. I am happy for her. She attempted an attack on me yesterday, it was half-hearted though. She has a stance that I've called "The Angry Cobra" which is a scary pose that she adopts just prior to opening a can of whip-ass. Her neck extends about three inches, she stands on her tip-toes and makes a karate "hiiiiii-ya" noise but only does the "hiiiiii" part, the littlies see it on a daily basis although I doubt she'd ever follow through with an attack on them, she's not that mean. She isn't laying at the moment possibly because she's just moulted but it could also be the shock of recent events, but either which way I am happy she is still with me. She is a great tour guide for the newbies too.

So there you have it, the feathered family.

 In the afternoon I went out with my mum for lunch and then to visit her friend's newborn grandson to deliver a pressie. Then we went to mum's friend's house where I saw the biggest Plymouth Barred Rock rooster I've ever laid eyes on. I hope Nigel develops in a similar way. In the evening I did some tidying up, about time!

Equilibrium

Ahhh, I love that word. My star sign is Libra so I'm all about balance and lets just say that lately my balance has been completely out of whack. I am getting it back though. Today went well. Firstly I will fill you in on the rest of yesterday as I published my post quite early and didn't get a chance to tell you about my battle-scar.

So my aim is to finish some of the things I've started.....bottle of limoncello, bar of chocolate etc. Just kidding, I mean those unfinished projects such as the almost complete chick raising house that's been sitting outside my front door ever since I acquired the babies. So I set out to finish it, just the roof required and a couple of other things like handles and maybe some wheels. First up I built the frame for the iron to be screwed to, and I totally mucked up the measurements, then I tried screwing the frame together for a second time and accidently had the power drill of the "drill" setting instead of on a "screw" setting and the frame flicked up and smacked me square between the eyes skinning a wee patch the size of my little fingernail. Talk about being a doofus! So with that all complete I decided to have an early night, I switched my house phone to silent and watched a episode of River Cottage, read a chapter of my book and then nodded off. Suddenly I woke, switched on the light and then about two seconds later the phone started to flash which means a call was coming through, I knew it was my long-distance lover so against my better judgment I answered it. We talked for a little while, rather civilised and then I went back to sleep. I woke early but couldn't find the gumption to get out of bed so on the phone I went to sis, then mum and finally long-distance lover. I'm worried you see, he isn't well and he won't tell anyone but me. I want to be there for him and I'd like to be friends with him one day but at the moment the strong feelings I have for him aren't appropriate for a friendship. I'm hoping in time they dull down but for now they're just too strong. Who knows where things are heading, I know that I feel a huge sense of relief though.

So I spoke to my mum and arranged to go to lunch. I locked all the chookies in Hoby's enclosure and felt better knowing that I'd come home to live animals. Mum and I went to Yum Char, delicious. Afterwards we went shopping at a second hand shop, they had a $1 rack, I got some great additions to my wardrobe. I'm really getting into op-shopping at the moment, it feels like I'm walking into a treasure trove every time I walk through the door of a second hand / opportunity / charity shop. I've got some great stylish bargains, most of which I have to modify in some way but I like to personalise my clothes and now I have a sewing machine I can do that successfully.

I spent some time with my dad measuring up all the materials that I have stored at his workshop. These random bits of wood will eventually be my kitchen. I can't wait. I have the word "pantry" on my mind, I'm looking forward to having a pantry and I have $100 in supermarket vouchers (a Christmas present from my employers) that I will spend on stocking up my pantry once the kitchen is complete. I'm actually getting excited at the prospect of a kitchen now, and storage space. Yay.

In the evening I went to see a film with a friend of mine, we saw "We Bought a Zoo" and it was fantastic, I really enjoyed it.

Ok, off to bed for me now. Up early tomorrow to get the horses hooves trimmed, relocate them to a new paddock, tidy the house, have mum over for lunch and exercise Hoby. 

Catch up time.

Well things didn't quite go to plan. Lets just say that myself and the long-distance lover have reached the final chapter. Sadly these things happen from time to time, I've had my fair share of break ups, I'm not going to take all the blame for the demise of every relationship but I will say that 99% of the time I have been the one that pulls the pin. I don't understand why people will flog a dead horse, why keep torturing yourself in a relationship for years or even months when your gut tells you that something isn't right, when you try to sort it out but seem to get nowhere and finally you reach the point of either adapting  (that's a bullshit word, the correct word is sacrificing) your requirements to make the relationship bearable. It comes down to being happy and sometimes you're happier on your own. And if you're not, you can learn to be. I like the idea of being in a relationship but I actually don't have the personality nor the drive to cope with a relationship. Sharing, uh-uh, I'm not very good at that. Surprises...no way! Flying by the seat of my pants, "cruising" or "going with the flow".....thanks, but no.

