WORK CONTINUES ON THE NEW SHELTER

MISSISSIPPI RIVER 1907

Mike and Tony are out again today working on the shelter that will cover 3 pens.  When they first started on it and set the corner poles, no one thought to not only check for length, but to check for opposite corners to be the same measurement.  I know there is a word for what that is called, but for the life of me, can't remember what it is.  

Anyway the problem wasn't discovered until they started putting up the OSB board under layment for the metal roofing.  The OSB boards are 4x8', no muss, no fuss and pretty square.  Too late to pull posts and start over.  Last Sunday they tried to "fix" it by adjusting here and there.  It wasn't working too well, and sometime during the week, John went out and figured out a Plan C and they've been able to probably get the OSB all up today.  We're suppose to to to Sierra Vista tomorrow and pick up the metal roofing, so they'll have something to work with next Sunday if they come out.  They sure are good workers, we really appreciate volunteers.

Yesterday we had 4 nice women out to groom donkeys.  That's something we don't get around to very often, and it's a shame, because the donkeys really enjoy the attention.  I think everyone except stand offish Tula got brushed.  

They are all living in one of the RV parks in Benson and came up with a great idea.  One of the women had been out here before and she was talking about coming out again, and the other 3 said they wanted to come.  They had the idea of having one day a week, as volunteer day and they would make sure the people in the park knew about it.  So we're going to try it.  I know the donkeys will enjoy it if they get attention every week.  

Doug got off to Michigan on time, and Saddik has been "camping" out ever since.  Doesn't seem to mind, not having a nice comfy bed to sleep on, although I'm sure he'll be more than happy to move back in when Doug gets back in a week.  

When Doug left in the evening, he put Saddik in the dog pen with Nicki, but when John came home a couple of hours later, Saddik greeted him in the driveway.  A 5 foot fence doesn't seem to be much of a deterrent for him or for Mike's dog Tucker.  Mike brought Tucker with him again today.  Last time he was out here, he climbed or jumped the fence and was having a great time running with the donkeys.  He wasn't chasing them, he was just enjoying the run.  Today Mike brought his harness and lead, and tied him up in the dog pen.  Yep, he chewed thru his harness and lead.........LOL  I know, it isn't funny.  But it was pretty funny, when they came in for lunch and I asked Mike where Tucker was.  I just happened to be sitting facing the courtyard, so I knew where he was, Mike didn't............!!!  LOL 

Gus is moving pretty slow after his trim and getting casting material put on his front feet.  He was moving really well right afterwards, but the next morning he was really slow and spent most of the day laying down.  Courtney was going to make a special trip out today to see if the casting was too tight.  She actually put it on looser than she would on a horse.  I guess the horses just barely can make 8 weeks in it, without it falling off or wearing thru, so it fairly easy to get off.  Not so, with Gus, either because donkeys don't weigh as much, or he doesn't move around as much.  Yesterday when the women were grooming, Gus acted just like he did before, when they tried to touch his body.  So I think the problem is, even though Courtney trimmed almost nothing off his feet, it was enough to change the position of his hips.  He's spent so much of his life, trying to keep weight off his front feet, that his hips are probably very arthritic.  I've doubled his Previcox for the time being and actually today he seems a little more comfortable, so I told her I'd just watch him.