Buddies

Day started OK but as predicted in the forecast was going to break down by afternoon  with light rain showers.

Spent the morning tidying up around the garden, the main or most challenging job to get my agricultural 4 wheel, 2 axle tipper trailer in to an off-site barn with little room and a tight corner to turn inside. Reversing these beasts is something for professionals but by attaching it to the front of tractor and pushing it in that way, together with tipping the floor to 45° made it relatively easy.

Update on some animals -

Horses all doing relatively well but Rosie seems to be having problems with her feet. I have a feeling it may be something to do with her shoes as it's been the case since she got them. Angie doesn't agree.

The chickens seem to have all settled in well and egg production is about 70/week, 99% of which are sold and given away. So I guess about paying their keep.

The geese are OK but they really do have to go this year. They are fun to have, are relatively self sufficient as far as food is concerned, they have masses of room but it's not part of our style to keep animals locked in. Yes I know the horses don't have a prairie but somewhere their are limits. The water issue is however unsatisfactory. They refuse to go in their house at night where they would be safe from weather and foxes, instead they sit in the smallish artificial pond and fill it with muck. Means pumping it out every few days and refilling. We have a huge ground water tank just next to the pond but it's a timely, messy job and a still pond simply isn't the same as a stream fed one.

Flash has survived the summer but a few weeks an infected elbow dragged him down. Vet recommended in addition to the antibiotics that he get some mild painkiller. Now on half the recommended minimum dosis which together with the Turmeric means he does seem to be doing well for his age and health history.

Luna is fine, not getting enough exercise as the walks she gets when Flash is around, isn't enough.

The adult cats are all much too fat but otherwise fine. Young Eddie is doing great even if his claws and teeth are still very sharp. Not the most pleasant experience to be at the coffee machine at 6:00am and have something attach itself to your, at best pyjama clad, thigh. He's now worked out the cat flap so while he doesn't often go out on his own accord, he can get back in when we threw him out in rage as we try to stem the flow of blood from the thighs.

The Blip is of Flash and Eddie. Eddie is good friends with Luna and Jerry but Flash is his absolute buddy and there is no better place for a sleep than in Flash's tail. Flash has in the photo, a bandage on his elbow. When Angie spends a considerable time in the house and in particular in the kitchen, she tries to do this to pad the elbow. On our tiled and wooden floors he tends to "crash down" when taking up his lying, observing, herding position. 

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