This is what I see when I look out the feed room door at feeding time.  Buster,.Lucy & Quilla our "free" rangers, that don't go in pens to eat trying to get me to hurry up.  I took this yesterday before I took Lucy's boots off to see how she does without them.  

This morning her feet are a little warmer than Buster's.  I gave her some Traumeel  to see if it might help make her more comfortable.  

Everything was icy & frosty this morning, & of course the water buckets were frozen over.  But, according to the weatherman, today is suppose to be nice & sunny & tomorrow we'll be headed for the 80's later in the week.  Can't happen too soon for us, & especially for my little predator wasps for fly control.  

I got my first shipment of the year a few days ago, & they started hatching out a couple of days ago.  But it's been so chilly during the day & downright cold at night they probably wouldn't make it.  Tonight is suppose to be cold again, so I told them to "hang on, tomorrow will be freedom day".....!!!!!  LOL  

Wookie kitty is doing great, will get to stop the antibiotics tomorrow.  Her little system doesn't appreciate the assault & I don't appreciate cleaning up the results, so we'll both be glad when that's over. 

WINTER IS BACK........!!!

At least for 2 or 3 days according to the weatherman.  Dreary today, suppose to get high winds & really cold nights.  They did say 100% chance of rain tomorrow............hmmm........!!!  That's being very sure of your information, not sure I'd go there, maybe 99%.  

Jenny is finally walking really good for her.  She moves so gracefully when she feels good & looks so miserable when she doesn't.  Lucy is still wearing her boots, but seems to be walking better.  I'd like to get her out of boots especially when it gets hot, but we'll see how it goes.  

Wookie is doing great......except for keeping her collar on.  She did real good for the first couple of days, but yesterday we found her with it off.  Put it back on, & put it back on at least 3 or 4 more times.  Each time I tied it a little tighter, but don't want to strangle her.  This morning it's been off twice..........so far.  John said we need to put a halter on her & tie it to the halter.  Her incision looks real good, no redness or swelling, but I'm afraid she will try to take the staples out, which could really make a mess. 

ETC & SO FORTH

 FROM THE DONKEY YAHOO GROUP

Let's see...........Wookie is back from the vet, has staples in her tummy & a Elizabethian collar on her head, which incidently she isn't very happy about.  John rebuilt the "kitty condo", & she has it all to herself.  We've been opening the spa room door, so Julius & Snooky could visit with their sister.  So far they think it's great fun to run in & out & check out all the "interesting" things in the spa room, but I haven't seen them checking on Wookie to see how she is doing.  They do take off back outside if we open either of the inside doors, but they come right back as son as we leave the area.  

We caught the goldfish out of the stock tank after quite a chase, so he could go to his new home.  I had the big net, which spooked him close enough to the top, John could catch him with the little net.  The kids were excited when we got there, & the woman thought he was pretty, so I hope he has a good long life with his new fish buddies.  I haven't told John yet, but I ordered the  Ritchie automatic waterer............!!!!    I guess I can add it to the long list of "things to do" hanging on the side of the refrigerator........!!! (G)  

We had a couple of tours this morning, & our roaming ambassadors, Buster, Lucy & Quilla, made sure the people were shown around, entertained, & understood that treats were to be fed.  I told Buster I'd put him in a pen if he misbehaved.  He actually was very attentive, & minded his manners, while showing the guests how sweet donkeys can be.  Quilla also made sure the people knew he was there, but wasn't pushy, & the people loved it.  I was very proud of them, after Buster nipping a woman the other day.  Quilla has never nipped, but he will stick his head into the conversation, to make sure you know he's available in case you want to give him treats. 

CRISIS DU JOUR

Yesterday morning when I went out to feed, I noticed Snooky & Julius sitting under the salt cedar at the northwest corner of the courtyard.  I said something to them, & noticed Wookie frantically trying to get away from the barbed wire she was stuck on about 2 feet in the air.  

Years ago we had a brilliant idea to plant salt cedars all along the north side of the house.  I found out when I went to a nursery to ask about them, that if I asked again they would probably call the "plant" police to haul me away.  You would have thought I had asked for their firstborn son, they were horrified at my request.  

