Yawn Yawn, Wakey Wakey...!!!! MK8...

moyra such frustrating news for you, Cherub.
What are they able to do (if anything?)
What are you able to do (if anything?).
Anything *I* can do for you (and I do mean, anything)?

shiney Haven't taught him "watering can" duties ... yet! It's on my "To Do" list though

wiseowl - how did it go with the judges?

lolimac - if SuperZigs can't fix it, we're all in the do-do Hope you are back sooner rather than later (missing you already!)

Kandy - aha! I'm also picking strawberries and raspberries from my garden (well, sounds great in theory, but I'm only getting the odd one or two BUT, that's a 100 - 200% increase on last year, so I'm happy

Well, the past 24hrs (literally!) have been quite exciting in "M"land.

Mr M and I were chatting on the decking yesterday evening (like you do) about finding/homing another "Ozzy" (we've been talking about it for MONTHS!). But, nothing has looked/seemed anywhere quite 'right'? So, last night, we agreed we were "barking up the wrong tree" (so to speak): why look for what we probably won't find, but look for something different instead? Just ... smaller?

Long story short: after some searching on the 'net, we tracked down a gorgeous girl. Made a call, but, she was being "shown" to a prospective new owner within the next couple of hours Ho hum, but then, if it was meant to be, or not, "que sera"

Suffice to say, we made a "day trip" today (his only rest day in weeks!) out of a journey to Leeds and back!!! We are now the proud "parents" of a teeny, 8mth old, Pomeranian!

The intro's between Ozzy and Ayla went really well (we introduced them in the local park, did a "pack" walk and then just sidled home nonchalantly, so Ozzy wouldn't quite grasp that he had an "intruder" and Ayla would quite grasp that she was entering *his* territory (if you see what I mean).

Where Oz is a large, silent, wouldn't hurt a fly, cuddly bear; Ayla is a small, yappy, full of spirit "lap dog" type (not in my home though! She's a dog! She's not a baby substitute, she is not a "toy" and she will *not* be permitted to do anything Ozzy is banned from (e.g. climbing on furniture, sitting on "laps"!) The family have been briefed accordingly

At 8mths old, other than being called by her name (which we have changed to Ayla!) she has had no boundaries, no training and no discipline but, she is a clever little girl and I have already begun work on: sit, down, wait, wee-wee's and uh-oh! - this is one smart little cookie! A real fast learner!!

Thankfully, Ozzy and Ayla's breed origins are both Spitz based, so their size difference won't be an issue because they are of a similar ilk workwise. However, she has already:-

- pinched his bone from under his nose (he ignored it; can't be asked)
- stolen his "pigs ear" out of his mouth (he ignored it; she's "beneath" him)
- failed to respond to his barks for "PLAY!", by offering a "counter attack" bark
- tried to intimidate him with her "yap-yap-gonna-getcha" front (he's bored now!)

What a day!

Echo (my Ragdoll cat) has taken it all in his stride (because Ayla is smaller than he is ) so that is a really, really good result! (some may - or may not - recall that when we brought our Big Boy, Ozzy, home from the rescue centre, the shock of it all totally got to Echo's brother Moxie and, well, the shock basically killed him )

So, all in all, a very bonkers 24hrs, but a mahoosively positive integration (so far! ).

Tomorrow's 4am walk will be: both dogs on lead for the first 100yds, then Oz off lead, Ayla on lead and me ... obeying! Wish me luck!

 

Pictures, pictures, pictures ... where are the pictures ... ????

Sorry, I though Rag Doll died just after Ozzy arrived ...

 

All I can say is good luck M

 

Yes, you are quite right, Victoria: Moxie (the Ragdoll) did indeed die just after Ozzy's arrival But, when I bought Echo ( a Ragdoll) , I couldn't leave Moxie (his sibling) behind (Echo was the largest of the litter, Moxie was the smallest). So, when Moxie died, that left Echo remaining. Both Ragdoll's. Echo is the older brother of Moxie; so, I bought a pair (really thought I'd posted pictures of the pair soon after I joined? May have imagined I did that? I'm sure a search will confirm though )

Yes, of course I will post pictures just getting the intro's over and done with first Got their first outing to the woods in the morning (Ozzy off lead, Ayla ON lead!) maybe that will throw up some interesting pictures

If not, I'll post the pix of her that drew me in that were posted on the net

 

Here you go, Victoria: http://gardenerscorner.co.uk/forum/threads/mums-furbabies.46293/

The first picture is of Moxie (who died when we got Ozzy, back in October/November) and for whom we created a "memorial" garden.

The second picture is of his big brother, Echo, who is still very much alive, very much biding his time with both Ozzy, and now poor mite, Ayla.

Hope that clarifies things for you (I know just how confusing this whole pet malarkey can be )

 

Good morning everyone,

I hope everyone is on form
Moyra... i'm sorry to hear of your problems diabetes can be difficult to manage to keep things on an even keel....please take care

Woo...hope the judging went well,not only does your garden give you and your family a lot of pleasure it gives us it too...if I was one of the judges I know what medal i'd be giving it

Shiney...your friends place sounds fabulousall those animals and what a marvellous dog they have too...

