Winter Hits Hawkes Bay

It's been a week of terribly bitter weather here. Thursday I awoke to a black frost which didn't leave the grass until 11 am. Thank goodness for the fire is all I can say as I am basically living in the sitting room most of the day. It is even worse round the rest of the country- Queenstown basically shut down for a few days as no one could move in or out due to snow. The photo is of the Ruahine Ranges which run west down to Wellington. Not the exact view from here but very similar. The other morning when I went out the back door the snow was right down on the foot hills. Looked like they'd been dusted with icing sugar.


I am still unwell. Doctor says it's not a bad kidney infection but it certainly has made me feel like death warmed up. No spinning at the moment, just some art and reading between checking on everyone outside.

Two Goodbyes

Hallelujah! Changed my email again as well as my password and I'm back in with Explorer. Phew.

Last week was eventful for two goodbyes. Firstly my neighbours Linda and Hans were flying out to a new life in Holland. Sunday 10th June was gloomy and very cold. When I went to feed the chickens I saw why- there was a good coating of snow on the ranges. Linda rang and asked if would I go down to their place to say goodbye as they were expecting visitors and didn't want to leave it till too late to come and see me. She picked me up in her car and I was there by 11.15am. Fortunately they had their fire going and the room was toasty (empty but toasty as they'd sold their furniture). First the other lady bus driver who works locally turned up with her boyfriend and stayed for three hours. Then my landlady's sister in law who will be renting the house came in with her husband and two boys. She had no idea who I was and asked where I lived- when I said "Cathy's place" the light bulb turned on. They left at 3.45pm and I was hoping to get home as it was raining and beginning to get dark but Linda asked me to stay for a late lunch. It was getting colder and colder even with a heater and fire on and Hans told me it was 5oC (41oF) inside. Anyway when I said goodbye to Hans he got all choked up and tearful and held my hands. Linda dropped me off, gave me a quick hug and then ran out the door. When I looked out the window she was crying. It was so so sad. So now they're back living in Holland but say they'll keep in touch via email.

Maxine arrived Monday when it was pouring with rain (the farmers were so grateful as Hawkes Bay is having the worst drought we've had in 100 years) and said I'd been asked to give a talk about my artwork by the Tikokino Country Woman's Institute on 3 April. We thought they got it wrong and meant 3 July but no they do mean 3 April........2008.

Then came Tuesday 12th which I knew was going to be a big day. Meadow's eye had flared up again after I gave her some hay so I took her back to the vets at 10am. Nicki put dye in her eye and found the tear duct had blocked again and would need to be reflushed. Went to get a warrant of fitness for my car- it failed. Needed four new tyres. The only funny bit was the guy looking in my car and asking "Where's the dust?" I told him I'd shifted and didn't have a long shingle road to my place anymore. Anyway we drove to tyre places and none would give finance under $400 and I only needed $260 so Rich lent me the money and we had the new ones fitted. In fact the people "Firestone" (NZ made tyres) gave us both hot chocolate drinks while we waited.

Had a trip to the doctor's myself to get a few things sorted (looks like I have a kidney infection amongst other things) and then collected my sister in law from work before heading out to the vet to collect Meadow. Nicky came out and said she wanted a quiet word with me and then brought Med out in her cage all wrapped in a towel. She'd managed to unblock the tear duct but it ruptured and a whole lot of pus came spilling out and the eye began bulging. She told me that her eye would never be any good and the infection could go into her brain. I would have to inject her with antibiotics but the problem would reoccur. I asked what she would do if it was her pet and the result was that she put Meadow to sleep. I cried and cried with the vet with her arm about me, handing me tissues. She carried the empty cage out to the car only to find Richard on his knees changing the back tyre. Yes the new back one had gone flat. Not a day I want to repeat..................

Absent

I have been having major problems with Blogger which is why I haven't posted this past week. For weeks now I have been able to log in through my Netscape browser but unable to upload photos, however I was able to do this through Explorer. Now when I try to log in through Explorer it tells me that my email doesn't exist. I changed my email and the same thing is happening. As you can't contact a real person directly in Google and their help section doesn't mention this situation I am stuck with no pictures on my blogs. I may have to move the whole lot to another system.

Piper's Trip To The Vet

Had a trip to the vet Wednesday. Firstly Cadbury my chocolate angora buck had a testicular tumour which had to be removed (it apparently was so impressive the vet took a photo) and I also took Piper for a check up. Cadbury was booked in all day for a castration and I left Piper for an hour so she could have blood work done. However before the results came in the vet was able to tell me she suspected renal failure as the kidneys were enlarged and there was some fluid on the lungs. This could be a result of her cardiomyopathy.

Collected Piper at 10am and brought her all the way home, had lunch and returned to Waipukurau for a 2pm appointment before collecting Cadbury. He was extremely perky (and lighter) after his operation as was my wallet. At 5pm the vet phoned with Piper's results which confirmed renal failure. However she said there were a few things they could do to help including an anabolic steroid shot to improve her appetite and help kidney function as well as starting her on a special diet which she would send out with the mailman.

The next morning I was able to get a ride into the vet with Piper and she had her first steroid injection. She wasn't as perky as the day before and hadn't wanted her breakfast but by the afternoon she was ravenous and ate so much so ended up being heartily sick. By the end of the day her new food had arrived and I was able to begin weaning her onto this. It's $29.95 a bag but as you don't feed a lot I am hoping it won't work out to be too expensive. At this stage she is looking much better, not drinking as much and the litter tray isn't getting such a hammering. However the vet has warned me her days are limited and that she now things the kidney disorder may have been there since birth as were her other health problems. Doug my previous vet had also warned that her tail deformity might only be the tip of the iceberg.

One good outcome of the vet visit is that they allowed me to put my business card up on their notice board so hopefully I may get some art commissions. The ironic part is this week I have felt very unwell with what I think may be a kidney problem so haven't felt like doing much artwork at all.