Pre Christmas STRESS

Is every one ready for Christmas??? I'm not , me and my big mouth of lets have it here means dog hair, cat hair and pig bristles along with dust balls the size of a bunny have got to go. And what am i doing , oh sitting here waiting for the rain to let up so I can feed the pigs without them getting too wet while there eating.

I spent all day yesterday wrapping presents , ALL DAY!! Well no true i spent an hour in a frenzy as i couldn't find some things i bought and thought i was loosing my mind. The little bag was found ( pre -screaming) behind the laundry basket.

Buddy is doing well and is getting the program around here down to a tee. I still need to fix and out side space for him when he prefers to be when the pigs are out but that will come. I am off now until Jan 5th and he actually seems happier with all the attention he has been getting. In fact he was so pooped out from a nice long walk the day before he slept in until 11 all stretched out on my bed.

Well i better getting going here , me being here is not getting anything cleaned dusted or put away!!

Dealing With The Cards Dealt

One day five years ago an offer of some free hay had me heading out to check it out one morning. Jingle at 15 years old came along for the ride. From the email I gathered from what they briefly said they were moving and as i drove long i wondered why they didn't need the hay where they were going. I even went as far to question and wonder what they did with there animals and if they were giving them up. I also thought, I hope they don't have any dogs. It always hurts my heart for the animals being torn away from what they know , moved from there home and families.

On arriving i saw three dogs and during the conversation with the donor he told me they were moving to Australia and i exclaimed "but what are you going to do with your dogs?". Sadly the three dogs would be separated and the big one had still not found a home. This is how i got Buddy.

Buddy is unlike any dog that has lived with me. He prefers his own company and appreciates a good love when he asks for it. He likes to be on my bed but not when i am in it. He is a bit of a loner and prefers to do things on his own. He doesn't follow me around when i am outside working for example. Unlike my other dogs who would lay in front of the barn as i did chores and then followed me into the house when I was done. Buddy does and is where he wants to be it really makes no difference to him where i am. As long as i am there when he wants me to be.

When Buddy arrived at 2 years old he chased the pigs , chased the horses and scared my cats. He would learn, but it was a long process and my gentle Buddy, BUDDY , and then BUDDDDDYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY would escalate sometimes. Trying different techniques to teach him , changed very little of his behavior.

Buddy had not ever been dried off and i know this because when i dried his feet his lips with snarl and he would growl at me. It took a lot of guts to teach this dog as he was big and bending over to do this put my face next to his. Every chance i got i touched his toes, held his paws when he laid down and eventually he got used to it.

When he is on my bed and i would go in and lay down to cuddle i questioned if his voice was a growl or if he was talking. But when a friend came to stay with me and leaned up on the couch he was laying on and he growled i knew his growls were exactly that.

He was here when Rose was brought in as a baby. He seemed taken with her and took on an almost protective nature. They played together, chewed toys , he let her sleep with him and on him. With me always watching the big dog and reminding him to be gentle with her . They were great friends.

But as Buddy got older as did Rose i watched a new behavior emerge. One of an Alpha dog who when Rose would come to greet him as she did since she was little, Buddy would get rigid. He would stand tall and his body language clearly sent a message to me that he was ready to take her on. Don't presume here because i rescue pigs i know nothing about anything else , i know aggressive body language i don't care who it is man or mouse. I kept a watchful eye on Buddy and would bark out the words "out" when i saw him do this. I had no control over Rose this way but I did with the dog and to prevent something terrible it was the dog who needed to move away from the situation.

If you go look back at my movie with then Bacon and Buddy, you can see what i see coming from my dog.

One summer day i heard Rose scream on the front porch and running out there was my dog and a pig whose face was bleeding. I didn't see it happen but i knew it was a dog bite and once again i questioned my keeping such a dog at a Sanctuary for rescued pigs. Pigs will duke it out and over the years when i have found one of my pigs with a scratch or two i have looked and wondered if it was my dog or not. And i have heard the horror stories of dogs killing pigs at Sanctuaries and i know what damage a dog can do to a pig as i have one here without an ear. I am always telling people never ever leave your dogs and pigs together unsupervised.