So we came home, & went down in the river where they grow by the zillions, dug up 5 as I recall & transplanted them.  Only one survived, & it's done quite well..............BUT.........there is one little minor problem.  I think another name for salt cedar is probably, "donkey candy".  They almost decimated it as soon as it got established & started sending out, "here I am, come & eat me" signals.  So John built a little barbed wire fence around it & it's been there for years, no problem.  Of course brush & weeds have grown up around it, & I would imagine the kittens were running & chasing each other.  If Wookie had short hair she probably would have bounced off & went on.  But her long hair got stuck, & there she hung, poor little girl.  

Although she isn't really wild, she is definitely unhandled.  John had on gloves so he drew the short straw.  She tried to bite a couple of times, hissed & all that, but for the most part was pretty cooperative under the circumstances.  I ran around & finally found a pair of dikes sharp enough to cut thru the wire.  Brought her in the house & was afraid I wouldn't be able to get it out, but finally did.  Let her go & she was out running & playing with the boys in no time.

BUT, this morning she was laying in the outdoor crate, acting punky.  So she is now at the vet awaiting, clean up & a couple of stitches.  And I would imagine 10 days of antibiotics, so it looks like she is going to get her wish, to be in the house, at least for awhile.  I haven't decided whether to put her in the kitty condo again, or just let her in the house.  She'd probably be better off in the condo, without our 3 cats sticking their nose in her business. 

This afternoon we're going to take the remaining stock tank fish to a new home.  I put an ad on Craigslist & had about 5 people interested in giving him a new home.  So I picked what I hope was a good one for him.  He will be in a newly renovated fish pond with 3 other fish.  

Now on to getting John to put in the Ritchie waterer.  Now he is telling me he can't do it until spring, because he will have to pour concrete.........Hmmmmmm!  As I recall we poured the concrete for the garage in January & it snowed 5 times that January.........!!!!!  It is getting cold at night, but I would think the concrete could be covered is necessary. 

WIND, DONKEYS = DONKEY RACES

 HALLOWEEN JACK IN THE BOX

This afternoon we had quite a bit of wind, which according to the weatherman was suppose to drum up some rain.  Didn't happen.  

But I looked out & saw BlackJack & Chester running & play fighting, mostly running.  Quilla was trying to help, but he was coming in a distant third.  I went out on the courtyard to get a better view, & noticed not only were those 3 running around, so was Sha'ba, although I think he was just trying to make sure he was out of the way.  Just about that time I heard minis braying & here they came running as fast as their little legs would go.   I guess I should have came in & got the camera, but I was having too much fun watching them having so much fun.  About 3 trips down the driveway, around the bend,  past the pens & they all just stopped.    Some of the jennies were watching the whole time, I guess they were the spectators.  I don't know if it was the wind or the change in barometric pressure,  they usually would rather just "mosey" instead of waste all that energy. 

Well the horses "got" gone last night, seems like something is missing out here today.  It doesn't take long to get use to a routine I guess.  This morning, picking up poo went really quick. 

I was amazed when they loaded.  Considering it was dark, & they were being "encouraged" to get in a trailer, they actually loaded pretty good.  We hauled the mares & foals, & the stud colts went in the other trailer.  

Where they went is really horse friendly, they have mare motels for shelter & it should be a good place for them.  

Rusty the mule as usual was really upset when we came home with an empty trailer.  He really loves horses & was really disappointed that Sprite kept lunging at him if he tried to get close to her pen.  He & her little boy finally figured out a way to play thru the fence.  Except for when they were eating, the mares & weanlings had the run of the pens on the west.  So Rusty & Gally would catch her not paying attention & go to a different pen than she was in.  She caught them a few times, but they got to play a little bit.  

I guess we should have kept C.J. the little mini horse, so Rusty would have a buddy.  He has Jack the other mule, but it isn't the same I guess. She's really better off living with a farrier, that can keep her little feet trimmed on a regular basis.

This morning when it was time to put Chester into his old pen, he marched right in like he had done it yesterday.  Tula was quite happy to have them gone, they shared a fence with her, & we had to feed her on the other side of her pen, so she wouldn't be any closer to them than necessary. 

THEY'RE STILL HERE...........!!!!!!

