Gates and Baby Birds

For many years now we have talked with our neighbours' behind us about putting in a connecting gate between us.  There are times when we need access to each others property in a hurry and it would be so much easier to be able to go through an inter linking gate, than around the block as we have been doing.

This morning such a gate has been put into the gap that was created at the time the fencing between us was done.  It's not a brand new gate but the gap has been filled perfectly with what has been found.  Johan must properly bolt it into the posts and then it will be fine.  Right now the urge to fit a gate has been hurried by the fact that the horses grazing is coming close to an end.  The fussiness of their eating is now forcing them to eat what they have left behind....let me tell you though they are by no means thin and have lost very little weight through the winter months, and this is probably due to us supplementing them every day.  Our neighbour still has plenty of grazing on her plot which is not being used, and so if the rains don't arrive in the next few weeks, we will open up between us and allow our horses to walk through to her.  It is a relief to know that we have this option and I am grateful that we have a good enough relationship with to be able to do this.

I am hand rearing baby birds again.  A few weeks before the wedding we let the two African Greys' I was rearing, go.  It is always sad not to keep them, but we have to pass them on if we find people that want to take them.  I always tell whoever we give them to, that the more they handle them and spend time with them, the friendlier and tamer they will be.  Now I have another African Grey and four Ring Necks that I am rearing.  The Ring Necks are quicker to rear than the Greys and in a month they will more than likely already be independent  enough to be eating on their own.  The African Grey will take much longer and I mentally worked out that maybe by Christmas, I will be finished feeding it.

Ring-Neck babies

African Grey baby

'The Tortoise' and I write it like this because it doesn't have a name...haha, has decided that finally it is warm enough to walk around during the day.   The puppies have never seen it before today though as it has been sleeping all this time and decided it is something viscous enough to bark at.  They are just being so annoying though and won't listen when I tell them to keep quiet.  They weren't even convinced when I went up to it and fed it cabbage.  The tortoise moving around like this is just another sign to us that spring is here and summer on the way.

NiQi is feeling much better today and has plonked herself in front of the TV having a marathon DVD watch...she is still 'attached' to the oxygen machine and I am continually trying to entice her to eat.  That in itself is not an easy task though as when she is feeling like this, her appetite decreases and she becomes quite picky.  Anyway a few mouthfuls here and there is better than nothing and at this stage the number of calories is more important than a balanced diet.  Her machine to her PEG is working double time so I hope she will not lose too much weight this time round.  She has an appointment with her doctor on Wednesday, however we have phoned to postpone it for two weeks due to a transport problem.  Should her condition worsen in that time, we will phone and take her in, but we have enough of her Meds here and she isn't running a temp, so those were good enough reasons to change her appointment.

I have been moving her clothes etc back to her flat today...it makes her room in the house less messy and cluttered.  It's amazing how much stuff you can pack into one room...lol  The flat is also clean and ready for when she is well enough to move back.  I am so glad that we have the flat on the property and so close to the house, so she is able to have some independence, while at the same time, she can move back into her 'old' room in the house any time that she feels like it.