Last night when i got home from work i greeted Buddy in the driveway. I came in and Cotton followed Buddy right back out the door . A few minutes later i heard a blood curdling scream from a little pig . I rushed outside and saw the two separate and saw blood gushing from the pigs snout. I immediately called the dog in exclaiming "WHAT DID YOU DO????"?? That question carried so much in it you have no idea. My mind raced with how our lives just took a huge change, will i need to euthanize this dog , give him up , get a kennel a muzzle. I was using my hands to direct my dog and told him to get in here and get in my bedroom. And up on my bed a dog looked back at me with "don't you touch me" . His fur was raised and his eyes were black , this dog scared me but called him to follow and pointed to the pig and told him NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO now get back in my bedroom and i shut the door to attend to the pig.

I got him settled and cried my heart out for a little pig who was brought here to be safe only to be attacked by my dog. And my dog .. what of his life now and how it will change.

Needing help and totally upset i looked towards a rescue forum only to be met with judgment and no thought to my experience with multi species. I for some stupid reason thought the people on there would be nice to me and offer up some kind of assurances or a home or help for my dog. Over the edge now and sobbing hysterically i edited all my words and shut this computer down.

This morning because I am high strung and an emotional Italian I have decided to CALM down and manage my dog. Last’s night ordeal sent me over the edge with working and coming home and getting back in here after 9 the night before to still feeding the inside crew and then me.. menopause and no sleep add’s to the mix of emotions.

I bring an animal in here to be safe and he gets hurt here … but the pigs duke it out and get hurt too so I don’t look at that pig any differently I just keep an eye out for the problems and remove them before they are one.

I have a dog who I will never trust. I just talked to a friend and she gave me an out if I needed one as she would take him soooooooooo now I have done musical chairs this morning with dog and pigs and will have to be way more aggressive with my watch. In order for Buddy to live his life out with me without being a danger to anybody here I can never forget what happened last night.

My bedroom will become his room , simple as that and I will buy a muzzle even though no one has suggested this to me it will make me feel better to have this option available at times.

Today Buddy found his front porch gated, his dish and water in my bedroom, also gated. He is NOT ever to be trusted with the pigs again. And no matter what i do I will be criticized mostly by dog people because there are more of them and they are who they are and love there dogs. And no doubt pig people will be on the other side of the fence saying get rid of the dog.

The decisions i have come to this morning were founded by someone who loves them both equally , this is my torment. All of our lives changed last night and in order to keep everyone safe precautions have been taken. Buddy's life will be the most dramatic change but verses the options It is the only one i can make. As an animal lover and to give him a life here unless i can truly find a better one for him somewhere else. Yes i would give him up ..

I am more educated now thanks to him, about him, then I will ever be now .. and he will never be the dog I ever wanted him to be and that’s just the way it is as I have a pig here who has the same issues and I manage him. Sucks but that the cards dealt to me and my dog.

Lenny

Two years ago a family sent me an email about there house pig Lenny who was getting cranky with the grand kids and was no longer wanted. I always ask for pictures of a pig being given up, both to use to find them a home with and to see the pigs overall condition . This pig was only two years old and a time in a pigs life where he is coming of age into maturity , one that we all associate with kids and the terrible two's. It is the same of pigs, at two for many of them they want to be boss now. Also add being over weight, and his vision getting worse and worse as the fat closes over his eyes. It would be enough to make me cranky.

At the time i had listed the acreage and sent them back a letter suggesting they build Lenny a yard with a outside house. That this is how there pig would be living if he came in here. And i offered to come over and work with them and share some of the techniques i use for behavior issues. This pig was also a house pig and wanted nothing of going down the ramp to go outside. Maybe the ramp was to steep for the now two year old fat blind pig, and babies do all sorts of things at a young age they will not do once they get older. I offered to give Lenny a home once i moved but i was not spending any money on putting up new pens for incoming pigs when i needed that money to be spent on pens for all of us when we moved. I wrote a nice long letter and never heard back from them.

A year later , I think i had been out here a few months when a lady called me for help with a pig she took in. It was just basic care information and wouldn't you know it , the pig she had was Lenny.

Where does the time go? And here we are again a year later only to receive a call from now this lady who no longer can care for Lenny. And she knows he is not happy where he is and asks if i can take him. I simply can't take in any more pigs here right now but there is no hurry to get him out as he has a nice yard and a good house and spring is a better time to be moving pigs any where. But that changed in a matter of weeks and the new message on my machine turned Lenny into a emergency, i had to get him out now.


24 hours after my plea on facebook Karena offered up a stall in her barn and agreed to foster him until spring. They also had a nice house in a pen but felt Lenny would have more company with her horses in the barn. So yesterday morning in the pouring rain I loaded my truck once again with a crate, blocking boards , treats , a bucket, dolly, food and blankets.

