Monday, 28 January 2013
I think I may
have over done it a little today, I am very tired, which is ridiculous as I
have not done THAT much. However the flat that we are working on is looking
super now. I still have some painting to do and we have to do the bloody
kitchen completely, but we are getting there. It is annoying to have to do all
this only three years after we already did it. Woe betide anyone who spoils
them now!!
The snow has
gone, and it went really quickly. I think that there is nowhere so green as the
UK and you notice it most either when it has been covered in snow and then is
vivid green again, or when you have been abroad and are flying home in the daylight
and you look down and see all that glorious green.
It has been a
vile day, windy and then rain – lots of it, I am so tired of rain, I hope to
God the bloody gulf stream moves and we get a drought for months!!!
Art has gone to
his new home and is doing very well, they are keeping in contact and he is
obviously being looked after well and he has company, which is making him very
happy. I miss him, but I could not manage him at the moment anyway.
Holly is fine in
the US, we have not heard much, but she made it to Houston and will now be in
California, in lovely weather, hopefully learning about hatching and rearing.
Not that I am concerned about rearing as I have lost count of the number of
chicks I have reared over the years. Our new incubator should arrive soon as
well. So there is plenty to do on the horizon.
I decanted my
damson gin and plum gin over the weekend it is rather delicious I have to say
although the plum gin in not clear which is disappointing.
The bathroom has
ground to a halt as we are missing some bits that should have arrived today and
did not, so I am pissed off about that. Athena has two eggs now, which we are
delighted about and all the birds are sitting well, which is very good news.
The weather although wet has warmed up considerably which removes some
concerns.
We are getting
birds flying again, regardless of the weather as we open to the public on
Friday. I sadly will not be here as I have to go to Edinburgh to give a
lecture, I am back on the following day in the afternoon. Which reminds me I
need to find someone to give me a lift home!!
Tuesday, 22 January 2013
The snow is
still here, although thawing fast apart from where we have been walking on it,
where it is now an ice slick, which is a little scary when you have a fracture
back. However we, OK John and helpers(!) chucked some salt down on the worst bits,
so I don’t break anything else. I had a hospital appointment today, had my back
X-rayed, its amazing how insecure I felt taking off the back brace during the
day – will have to get over that! It is healing OK and I have another appointment
in four weeks when I might be able to do without it. Four weeks, gosh, most of
me wants it gone now and the rest is nervous about it! How daft is that. |
| Bramley looking wonderful in the snow |
Holly left for
the US today, for her incubation and hatching and rearing experience. She is
going on a course at Houston Zoo – thank you Zoo for helping us on this one, it
is greatly appreciated, and then she is going with Susie Kasielke who teaches
the course to LA and working at the Zoo there for a few days on incubation and
rearing. She has been teased mercilessly about going surfing while she is
there!! I wonder if she will meet the man I once fell in love with immediately
I met him, needless to say he did not treat me particularly well, as have none
of my American loves!! Best to stick to Labradors I reckon they are guaranteed
to be loyal and loving for all of their far too short lives.
Talking of which
- finally the inevitable happened today and Shasta ate the TV remote control,
it had to happen eventually and she managed it this afternoon, it worked a tiny
bit for a short while and then gave up the ghost completely – actually when
John showed me how to change the TV stuff without the remote I found it was a
lot quicker, so I don’t really mind, although I am not sure where the bits
are!!!
My staff knowing
that I was not able to make a snowman and a snow dog, which I really wanted to
do, made me a tiny one, he is rather cute!! Never mind, I will make some next
winter instead and they will be brilliant!
The work here
goes on apace. The new bathroom is going into the flats tomorrow, and I am
going to attempt to get up there and do some painting as well. I need some
furniture for Adam’s ex flat, but I am sure we will find something good soon.
