Sudokuaholics Anonymous 10

"And, has thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'
He chortled in his joy.

Good Evening, Friendly Folks! I'm late tonight, so no hope of getting to bed early.

Suzy, we're thinking of you and your Mum and sending you our , positive thoughts and prayers! I hope your Mum is resting well after her surgery!

Gail and Kate, thank you so much for visiting with Suzy. It's something we all wish we could do. Thank you for being our representatives!

Rolanda, what wonderful news that the settlement for the block of land went through and the building license was approved! Are you close enough that you will be able to visit the site and take pictures on a regular basis? I hope all goes well with the build!

I hope all of our friends who are meeting in Melbourne have a wonderful visit and share lots of {{{HUGS}}}! Please take pictures!

Cyn, I hope the trip is off to a good start! So sorry to hear about Col's shingles. I've heard various opinions on having the vaccine, but it's very expensive here.

MizT, pace yourself so that you can recover this weekend. There's always next week to do more krow! You don't have a deadline, as far as I remember.

Heidi, you also need to pace yourself! It's good to have a goal of finishing the fencing for the horse pasture before the tour, but you also need to think of yourself and only do as much as your back can tolerate. Will the tour also include inside your house? Will your gorgeous birds be on display? Congrats on the new bull calf!

All this discussion of "dongles" had me curious as to whether it was actually a word or a term that loosely applied to something computer-related, so I consulted with "Mr. Google. (A software protection dongle is a small piece of hardware that plugs into an electrical connector on a computer and serves as an electronic "key" for a piece of software; the program will run only when the dongle is plugged in. The term "dongle" was originally used to refer only to software-protection dongles; however, currently "dongle" is often used to refer to any small piece of hardware that plugs into a computer.) Techterms.com says "This funny-sounding computer term has two widely different definitions that are completely unrelated: 1. A security key to ensure that only authorized users have access; 2. A laptop Ethernet card adapter."

Congrats, also, on the TOPP, Heidi! Well done!

And now, my friends, I must head to the Land of Nod. {{{{{{HUGS}}}}}} and and positive thoughts, healing vibes, and prayers for all who may benefit! Good Night!

Very quiet here. have a good sleep Julie and Heidi, I hope that young cow does not have any problems and you can soon get to bed. Also take care of your back. Your back is more important than the new fence. Even if you only get it part done I am sure the people coming to visit would understand it is work in progress.
Will be thinking of you all at Williamstown tomorrow. We had lunch there last Monday. It would also be nice if Suzy was able to join you for a short time.
Rolanda, so pleased everything is progressing with your new home. How exciting it will all be.

Greetings friends, I am up for intermission, and for my medicine that must be on a totally empty stomach. It is a good thing I can do 2 things while only waking once early morning. I do need to set an alarm, cause today is food bank day, and my launch time is very close to my usual waking time. do not want to oversleep and miss it.

Heidi, hope the new Mom delivers a nice healthy calf in a reasonable time.

Rolanda, how exciting that the house is soon started. hope the build goes smoothly for you.

Suzy, extra thoughts and prayers for you and your mom, for the entire family.

Julie, thanks for posting the definition of dongle. I know we have to have one for the wireless mouse and keyboard to talk to the computer. I remember when the mouse died while Al was ill, we had to buy another mouse, keyboard and dongle, cause the dongle had to be made just for that particular keyboard/mouse combination. Al and his brother could not find the new dongle in the package for some time. reason was it had been miniaturized, much smaller than the old dongle, and it was attached to the mouse for transport. they actually had to read directions to locate it. Imagine, Heidie , loosing one's dongle, hehehe.

Hugs to each of you, with extras.

We hoped she would be able to June, but she had to go home today :(
Can't wait for the gathering tomorrow, should be a lot of fun. Unfortunately Bean had to miss this one, Jack is also unable to be there, Chonyi has given her apologies too, but sadly, Liz has had to cancel because she is still struggling post-surgery :(
But still, those who are able to go will more than make up for the others :)

Morning all. Coffee is ready, help yourself.

It is Saturday and I am off for the next week. Yeah!!!!

TAMI, hope you enjoy your spring break. do you have any special plans??

No, I don't. My cousins are coming in on Thursday and Friday. There is a memorial for my Aunt Lil on Sunday. I think I am going to have 17 people for dinner Saturday night. We are just going to do deli platters and paper plates. It is just a way for all the cousins to relax and hang out.

Gail...... Could we have more info on Dizzy Lizzy's post surgery struggle? What kind of surgery (I know it was mentioned, but I forgot)? Wasn't it a while ago? This doesn't sound good.

The first timer had a false alarm last night. Oh, well.

Heidi, a few of weeks ago Liz had the rest of her thyroid gland removed. She has been having problems since then. I am not sure what the recent set back is but hope it isn't too major.((HUGGS) Liz.

Thanks Brenda. I don't know how I missed that.

((((( HUGS ))))) Lizzy.

It's a beautiful Spring day here. Daffodils and hyacinths are in bloom all over. The temperature is in the mid 50's. And cows are popping out calves. There have been 2 bull calves born already today, and another cow in hard labor.

The good luck with calving has ended. The calf being born is a breech birth, and the cow is having problems. I think she'll be able to have it herself, but to pull it, I'll have to wait until she gets too tired to argue with me. It's hard to put OB chains on a calf when the cow is trotting away.

heidi, hope the calf arrives safely, either with or without your help.

It took two of us to pull that calf out, but we have a live and healthy BIG bull calf. If it hadn't been breech, mama would have been able to have it herself.

Way to go, Dr. Heidi. I am glad the calf and his mom are OK.

I got that bird cage assembled. It weighs 90 lbs, so it was tiring.

