As some of you know, we are building a pool. Our fence has been torn down and we have a big backyard. This week we should have the tile put on and water by the end of the week.

But in the mean time, here is a picture of Sadie I manip.:

My goodness, I haven't been keeping up with this as I should be. However, I have some news on the chickens. As of today, I am short two roosters. Vulcan was being a little too loud so we needed him to go. Also, Tom went with Vulcan for company and to reduce the number of roosters. Our friend took both roosters and will officially own them this day.

On a different subject, I went to see Night at the Museum 2: Battle for the Smithsonian earlier. It wasn't as funny as the first but still....

As far as dogs go, Penny is on Tramadol and a Glucosamine, Chondroitin, MSM complex dietary supplement for her joints. Rhapsody is alive and well, that's all I've got to say.

Last Monday we had a surprise in the afternoon:

Yes, someone had laid an egg. Not quite sure who is laying, but someone is now laying eggs. I can only assume it is Merkava or BB. Anyhow, the dogs ate the first egg.

Rhapsody and Penny now like raw eggs (shell, yoke and all).

Okay, well, I've taken this matter into my own hands for the moment and I need some help. I need to learn latin for my future career and I have absolutely no idea as to how I will do it. If anyone has a resourse they can recomend, please let me know. Most of you who actually read this will know my email so contact me there or simply comment. I don't care.

Thanks,

AMS.

HI AGAIN! I'M BACK AND I HAVE NEWS!!!!

Well, today Butter and Rhapsody got spayed. Now, if you don't know what that means, it is simply when a female dog/cat have their ovaries taken out so they won't have offspring (but I think everyone know that). Oh my goodness!!!!

First, Butter was put under and the vet started operating on her. Then, I found out that my beloved (much sarcasm) cat was in heat (joy to the world). Then the vet stated that my dearest feline was pregnant (gahh). Mind you all, she is almost only seven months >_<  Anyhow, she was thirty days along (about), and cats normally carry their kittens for sixty-sixty two days. In other words: THE STINKIN' CAT WAS HALF WAY DUE TO HAVE HER KITTENS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ahem. Hence, I had the vet abort the fetuses (two fetuses to be exact). Because they (the fetuses) were half way along, they were nearly fully developed (only, they were the size of my knuckle). I'd show pictures of them, only, I didn't take any. Alright, sue me. Anyways, Butter is doing well as I type this and is laying next to my feet.

Rhapsody's spay wasn't all that exciting so I won't bore you with the details. She went to sleep, she was spayed. she stayed at the vet until four-somthing, we took her home, end of story.

Oh yes, I was there when they were both spayed if you must know.

So we found that my computer has been recalled and this is rather irksome. Long story short, I'm going to send it to the company and let them fix it. Thankfully, from what I hear, it only takes a few days.

But aside that fact, this blog is about animals, right? Right. So this will be the end of my complaining....... for now (ha ha ha).

I have no animal/critter updates as of right now, so toodleoo!

I haven't been posting on a regular basis (I should be though >_<). Anyhow, I have been rather busy with my "Gotcha Day", school, animals.... etc. Everything that a normal me does (ha ha ha). I'm really bored right now but who cares? Well let's see here.... ahh yes, well, my main computer is toast (not literally). Its wireless internet thing is broke so we have to send it in. Meaning; all my data files, links on the internet, pictures, everything will be wiped out. I'm not exactly happy about that but no one needs to know how annoyed I really am.

Now, people have been asking questions so now would be  a excellent time to answer them;

"What do you plan on doing with the bantams?" - They are purely for the experience and fun of it.

"How did you choose the names?" - Theme. My theme for this flock was military weaponary (don't ask me why)

And if you have any other questions of which I can't remember, just comment and I'll answer them sooner or later ;)

Well, in spite of my lack of blogging as of late, I have more pictures and news about the bantams. Around the time of New Years (give or take a few days), the bantams were old enough to be moved to their permanent coop. This wasn't too hard, because all that needed to be done to move them, was sticking them in a bucket (much to the discomfort of the bantams), and walk to the coop. Hence, I discarded them inside the enclosed area (especially made for the little fowl).

As you can see, my hand is reaching down (with the dogs following my ever moment) to grab Cricket (bantam in picture). Penny and Rhapsody were more interested in the best way to eat chicken.