The birds are starting to lay, the African Fish Eagles laid today, which is
lovely, I hope all goes well as it would be so good to breed them again. They
are wonderful birds, although I have to say my absolute favourite of the Fish
Eagles to fly is the White-bellied Sea-eagle, which is quite marvelous. Oh and
I flew a bird today, can’t pick up falcons as I can’t bend down easily with
this brace, plus I am a little nervous about it, however the owls are another
matter and so I flew Bramley today, he went really well and it was great to get
back into things again. Although I do have one problem, Holly washed my
falconry bag after Christmas and it did not survive the experience, so I must
get a new one. Mark’s is looking pretty much the worse for wear as well!!
Everyone has
been so wonderful in helping me with this injury, people have dropped in,
walked the dogs, taken me to the hospital, offered help here there and
everywhere, it is very heart warming, makes you feel that all will be well with
the world.
Friday, 18 January 2013
Snow day today,
it started about 5.30am and kept going,
not those big fluffy flakes, but small dry ones, so disappointingly we were not
able to make a snowman as the snow would not stick. Shame as I was looking
forward to helping make a snow dog.
I have to say
though that every time we get bad weather and I look at the birds in the
aviaries, dry, sheltered and looking cheerful, not wet, cold and miserable, I
thank heavens that I chose to build the barn type aviaries that we have that
are totally covered. There is no doubt about it the birds are very much more
comfortable than in traditional open mesh topped aviaries. We also don’t have
to worry about weight of snow on mesh rooves, because our barns are built to
take the weight of snow. It’s great to look out on bad weather and not have to
worry about them.
I am also
delighted that Art is at livery and I don’t have to ask people to look after
him in the snow. He will be much better off where he is. We advertised him on
Friday and there was a great deal of interest, a high number of people wanted
to come and try him, and the first people who did, want to buy him subject to
vetting. He should pass a vet no problems as he did last March for me, of
course the big problem now is will the vet be able to get there in the snow!!
We should know on Monday. I am sad that he is going, but pleased that he is
going to a good home with other horses and a good rider for him, they will have
a great deal of fun with him because they are getting a great little horse.
Richard dropped
in on his way home yesterday, and apparently Leaf is doing fine and has only
chewed an envelope that arrived and not the book inside – thank goodness!!
Shasta on the other hand chewed up the letter with my internet banking form
inside, so we had to ask for another one! The dogs are loving the snow, I
wonder what Leaf thought, because for her and Shasta it will be a first. Shasta
loved it of course, and they all went for a lovely walk in the woods with Ben.
Holly took Orion
down to the field, and he looked wonderful in the snow, and Dabinet – goshawk is
going really well, although his tail is not wonderful. But we want to get him
flying free before imping him. Now we need to get Cool Ground going in the snow
and he will look great!! Pleiades is going well, she had a swollen foot, but
Neil has sorted it out and said it is not anything to worry about now the
histology report has come back.
It’s supposed to
be cold tomorrow and Sunday so the snow will stay, but the roads will slowly
get cleared I guess. Holly flies out to the US for the incubation course on
Tuesday, so we are hoping that flights are not cancelled and she can go with no
problems. I would rather the snow came now, than once we are open again! Tuesday, 15 January 2013
One of the large
UK zoos is doing an animal training workshop in May and is asking for speakers
to give presentations. Some of it might be interesting and I considered sending
one of my staff, and asked them if speakers could send someone for free. Not only
was the answer no, but unless you are a Key Note speaker, I have heard of
neither of the ones they have listed, you have to pay. So they want speakers
and the speakers have to pay for the
privilege of handing out their expertise - for free – bloody ridiculous I
reckon!!!
 |
| Heard of a Hedgehog - here are Hedgedogs! |
Art has gone
over to Jenny’s for livery, so that he gets some work and remembers what it is
like to be with other horses again, I am told he has not put a foot wrong! He
seems to be settling so far. Adam Bloch, David and Sally and Mark had been to a
meeting at the Hawk Conservancy, I should have gone, but can’t travel at the
moment. I encouraged Ashley to go charitable about 10 years ago, and so he now
has 10 years of experience that he very generously has offered to us for our
working for charitable status.
It is not the
easiest thing to do, but something that I need to get done to make sure that the
Centre has a long term future and going charitable will secure a safe future
for it.