Now I'm off to cousin Don's for a chicken and biscuits dinner.

Good Morning my friends.
Having a day off from working on the boat, weather is not good for outside painting and I am exhausted!
Enjoy your dinner Heidi, always think you mean cookies when you say biscuits.
Hope we hear from the crew after their get together today.

Back from dinner... I wasn't hungry since my body is really sore. I had a little roll-around-on-the-ground with the calf I tagged early afternoon, then really worked the muscles trying to pull the stuck calf on my own. Assembling that cage (3'x4'x6') didn't help. Then my back was hurting before I started the day. Now I have to put on my muck boots and go check the cows again, as well as check the pulled calf and it's mom. They don't want to leave the horse barn (where I have my hospital pen for cows).

Heidi, I am confused you said it took two of you to pull the calf, now you are telling us you did it by yourself?????????????????

No.... I spent 15 minutes trying to pull it myself, with no luck. So I gave IH a call, and both of us pulled it out.

Hah! so he is good for something!

Yep... Dead weight.

I just tagged ANOTHER newborn bull calf! That's 4 bull calves in the last 22 hours.

Heidi, you might be able to help me. Looking at building an aviary for my cousin's birds, she has 3 budgies, a ring neck parrot and a rainbow lorikeet. Pretty sure I have to keep the budgies separate from the other two so any ideas on an enclosure for them?

Sounds like you have loads of bull there!

It depends on how big the aviary is, Broni. If there's room for all the birds to fly, and escape from aggression, they could be put in together. Ring Neck Parakeets and Rainbow Lorikeets are not some of the more aggressive psittacines. Something about 2 meters wide, a meter deep and 1.5 meters high (minimum) could house all of them peaceably. Just remember that all of these parakeets chew, so all wood has to be sheathed in metal (flexible tin is fine). They will need an assortment of perches in different thicknesses. A nice hardwood branch with lots of branching is ideal.

Fun news, speaking of birds.... I put the Forbes Parrot Finches in the new flight cage, and I went to catch the Spice Finches to move them to the new cage as well. Much to my delight, they're brooding some eggs!!! So I can't move them until the babies are weaned.

Oh, yeah... My Magnolia and Quince broke out in bloom today.

Got my dongle working - hahaha! But problems with registration - so for how long I don't know. Had a lovely day today with the Melburnians - Gail, Scott and Hannah, Kate, Judy and Rob, Liz (Dino's daughter) and Tricia from Canberra and her hubby Graeme. So sorry that Lizzie and Dino couldn't make it.
We took some photos but are on our way back out to the Sky Deck - which is a glass cube hanging off the side of a high building. Needless to say, I'm not going out on it. So, if (and I say if) I can get back on, I will try to post a pic today. Off to Hobart tomorrow.
Beanie couldn't make it today so MAY be coming in to meet us for coffee in the morning but we are being collected at 10am so she will have to be early.

Suzy - if you read this - you're still in my thoughts

Evening all,
I'm home again. It was so hard to leave yesterday, Mum has to stay for a few more days. There was a slight chance we could have taken her home on Saturday, Paul and I both found that idea pretty scary - with the floods cutting roads everywhere and just her problems, what if something had gone wrong?? At least with her going home in the ambulance she is in a better place if something goes wrong.

Bummed I missed the get together, though I wouldn't have been great company. You don't realise how much you like being independent until you aren't! I never want to be without my own transport ever again!!!

It's kind of good to be home, but the fairies didn't come while I was away so it's going to be a busy week.

I have read but I'm tired like it's the middle of the night

Suzy, pleased that you are home safe. You are in my heart and prayers.
My visitors have all gone home. Now to catch up with washing sheets etc. I have a busy week ahead starting with a cortisone injection in my thumb tomorrow. Laura thought it very funny when I bent my thumb and it went 'clunk' 'clunk'.
Bowls Tuesday and Thursday. A business appointment in the city Friday morning followed with a visit to the Art gallery with my sister to see the Picasso exhibition.

Heidi, you are doing well with the calving. The last time I saw a calf brought out with chains we had her in the bales and could rig up a pulley.
Broni, hope you enjoyed your day without having to work on the boat.
Thought of the gathering in Melbourne. I am sure you all enjoyed the day.

Morning all. Coffee is ready, help yourself. I have an extra bit cup ready for Suzy.

Suzy, my continued thoughts and hugs going out to you and your family.

Cyn, glad you had a nice visit. I am dreaming of the day that Heidi kidnaps me and brings me down under. I would love to meet all my friends in person, finally.

Heidi, I can't wait until I can actually drive up and see your farm. One of these days...

Nobody warned me that Daylight Savings Time started today!!!!

Actually, one hour is very much like another here, except when I have appointments elsewhere.

I need to get dressed soon and do a cow check. It's been a whole 11 hours since I last tagged a newborn. IH disappeared at dawn to have brekkie with his cousin, so I don't think he did a thorough cow check. For him, "thorough" means actually walking out into the pasture instead of his usual "looking from his truck as he goes down the driveway". My idea of thorough means walking out into the pasture and inspecting every single animal out there up close and personal.

June... I've pulled calves with chains using a chute and head catch (like yesterday ended up), and out in the field. Depending on how stuck the calf was, I've pulled them with my own strength and with my mechanical calf puller (which was just about to be used yesterday). I've also pulled them out in the field, when by myself, using a truck and using a tractor (Tho' in both those cases, I pulled downwards and moved VERY slowly. Both cows survived uninjured.). It's been a while since I had to pull a calf, though. Rede's calves usually about fall out of the cows. This one had problems because it was backwards. I will NEVER try and pull a calf that , for instance, has it's head back. That's a job for a Vet.

Might as well go for it and finish Jabberwocky.