KEY WEST, FLORIDA  1898

Looks like we hopefully will be moving the horses tonight.  I have a real problem with people who's lives are a constant crisis management problem.......... SIGH!  Having to rely on other people to do what you say you are going to do obviously adds another layer to the "onion"..........but we've been basically on hold since Monday.  It was going to drag on into the week-end, but she found someone to haul a trailer tonight after work.  So hopefully tonight's the night.  They've been pretty good guests, in fact John has a relationship with the little appaloosa weanling, based on treats of course.....!!!!  LOL  Actually he also really likes to be petted & scratched almost as much as the treats.  But it will be good to get back to our routine for old people.......!!!!  And the donkeys will appreciate being able to get back in Jack's pen to clean up his leftovers.  Right now the horses have the pleasure.  

This morning we lost a hard working little helper that has worked tirelessly & without much attention for 6 or 7 years.  It was one of our stock tank goldfish.  The goldfish make sure no mosquito larvae survive in the big tank & require no upkeep, they just go along day after day living out their lives.  It had some scales missing, so I assume they were probably spawning & the air bladder got popped.  I wouldn't think it would be warm enough for such nonsense, but can't figure out what else it would be.  That leaves only one fish, so we'll have to decide whether to continue using the big above ground tank...........or............. change over to a Ritchie waterer.  I've been discussing changing for a couple of years with the maintenance manager, aka John.  His come back has always been, "what would we do with the goldfish?".  Down to one fish I think we could find a home for one fish, sooooooo I might plead my case again & see what happens.  

No poked eyes in the last few days, although Jack the mule had a big thorn in his muzzle this morning.  Jack will NOT let you pull them unless you halter & tie him.  So unless it is in his eye or somewhere important we just leave him alone.  He usually gets them out pretty quickly.  

Jenny & Lucy are back to walking pretty good for them.  Lucy is wearing her boots, but Jenny is doing fine without them.  

Pepper's de-gloved armpit seems to be healing well, who can tell?  Even bending over & trying to look up it's still difficult to see what's going on.  There's no swelling or heat in it at all.  I'm about ready to change over from Vetericyn to zinc oxide, although I hate to change with it doing so well.  

Last night was warm enough Sha'ba didn't need his blanket, & we've been seeing bees, & other flying insects the last few days.  So it won't be long before the flies show up........SIGH!  Once they show up, Sha'ba, Cisco & I will start our summer routine because of the habronema larvae that come in with the flies.  As there is more sunny days, Quilla's sun sensitivity will start to become a player, & his legs will break out unless I can keep ahead of it. We did pretty good last year, so I'm hoping for the best. 

THE BEST LAID PLANS...........!!!

 JERSEY SHORE 1905

(Boy has Jersey Shore changed judging by TV)

The horses were suppose to move today, to 4 acres the owner found for them.  BUT, she called last this morning & said the man she lined up to haul the ones we aren't, hadn't showed up & hadn't called her.  Sooooooooooo...........we are kinda on hold to see if he checks in early enough this afternoon to be able to go ahead & move them today. 

Once the plans are made we'd just as soon follow thru if at all possible.  We can feed in the dark or if it's late enough, we can feed our guys  before we haul the horses.  But it will all depend on what happens on her end.  

Stay tuned...............!!!!

                                        

                    HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

Yesterday Buster came in with a poked eye, & this morning Noelle was almost 3 legged lame on her left front.  Although she has become a little more friendly, we still aren't in her circle of friends.  So I put a halter on her & John was going to hold her while I checked out her shoulder to foot to see what I could find.  

We found out she has probably never had her foot lifted (she's 24 years old, no wonder her feet need attention)  & might not have ever had someone poking & prodding her leg either.  It only took a second to figure out she needed to be tied, & even then saying she was uncooperative is an understatement.  Every time I'd touch her shoulder or head down her leg towards the foot, you would have thought I was using a cattle prod, she really wasn't interested in being examined at all.  

I don't think it's the foot, so hopefully it isn't an abscess.  I thought she reacted when I squeezed at her "elbow" but John said it wasn't much more reaction than anywhere else, so maybe not.  I didn't find any swelling or heat, so we gave up & let her go.  John said "we need to desensitize her".  That means, Tish needs to desensitize her......John isn't really into training. 

Haven't heard from the horse's Mom, so I guess I'll give her a call & see if she'll be ready to move them by the middle of the week, like she said.  John & I are both fighting the coughing crud & it certainly would be nice if we had 6 less animals to take care of & clean up after. 