Holly with the
assistance of Ben and various family and friends has gone much of her flat
decorated and looking nice. Next is the kitchen and the halls, then we start on
the other flat which is rather more work. Holly’s is looking very nice, clean
bright with new lighting and paintwork and blinds, both she and I are very pleased
with how it has come up.
The car park
drainage is almost done, the front bit by the shop is and now hopefully it will
take the water down to the road, which then at the end of the road will end up
in my pond anyway, so I get the water, but not where I don’t want it! To think
that in February last year people were concerned about water levels and there
being hosepipe bans and so on. Now it’s the opposite – still concerned about
water levels but not too low – too high! At the same time we put down 29 tons
of type 1 gravel in the car part entrance, which now looks soooooooooo much
better.
Aviary cleaning
and getting ready for the breeding season is coming on apace thanks to John and
his sturdy team of volunteers. He is also kindly going to stay in the house
with the dogs when I have to go to Edinburgh at the end of the month to give a
lecture at the University. I get the chance to see my sister and stay a couple
of days, and he gets the chance to be sat on by Shasta!
We have not
heard from Richard and Janet so are assuming that Leaf is well, behaving and
enjoying life there. Its amazing how much we all miss her, but its also amazing
how much better behaved all the other dogs are. Shasta and Sorrel are playing
together nicely now and Sedge is much happier now he is the only small dog
again, his nose was most definitely put out of joint and he never would play
with her.
Thursday, 10 January 2013
 |
| The ruins on the right hand side of the drive going up to Duncombe |
Finally I have
started on the website for Duncombe and gone back to writing the next book on
husbandry and training of birds of prey. It has taken me a while and one of the
problems is that I try to keep up with emails, and I never seem to catch up. So
I have said Sod It, and started anyway. I find that once I start writing I can
usually keep going, but it’s the starting that is the tricky bit.
 |
| John and Mark liked the title of this book - working eh!! |
Holly and Ben
have been painting in the flats. We are going to have to completely redo the
bathroom, but Simon’s old flat apart from some somewhat dark paint is not too
bad. It is now white and looking much more cheerful. There is a long way to go,
but it’s a good start. Adam’s will be needing rather more work as I have to try
and get all the paint off the woodwork, which will be fun I don’t think, and we
had to rip out the kitchen!
Mark and John
did a film job on Sunday, in Tesco’s at Wembley. I am looking forward to seeing
it on the TV. Needless to say when they text-ed us to say that they were on the
say, they did not tell us how it went!!! However they phoned again and it went
well! So another one under the belt done and dusted as it were. And useful at
this time of the year.
The weather has
been dry for several days now, wonders will never cease!! It makes such a
difference. However Dave who wants to come and collect his logs that have been
sitting at the bottom of the field since January has not got a hope in hell
until the ground is a great deal better than it is now, and it is going to take
weeks of dry weather before it is drive-able on I suspect.
I took the
remainder of the Christmas decorations down. You have to do it on January 6th
or it is unlucky, but I did not get much chance to enjoy them as I rarely get
them up until close to Christmas Eve. So everything is now packed away for
another year. Linda did the bulk of it for me on Friday, but we left enough up
so that it did not count!!
Leaf is doing
well with Richard, she seems to have settled and is playing with all the house
dogs, we have to hope she will behave when he is away.
Interestingly it
takes half as long to get through to anyone at Gloucester Royal as it does to
get a bedpan!! And apparently you have to pay for your X-rays to get them,
although a physiotherapist can’t treat you unless you have them. I think that
might be construed as blackmail!!
We have taken
nearly all the stuff that needs to come out of the flats, so the dog can see
the rabbit as it were. The dump will have some, the bonfire some and the scrap
man some. All will be gone by the end of the week I hope. They are going to
look fine once they are redecorated and cleaned properly, they just need some
serious TLC right now.
And Mike has
nearly done the new drainage in the car park so we hopefully will not get a
flood down the back steps and across the front of the shop, should be great if
it works!! We are also putting down new gravel in the car park entrance, so if
you drive in in the next couple of weeks, come in and out slowly and drive a
different route each time and you will roll it for us!!
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