Today I shall be Mainly...

[Stanley]

You could always do what the old timers did Maz. Have a good rub down with dry sand......

[Marilyn]

I think not.
I am a bath person. I have one every morning, and thoroughly enjoy it. Then I wrap myself in a bath sheet and make my way through to the bedroom where I dry and dress. ( so these squeezy damp showers do nothing for me.) I never feel clean after a shower....

[Sue]

Yes Maz, made on the bias. I am pleased with bag, but need to have another go with the ties as they are too thick.

[Wendyf]

Waiting for the vet this morning, Dennis is reluctant to move.

[PanBiker]

I hope that goes OK Wendy.

[Marilyn]

Dennis! Get a wriggle on lad! We don't have time for antics....

[Wendyf]

Phew! The vet has been and there is hope.
Dennis has developed Cushing's disease and this has brought on laminitis, so he is confined to his stable on a deep bed, anti-inflammatory drugs and he will get drugs to control the Cushings once results of a blood test come back.
I'm going for a lie down...have hardly slept for 2 nights worrying about him. I'm really annoyed that I didn't suspect laminitis...it would have been the first thing I thought of with Sparky!

[Marilyn]

Cushings Syndrome...in a pony!?
(Well I never!)
That causes quite specific appearances to a human...does it do that to a pony?

[Stanley]

I don't know what Cushing's Syndrome is Wendy. But I know about laminitis.... I also know how much this will worry you. Some would say it is silly, after all it's only an animal but on the other hand, some of us have hearts and understand completely. Good luck with him.



I had 90 minutes in the shed yesterday. The cylinder is beginning to look as though someone cares about it.....

[Wendyf]

Cushings is quite common in older equines Maz, caused by a tumour in the pituitary gland which then releases inappropriate stress hormones. They develop a thick curly coat, pads of fat on the withers and strangely the hoĺlow sockets above the eye which are quite distinctive in older horses get puffy with fat. It also causes raised blood sugars which in turn cause laminitis. The change in daylight hours can trigger the rush of hormones and it has come on very quickly with Deñnis, while I was tucked up in bed with flu.

[Marilyn]

I have read that dogs can develop it too...

[Stanley]

Thinking about Dennis..... and looking on aghast as America appears to go mad. Add Janet and I think I have plenty of things to occupy my mind!

[Wendyf]

Dennis was looking more comfortable by last night, moving around his stable with increased confidence. I should hear from the vet today with results of the blood test, then we can start him on the drugs. They are supposed of be quite effective.

[Marilyn]

How is Sparky coping? Do they tend to be in touch with each other's problems?

And yes...we are a few hours ahead with America's politics ( not that I feel the right to comment on another country's politics) but WOW...almost as shocking as "Brexit"!
( my son did win a very long running $100 bet though.... Made at a dinner party 6 months ago!)

The world is changing. I think Australia needs to protect itself more too...

[Stanley]

"The world is changing." Dead right Maz.....

[Marilyn]

I don't know why it is...but I can't cope with any American TV shows...they are all in "overdrive" and talk too fast and it is all about "me, me ,me". They are all raised to believe " I am important"
Sorry - you are not important!
I hope they all "shut up" now the elections are over because we are NOT interested !

[Marilyn]

On another subject, D and I have been watching our new baby birds, 4 new hatchlings. We have one enormous one, two medium sized ones, and one "runt".
They have just started flying, from one pergola rafter to another, and Mum and Dad are still feeding them.
I am happy to report that the smallest bird is never left without one of his siblings by his side. That is the way life should be. ( support the wee ones).
My kind of politics, played out in my back yard!

[Wendyf]

The bigger ones are probably just making sure the wee one doesn't get fed if they leave it by itself....
Dennis wouldn't keep still for a photo, I was trying to catch the swelling over his eyes but it doesn't really show. Sparky is extremely annoyed about staying in....he is feeling great at the moment!

[Marilyn]

Tissues!!! ( sniff)
They are adorable

I've just checked out through the blinds as the sun is setting, and the two medium birds have the little one between them and are cuddled up close with mouths in a row for Mum and Dad deliveries of food. The bigger chick is about a foot away all on his own.
Febby has told me to sit down now, as my getting up and down to spy on them is interrupting his TV viewing.

[Wendyf]

My vet just phoned with the blood test results...they measure a stress hormone that the pituitary gland is pumping out and it's the highest number they have seen. She thinks the drugs will still be effective...we start with a low dose tomorrow.

[Stanley]

Best of luck with the treatment Wendy. Your devotion to those two ensures that if my Bible teaching was true, you have Treasures in Heaven! I think it's lovely that two old worn out horses like those two have such care.
I shall be keeping dry and warm and busy one way or another. No cooking I have reserves of mutton stew in the fridge and plenty of good apples!
[I ought to be writing a couple of articles.....]

[Moh]

Peeling loads of apples to make stewed apples and apple pies for the freezer.

[Stanley]

Butcher's, BET and an hour in the shed..... After I have dealt with the comms....

[PanBiker]

With Sally's help we did the main distribution of the remembrance crosses at Gill last Saturday. I reckon we found about 85%. Quite a few temporarily lost this year due to a combination of the last grass cutting and a huge amount of leaf fall in the churchyard. I annotate a cross for those that I cant find each year and set these up on the periphery of the burial areas. I have been working every day this week and today has been my first opportunity to finish the job off for this year. I have just been down and all have now been remembered and marked accordingly. As seems to be the norm we found three more that were not on my list.

These are the ones I set up for the cemetery.



and the cluster from the churchyard. If you look closely (sorry for the quality) you can see that I have set the Shires brothers up together, they are on the same family memorial as two sons lost to the same family so only right that they remain side by side.



Lest we forget.

[LizG]

Sorry to hear Dennis hasn't been well Wendy. Hopefully the medication will kick in quickly and they can both spend time outside again soon.