Let's see...........Cisco's eye is now OK, Daisy's eye has quit weeping (another poke), & this morning when Lucy came in, she was really moving slow.  I didn't put boots on her yesterday, so she was barefooted.  I checked her feet & they didn't feel warm, so I decided to try to pick her feet up & put her boots on.  John stood at her shoulder to bolster her in case she needed it, &  I tried to be as quick as I could, just in case she couldn't stand on one foot or the other.  We got them on without a problem & although she wasn't moving any faster, she did seem to be standing easier, so hopefully they are helping.  I wish there was some way to know if what I do helps or doesn't help. 

About an hour after everyone went out  of their pens, a friend was here & we were looking out the window.  All of a sudden a whole herd of donkeys went running like something was chasing them.  I looked & didn't see anything, never did figure out what set them off.  It's been a long time since I saw them run, which is always fun to watch.  They certainly don't do it because I want them to, that's for sure.........!!!  LOL

Haven't heard from the horse's Mom again, so don't know how their move is going or when it will be.  She said maybe by the middle of next week, so hopefully that will happen.  John is on another jeep tour today, so I'll do evening chores by myself.  The other day when I did them, the donkeys were actually pretty cooperative & not as impatient as I expected. 

IF IT ISN'T ONE THING, IT'S ANOTHER.......!!!

I checked Lucy's feet in her boots this morning & the right front felt warm.  So I took her boots off & decided to ice her feet.  One thing about Quilla & his rattle snake bite last September, I ended up with lots of IV bags for soaking feet........!!!  I decided since I was soaking one I might as well soak both of them.  I put the right one to soak first, & when I tried to raised the left one to put it in a bag, she wouldn't lift it.  I finally squeezed the tendon & she reached around & acted like she was going to bite me.  I called her a "drama" queen & squeezed again.   She tried to raise the left foot & went down on her left knee, poor girl.    She came right back up, but I felt bad about making her lose her balance like that.  So she wasn't able to stand on her right foot.  Needless to say we didn't soak the left front.  I checked her knee to make sure she didn't hurt it, & it seemed OK.  I was gone all day, so I'm anxious to see how she is doing when we round up for feeding.  

I hope she is just going thru a "spell" & it's just an attack of winter laminitis.  Nothing has changed with what she is eating & since all of our gang is on an Insulin Resistant diet, there isn't really much we can change in what she is eating.   

Cisco's eye seems to be OK today, & Pepper's armpit seems to be healing.  It's hard to tell, by now it's a gory mess, with ickies all over it.  I try to pull some off, but he seems to resent this treatment, so I try to keep "picking"  to a minimum.  

John went to the doctor today with his "pig" bite.  Yep! it's got infection underneath it, so he's on antibiotics.  Needless to say he was the hit of the doctor's office, guess they don't get that many pig bites in........!!! Ha!  The PA didn't know that pigs can be aggressive & will kill & eat people, guess she's a city girl.  One of my cousins father-in-law was killed by pigs & by the time they found him, there wasn't much left.  This pig wasn't being mean, she just didn't like seeing a stick in John's hand because of past experiences. 

I LOVE SUNSHINE...................!!!

 Philadelphia 1905

It's been pretty nice the last few days, except for the "stinkin" wind yesterday.  Today is really nice & no wind..........!!!!  As I like to say, "the reason people come to Arizona".......!!!

Lucy is back to wearing her boots, I waited until she would lift her foot for me to put them on.  Jenny isn't interested in having hers on.  She's walking pretty good for her, so I'll let her make the decision.  Pepper's wound seems to be healing, although it still looks nasty.  Cisco came in yesterday with one eye shut & weeping down his cheek.  SIGH!  He is one of our cactus eaters.  He eats it when no one else is, & I assume he poked his eye since I had to pull 2 spines out of his forehead. 

The horses are doing good, they've gotten into our routine & if it wasn't for all of the poo to pick up they would be pretty good "visitors".  Their Mom called this morning & she has found a 4 acre place for them to stay, that is closer to her so she can be more involved in taking care of them daily.  It needs some sprucing up, but hopefully by the middle of next week, they will be gone, & we can get back to normal........whatever that is......!!!!  (G)

John's doing a jeep tour today to I'll be doing chores by myself tonight.  I guess I'll start early & it will still be after dark when I get done.  It wouldn't be so bad, but the donkeys are use to the routine of two people feeding.  So once they are in their pens, if they see us come out of the feed room in a certain sequence they know when it's their turn.  With just one feeding, that sequence gets out of sync, & boy do they yell.  Chester is especially incensed, since his temporary pen is set up right in front of the feed room, & he "knows" the routine.  A few times we've "forgotten" to take his bucket out when we take Jack's.  If he even sees us head toward Jack he starts yelling, really loud & it doesn't take us long to figure out we need to go back & get his bucket. 

