Demelza's Embryo Modelling Career

The last of the monarchs hatched over the weekend bringing the complete total to thirty butterflies. Of course as soon as the last one flew away the weather turned cold so hopefully they’re well on their way to a warmer climate.

I am intending to enter Demelza into the New Zealand Top Cat Model competition this year. Fortunately all done over the net otherwise there would be no chance as her eyes turn as big as saucers and she falls off windowsills if she happens to see a strange human in her vicinity. A friend once told me her eyes look as if she’s on “P” (methamphetamines) but I think she looks as if she’s watched one too many horror movies on TV. Anyway I have opened a Twitter account for her so people can read her version of what happens around here- she is a bit judgemental so it will be tough reading for me occasionally.

Briar was due to have her hooves trimmed again but I had to make an urgent appointment as Betty saw she was limping. I couldn’t see as the farm worker here had taken it on himself to move her far far away with the few pet sheep she hangs about with. Betty brought her back with the dogs and I cleaned out her hoof and found a stone stuck there. The farrier couldn’t make it till Saturday morning so I hoped she would be able to stay nearby till her appointment but Friday morning she’d been moved way back over again. I told Betty who went over and got her again with the dogs and told the farm worker to leave her next to me till Monday. Suffice to say that I saw on Saturday she had been moved way over to a paddock at the back of Betty’s.

I had to ring the main house anyway as the water dried up in the cottage at 8.30am but Betty had gone out and wouldn’t be back till lunchtime. It took me a good half hour to go and get Briar who wasn’t limping as badly but it still was quite painful for her to walk back to my place. Then the farrier was an hour late so I waited out in the garden with Briar to keep her company until he arrived. Turned out a small abscess had also burst in her hoof so he cleaned that out and sprayed it plus trimmed her feet. I was too tired to take her all the way back so just popped her out the back gate into the field nearest me where she has been since, complaining loudly when I don’t arrive with the occasional carrot.

The water situation became quite dire as I didn’t have any collected unusually for me and by 3pm I had nothing to drink. I rang the main house again and spoke to an English lady staying with Betty and before I knew it she had walked over with a kettle of water as she hated the fact I couldn’t even have a cup of tea. By 4.30pm the water was back on again so I could feed and water the animals and have a tepid bath before settling down for the evening. However it has reminded me of how important it is to keep water stored at all times in case of emergency as it is the one thing you cannot live without. That and chocolate.