I look at life as though it were a road map, I have a direction and I like to stick to it. Without direction I wouldn't have got where I am today nor would I have any drive to get where I'm going. The glitch in my plan is that my direction is on a single lane road it seems, no room for anyone by my side. It could work if someone had a clear map of where they're going, we could meet up at points along the way. But the way I feel about relationships is that I end up detouring in a relationship and going along a double lane road and getting so far from where I want to be. Then I have to stop and turn around or carry on forward and find my way back to my desired road. In the past the backtracking was quick and easy but as I've gotten older it takes me longer to find my way and I am guilty of mistaking that gut feeling for a case of grumbly guts from an overdose of lentils or onions. Ok, I'm lying to myself, I'm more intelligent than that, I just need to admit that deep-down dread and gas feel sort of the same. Neither should be ignored.

Well, with all that said, I feel better. Thanks for bearing with me for the rant.

So as the title of this post suggests I'm catching up on my blog, I wasn't able to post from Owhango and I didn't really want to share what was going on and I still don't now because it wasn't something I care to relive on paper. It sucked, for me anyway. I am very glad to be home and the prospect of never having to go back there fills me with relief. I will miss my long-distance lover but I won't miss him being in my environment and I won't miss being in his. Maybe in time we'll be friends.

So I'm back in my tranquil bush setting and I am trying hard to get on top of this low mood, I have 42 days of my holiday left, it is going fast and I'm achieving very little. I do want to change that but I am finding it hard to get motivated. So today I will start with measuring up for my interior building projects. I know I can build so hopefully some success on that front will dispel some of the self doubt I've acquired. With some confidence hopefully motivation shall grow. I feel as though I am a shell of the person I was (and can be again) and that's not good.

Hoby came with me and was a true star, I love him. He was in fine thieving form and managed to consume approximately a dozen savory muffins, a bag of mixed sweets, two rows of a king sized block of hokey-pokey chocolate and a chocolate muffin. After consuming this amount of chocolate I am surprised he is still alive.

Back home, the horses didn't run out of water or food, their hooves didn't get any shorter (hopefully the farrier is coming out tomorrow) and all the chickens survived. I am so pleased that I did the dishes, made my bed and did a general tidy up before I went away because coming back to a tidy-ish house was fabulous.

I watched a movie, "The Tourist" before bed and I didn't think it was half bad, for once I could actually follow a story line without getting confused...I think. So Johnny Depp was Alexander Pearce all along right? Oh I give up. Give me a doco any day.

My garden is flourishing! The tomatoes are nicely formed but still green. The herbs are flowering. The lavender bush has buds forming at long last, I can't wait to have lavender tea again. The capsicums and chilli seedlings haven't grown as much as I'd hoped. The soya and butter beans are looking good. The mystery melon or squash also looks healthy. I will have another bumper crop of spinach. The coriander has bolted again. The sugar snaps need training up string which I'll do later today. The babaco is getting a bit yellow, more water required. The nasturtiums are still hanging in there, I hope they go crazy on the bank of the stream. The red onions look better than I'd imagined. The bulbs I planted last week are all but dead, darn it. The flax has survived, just, I hope it finds some way of getting through summer with only the water offered from the heavens as my water tank is below half full so that will be my biggest challenge this season, getting enough water for the cabins and the animals let alone for the plants.

It is a beautiful day today, I will put Hoby in his house shortly and then potter around the place.

All go!

Wow, what a day, much better than yesterday! I miss darling Maud and Henny but I'm very glad the others survived.


I woke up this morning and found an enormous tick on Hoby's eyelid. I thought it was a monster eye-booger but when I tried to wipe it it held tight. Tick extraction at 8 am, not exactly what I expected. Yes you did read that correctly, 8 am, that's not bad, quite pleased I woke up at a reasonable time after hitting the snooze button on my phone multiple times. Massive clean up and prep for Kim and the kids, I let the feathered babies out and fed everyone. Then made a lovely Israeli Cous-Cous and Roasted Veg salad for our shared lunch. Mmmmm.