DOING A HAPPY DANCE.......!!!

John got the feed room water running last night & this morning we woke up to 17 degrees & the sun shining brightly.  So by 9am we were stripping & commenting on how much easier it is to do chores when it's not quite so cold.  

John may have to go to the doctor with his pig bite, it's got a hard spot underneath it, which probably means abscess.  Probably need to be drained & put him on antibotics.  He's already yelling & we haven't even called the doctor yet.......!!!!!  

Pepper's "owie" is still draining & looks nasty.  It actually looks like Chester's leg looked when they operated on it about 4 years ago.  It was a big open gaping wound, they didn't try to close it at all.  By the 3rd day it was covered with creamy colored foamy stuff.  I panicked, took a picture & e-mailed it to the clinic.  They said "that's the way it's suppose to look", & it did heal just fine, not even a scar you can see. 

So I'll watch Pepper for a day or two & see how it goes.  There isn't any swelling, & it looks pretty good, except for the foamy stuff.  

Both Jenny & Lucy are walking better today & their feet are cooler.  Winter laminitis is a problem with equines that have compromised feet, which both of them have.  Lucy has never been  x-rayed, but Courtney thinks the inside of her feet are probably a jumbled mess.  Jenny has been x-rayed & we know her feet bones are jumbled.  I've always thought Lucy was probably what they call a sinker, because she has absolutely no concavity to the bottom of her front feet.  They are as flat as they can be.  But don't know for sure, if her coffin bone is detached or not.  Sometimes, like lately she doesn't move very good or very fast.  Buster always waits for her, no matter how long it takes her to get where they are going.  I hope nothing happens to her for a long time, Buster would be absolutely destroyed without his Lucy girl............!!!!

STILL WHINING......!!!

This is a pretty little ice sculpture, sorta looks like the bucket behind it doesn't it?  It warmed up enough yesterday for John to pull quite a few of these out of the 18 gallon buckets.  I had a prettier one in the mare's pen, but during the night I guess the weanlings decided it needed to be destroyed.  So when I went out this morning with my camera, it was no more........!!! 

Pepper has managed to deglove one of his armpits on probably greasewood.  What that means is, the hide is torn & separated from the flesh.  It's like if you were skinning an animal, & tearing the hide off.  Really gross looking, although as a wound it doesn't bleed much.  He doesn't even act like it bothers him.  It's only about 2 inches long, I've been spraying it with Vetericyn, so hopefully it will heal OK.  At least this time of year we don't have to fight flies. It's in an impossible place to even see, let alone try to stitch, so I don't see any need to call the vet, although she might be able to stand on her head & shave the area, I'm not even going to try it. 

Yesterday Daisy came in with an eye closed & tears running down her face.  Like I said they have been eating prickly pear & I would imagine she got poked.  I doctored her a couple of times yesterday & today she is OK.  They just don't seem happy unless they have boo boos for me to doctor. 

WHERE'S THAT GLOBAL WARMING.........?????

 

OK, I guess it could be worse......!!!

 

Yesterday morning it was 11 degrees, which meant lots of ice to break & water to carry.  Each pen has a water bucket plus the 2 stock tanks outside the pens.  Since winter colic can be a problem if they don't drink enough it's important that they have access to water they can drink, & not have to "break" or "lick".  We got done with morning chores about 2pm.  The hairdryer method of melting ice works GREAT............IF..........you only have one or 2 buckets.  But not worth a darn for assembly line melting.  John had to just break ice on every bucket.  Of course some of them didn't make it thru the ice removal without cracking or splitting, so we have to go out today & get some more.  

Everyone has been getting extra hay to help them stay warm.  We've noticed some of them eat about the same amount they usually get.  The others eat theirs & then go on a "hay" hunt.  It's an amazing idea, but they are the same ones that don't ever lose weight.  Hmmmmmm!  

