Animal Injuries

I keep getting told by my more loving of readers that I have a big heart.
Now, I do know I am a sucker for an animal sob story
and I must also admit that I do look after my animal charges somewhat better than I do Chris on occasion

Then why, dear reader do the creature hordes of the field conspire sometimes to put me in hospital?
Today is a case in point
This evening I have been pecked by an irate broody hen who actually drew blood,
tripped up by a particularly hysterical Indian runner duck when I was cocking my leg over some electric fencing and got head butted in the goolies by Russell the goose when he thought I was attacking said duck (as it screamed and ran in useless circles).
To add insult to injury pig number 12 gave me a particularly uncomfortable wedgie when he took a mouthful of grey underpants and tugged hard when I was bending down filling his water feeder.
I limped back to the house for 10pm only to find out that Constance had peed her bed ( she has sleep apnoea and sometimes "forgets" to wake up to go) so I have spent the last 25 minutes  disinfecting the urine stains......

sometimes a girl dreams of a vodka martini at the Waldorf
(and before you say anything Tom..yes I have experienced both.......TOGETHER!)

Runners... all in need of valium

Executive Decision

It's been a lovely day today (weather wise) and a rather disappointing one (real life wise)... as after a troll through the Met Office' weather forecast, I now have to face the fact that on Sunday we should be experiencing some heavy rain and an afternoon of rather nasty blustery  conditions.
The question remains ...should we continue with the Open day or should I reschedule it for another Sunday?
I have to remember that an awful lot of people will have invested a great deal of effort contributing to the day. Mrs Trellis (she with the big smile and the uncontrollable dog) has offered her vintage morris minor up for a  "name the car"competition; my neighbours, the Barkers are opening up their extensive gardens for public viewing and local landscaper Chris has offered his historic gardening machinery up for show. 

My neighbours designed their own signs for the Open day

Add to the mix the forthcoming cake making marathon from around 50 villagers and the work of at least 10 volunteers on the day to make the day run smoothly and I now feel dreadfully responsible if everything goes "tits up" because of some atrocious weather.
I think it prudent that we re schedule....the thought of a few old welsh ladies being laid low by a few escapee gazebos brings a shudder to my risk assessment orientated mind...so after a re review of the met office website tomorrow, I will make my decision and will let everyone concerned know.
Hey ho

The allotment fades at dusk tonight

I will leave you with a famous Welsh saying By Gwyn Thomas

There are still parts of Wales where the only concession to gaiety is a striped shroud

I thank you!

Kindness of "strangers"

Forgive my use of the word "strangers", I use it here ONLY as way in to introduce this blog entry as I couldn't quite think just how to title this initial THANK YOU to the kind bloggers that have gone to my sister's Motor Neurone Fund Raising website at supportingandrew. and donated nearly 100£ so far in the SAVE THE PIG competition. They , of course, are strangers to Andrew, our brother, who is suffering from the effects of this dreadful disease.....but generously they have donated to this, slightly frivolous, fund raiser that bares his name.
Thank you all , so very much.
You have entered the spirit of our open day with the gusto of an Auntie  Gladys, and for that I am very, VERY grateful

Name The Pig- The Competition

12 and 21 eat my boots today...just a little bigger and asertive than they once were

Right it's competition time

(collective groan)

To keep the merry throng that comment on this blog happy (?) I have devised ( with my sister) for them to join in with our "NAME THE PIG....SAVE THE PIG" competition...

Anyone who wants to join in...PLEASE log on to Jan's Blog and follow her instructions

The Winner from the "On line" competitors will win a genuine pair of Welsh Love Spoons ( which I am sure Tom Stephenson will wax lyrically about)

They will also receive a signed certificate of the official "saving" and a photo and trotter mark of said pig

(oh be still my beating heart)

All donations will be sent directly to the Motor Neurone Association

hey ho

bread

Jason from the village is doing bread for my open day!

The trouble with summer

.........With taking the risk of sounding like Paul Merton in Just a Minute........
The Trouble with summer........is that jobs never seem to get done until the melencholey10pm dusk.
Its now 22.34pm and I have just sat down with a crisp white and a troupe of fading dogs.
We went to see a live broadcast of Le Ballet de L'Opera National De Paris which was impressive in parts, ( the more traditional parts rather than the newer....let's writhe on the floor...newer parts) and by the time I got home, walked the dogs, locked the birds up and placed the "Open Allotment" sign up on the main road, it was all but dark.......
By nature I am not an early to bed person, so I will retire around midnight...........I will be awake again before 7am......

sometimes the bad weather and short days of winter is of some small benefit

I can then catch up on my sleep!

Everyone has a film in them..............

For around a year now I have been writing a film screenplay in my head....

it's not a work of art.....oh no

it's not academy award winning either...

(well perhaps for cinematography and best song it will be)

But as a daydream it has keep my mind busy for many hours when I have been completing the mundane jobs that arise in everyday life.

I won't divulge too much of the plot...

But think .....Zulu. and Assault on Precinct 13 crossed with Whiskey Galore, Aliens and a touch of the obscure movie The Guns of Fort Petticoat.................all set, of course in a Welsh Village.....

I have even designed the award winning movie trailer in my head too....all set to the music in the above video....and when I am out with the dogs I will often reenact the quick crossing cutting ( with all the relevant facial movements) and of course the overly deep voice over..........

"It was a small sleepy welsh village......."

etc etc etc

When completed it's going to be a cracker of a movie........

Filming can be in Trelawnyd itself I thought

Angel Wing

Not a happy Gosling

Little CJ has a condition with the rather pretty name of "angel wing"
When the  flight feathers grow in some goslings, they do so at right angles to the birds' body, giving it a weird , slightly comical look, a bit like Charlie Chaplain doing his famous walk. The condition does not affect the health of the bird, it just makes it look rather "odd"., but it needs to be treated immediately when it appears.
So, this morning, with trusty mom/helper Pat at hand, we taped CJ's wings into their right position, ( not an easy job I can tell you) and set him up in the garden  crate with Badger to calm him down.
Hopefully if we leave the tape in situ for a week, the wings will grow properly into the right position
 Left: untreated "angel wing"