Lenny was confined in his house and we placed the crate with the door open at his doorway. Then i climbed in with a herding board and a bucket. We didn't have much room and Lenny is a big boy , but i moved quietly and slowly blocking him , creating a shoot to the crate. I suggested that he could go in all by his self , that he was gong on an adventure. The he need not worry as he would be safe, but needed to be very brave. Lenny moved towards me and i allowed that using the board and with the bucket ready in my other hand he put himself in a perfect position. Gently placing the bucket over Lenny's head he moved back wards to get away from it and backed right into the crate.


And Lenny was on his way to the new digs within 30 minutes which was spent mostly on setting up time, so I could do this without scaring him.

As we were all pulling out the lady reached threw my window in the truck and gave me a kiss , no one has ever done that when i am taking there pigs. And i turned into a bowl of jelly as i followed the horse trailer out.

I was concerned about Karena's horse's being scared to death of there new barn buddy and for two reasons i grabbed a bag full of Lenny's hay bedding before we left. Some hay for his new bed to bring him comfort at his new place and to sack out the horse's. I suggested to Karena she toss in a hand full of Lenny's bedding in there stalls to get them used to his scent.

I laughed when Karena updated me after i left that she did that very thing , and her horses simply ate it LOL. That went well, and i only wish we had a
picture of three gentle horses reaching over there barn stall doors to try and reach Lenny and welcome him home.

Saturday Night Action

Last year i talked to a young man who had acquired a pig from his boss at work. Apparently the pig was shipped from a Texas Breeder (UGH) and became unwanted not too long after. I am sure this would of been somewhere around $1000.00 in cost after the purchase, medical records and transportation costs on top of the 30 day quarantine for one very scared little baby who had been yanked away from his mom. Note that the breeder shipped this pig unaltered. GRRRRRRRRRRR

Anyhow i do remember trying to get the breeders name out of the guy after giving him an hour of my time to help him care for this baby. He was too call me back, but never did. And he didn't want him either and the next family who took him in loved him, got him neutered and he had a real family for a little while..

Yesterday was join up for Volunteers here as it is every Saturday and only my sister arrived to help. After working outside for several hours we came inside so she could help me put plastic up on some windows in here to try and lower my heating bills here.


By 2 Nancy took off and i sat down here to catch up on emails and the phone rang. The SPCA had a pig in a eviction crises and while talking to them i saw a email from the family pleading for help.

Dec 1 late afternoon a Mom with her baby answers the door to the landlords. Facing eviction as the economy has taken the toll on this family and they are struggling to get back on there feet. The husband finally gets a job and is working 14 hour days and is not home when Mom lets the landlords in. Once she let them in they were allowed to throw her out. I wasn't there but i can imagine the mayhem that ensued from there and this is when the pig bolted out the door in the commotion and took refuge under the porch. And i spoke to both of the family members and i can tell you i cried along with both of them on the phone.

About 20 minutes from here i jumped in the truck to go to the house to see if the pig was still there as the landlords were threatening to take care of the situation in an unfavorable way. A little silver and white pig under the porch trying to keep warm in the hay and the blankets the family took over there. The family was unable to get the little traumatized friend and no where to take him they starting reaching out for help once they found help for themselves. I was able to figure out a game plan and spent a few hours back here trying to rally up help to pull rescue off. NO way could i leave this baby pig out there in this cold one night and at the risk of being eaten.

I called Carol at SAINTS and she rounded up two friends and we headed out here in the dark with flashlights , crate, hay bale string and a portable pen. I saw some fencing and some crates there we could use to pen in the porch. We would go in quiet so this little guy didn't bolt from under our trap. Quietly we placed pallets and wire pen, then secured it with the twine to the deck supports. I placed the crate where i figured the pig came and went as this is key to the way a pig travels. It is was easier to get the pig to go in a direction they know , then in one they have never been even in this situation.

Pigs are more like any feral animal when it comes to trapping them . And out of the 100 plus pigs i have known in my life not one of them will walk into a crate on there own. With or without food!!

Then two of us crawled under the 24" crawlspace and with a light broom i brought we took turns in herding the little boy as he had quite a bit of room under there to retreat too then we did. I cracked my head good on one of the supports under there and i still don't know what one of my hands sunk into. With no place to go as we were positioned well and as best as we could lying down under there he went for the crate, and with one little push we had him.