They are all also eating the prickly pear cactus' right now.  One patch about 4 foot across has almost completely disappeared.  We'd look out there & there would be 5 or 6 donkeys happily chomping away. 

I know anyone in cold country reading this is probably snearing at all the whining.  This is so unusual for SE Arizona, in fact Tucson broke a record for cold last night that had stood since the early 1900's.  So we are really not prepared, nor are the animals.  They act like we should fix it.

OBTW John just went out to start the "dance" for today.  It was 3 degrees when he got up this morning...........so I assume today will be a repeat of yesterday, only a little more-so.......!!! 

OK, WE'RE TIRED OF WINTER........!!!

THANKS FOR THE PICTURE, ROBIN

I know I'm being whiny considering what the rest of the country is going thru.  Got in touch with Kathy up at Longhopes in Colorado & below zero & wind chill aren't words I want to hear.  They have 5 barns & blankets for those that need it.  And until the weather gets better, they stay in the barns.............which means LOTS of clean-up.  She said they are going thru shavings like crazy.  I would imagine poo is piling up at a rapid rate also, I think they usually rake their pens rather than pick-up. 

We were 22 degrees this morning, but for the next couple of days it's not going to warm up much day or night.  John has upped everyone's hay, so they can hopefully keep a little warmer.

Jenny & Lucy are having trouble with their feet right now.  Both of them have warm front feet which means some foundering/laminitis going on .  Neither of them want their boots on, I guess they think maybe the boots are causing the problem.  So I can only assume the boots aren't making their feet feel better at this time, & will leave them off for a couple of days.  I can show Jenny the boots, & she just turns away. 

OJ the daddy kitty we had neutered is doing just fine.  We'll let him go probably Friday.  The kittens are having great fun running around in the backyard, & sitting in the windows.  We're trying to get them tamed down, but so far the only thing they will do is play with our fingers thru the screen door.   Unfortunately we haven't seen Hobo their mom for a couple of days.  I hope nothing has happened to her, because we are almost positive she has more kittens up in the hay barn, & there is no way to find them unless they make a noise.  Maybe she decided there was too many cats down here at the house.  

John is still recuperating from his pig bite, it's healing nicely although is still really black & blue.  Only one little open place left that keeps sticking to the gauze.  He says it isn't sore, but it sure looks like it should be......!!! (G)  

The horses have settled into a routine, which is good.  It's too bad we can't let the mares & weanlings out, so we wouldn't have so much poo to pick up.  But Sprite just isn't going to change her mind about the long ears.  

The stud colts kicked a hole in their water bucket last night so John had to haul more water than usual.  Of course everything was frozen this morning, but he has a faucet at the well house that is covered & he can fill the water cans there.  In the pens he just breaks the ice & later in the day we fill those buckets. 

THEY'RE GONE............!!

We hauled the pigs & goats yesterday as planned & it went pretty good.  When it was time to load the goats we let them out of the pen & shook the bucket with food in it.  But they were more interested in seeing everything on the property.  They went in the trailer a couple of times, but Shy the little nanny would hop in & hop right out & the boys would follow.  So we got them back in the pen, & put a lead on Shy.  Not exactly what she had planned, but we got her in the trailer, tied her & Pan & Charlie hopped right in & STAYED.......!!!!  Had an uneventful trip, unloaded them in the pens.  When we left Niki (John's favorite pig) was busy raising up on the panels.  I hope she will stay in them.  We thought maybe she was missing the woman, since she was raised on a bottle from the age of 4 days by her.  

In amongst all that, when I called the vet clinic yesterday morning, they said bring the tomcat in right away.  So John took him in, while I rounded up & fixed "donkey" breakfast.  When we went to get him out of the kitty condo to put him in a crate, he was purring & rubbing on the sides of the pen.  So John put on his gloves, picked him up & stuffed him in the crate.  He was a perfect gentleman, so he's either been a pet & got dumped, or is someone's pet.  If the latter, the next time he shows up at home, they might notice a difference in his walk., not quite so proud......!!!   We picked him up on the way home from delivering the pigs & goats.  The vet clinic said they didn't even have to gas him, dragged him out, & gave him a happy shot on the table. 

We still have the 6 horses, which makes picking up poo take a lot longer..........but it will be nice not to have to be fixing fence & chasing pigs.......!!!! LOL