The deed is done

From this

to this

and then to my freezer.

Yesterday I took Sean to the slaughter house and next Tuesday I'll be collecting a big box of bits. I'm planning a celebration dinner of Roast Lamb and all the trimmings.

Actually, next Tuesday is shaping up to be a big day. Not only do I collect Sean but it's also the day I take the ducklings to be "processed". I'll have a far more hands on roll in their journey from field to freezer and, having had a training session I know what to expect, it's not so bad as you might imagine. I'll spare you the details but if you really want to know I'll email you.

Autism parents (and others!) take note

I have found a great blog called autisticspeaks.blogspot.com. Read and inwardly digest, people, you will learn a lot from Lydia. And for those of you who know my Bear - read very carefully, for this is what we have. They are so similar it is scary.

The source of all that chunkiness is....

Toads. Tim has a taste for toads. This morning, in my half asleep state putting my dickies on for bird duties, I couldn't make out what it was on the floor in the half light. On further investigation in turned out to be a live toad, about 4 inches long and breathing hard. On the worktop sat a cat looking very pleased with herself. I put the toad outside and by the time I got back it was gone - I'm hoping to the undergrowth not Tim's tum!

I'm back...

Not sure where to start so let's just dive right in and start with the menagerie.

Sean the sheep is still with us and eating like a demon. He's due for the chop first week in October or when we can get him booked in after that. I have mixed feelings about it. On the one hand I feel privileged to be in a position to grow my own meat, to know exactly where it's been and what's happened to it. I'm looking forward to tasting the difference - and the best part is the price lambs are fetching at the mart is up this year so I'll be saving even more money! On the other hand he's our first lamb and we've raise him as an only one so no anonymity of scale and numbers. He's chewed my dickies, butted my hand for a pat and made a dash down the corridor when Bear let him in the house. He's still going for the chop.

The ducks have all grown like weeds. The first hatch will be ready for the oven in October. I have no worries about these as we have 21 of them. They've only been here for 16 weeks when they go so no emotional attachment. Just don't try anything with my original six. Two have already gone as livestock and another pair will be going shortly once the fox proofing at their new residence has been tested.

The chickens and bantams are all in good health, entertaining as ever!

On to the cats. Bruce is a murderer. He's been catching swallows in the garage and eating them. I have no problem with this - he's just being a cat after all - but does he have to bring them in to eat? I think not. I have put a request in that if he must catch birds can he make it a crow. He was listening, watch this space. Tim is cheeky as ever and getting quite chunky so she must be earning her keep.

Meg is still a big sook and doing her best to keep us all in order.

Scrumpy has been having a high old time of it with different medications, seizures and treatments. Will we ever get her seizures under control? Possibly not until we get the other side of puberty, but I have hopes for the current new drug. At time of writing she has been seizure free for 7 days. Don't go getting too excited though, historically this is just to lull you into a false sense of security. She has a pattern of a good spell of a week or two after we introduce something then it's back to square one. MRI, play therapy and an EEG to come. The play therapy is to desensitize her head so she can tolerate the EEG. Aside form all of that she's really enjoying school and the routine of term time. Since coming off one of her medications she's much brighter and has come out with "You've just made a serious mistake!" in response to a request to tidy up videos and "Nice try" when caught "borrowing" toys from the respite centre!! My favourite was "Whatever!" when asked to pull her trousers up. She turns 12 this month, my baby's growing up!

Bear is just the best. Language is coming in spurts - "Pasta, Wow!" and "Please" best word is "Cheese". Sleep continues to be a non-event passed 4am, that combined with Scrumpy's 11pm settling doesn't give me a lot of time in between. Speech therapist and school are working on a plan for her so although she's still in the same class (should have moved really) she'll have her own itinerary and a more appropriate work load.

Aside from the lack of sleep I have to report a good year for veg growing, shame about veg sales. Last year it was the opposite way round. Maybe next year we'll get it together? We all ready have the prospect of a weekend down south as my sister in law is expecting twins (!!) in April. A three year old boy and twins - God bless her! Who knows what else is in store. Can't beleive I'm already thinking of next year and we still have three months left of this one. Am I wishing my life away? No, it just seems to pass me by way too quickly.

Good news! I don't have to do two weeks jury service next week - YAY!! It would be quite interesting to do jury service but just not now. I have a birthday to plan for a very special 12 year old, a 23 yearold to hold up at the dentist (root canals don't hurt, do they?) and 20 years of marriage to celebrate. I do not have time for jury service now. Ask me another time, when things are calmer. Huh? Well, when it's not the best birthday of the year then.