Kim arrived and it was all go as usual, I love having little people here. Of course they loved the chooks and patted and chased them continuously. However the little chooks weren't deterred at all and even ventured down to the cabin where they kept us company for most of the day. They found a beam of sunshine on the deck that they clambered over each other to lay in, then in the end they fluffed up, preened their chest feathers and spread out to sunbathe for a while. Then after they consumed the kids' sandwich crusts they stacked on top of each in the middle of my bromeliad garden and had an afternoon snooze. I took a photo, I'll find a way to attach it as soon as I can. I'm beginning to get to know their little personalities and I love them. They stay in a group walking one behind the other, as thought they're marching, one of them even seems to tweet "left-right-left" and there are a pair of little stressers at the back screeching "wait, wait, you're leaving us behind". Oh, and speaking of my garden, I've noticed that two of the striped bromeliads are going to flower, they've sent the spike out already, I wonder what the flowers will look like. I'm thrilled as I wasn't sure if they'd like the setting but it seems they do. It will be interesting to see what other flowers eventuate as they all seem to have different flowers, some send out a spike others flower only in the centre with tri-petalled perfection in the most stunning colours. Kim commented on the air plant which also looks very happy and is multiplying at quite a rate, I think that also flowers, pink or purple from memory.

We had a delicious shared lunch, Kim made a quiche with corn, courgettes and herbs from her garden, she also brought a jar of her special tomato sauce for me. She'd been cooking it yesterday for 2 hours and it smelt devine, I can confirm that it tasted as good if not better than it smelled. I stirred some through the pasta salad to give it an extra kick. It was over a kilograms of tomatoes yet the finished product was two small jam jars of sauce, I consider myself very lucky to have been given a jar.

We went to my neighbour's garden and took cuttings from her hydrangeas she has a blue one and then an odd purple one with white edges on the petals. I couldn't resist a bloom for the vase. It looks good in my semi-tidy kitchen. I even put some of my utensils in a clay pot today, and put them on the windowsill, it is very functional and looks good too. I tidied the bookshelf too which has made quite a difference. I'm looking forward to a big clean up next week and will make a start on either my kitchen or my chook run depending on what the long-distance lover's plans are as I could really do with his assistance on the chook run front.

We took the horses out and suddenly everyone arrived. Another dog control ranger turned up to inspect the "murder" scene so Kim and the kids brushed the horses. Then my mum turned up. The dog ranger had some good news, the prosecution lawyer for the council called him to advise that the case was going to court. The best scenario would be that they are disqualified from owning dogs for three years which instantly occurs if they are found guilty in court. He also said that his supervisor has instructed them to visit and inspect the property every day until the court date. I am rather impressed and surprised that they have taken this level of interest at long last, it has only taken three years, their dog chasing me on my horse causing me to fall, 8 dogs impounded from the property and 20 + chickens killed. It goes to show that persistence can pay off. I am glad I visited the MP's office on Monday and voiced my concern, their contact at the council has obviously ruffled some feathers. I hope the end result is the desired one.

But anyway, back to the horses, I promised the kids a ride on Ella, or should I say a sit on Ella's back. She did very well and was very calm. Then I took a gamble and suggested they have a ride on Tarka too. He was a star, he walked around with each of them having a turn one at a time. His hoof is a bit sore where a sort of separation has occurred, he gets little stones stuck in there and they drive him up the wall. I'll stuff it full of cottonwool tomorrow and tape it up before I leave. Ella is looking very good and is quite talkative at the moment.

Well I should probably finish up and head to bed, I have to be up early tomorrow to get some things finished before my long weekend away. I'm heading away tomorrow with my sis and her friend to stay at the long-distance lover's house, I'm really excited,

So far I'm sticking to my goal of writing each day. Writing is proving very therapeutic for me, it helps me cope when lately I've not been coping too well, onwards and upwards, I'm finally optimistic, life is good and I feel like I'm getting back to my feeling of being in control and calm. So, all going to plan I'll be writing tomorrow's installment from Owhango and I'll have some photos. Let the haymaking begin!

A day of mourning, R.I.P Henrietta and Maud.

Well what a day, full of highs and lows. Dashed home first thing this morning to let out the chooks and feed them so I could race back for my work meeting (yes, work meeting during my holiday!) then caught up with workmates for gossip sesh then to ma and pa's again for lunch. After that I went to visit my best friend and her family who were all hard a work constructing a hen house. Had a fantastic afternoon being educated on the lives of Shark Boy and Lava Girl or should I say girrrl as Sam definitely pronounces the rolling "r" the same way her mum does. Little James was sitting next to me on the couch, I commented on the giant cookie that Lava Girl and Shark Boy were riding and he started to shudder, at first I thought it was the telltale sign of a little underpants accident so I exclaimed "are you doing wee's?" but then he said in a very little voice "a giant cookie" to which I then concluded that his reaction was one of excitement as he has a bit of a sweet tooth but alas, nay, t'was terror that gripped the wee darling. Apparently riding giant cookies down rivers of milk is a terrifying concept for a 3 year old.