Inventory of bantams;

Vulcan - Golden Sebright, markings; golden/brown feathers lined with black, gender; unknown (yet)

Dillan - Silver Sebright, markings; resembles Vulcan, but when silver-based feathers, gender; pullet (hen)

Tom (Thompson) - Japanese Black Bantam, markings; solid black tinged with green hue, gender; cock

Baretta - Japanese Black Bantam, markings; same as Tom's except Baretta is more buff, gender; cock

Desert Eagle - Black-Tailed/white Japanese, markings; white with the exception of black feathers under wings and black tails (as name states), gender; cock

BB - Black-Tailed/White Japanese, markings; same as Desert Eagle's, gender; pullet

Merkava - Porcelain d Uccle, markings; off-white/creme feathers, gender; pullet

Vulture - Porcelain d Uccle, markings; same as Merkava's, gender; pullet

Cricket - Porcelain d Uccle, markings; same as above, gender; cock (presumed)

(Left to right) Top left; Merkava, Second from left; Dillan, Third from left; Vulcan, Bottom left; Desert Eagle, Second from bottom left, BB, Third from left; Tom, Forth from bottom left; Cricket.

As you can tell, they weren't quite sure what was going on. But now that they've been in the coop for a few weeks, they've grown accustomed to the larger space.

(Tom and Cricket)

(Dillan)

Okay, so obviously I've been busy. Well I'm back and hope everyone has had a merry CHRISTmas.

Holy Cow!!! It snowed last night. So earlier this morning we played in the snow (for the first time ever).

But it all melted a few hours ago.

Sorry for not posting lately. I'm working on a speech that is due in three days and I'm procasinating on taking more pictures of the bantams, dogs, etc. And now these days I work periodically throughout the week at the vet for two and a half to three hours.

Monday - School (three hrs.), Lunch, finish whatever school leftover, go to vet.

Tuesday - Same as before

Wed. - School, lunch, IEW, Church

Thurs. - School, lunch, (every other Thurs.) Young People's Meeting

Friday - Vet all day (7.5 hrs)

So yeah, I'm a bit busy until Christmas break (thankfully it will start next week.)

I now give to you the newest pictures of the chicks;

So the bantam chicks are about a week and two days old, and are growing like weeds. Oh and I did say I would post more pictures didn't I? Whoops, sorry. I forgot. I need to take new ones and post them. I will, I promise... (one of these days).

Ok, why not move onto another subject? Like dogs and cats. Well, right this minute, Butter is sleeping in my lap. But anyhow, earlier I took Rhapsody to the vet to check her weight (out of random curiousity). Turns out that she is ninety four pounds (although she should drop about five). She's not over-fed, or over-weight, she's just a very large female lab.

Rhapsody at eleven months. She was eighty two pounds then.

Okay, someone has requested I blog about the reasons why I chose bantams to raise. Well, that is a good question. To begin with, my first option I chose was peacocks. They are beautiful birds and are as easy to raise as any chicken or poultry. But, they are VERY, VERY, VERY, loud. Thus, no peacocks. So I went on to something less obnoxious. Bantams. Now you have my reason.

AMS, out.

Mkay, so just now I was reading my science. I started to doze (which resulted in me taking longer than necessary to finnish reading). But then little Butter (AKA Butter-Brain) hopped up onto my bed and snugged up and we dozed together (awww). So we got something out of it, I got to snuggle with my cat and Butter-Brain got to stay warm.

As for the chickens, I will upload the newest pictures tomorrow. So hang tight and be ready. But to tide you over until then, here's one taken today:

Earlier this morning, I went out to check on the nine little bantams. They're growing like little weeds and are very (VERY) vocal. So here I am at a friend's house with writer's block. So I've nothing new to report.

AMS signing out.

Today started out like any other day. Wake up, trudge down stairs, say hello to whoever will listen, sit down in a chair and stare for about twenty minutes, get up, walk outside, say hello to the dogs fifty times as Rhapsody flies by one hundred miles an hour, pick up the dogs' feed bowls, walk into garage, open up the trash cans where the feed is stored, fill up the bowls, walk back outside, set the bowls down, and we're done. Well.... (cue mysterious music) all went according to plan, except when I went to go say hello the bantams.

This morning I had to clean out the stock trough where the chicks are being kept temorarily. So I went about doing my business. When I was finally finnished and work was "supposed" to be done.... I was about to put their feeder back in the trough when the top half came off and spilled the contents to kingdom come. (Note: the feeder can't screw on so a light push will send it and its contents all over the place). So I picked ALL of the scattered feed back up and started over. Heh heh heh. Want to guess what happened next? Oh yeah, I knocked it over a second time (*sigh*). So again I cleaned up.

Later on during this "eventful" day, I go to the barn to check on the chicks. Ha! Food is all over the place! So I suppose it wasn't meant to be.

Okay, so I'm begining to find the chicks amusing. They are very quick on their tiny feet. It's very very funny. Rhapsody and Penny think so too. Butter (the cat) thinks they're just plain weird though. Sadie (poodle), nearly took a bite out of one of the chicks. Only to get frapped over the head. So there's nothing really new at the moment. Signing out,

AMS.