INTERESTING WEEK.........(aren't they all)......!!!

Doug is finally getting settled in, the sewer is the last to be installed and hooked up and they should get that done today.  Well except for internet, I have DSL with our land phone.  He doesn't need a land phone he like most people in the 21st century has a "carry round".  He's been told by the company that he gets his phone from, that we're in a dead zone, no signal.  They have extenders and different ways of boosting the signal I guess, so I have the local computer geek coming out Monday to see if he has any brilliant ideas.  

I was afraid Doug would get bored out here, but he says he doesn't think it will ever get boring. I think he's saying it's somewhat like a 3 ring circus...........LOL

Got Gus and Quilla home and they just fell right back into the routine, Gus lays down in his favorite dusting place in the afternoon and by the time John goes out to do round up, he's standing in his pen, wanting to know where supper is.  Quilla is Quilla, nothing fazes him.  I guess Vaska, one of Claire's horses was pretty upset, cried all night and laid down by the gate they went out when they left.  Haven't heard if he has settled down yet.  

Doug is really a lot of help, I have to hurry making up my feed pans, between him and John rounding up donkeys, it now takes less time and they end up having to wait for me.  Didn't take him long to figure out the routine, and who goes in what pen.

Janice is out this morning grooming donkeys.  She comes about once a month and usually gives everyone a "lick and a promise" at least.  Today she's probably going to have to spend more time on Rusty the mule.  He is really shedding a lot. If you touch him there is an explosion of white hair everywhere......!!! The white or light colored ones seem to start shedding first.  Well except for BlackJack, he doesn't shed much at all, must be that Poitou blood.   The donkeys, well most of them really appreciate getting groomed, although Gigi, Rosie and Penny can be stand offish.  I think she can usually groom on Penny a little bit.  Gigi is really evasive, unless you are outside the pen, with a cookie, then she's usually pretty friendly.  

Yesterday I noticed 2 of the cats were in the spa room, "observing" something right outside the window.  I also was hearing a squeaking sound about every 3 or 4 seconds, but couldn't really tell where it was coming from.  In my infinite wisdom and a lifetime of living with cats, my assumption was the squeaking sound was coming from where they were looking.  

This is a rock squirrel.  Yesterday afternoon,  he was just sitting there squeaking at the cats inside the window.  He wasn't in any hurry to leave, I went over to see what was there, went ALL the way to the other end of the house to get the camera, came back and he was still sitting and squeaking.  He finally saw me after I took the picture, and ran up a 4 inch pipe just to his left behind the wood.  Unfortunately for him, the other end of the pipe is buried in the ground......in other words no escape.  I went out the door to see if I could help, and the pipe was doing a little dance.  By the time I got back in the door, he had figured out how to back out and left at "warp" speed, I didn't even see which way he went. 

HAY DAY TOMORROW........!!!

 Paladin, king of the hill....!!!

Hay day is coming a little earlier than we expected.  Rescue isn't all we do, we also will haul animals, not necessarily donkeys, our list is extensive in different species up to and including geese and a 400 pound hog........!!! We also help with hay if someone needs it.  Lately hay has been quite an item, the last few years the price has just kept climbing unfortunately and there are a lot of reasons that good people can get caught in situations not of their making that gets them behind.  So we try to help if we can. 

I called Chris, the broker earlier this week, to get us in the pipeline.  We have enough hay to make it to June, but since we never know what the next phone call will be, thought we probably should go ahead and get some.  Since we are now getting one trailer load, instead of two at a time, we have to get paired up with someone in the area that also wants a trailer load, to make it worthwhile to bring the squeeze.  Just so happens she needs to drop a load in St. David and has it ready to go tomorrow, so she is thrilled to be able to put a double load together.  

She was telling me the price hasn't dropped at all and that hay was quite expensive, I braced myself for the bad news.   But was pleasantly surprised that it will only be about $5 a ton higher.  

I've now got 3 fly traps out, haven't noticed a reduction of flies on their noses, but there sure is a lot of flies in the traps, that aren't bothering the donkeys or reproducing.  I know there is a place in the world for flies, I just have a hard time figuring out what it is..........!!!  To feed lizards and praying mantis I guess.  A lot of time when we pick up poo, there will be a lizard sitting on the poo and not willing to give up his grocery shopping.  We've had them ride the poo on the rake all the way to the muck bucket before they finally give up and jump off.  

No new skin issues, but now we're getting mats in the armpit area, especially on BlackJack and Coquette.  They both have long fine hair (Poitou blood probably) and once they start sweating it really mats.  I usually just use scissors, my clippers are way too big to do armpits.   I've thought about looking for a smaller set of clippers, but for now scissors do OK, even if the donkeys look rather moth eaten when I'm done.  I don't waste a lot of effort doing a good job, just get the hair off and out of the way........!!! LOL  I actually body clipped Coquette last year right after she came here.  Her hair was matted everywhere and a mess, so I'll have to watch her this year to make sure she doesn't get out of control. 