So after a brilliant afternoon of chatting with Kim and the kids, oh, and meeting Gary the snail, I headed home.At home there was a sickening lack of feathered friends in their usual spot. I panicked. But as I continued down the driveway a few came out from the bush area, all looking very cautious, including Miss Biggie-B (Berlina). I did the customary head count and two were missing, oh no, little Henny not my little Henny! And Maud, darling Maud! I was calling out and searching and then found the remains of Maud, poor Maud, two piles of feathers and then her lifeless chewed body. The same scene as when I found Cluxy's body last month, two big piles of feathers and then a body. I knew that I wouldn't find little Henny as she'd just be a gulp for a dog. I did the usual call to the Animal Control and then walked up the road to see if there were any signs of the dogs but I knew there wouldn't be, they'd have been moved by now. I'm so sad, angry and frustrated that this keeps happening.

So rest in peace my lovely little ones.

Another day, another sleep in.

Sleeping in has become a bit of a habit now, unfortunately. I intend to change that. But for the time being, I'm enjoying it. It might help if I went to bed a bit earlier too, again, I intend to start that soon.

So today I hung out washing, went for two walks with Hoby, fed and watered horses, chickens and a dog. Cut the grass in the dog's enclosure, relocated chickens to dog's enclosure for the night as I'm staying the night at my parent's place. Moved the horses into a new paddock and put up the electric fence. Went to the post office and police station (on behalf of someone else). Made Pad Thai for dinner for mum and I. Planted some sweetcorn in mum and dad's garden, weeded their garden and made plans to catch up with my bestie tomorrow, I can't wait!

While I was in the post office today Hoby proved wrong the saying "you can't teach an old dog new tricks." He is between 11 and 13 years of age and he has taught himself to unzip bags which is a real pain as up until now I've known that all food left alone with Hoby would be safe as long as it was in a zipped bag. Not so now. I came back from the post office to find my backpack unzipped, which contained some coriander, a capsicum and a spring onion, this didn't tickle his fancy so he want on to the cooler pack which has such difficult zips that even I have problems opening and closing it and that was completely devoid of a slice of dogroll and a scoop of dog biscuits for breakfast. What now, padlocks, a safe? So another trick to add to Hoby's list, you'll hear more and more as time goes by.

So after such a bitzy day with no great achievements I look towards tomorrow, I've probably overbooked myself again. Tomorrow I'm meeting my boss and a prospective new assistant. But first I will dash home first thing in the morning to feed the animals and move them to their familiar surroundings, then the afformentioned meeting, then home again where I'll do my dishes and have a quick tidy up and then head over to my friend's house to help her construct a hen house. Then home for an early night all going to plan.

Now I'm off to bed, a little single bed in my old bedroom, with my trusty unzipping dog Hoby on the floor by my side. Night night everyone.

 

Has it really been 13 days since my last post?

Well 13 is my lucky number so perhaps this is a sign. A sign....that I'm lazy or perhaps otherwise engaged for the last week and a bit.

So a lot has happened since the 3rd January. For a start I'm on holiday, a whole week is over and I'm wondering where the heck it went. The weather here has been hideous but I think it has finally sorted itself out. Today was a scorcher, I released the white legs, they are whiter than white, so white it looks like I've used that old fashioned bluing powder, you know the stuff that makes white look extra white? Yep, that's my legs, super-bright white. So, I took a small step to getting the legs a lighter shade of pale (or should that be darker shade of pale?)

Also, since the last post my feathered family has grown.....significantly. Big orphan Berlina (whose besties were savaged by the neighbour's dogs late last year) now has two bantam cross adult hens as companions. Pippi is tan with white freckles and Xena is black with white freckles, they're moderately feral but with food I'm sure I can persuade them that I'm not as scary as there last guardian (long story but the guy wasn't very nice). They were kind of a bonus as I was purchasing a hutch off the guy and he threw in two chooks for an extra $4, I couldn't really say no to that.

The reason I was getting the hutch was to house my impulse purchase of eight chicks the day earlier. I know, I know, why can't my impulse purchases be shoes and handbags instead of chooks. So I collected the hutch and two hens, homed newly purchased hens in newly purchased hutch and then drove to collect the chicks.