We were all back here by about an hour and a half later and the girls carried the crate into the great room here and i opened the crate door. He strutted right out tail wagging a mile a minute. He explored all over here and up down the hallway to the kitchen and back while we fed him treats and laughed about our Saturday night adventure.

All the kids needed to be fed here now and my day starting at 6:30 am unthawing a sump pump hose again ended with me starving and exhausted falling to the couch by 9.

This pig and I could really use a sponsor now if any one can help us. He will spent the winter in here as there are no empty piggy paddocks and tossing him in with any body right now is not a good option for this soft little house pig.

He is under a pile of blankets a few feet away from me and snoring every so lightly.

Help Arrived Just In Time

Last year a gal contacted me by email asking if i could use a volunteer for a week . After a phone call between us Dayna arrived for a week only to spend two weeks and we worked hard and had a ball. Dayna flew in from Edmonton again and stayed for a week promising to return in the summer for a longer period of time. The days flew by and while i was at work Dayna would figure out our meals and took care of my inside work for both me and Hearts On Noses. In fact when i went to work in the morning Dayna stuffed my lunch she made under my arm with a "have a nice day"!

I was able to pick up truck loads of hay on two nights on the way home from work and this makes a huge difference to have help here when i get home to put it away. And then again help and company to feed all the pigs after made the work here so much lighter. Knowing i have a good stock of hay here for both the pigs and the horses feels good.

Thank you Dayna for coming to help me here and for my bat box and my piggy stuffy on top of everything you did for us here.

Friday being Dayna's last night here, arrived Pam and Dave from Sorrento to help me again. Coming home from work with a truck load and seeing there truck parked in the driveway put a big smile on my face. So many of my favorite friends all under the same roof was a hoot. We all dived into a big pot of vegan chili Dayna had prepared and we all crashed for an early start to drive Dayna to the airport in the morning.

Saturday we dived into clean up and moved gravel and by 2 i was so tired. Paul a new volunteer was awesome as was Taryn who returned as promised from helping us the week-end before. Alisha took care of all the water and dishes and my sister took care of the horses. Sunday Dave tackled some much needed repairs here and Pam and i took care of the stack of pools needing washed out and put away and well just things that get put on the back burner are done now too. Dylan's door way was too big on his shed and letting too much draft inside so Dave fixed him up just in time for the snow I see outside this morning.

It was so quiet here when every one left and although i was pretty tired a lot of worry about little things needing done has removed a lot of weight i was carrying. And because of that help I wasn't worn down and had energy to load up on straw on the way home from work one night. It wasn't raining so i had to take advantage of that and grab it while i could and put it away so i would have it for my day off yesterday.

Friday morning at 8:30 a class from Douglas Collage Vet tech course arrived to see the pigs first hand and get a chance to examine one or two. Of course i let Roscoe out wanting these young people to meet a big pig up close and personal and show these young minds what these big pigs were like if allowed to live past the age of slaughter . Panda our pig who will be neutered on Monday gave them a show of a boar in action in more ways then one. They may never look at rotini the same way again. And Penny allowed the stethoscopes to monitor her with out leaving her nest of blankets during all of it.

When everyone left i started moving straw into the pigs houses and fixing a few door way flaps as i went. I was done about 3 and came in to warm up for an hour before i had to feed dinner. This is just another one of the jobs here that is a ton of work but knowing the pigs are all warm and cozy gives me as much comfort as it does to them when its done. This will need to repeated about every three weeks now threw winter.

I woke up at 6 this morning and it is still blowing pretty hard out there. There is about an inch of snow on the ground and there is chairs down and umbrellas blown everywhere . I doubt anyone is coming to help today so I will do what i can and carry on again tomorrow. And i really don't care for this moment as i know all the pigs are warm and have full bellies still from last nights dinner and that is all that matters .

Pigs Who Need US!!

What a brutal couple of weeks its been here with all this rain! We have moved 60 yards of gravel to create a solid base in some of the wetter areas and still have 20 yards left to go. And with this when you raise the ground in one area you create water problems in another, as the water travels to the next paddock. Drainage is needed big time and i pray we get our grant request from the Vancouver Foundation to help us with this.

The gravel is a sand mix which is giving some solid footing however it is also where i am feeding some of the pigs. My concern is the sand they will get on there noses , i don't want any obstructions caused by sand being swallowed. I have got to get the bark mulch down.

