WHAT AN UPROAR ONE BABY DONKEY CAN MAKE !!
START WITH POCKETS WAS A NORMAL BIRTH- YESTERDAY'S WAS STRANGE--- I AM SURE THERE WOULD BE A MEDICAL TERM TO USE IF A VET WAS STANDING THERE... BUT IT WAS EARLIER THAN EXPECTED-- PROBABLY PREMATURE- AND MOM WAS THE DONKEY WHO HAD SPENT 5 DAYS IN A VET HOSPITAL IN TEXAS WITH PNEUMONIA GETTING MEDS WHEN THEY DID NOT KNOW SHE WAS PREGNANT.
SO WHEN I ARRIVED-- GRACE HAD DONE ALL THE NORMAL THINGS-- TOWELS ETC.. AND NORMAL THINGS WEREN'T HAPPENING-- LIKE IT MADE NO EFFORT TO STAND--AT WHICH POINT MOM DECIDED TO MAKE IT STAND BY PAWING HARDER AND HARDER-- WAS NOT GOING TO WORK- AT ONE POINT FLIPPING HER HEAD AND NEARLY KNOCKING GRACE OUT...-- SO WE/GRACE PICKED UP THE BABY AND THE LEGS JUST DID NOT GO DOWN TO THE FLOOR-- AT THIS POINT THE PHONE BEGAN TO RING-- WITH NOT ONLY JANINE( DAUGHTER WITH EXPERIENCE)--- BUT A FEW NEWCOMMERS WHO GOT EXCITED AND HAD OTHER IDEAS--APPARENTLY EXPLORE EXPLAINED THAT UNKIND COMMENTS WERE NOT NEEDED NOR WELCOME. IT WAS NOT OUR FIRST RODEO... TROUBLE IS EVERY RODEO IS DIFFERENT AND SOME VERY STRANGE..... WITH GREAT EFFORT WE FINALLY GOT HER TO TOUCH THE FLOOR WITH ALL 4 FEET- AND IT WAS MAYBE ANOTHER HOUR BEFORE SHE WOUDL PUT ANY WEIGH ON THEM AND TRY AND STAND...
FINALLY ON ALL 4, WE TRIED TO ENCOUTAGE NURSING-- AND ANIMAL LESSON #567898765 YOU DO NOT TOUCH THE HEAD/FACE OF A NEWBORN ( ANIMAL OR PERSON ANIMAL)TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE TO NURSE AND HOW TO GET THE MILK TO COME INTO THIRE MOUTHS...-- THEIR INSTINCT MUST BE TO GO TOWARD WHATEVER TOUCHES THEIR FACE-- AND IF YOU DO, YOU JUST BLEW IT.
SO WE WERE STUCK PROVIDING "IMPULSION FROM THE REAR" ( AS IN DRESSAGE) HEAD WAS ALL OVER THE PLACE... AND IF WE DIDN'T AT LEAST AIM HER AT THE MILK DEPARTMENT... SHE WENT OVER AND LICKED THE WALL...
I HAVE SEEN THAT BEFORE--- I CONSIDERED IT MIGHT BE A "DUMMY FOAL" ( GOOGLE THAT !) NOW THERE IS A NEW IDEA OF WRAPPING A FOAL IN ROPES TO IMITATE THE BIRTH PROCESS-- WHICH I SOMEHOW THINK IS NUTS---- AND ALL I KNOW IS TO TRY AND GET THE FOAL NURSING AS NORMALLY AS YOU CAN-- AND HOPE NATURE TAKES OVER... BEFORE MOMMY KILLS IT WITH HER PAWING TRYING TO GET IT ORGANIZED.. THIS INVOLVED GRACE GETTING SOME MILK INTO THE BABY'S MOUTH-- JUST A SQUIRT WILL DO--- AND I DON'T KNOW HOW SHE DID THAT BECAUSE I WAS AT THE OTHER END OF AN UNHAPPY MOMMY WHO DID NOT WANT TO STAND STILL. ONCE WE GOT THE SQUIRT AND THE FOAL BEGAN TO LOOK TOWARD MOM AS TEH SOURCE, WE COUDL THEN GET MOM TO STAND BY FEEDING HER MORE GRAIN THAN SHE PROBABLY SHOUOLD HAVE HAD... BUT THE FOAL GOT 2 MINUTES OF NURSING... AND WAS THEN PRETTY MUCH ON HER OWN...
PRETTY WEAK- BUT AT LEAST FUNCTIONING AND FINDING THE MILK-- AND MOM STOPPED KICKING AT HER-- SO AS OF LAST NIGHT-- ALL THE CP'S REPORTED HOW OFTEN SHE NURSED AND FROM WHICH SIDE... I WOULD LOVE TO GET HER OUT TODAY, BUT NOT WITH THAT OPEN HOLE FOR THE BUILDING FOUNDATION .. ALL THINGS LOOK NORMAL NOW..
BUT IT SURE DIDN'T START THAT WAY !!
AND IT WILL BE A MIRACLE IF GRACE DOESN'T HAVE A BLACK EYE TODAY..
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IN THE MEANTIME.... TEH 4 PUPS ARE THINKING THAT "USED CAR LOT" IS AN AGREEABLE ACCOMODATION... WE CALL IT A USED CAR LOT BECAUSE OF THE GAUDY STREAMERS IN THE TREES TO WARD OFF ANY HAWKS AND EAGLES IN THE AREA...THESE 8 PUPPIES ARE APPROACING THE SIZE TO MOVE TOTHE KITCHEN AREA.. AN D I WISH WE HAD A PREGO COMING ALONG... BUT AT THE MOMENT ..WE DO NOT... MARIAH WAS NOT DESTINED TO BE A MOTHER.
WHO'S NEXT??
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I HAVE A PROJECT FOR DOGFEST--- THERE IS A 45 MINUTE WALK THRU THE WOODS FROM OURR POND TOTHE BACK OF "A" PASTURE-- SOME OF IT IS THE BAY STATE TRAIL FROM CAPE COD TO CAPE ANN... BUT THE PART TO GET TO IT IS PURE FOREST.... A GOOD DOGFEST PROJECT-- CUT A HOLE IN THE FOREST TO MAKE IT AN EASY 45 MINUTE WALK AROUND.... THAT WILL DEPEND ON THE BUG SITUATION SEPT 24TH-- IT REALLY WOULD BE EASIER IN THE WINTER--- BUT MAYBE.....
LAST I KNEW, ONE THING THAT WOULD NEED DOING IS TO TAKE THAT PIECE OF BLACK CULVERT IN THE V PEN AND USE IT TO CONTAIN A TINY ?STREAM-- IT WOULD HAVE TO BE DONE BY AHND BECAUSE WE COUDL NOT GET A TRACTOR THERE... I DON'T THINK.... 3 GUYS AND SHOVELS WOULD WORK...
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FYI- WHEN I WS TRANSFERRING MONEY FROM THE GRANT SAVINGS TO THE CHECKING ACCOUNT TO HELP COVER THE PAYROLL... THE TELLER ASKED WHY THE AMT WAS "UNUSUAL" $15008.26- I EXPLAINED IT WAS FOR AUGUST 26TH----- LOOKING BACK $12007.15 WAS FOR JULY 15th AND I DIDN'T HAVE TO HIRE AN ACCOUNTANT TO KEEP TRACK.
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AND SO IT GOES...
