Malay: Thank you for finally featuring me in one of your posts, Julie. I have been waiting rather a long time.
Malay: Next time, get the hose out of the way and please get your light settings right!
Malay: Newkid was okay but I am a survivor, Julie.
Malay: I would prefer it if you would refrain from photographing me with Prince from now on.
As indicated in a previous post, whenever I get to the end of my tether, the first person I talk to is Anthony – always.
I think it is remarkable that when I am the needy one, he becomes incredibly supportive and completely forgets his own neediness.
This is Malay, our only remaining rooster. He has Anthony’s tenacity!
These two guys have a lot in common.
They both like to show off.
They both like to dance on the roof.
They are both gorgeous.
However, the second prince, despite all appearances to the contrary, is much more interesting!
Last night I rang Anthony and, instead of the usual commiserative, areyouokay? conversation, I blathered on about a whole bunch of farm/child/other problems I was having. My blah blah blah went a bit like this:
Can you believe it? The peacock man hasn’t come, I can’t find three of the girls so they’re probably nesting in a paddock or killed by the fox or maybe the neighbour has shot them and I am at my wit’s end!
Ming is fighting with me again; I think we should send him to bootcamp – what do you think? I can’t stand it!
Oh bloody hell now this other thing has happened and I don’t know if I can see you tomorrow because I have to …. argh!
You know that old lawnmower – is it worth fixing? What if it blows up? How am I supposed to figure all of this out? What! Are you crazy? How can you possibily help when you can’t walk – oh sorry, sorry!
Well of course I’m stressed – why are you chuckling? How dare you chuckle!
Yes, yes, yes, I know you love me. I love you too. Can we develop a new repertoire – this is getting boring!
Oh, all right, are you sure? Okay. Yes, I feel calmer now – thanks, Ants! G’night.
I miss the patriarch.
Oh, I have been so so excited about Anthony’s, and my, idea for a Christmas present for Ming this year. Ants and I have been discussing it for some time but have finally made the decision to do this (I can’t say what the Christmas present is in case Ming reads the blog; he hasn’t for some time, but you never know).
This will undoubtedly be the last time Ants and I collaborate on this kind of thing, for two reasons: 1. Ants’ dementia is getting worse; and 2. Ming is nearly 19.
I guess it is these two factors that punched me in the face this morning when I drove Ming into music school. I mentioned Christmas Day and said Ants would be coming home for the day and Ming’s reaction to this was so horrible that we ended up having our first row for weeks.
We made up for lost time.
While Ming and I were yelling at each other, I thought of Ming’s Christmas present – the only thing that has elicited a bit of enthusiasm from Ants for ages.
Since this morning’s row, Ming and I have had another, followed by a tentative truce in which he said, “We only have each other, Mum”, and I said, “You wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for Dad.”
And now he is in his room and I am in mine and Anthony’s phone isn’t working.
Ming asked me today what I wanted for Christmas and I said, “Wings”.
Prince, our only male white peacock, is now stalking the gang nonstop. At first he was just picking on poor little Daffy, but now he seems to have it in for Zaruma too. And yesterday he attacked Godfrey!
Prince: Where are they?
Me: Why are you doing this, Prince? Leave the gang alone!
Prince: But Zaruma is such fun!
Me: Leave him alone!
Zaruma: Julie, HELP!
Me: Prince, if you don’t stop this harrassment immediately I will send you off to the neighbours’ roof where you will be hosed, yelled at and get a taste of your own medicine.
Prince: Okay, sorry, Julie – just having a bit of fun while Princess 1 is sitting on those egg things.
Me: Those egg things are your children, silly.
Prince: Oh!
Zaruma: Thanks, Julie. Tapper was getting worried about my mental health.
Godfrey: Julie, I know you and I haven’t always agreed on things but this time I am absolutely on your side. That Prince has become far to arrogant and I am going to wingpunch him next time.
Me: Thanks for your support, Godrey!
I have started saying this weird thing lately, that I have never said before. Instead of saying our, I’ve begun to say my and this disturbs me. Here are some examples:
Etcetera….
The fact that I sometimes say this my thing instead of the usual our thing in front of Anthony makes me sick to my stomach and I always try to correct the my to our before he notices or gets hurt.
He doesn’t notice, but why am I doing this ‘my’ thing when I have never done so before? Everything has always been ours, not mine, not his – ours.
Oh no! Now it’s Zaruma singing that Oliver song, ‘Where is love?’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjJDekSculo
Zaruma: Tapper, as we are the only two Muscovy ducks here, I think we should get married.
Tapper: What?
Zaruma: Look I’ve seen the way Daffy looks at you and I know you are fond of him but, face it, Tapper, Daffy is an Indian Runner and he can’t even fly! I don’t like the way he chases you around and if I have to fight him I will. Tapper, we are meant for each other. I’m in love with you and even if you don’t feel the same about me, you soon will.
Tapper: WHAT?
Zaruma: I have tried not to overwhelm you with my feelings but I think you should really consider my proposition because I am sincere and reliable and I will never ever let you down. So, what do you say?
Tapper: ZZZ
Zaruma: (singing) Whe-e-e-e-re is love?
Lately we have had one of the many wild ibises (Australian white ibis), who are usually all over the paddocks, visit us. I often see him in the chook pen in the morning but he flies off as soon as he hears me coming to open the gates to let all of the chooks and the gang out for the day. Yesterday I managed to get a few photos of him but it wasn’t easy because he is really shy.
I took Ming to an 18th birthday party last night.
It was NOT a fancy-dress party.
Oh, give me a shy ibis any day!
Princess 2: Thor, how about a little kiss?
Thor: Not now P2.
Princess 2: Get lost, Rabbit!
Princess 2: Oh, there is never any privacy here!
Princess 2: Why do you have a name like ‘Thor’ when you can’t even scare a rabbit away?
Thor: Well actually, P2, I quite like Mr Rabbit. In fact he’s been giving me a few tips.
Princess 2: On what?
Princess 2: Oh I can’t take any more of this nonsense!
Princess 2 begins to sing ‘Where is love?’ (from ‘Oliver’, the musical).
Thor: P2 will you calm down – Mr Rabbit has been giving me some tips about breeding!
Princess 2: Oh! Oh, darling, I had no idea!
Rabbit 675: What a complicated couple!
jmgoyder 