Well that Mad Cow FINALLY had her baby! Her udders were so swollen she could barely walk so Ged had a big chat to her when he fed her on Saturday night and said ‘that’s enough, Paddy, you’ve got to have that baby now.’ And when he woke up yesterday morning she was standing apart from the rest and looking a little strained so he went out to give her a hand. Apparently the nose and hooves were out but Paddy was heaving so he got his hands in there and eased the head, neck and shoulders out. The rest came out with just one push. (Good that he is getting lots of practise!) And we have a little bull for the farm. Arthur, King of Avalon. He’s VERY cute and cuddly with the longest, spikiest lashes you have ever seen.
So we wasted quite a lot of time oohing and aahing over him yesterday and making sure that he was on the udder and sucking properly – Ged had to help him get on the teat and work it all out.
Last week was pretty quiet – we had grey skies, wind and rain for Wednesday and Thursday and I took to my bed with a mean old cold. I can’t work out whether I am exhausted and it’s finally caught up with me and now I am the incredible sleeping giant, or whether I am just trying to bank some sleep for the future . . . probably a bit of both! It seems strange that after months of not sleeping properly, now that the head is engaged and all the books say I should be weeing more frequently and more uncomfortable at night etc, I am sleeping like a log! Typical, contrary me!
Friday we had torrential rain and we both had plans to be in Port Macquarie. Even though the rivers and creeks were rising we made the call to get in and get out as quickly as possible. Ged was selling his car, so that couldn’t be put off, and I had to pick up the sander etc but the conditions were terrible so we really were running around! We finally left Port Macquarie just after 4 and the closer we got to home, the less likely it seemed we would get in. Every creek and causeway was flooded and we were in Ged’s new van which hasn’t had the suspension raised yet so we weren’t taking any chances . . . Sure enough, we got to Tom’s Creek and didn’t like the look of it. Ged waded across to gauge the depth and flow and remove a lot of branches from the bridge (he was securely tied on to the car to do this – don’t try this at home!) and it was a foot deep and whereas that would have been fine in the Pajero or the Hilux we had just sold, no good for the Delica. We need to toughen it up first!
So we decided to walk home and come back for the car in the morning (5kms). We put on whatever waterproofs we had (Mel, you will be pleased to hear that the only hat Ged had in the car was his UK flat cap and since we have now discovered that it suits him, it has become a firm favourite, getting lots of wear this weekend!) and then were lucky enough to see a hitherto unmet neighbour on her way home and she drove us all the way to the Flying Fox. Thank God, I was not looking forward to getting my feet wet and cold and then the long march home, especially when I was only just recovering from a cold. The lovely Chris Latimore came and picked Ged up on Saturday morning and took him back to the car, so we are well served with kind and compassionate neighbours out here in the country!
Ged was sick on Saturday with some sort of horrible tummy bug so I dosed him all day with homeopathics and reiki, knowing he just needed a rest – he has been working really hard both during the week and at the weekends, so his body finally forced him to take it easy. Thankfully he was better on Sunday though – lots to do!!! He sanded back the floor in the baby’s room which is now looking and feeling lovely and I have got two coats of Tung Oil down so far. In a couple of days we will have it all ready for the little man and then he can move in!