The SPCA contacted me regarding a neglect case. A little pig with out adequate shelter has been seen huddled up next to the house under eaves trying to get out of the weather. She dug her self a barrow trying to create a nest for herself and if she hadn't arrived here that hole would of been nothing more then a wallow by now. Suzy is here and is in an emotional mix of depression right now and is resting warm and comfortable for the first time in a long time. She is refusing food left in her bowl but the sprinkled do-nut was met with enthusiasm as was the hand fed sliced apples last night. One of her rear legs may require medical care as she is favoring it and cries from her house had me race outside but it is her trying to right herself from laying on her side. She needs a bigger shelter and one i can throw wall to wall carpet under her hay so her hooves have something to grab onto to make it easier to get up. I do this for the senior pigs too as hind ends weaken from old age.

Two more pigs need new homes and both here in the lower mainland. One little girl after being attacked by dogs was brought into be euthanized. But good people at the clinic nurses her back to health and her rescuer reaches out to me now to find her a good home. This Delta Piggy sporting her Princess garb at the clinic here.

Then there is Lenny who has gone from a house pig to a farm not far from here who simply needs more then his new family can give him. He gets up to potty, eats and then goes back to bed. He is a big boy that needs someone special too work him out of his depression and spend some time with him and show him a new world.

Well off to do a pumpkin run, wish me luck!!

The Cost Is Mine And There's.

I knew something had happened at the pond when i came home from work Thursday and my fish weren't in there spot for dinner. Friday morning the pond looked empty but i needed to do water and dishes for the pigs and i went to work here.

Before i go out a facebook message tells me of a pig being advertised for free and i send out a message to Jean on the Island.

I scrubbed all there dishes, the water tubs and a few pools i left out to use as a water catch and a wash basin for the trays and dishes. I did the horses big live stock tank too and was pleased by late afternoon all my kids had fresh waters.

The sun was out and because i had all day to do this i enjoyed the day here while spending time with all the pigs. Instead of rushing by to get the job done i stopped to love on my babies. And Roscoe and i spent a glorious few hours going for our walk around the acreage. Out back he found some lush grass and i found a huge rock to sit on and watched him graze as his long tail wagged continuously.

I came in the house about 3 and was wet and tired and had a quick shower , made something to eat and had a rest before it was time to feed them all. A few hours later i came in here to sit down for a few minutes i looked out the window and to my horror there was a blue heron standing in my pond fishing.

Saturday is join up for volunteers and by 9:30 it was obvious it was just me and my sister. Nancy would do stalls and would work half her time out there for the horses and join me in the pigs pen work after. By 1:00 we were out of steam and the pasture still needs more clean up and the largest piggy pen is left as well as Roscoe's.

Sunday i was expecting visitors as well as someone new who wrote me about helping. I haven't been off the property since last Tuesday except to go to work and needed to restock the pigs supplies. The animals here are no different from your cats or dogs who need to go out early . The only difference here is there are 45 animals here - 41 of them outside who are expecting breakfast at the crack of dawn. My work out there starts right away which is why i book all visits in the morning.

A surprise from Chris who has five hours left on his community hours i got him started on the big piggy pen and i worked in the yard and on Roscoe's. And as i did i also i fretted over the pond and how i would have to net it now. Once my visitors left i would race to get the net in town at the pond supply store. I would add livestock wire first to save the remaining fish while i left here as Chris would only be here until noon.

By 11:00 and none of my visitors here yet , i made the decision to go to town now and get the net so Chris would still be here to let my visitors know i would be back and his presence would keep the herons away. If my visitors arrived on time once the tour was done i could race back to town to get produce for the pigs for our week ahead.

I got back at almost noon and Chris offered one more hour to help and so i raced against the clock to get this project completed as i expected to have to stop to greet my guests. I had to cut down all the bull rushes and remove them from the pond. Remove all the boulders holding the wire down , remove and roll up the wire and prepare to drape the net without it laying in the water.

Chris left and i worked as fast and hard as i could as there was a huge mess in my yard now that needed to be cleaned up and at 1:45 is when my morning visitors arrived here.

I am tired now and so are the pigs that are out and yet the peanut butter and jam sandwiches are distributed. Carpets for the inside kids put away and apples were much appreciated. I can't barely walk now as i have been on my feet for three days working here and i am out of steam physically and emotionally. I try to be gracious and friendly but i was so tired and no way could i now get to town to buy a weeks worth of produce needed for the pigs.