M....can't wait to see the pics of 'little and large' together ....I always used to say i'd like a Pom and that i'd call it Fifi...I love the way they trot around....there's a big dog inside them

I've been having a right job with this computer malarkey....my other one gave up the ghost so now i'm trying to phathom this new one...I don't like new thingsLoli the Luddite is back

Well my chooks have been confined to their run for a couple of days as there has been lots of baby birds fledging in the garden and they would face a certain end if the chooks had their way......but they came up against it when I let them out....thinking the coast was clear.....I heard such a commotion and ran out to find the chooks literally being dive bombed by 2 pairs of Blackbirds....the chooks had discovered a baby ...luckily they hadn't got it as they were too confused by the reaction of the BB's....I managed to round them up and get them back in the run....and after much watching and waiting Mum and Dad BB safely guided their little one away .... that was a stressfull teatime I can tell you....

Waves to all,have a great day and take care

 

http://gardenerscorner.co.uk/forum/threads/newest-m-ember-to-m-s-m-enagerie.53011/

 

Aloha everyone,

Lot cooler this morning.

WOO, Good luck with the prejudging. Thank you for the wonderful rose WOO it is beautiful.
'M' Congratulations on the addition to your family. Sounds as though she is almost in control already.
Shiney, those friends of yours and their set up particularly the big dog sounds wonderful.
Loli, your poor chooks are not going to love you shutting them in but I can see you haven't a lot of choice. Hopefully it wont be for long.

Have a lovely day everyone and thanks for the commiseration re my eyes. I thought I had been controlling my diabetes remarkably well but obviously not.

Aloha!

 

Good afternoon everyone,

Moyra,so sorry to hear about your eye problems and fingers crossed they don't get any worse as there is nothing worse,I feel than loss of sight.Something I dread with this horrible disease.Do you check your glucose levels at all?

My nurse told me now that I am trying diet only that as long as I and anyone else with type 2 can keep the levels below 7 there won't be any problems,but if it goes above that then there could be problems in the future if they stayed permently high.Fingers and toes crossed for you Moyra that something can be done to help you.

My toe ahs been painful this last few days so have had to go back on to the painkillers.Standing over at the allotment for an hour at a time picking raspberries isn't helping things,but it is either that or I get to pick the blackcurrants and I would much prefere the easy option

Woo Good Luck with the garden and hope that the judegs were pleased with your garden,but you are right in saying you do it for yourself and your family

Loli,sorry to hear about your puter problems and hope that you soon get the hang of things.I hate change as well because I am a bit slow in learning how to do new things but get there in the end. Hope the dogs are ok and not suffereing too much in this heat....

Shiney,my sister is looking for a smallholding so they can have lots of animals,but it is like I said to her they all need looking after and cleaning out.She already has four cats and two dogs but wants sheep,and chickens and ducks etc although she knows nothing of looking after sheep and quacks...

'M',How long did it take you to type all that out?It would have taken me at least a week then would have had to go through it agin to sort out the spelling mistakes

Anyway,it is beautiful here again so going to sign off and spend some time having a nice sit outside and get some sun in me bones as they are killing me at the moment

Enjoy the rest of the day folks

 

The problem with keeping sheep is having to dip them every year and also to inoculate them as well as shear those that are not self shedding. Then of course there is the fox to be wary of because when twins are born often the mum cannot look after both of them and the old fox will take them given the chance. We lost a couple to the fox unfortunately. We started off with just the 6 ewes and 1 ram and then ended up with 27 most of them were rare breed. We gave away a lot of the lambs to pubs with childrens pet corners. We swapped a St Kilda ewe for a second ram as we had a St. Kilda Ram we wanted a Soay ram to mate with our Soay ewe which we did. and our friend with the Soay ram wanted the St Kilda ewe. They all had names bless them. The last sheep to go was a Suffolk cross bred ram one of our own babies after my marriage broke up I used to have to go back to shear him each summer. Apart from the sheep we had a horse, goat, 4 Chinese Geese and 4 of the large white Guess. 4 Moscovi ducks, 2 indian runners, 2 Silver appleyard, 4 Kharki Kambles and about 30 rhode island red chickens and 6 white silkies. 4 dogs and 2 Rabbits 3 polecats and a Capuchin Monkey and 2 home bred Kestrels. When I left there was only the horse, the monkey and the one sheep left. It was such a lot of work considering I was running the house, keeping down a responsible job as a Senior Officer in the Education Dept. and doing most of the animal husbandry. Cost a fortune in feed and straw and hay! I am glad I had the experience but it is not really for retired people you need to have youth on your side if you are going to do all that hard work.

 

Thanks Shiney...I keep disappearing but then turning up again...you aint getting rid of me that easily

I think I get caught up in the romance of it all when I hear the mention of small holdings....just having a couple of dogs and half a dozen chickens,fretting about whether the wild birds are getting looked after ,trying to keep the garden as nice as poss with the above is hard work in itself...it does sound idyllic but having the energy is the name of the game to do it properly... I spend half my time running around making sure everything is just so...constant fresh water for the chooks etc......my friends chooks drink from muddy puddles and survive perfectly fine...but I don't like the idea so I run myself ragged....my own fault I knowi do go OTT...how many chicken do you know that have a run surrounded with sweet smelling Honeysuckle and climbing Roses.....I do worry about myself

Moyra ...i'd love to sit a listen to you tell of all your animalsA monkey too....i'm sure it was incredibly hard work keeping on top of them