BODY CLIPPING BJ.......!!!

have 

THANKS JAMIE

This is BlackJack & I when Jamie Williams was out and took a lot of pictures last month.  Let me just say this morning our relationship wasn't quite so "touchy feely".

I prefer not to clip BJ if I can help it.   Although we don't know for sure, he looks a lot like a French Poitou donkey.  Drafty built, with a hairy body and long ears.  Unfortunately this year not only does he have mats, he also has some of the still un-named skin crud on his legs.  

I was just going to use scissors and hack out mats, but when I discovered crud in 5 or 6 different places, I decided to go ahead and clip. 

He was all cooperative until the clippers touched his belly.  He wasn't really difficult, but he wasn't going to stand still either.  I tried to explain to him how silly he looked, jumping around like a grasshopper, with me trying to stay in contact with my clippers......!!! SIGH!  

I did what I could with the clippers, and finished up with scissors and a wire slicker brush.  Gooped up his scaly places, thank goodness they aren't wet or raw.  

Now he has bare spots with no hair here and there, one on a front leg, is about the size of my hand.  He's black, and his skin is black, so it's not that noticable, except it's surrounded by lots of hair.  He looks rather moth eaten, so I might go ahead and clip his legs.  We'll see how it goes.  

Went to the meeting yesterday in Phoenix.  I actually got there early, easy to find which is good.  I usually don't have much trouble finding places, but usually I'm navigating and John is driving.  Being by myself adds another level of "where am I and where am I going" to the adventure.  

Had a good representation of Arizona rescues, although there were a lot of them that didn't come.  My thought on dealing with government bureaucracies is, the more warm bodies in their space, the more attention they hopefully will pay to your "concerns".  I will always go to any meeting, so there is a good head count even if I don't know what's going on.  LOL   They had questions submitted in advance, so they could have answers ready.  I can't say we came out of the meeting with a lot of accomplishment, it was disappointing to hear their position on getting involved in ongoing starvation and/or cruelty situations.  Like most bureaucracies if confronted with, "why don't you do this, or how come this isn't done", their first line of defense is............."we don't have the money, or resources".   And as usual the animals don't have a voice. 

On the way up to Phoenix I stopped at my latest favorite fast food place.  I have to say first I have not eaten hamburgers in probably 30-40 years.  When they stopped making patties by hand, throwing a paper thin piece of tomato, 2 pickles and a wilted piece of lettuce in the general vicinity of the meat and bun, I decided it wasn't really worth the effort.  A few months ago John went to Tucson by himself and tried one of the new chains that has come into Tucson the last couple of years, In 'n Out Burger.  Came home raving about it, hmmm I will be the judge of that.....!!!  Next time we went to Tucson we ate lunch at one.  It's not a hand made patty, but it is a very tasty hamburger, has a great big piece of sweet onion on it, thick slice of tomato, and a chunk of lettuce.  Even has a little grease on the bun.....!!  I wouldn't even need the meat.....!!! LOL  Very limited menu, hamburger, cheeseburger, doubles, french fries, and that's just about it..........!!!  Fast service, good prices, and tastes good, couldn't ask for more for a quick lunch. 

TODAY'S INVASION.....!!!!

Some people that had been out for the Open House in December, called & wanted to bring a few friends out this morning to meet the donkeys.  

When they got here there were more than just a few......!!! The closest guess we came up with was 26.  It was hard to keep track of them, they kept moving.....!!!

 

They are a group that gets together to play with their off road toys on week-ends.  Today they were going about 15 miles north of us, up a riverbed to see some dinosaur tracks.  Actually they are Woolly Rhinoceros tracks in rock but everyone calls them dinosaur tracks.  The guy that put it together said they had about 6 people signed up until they said they were coming to the donkey rescue....!!!  How neat is that?  They brought apples & carrots, which of course was very much appreciated by the donkeys & mules. 

This is BlackJack entertaining his adoring public.  BlackJack looks so much different than the other donkeys & is such a ham, people always make a fuss over him.  He has learned to work people & they love it.  

He probably has some French Poitou blood in him.  Don't know for sure, but this isn't your typical donkey face. 

I had decided not to change Boaz's knee bandage until tomorrow.  When he came in this morning it was all askew, I don't know how he can mangle a bandage like he does.  I've gotten pretty good at bandaging, but knees seem to be tricky.  

The dry scabby area is where he managed to get the diaper I use for bandaging pushed down.  I've been putting Wonder Dust on it, which has worked well for keeping the area open, to hopefully start filling in with scar tissue.  

Courtney didn't make it again today.  I e-mailed her, the longer it takes her to get out here, the bigger & stronger Wister will be.  We've worked on picking up feet, halter, touching all over, the basics & he does pretty good.  But he is so independent, I have a feeling it's going to be a rodeo.....!!!  Courtney said she'd eat her Wheaties before she comes.......!!! LOL