I had two hours to rest before feeding dinner and i haven't eaten all day .. and when i do feed the pigs i am exhausted. And Soda only added to my day by bumping me out of the way at the gate when i went into feed. She is in heat and food is the furthest thing she desires. I chased her around for about two hours in between feeding everyone and no way is she going back in. She is in a pen with 11 others and its pretty hard to get a pig in without letting the entire herd out for a free for all at 9 o'clock

And during the day i am fighting the emotions in the store and here while i work and tell the pigs stories to my visitors i want to cry my heart out for my fish who i didn't protect here. I am watching the birds who arrive to the pond for a drink or a splash trying to get to it. And if i find a bird caught up in this net i will loose it.

Once back in the house i sat here and Jean has contacted a family we placed a pig earlier this year and they have agreed to love this one off of facebook too.

Its Monday and i need a day off but i have inside work that needs to get looked at... and its 9 so i better return some calls here and then get out and feed the kids.

Bits And Pieces

Where do i start , its been a while!!!

Lets see i contacted B.C.Corrections to see if i could get a crew here to move the rest of the gravel. They arrived last Friday and all new faces except for one and every one of them reached out to shake my hand , how nice of them all. They worked so hard and got it all moved. Some of the guys trimmed some low branches and dragged them off into the bush for me and they even blew off this long driveway.

I will need another load of gravel or two and then i will bring in the bark mulch. And yes i will see if i can get the guys back here for that too.

Pam and Dave report in on there new charges and judging from the behavior of Bossy Boots and new boy Rocco making kissy face at the fence we think he is not neutered. And on top of Bossy pushing her way around and heading up the ramp in any attempt to get to him almost clinches it. A few pictures it is hard to tell by looking at him but yes it appears he may still have one nut in there. ( judging the classic look of 'elephant skin' in between his legs on one side)

I never even thought to look at Rocco when we were loading as there previous keepers wrote he was neutered. Easy to assume when in the time he as been with them he showed no interest that way in his mate i guess. Perhaps these precious pigs had a mutual understanding of her pain.. and he closed himself off from those urges.

Angel is pretty crippled up and we agree its time to call the vet in now as they have had enough time to settle in there. The vet there admits his knowledge is limited but he is a good man and listens to Pam's concerns and acts on them with the utmost safety and care. Rocco has two incisions from someones previous attempt,(poor baby) but this vet skillfully neuters Pam and Dave's boy. A script is left for Angel and we hope this brings her comfort , time will tell.

I just got off the phone from someone whose family is loosing the acreage and they have a pig. His name is Lenny and at about 4 years old is in her words not living a good life there anyhow. The family who had Lenny originally had contacted me a little less then two years ago. I begged them to keep him as i was in the middle of listing my acreage at that time. I never heard back from them after my email to them and the next time i heard about Lenny was when this lady called me for some help in his care. Poor Lenny needs a forever home now.. one that will love him and give him what he needs. I will go down there tomorrow and get a picture of him to share and i will try and find a good home for him. sigh...

And a call like that removes the flow of writing for me as there is someone I am worried about now.

Happy Thanks Giving everyone!!

Rain and Kisses

Do you remember the sad picture of a piggy needing a home a few months ago? Oh so fat and laying in a garden box .. look at the love she is getting now from my dear freind Pam and Dave.



I drink my first cup off coffee here at my desk which over looks the pond. I look for her every morning but my big gold fish has not returned to the surface to eat for weeks now and her friends have regained there trust in my movement again.

It appears a year has almost gone by since i moved here and we are still not ready for our second winter. There is a large pile of gravel that needs to be moved and frankly I'm going to need a ton more. And then on top of that must lay hog fuel which is the less expensive form of bark mulch. All the sheds need bedding added and for sure one roof needs to be replaced or at the very least tarped. Panda needs to be neutered in the following months as he has lost some of that fat and there is the worry of Penny ..Penny can't poop at all as i have been aiding her months now.

We go in spurts here from fabulous help to none at all and in the middle of that stretch is not enough. I wonder if those who arrive on those fab days think this is the way it is here all the time, for those who wonder no its not.

I did pick up part time work and the job is mine as long as i can get the numbers up. Part time could lead into more hours but right now it is only covering half of what i need to pay the mortgage , tel , hydro and cable. If anyone needs some auto glass work or residential windows replaced our mobile crew covers a lot of ground so please email me. The security if these few hours is also security for the pigs here.

Short post .. the rainy season has returned and its not raining now so i am heading to town to fill up my truck and stock up for the week.

Cathy???

You left a message on my answering machine but didn't leave a number to call you back.