Saturday, we went to Thainstone rare breeds sale at the weekend...talk about disappointing.
We went to look at the four Anglo Nubian goats that were advertised in the catalogue and were up for auction.....when we got there though, there were only two, both billies and both castrated also they were in a sorry state...their feet had been clipped too sharply and so they were on tippy toes, their fur was falling out, either due to mange, worms or stress....probably all three. And they were hunched probably due to the fact they had to stand on tippy toes!
One thing you should know about goats are that they are very inquisitive and nosey...they like to know whats going on and who's doing it....these two in the market were at the far end of their pen and had their backs to people....if i had had the space i would of taken them on to bring them back to how they should be, but unfortunately...i don't have the space for animals that wont produce anything in return.
So we carried on past them and went to look at the pigs, there were loads of highland cows up for market, and one in particular was very stressed and bucking a lot....we walked passed the pen when we heard a voice shout..."clear the aisle please now" so we and about 20 other people were trying to get out of that aisle....bearing in mind that i had a walking stick and couldn't walk as fast as some of the others, it was then that i had realised they had let the bull that was going mad in the pen, loose!
it came charging past and the back end of it caught me and knocked me for six, was in agony, but didn't have time to think about it as the bull had taken an elderly man down, and he had hit his head on the curb, blood everywhere! the bull continued on down the passage knocking children and others out of its way...then it was silent....the elderly man was laying still, there was a man who was a first aider looking after him...and i gave up my coat to put under his head.
Once there was calm and order and the guy had been taken to hospital, we decided to go home...i spent a bit of the journey crying, without my partners knowledge(he worries enough about me as it is, didn't want him to worry more).
Well Sunday we went my partners house, the tenant has now left and we have decided to put the property up for sale, so it was a case of checking the place. I must admit i was a bit surprised in how much of the place was in a mess! So we spent the morning digging up the plants we wanted to keep, hiring a carpet cleaner to clean the stains and generally giving the place a good clean out.
Then it was on to a neeps meeting (north east Eco-friendly people's site, the link is at the top of this page), It was held at one of the neeps house, and no we didn't just sit and talk about how we were going to change the world on our own, its more of a social gathering, we all take something to swap, that can be anything, from plants to homemade jams etc. chat drink tea,coffee and its also a chance to buy from the coo-op...bulk orders and share it out...so for instance i order 6 large jars of honey, and only want 4 of them...someone else will usually buy the spares...its a good way of saving money. Anyway, we met some new neeps and had some homemade wine....which went well with the painkillers and i promptly went to sleep for a short while in the car back.
When we got home it was a nice surprise to see we have another hen laying eggs! so now that's seven eggs a day! My partner did some planting in the poly tunnel...and replanted the ones that we brought back from his house. we did seed watch(well checked the seedlings haven't been eaten by the chickens) and watered them in.....then it was off to check the animals, goats were happy enough, and Rita is as always screaming her head off because she is pregnant and she can !lol but it was lovely day in all.
Tuesday the nurse from the hospital came out to check the measurements of my furniture ready for when i come out of hospital, and my cousin came over from Inverness...i sent her back with 30 hen eggs and 6 duck eggs, she will give them to her sister who runs a Fraser house B&B in Inverness(again the link is above), so they wont go to waste.
Yes you probably gathered we now have a glut of eggs that are growing rapidly! You can only make so many things with eggs, curds, cakes, omelette's etc then you get stuck for ideas, but never mind...i can always freeze some for the winter time.
We had put eight duck eggs in the incubator...well two didn't take so we thought well six ducklings cant be bad, then yesterday one became bloody, so that one is out as well so now down to five.
My partner though is bringing three ducklings home with him, we don't know what breed they are, but they were left behind at Thainstone and the guy who works there has a daughter that works with my partner, so he was offered them(confused?? I am! lol), they were believed to of been dumped there after they were found under a table....so we have gained three on the three we lost.
Well its now Wednesday, and I am feeling the pain from overdoing it at the weekend so once i have made a cake and bread, i am going to sit on the firm sponge that the nurse gave me to raise the sofa up, and have a go at knitting my very first jumper...something i have never done before, and although i can knit the odd scarf or water bottle cover, i have never followed a pattern properly.
Must admit though, its really is a nice feeling to make your own things, whether its bread, rugs or knitting... you get a sense of achievement and you save pennies too...recently i made some homemade cards....
....and i am really pleased with them, they didn't cost a lot to make and there are no others like them....and i feel like i have achieved something this week having made them...i hope all that makes sense lol
Well i am off to put washing out and make that cake and loaf....chat soon xx
