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Feels Like Summer
It's T-shirt weather, finally, as the long weekend ends. Today is one of the Queen's birthdays. I stayed home, recovering from my visit to the Royal Show on Saturday. It's about 24 years since I last went. I can't say it's improved and hadn't expected it to. Very crowded, packed with trashy stalls and shops selling "bargains" outnumbering pavilions with interesting displays such as the one about Indonesia, the Show's Guest Nation.
This visit was to keep company a friend who wanted to go and whose birthday is coming up. She bounced around the entire showgrounds admiring creatures and chatting with people. Because of the horse flu, we couldn't get in to see them which I was regretful about. I'm not sure it's a good idea to bring horses to the Showgrounds anyway if them catching the flu is a likelihood. And nobody isolated the miniature horses which is discrimination, I feel! None of the animals; cattle, sheep, pigs, birds or alpacas, seemed to be enjoying themselves. One cattle-owner told us that even though his cattle had been judged that morning, they weren't allowed to leave until the end of the Show, so that the city-slicker public (us) would have animals to look at. It's a bit rough and very boring for animals and handlers alike. Surely they could let the firstcomers go home mid-Show?
The Show is tremendously expensive, beginning with $22 to get in and with vastly inflated prices for everything. I'd like to say I resisted but since I ended up with two stuffed rats - Remy and Remy's Dad from Ratatouille! - I have to admit I was sucked in as badly as anyone else. Lena also got the rats and Don had to travel back on the train with us :-)
I went to bed early that night and didn't get up again until it almost wasn't morning anymore. That was a lot of walking. Sunday was doing the jobs I usually do on Saturday, followed by a gathering at Don and Lena's place as further celebration of her 60th. If she had to turn 60, she was going to have a birthday for a week, not just a day. There was temporary drama when Bear, the malamute belonging to another friend of theirs, made a break for freedom and was apparently tackled by his owner on someone's front lawn which would have been an interesting sight. Bear is the colour, general build and size of your average wolf with the temperament of a labrador.
Today I woke to peeping from the front verandah. I *think* the dove has hatched out her eggs. Can't be sure but she's at least got the sense not to sit there and carry on, which baby birds don't.
I'm also trying to break in a new rat. Ergo, convince new rat that resident rat is not there to murder him. He was very nervous when I put them together (on a table not known to either) but later upon leaving the room, I heard earsplitting eeks and thought new rat was being murdered. When I dashed in, he's sitting on one side and resident rat, somewhat bewildered, watching him from the other. I've tried washing the entire cage, putting in clean furnishings etc but new rat wouldn't move away from the door. I'm going to have to keep him in his regular cage and let them exchange insults through the bars until he calms down.
The new rat is about four months old and a rescue. He was found in someone's wheelie bin, with a wound to his neck that looks like a bite. I can't tell what from. If it's another rat, he's probably got a good reason to be afraid of Joshua, though Joshua has been remarkably mild for an adult male confronted by a stranger. This rat is older than is recommended for introductions so I'm not sure if this will work but he can go back to Don and Lena's place if it doesn't.
I hope the baby doves shut up tonight. They're on the other side of my bedroom wall. Yes, I know. I don't like my chances.
This visit was to keep company a friend who wanted to go and whose birthday is coming up. She bounced around the entire showgrounds admiring creatures and chatting with people. Because of the horse flu, we couldn't get in to see them which I was regretful about. I'm not sure it's a good idea to bring horses to the Showgrounds anyway if them catching the flu is a likelihood. And nobody isolated the miniature horses which is discrimination, I feel! None of the animals; cattle, sheep, pigs, birds or alpacas, seemed to be enjoying themselves. One cattle-owner told us that even though his cattle had been judged that morning, they weren't allowed to leave until the end of the Show, so that the city-slicker public (us) would have animals to look at. It's a bit rough and very boring for animals and handlers alike. Surely they could let the firstcomers go home mid-Show?
The Show is tremendously expensive, beginning with $22 to get in and with vastly inflated prices for everything. I'd like to say I resisted but since I ended up with two stuffed rats - Remy and Remy's Dad from Ratatouille! - I have to admit I was sucked in as badly as anyone else. Lena also got the rats and Don had to travel back on the train with us :-)
I went to bed early that night and didn't get up again until it almost wasn't morning anymore. That was a lot of walking. Sunday was doing the jobs I usually do on Saturday, followed by a gathering at Don and Lena's place as further celebration of her 60th. If she had to turn 60, she was going to have a birthday for a week, not just a day. There was temporary drama when Bear, the malamute belonging to another friend of theirs, made a break for freedom and was apparently tackled by his owner on someone's front lawn which would have been an interesting sight. Bear is the colour, general build and size of your average wolf with the temperament of a labrador.
Today I woke to peeping from the front verandah. I *think* the dove has hatched out her eggs. Can't be sure but she's at least got the sense not to sit there and carry on, which baby birds don't.
I'm also trying to break in a new rat. Ergo, convince new rat that resident rat is not there to murder him. He was very nervous when I put them together (on a table not known to either) but later upon leaving the room, I heard earsplitting eeks and thought new rat was being murdered. When I dashed in, he's sitting on one side and resident rat, somewhat bewildered, watching him from the other. I've tried washing the entire cage, putting in clean furnishings etc but new rat wouldn't move away from the door. I'm going to have to keep him in his regular cage and let them exchange insults through the bars until he calms down.
The new rat is about four months old and a rescue. He was found in someone's wheelie bin, with a wound to his neck that looks like a bite. I can't tell what from. If it's another rat, he's probably got a good reason to be afraid of Joshua, though Joshua has been remarkably mild for an adult male confronted by a stranger. This rat is older than is recommended for introductions so I'm not sure if this will work but he can go back to Don and Lena's place if it doesn't.
I hope the baby doves shut up tonight. They're on the other side of my bedroom wall. Yes, I know. I don't like my chances.
no subject
Saw the Rat movie last week with TeenBoy. If I could be bothered going to the Show, I'd get a stuffed rat also - Remy. Or maybe the older brother.
Would really like a stuffed cat like Blofeld's from James Bond, though. Baby has nearly kneaded the bum off the stuffed cat I have now.
no subject
Actually there were some animals that enjoyed themselves - the kelpies doing the sheep trialling. Very enthusiastic and energetic beyond belief. The sheep were looking less than keen by the end of things, however and one tried conclusions with the dog. The dog won.
You should hear these little doves carry on. "We're small and edible and we can't fly and we're RIGHT HERE!"
no subject
No Show for us this year...we tend to find about a 5-10 year gap between Shows is about right...if we ever feel like going.