They were much bigger than I'd expected so the banana box got a little warm and curious heads poked out of every conceivable crevice. On the drive home I wondered where the heck these little darlings were going to go for the night or even for the next 5 minutes. I hatched a plan (excuse the pun). Armed with tools, scraps of timber and roofing iron I began constructing one hell of a chick raising house. During this time I let my new feathered friends take residence in the corner of my bedroom. Yes, you read correctly, I said 'my bedroom'. I reasoned that they were so tiny and probably quite scared and how much of a problem could eight tiny little chickens be anyway? It was only while I constructed their accommodation, they might as well be somewhere safe and dry, it was bucketing down outside. I wouldn't be long, the polished wooden floors could be mopped with disinfectant, I'd tied the long curtains for the french doors in a knot and blocked off a corner for them.

So the lid came off the box and eight pairs of very wide eyes stared around, for about 2 seconds, then it was like an international runway with every chick having a go at take-offs and landings, wobbly landings. Then the noise started, "cheep, cheep". Oh they must be thirsty and hungry I thought. I lovingly placed each little bundle into their designated area and then sacrificed the dog's water bowl, not too much water in it so they didn't drown. They were like 4 year olds in a paddling pool. Water everywhere, add to that some chick raising crumble and then the inevitable "what goes in must come out" and you have a water, food and poo combo. After a while they tired of stuffing themselves and had looks on their faces that seemed to beg me to cuddle them so cuddle them I did! I made sure I cuddled each and every one.

Their reactions to being cuddled ranged from downright hysterical tweeting to complete silence, and one particular darling stared at me, didn't utter a peep and gave me a complete ear and nose inspection before falling asleep on my chest. They seemed happy so I left them to it while I  started construction. I topped up their food and water situation during this time. My boyfriend who lives 400 km away called to ask me some questions about TVs and what sort of telly he should buy, my mind was on other things so I promised a call back, or "come to Auckland tomorrow" I suggested, my judgment beginning to cloud over from chick-house-construction fatigue. Well, I never did get to call him back, 10.30 pm came around all to quickly and I was exhausted. The cheep-cheeping had ceased so I flicked on the light inside. Holy sh!t. The question: How much mess can eight little chicks make? The answer: More than you could ever imagine. And there in the corner of the room stacked on top of each other like feathered Jenga pieces were the culprits. Eyes blinking in unison. I relocated them to their lovely new abode and set to work on disinfecting my bedroom.

Somehow they'd managed to crap up the glass of the french doors, kind of a reverse kamikaze technique. How was this possible, I wondered. Then the mortar like floor covering, obviously if you're every in need of some quick setting concrete eight chickens, water and food will suffice. This stuff was harder than liquid nails, I chipped it off the floor with a chisel (ok, not really but it might have been easier). Finally just shy of midnight and freshly disinfected myself I climbed into bed. There was a possum running on the roof, it sounded the size of Godzilla, wanting to make sure I slept well I slipped myself a few drops of sedative and drifted off into the medicated land of nod.

Funny thing is, it seems when your long distance lover doesn't get the phone-call back that you promised several hours earlier and is armed with a key to your house he takes it upon himself to turn up unannounced. Being in la-la land thanks to my anti-anxiety "doc, I need something to knock me out on a plane trip" drugs I didn't hear him come in the door, didn't hear him walk over to my bed, I just felt him put his hand on my shoulder and whisper "its only me" which sort of sounded like "hi I'm an intruder that' about to rape and murder you" so naturally my reaction was one of complete horror. As anyone's would be at 1.30 am!!!! I wouldn't say I was happy to see him, relieved it was him and not a intruder/ rapist/ murderer, yes of course. So back into bed we went. Apparently I said, "thanks for coming over" or something to that effect before wiping out again. In the morning the day (and night) before seemed surreal. I kind of wondered what had happened. I received praise for my chick house construction ability, that much I remember.

So my feathered family went from one to eleven in a day, plus the usual dependents, dog, two horses plus an unannounced long-distance lover's appearance that lasted for six whole days, the longest time we've spent together ever! The week consisted of quite a lot of shopping combined with integration of poultry here and there, the chicks only stayed in their purpose build home for a night, then moved on to the bigger hutch while Pippi and Xena moved into the Cluck Inn with Berlina. I did quite a bit of crying that week, so did the weather, there was a bit of arguing with the unannounced long-distance lover, some happy bits thrown in there, plenty of exhaustion and eating crap food, not much exercise and more shopping. Actually, everything about last week is a bit of a blur.

This is a new week, full of new challenges and so far, good weather and good emotions. I hope it stays this way!

Let the preparations begin!

So here I am starting one of my resolutions for 2012. Yippee for me! I know I'm a few days late but I've only just got back home and still haven't unpacked and I have three more days of work left before the big holiday begins..... I've got so much to write but I'll get work over and done with and then I can really throw myself into things. There I go procrastinating again. That will happen less and less as the days go by I promise.