Life and death down on the block

chantelle and I went down to feed the chickens on Sunday morning and were gobsmacked to see one of bantams had hatched out 18 youngsters. She had been sat tight on a nest in the ditch and this time we had just left her to it. Feeling vindicated by our laissez-faire approach I poo-pooed Eric's suggestions that we move them all up to the garden where we could keep an eye on them.
On Monday Chantelle did the chucks in the morning (for the first time in ages, I had not gone down before work). Poor bantam had only one chick left and the others had either vanished or were lying around the ditch in various stages of dismemeberment.

The stoat trap has been cleaned and baited with chicken fat.As of Friday morning the sole chick still survives. The other 4 chicks are all doing well. We have brought a shaver hen up the top to sit on a clutch. She has been broody for nearly 2 months now and hasnt hatched anything, so the enforced captivity in the broody box will either get her hatching something or will get her back laying again. Patrick managed to get the other shaver laying again, by opening her lid before she had settled on the eggs. She was off and couldn't be coaxed back onto them.

Other livestock news: the sheep remain twitchy but slightly less so than they were when they arrived. We are still trying to get a shearer for Mosetse (the ram). He is the opposite of the ewes, being bottle-raised he is too fearless. It makes him difficult to move around as he will not be driven. He has to be led, preferably by someone carrying something in a bucket! He has taken to harrassing us for his daily traet of sheep nuts and we are a bit worried that he will end up obese. The grass is romping away.

Ducks and ducklings are doing well. The ducks are well grown now and fly up to us for their daily grain. They have been showing signs of mating with each other, so we are looking forward to trying out lots of duckling recipes - I am - the others still find it a bit distasteful.

Stuart's Birthday

It was Stuart's turn for a birthday on Monday. after a number of options for presents had been debated exhaustively (I am not exaggerating here), he decided he would like to get an inflatable boat. This he did and assembled a crew of his mates to join him on the maiden voyage around the pond. Dad was instructed to rush home on Monday to supervise. The staff meeting finished and I raced home.

Then nearly a disaster - I was trying to carry the inflated boat down the hill on my own and it snagged on a piece of wire, puncturing it in 2 places. When Stuart found out all hell broke loose. Puncture repaired the trip was back on and proved a hit with the kids!

I went to Auckland with 8 Year 10 pupils for a bit more than 24 hours. It was weird being in a city again. Big buildings, lots of traffic, confusing road signs, cosmopolitan lifestyles and a more diverse racial mix. The purpose of the visit was to encourage Maori students to study Science and medicine at University. Although Year 10's don't give away too much about whether they are impressed or not, they were exposed to some good role models and an inspirational atmosphere. Even the 6 hour van journey each way wasn't too painful!

Pictures

Bonfires and holy things

Bulletpoint update this week; time is short!
Went shooting with Eric last w/e, he was let loose with a semi-automatic .22 rifle!
Went to a bonfire party on Nov 5th, very rural! Pitch black fireworks being let off on a windy hill-side. Chantelle tried on the latest must-have head-gear.
This week-end Stuart made his first holy communion and confirmation. Bishop Fleamy laid hands on his head, and Father Pat told him to tell the Bishop of Lancaster that he has now been confirmed. Could a reader in Lancaster pass on the message (along with our best wishes!) next time they see him.
That's it!
Been having problems with our connection, so cannot upload the pics. Keep checking and we'll get them up eventually.

Chantelle's Birthday

Today is Chantelle's Birthday. She received gifts and well wishes from all over and can be seen about to enjoy a juicy steak washed down with fizz. She said it was the first birtday in ** years that she had enjoyed the sun and not a dark night, cold and rain! One of the unexpected benefits of emigration to the southern hemisphere.

We have had a busy week. Last weekend the boys were demanding to sleep in my tiny tent on Friday night. As I was unwilling to see them knacker my only valuable possession, I suggested that we build a sleep-out on Saturday. Unbelievably a tee-pee was built in the space of one afternoon. It cost $0 and housed Eric and Patrick comfortably for one night. We had a fire and made toast and baked bananas before leaving them to nature.

Livestock news: 2 more chicks hatched from broody bantam on Wed/Thurs; We have another 8 muscovvy ducklings courtesy of Diggers Valley, Shanya is looking forlorn without her mate, sits about moping, we are going to run her with the sheep tomorrow as she has been on her own the last 2 weeks. Sheep all doing Ok, the ewes are very shy and won't come even when offered sheep nuts.

Other news: Stuart is moving from boats into go-carts. His team of ark builders are on stand-by. There have been a number of sparkler bomb incidents in Kaitaia. The mail box on our old house was blown away this week. Police and school are treating it very seriously.

Oh what a drama King!