Wings | jmgoyder

Once bitten, twice shy

by jmgoyder

One second after I took this too close closeup photo of the gang, Godfrey (in the forefront – the godfather of ganderdom), bit me hard on the shin and I had to kick him off. He bites me all the time so I am quite used to it now, but this time he wouldn’t let go. If I give him a piece of bread he swallows it whole and then tries to eat my arm. He has trained all of the others to hiss at the peacocks so I am not quite sure why I remain his primary target; I think it’s probably jealousy.

Of course it’s jealousy – yes! I should have realized it before. Godfrey cannot bear it that ‘his’ gang love me more than they love him. They are actually beginning to get sick of his autocratic, dictatorial bossiness. This theory was well and truly confirmed when Woodroffe came to see me a few seconds later to apologize on Godfrey’s behalf and to explain how careful they have to be not to annoy him.

“I love you, Julie,” he whispered.

“I love you too, Woody,” I whispered back, stroking his feathers.

Wings

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Morning magic

by jmgoyder

Wings

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Afternoon antics

by jmgoyder

Wings

47 Comments »

The wonderful incongruence of friendship

by jmgoyder

Odd friendships (Emery 2 and Baby Turkey)

Intimidating friendships (Bubble 1 and Uluru)

Alliance friendships (Tapper and one of the guinneas)

Fashion friendships (Tina Turner and Phoenix 1)

Uneasy friendships (Queenie and Phoenix 1)

Terrifying friendships (Doc with the two Bubbles)

Supervised friendships (The Bubbles, Baby Turkey and Jack)

Childhood friendships (Zaruma 1 and Bubble 1)

Avocado tree friendships (Phoenix 1 and King)

Animal Friendship Wings

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Six new chooks!

by jmgoyder

In the interests of equalizing the male/female ratio here, I have now purchased six pullets (‘teenage’ hens about to lay eggs) and have confined them to the original chook pen where they are adjusting with a mixture of trepidation and delight. Surrounded by peafowl and guinnea fowl – who fly in and out of the pen whenever they feel like it – the six new chooks are experiencing a kind of culture shock I guess. All four roosters are not allowed into the pen yet so they cockadoodledoo outside the pen constantly but they don’t seem particularly amorous, more curious – maybe even alarmed.

One of my BFFs (being acronymically challenged, I didn’t even know what this meant until last week) helped me pick the new chooks up and gave me some chook advice, as she has had chooks for years.

Daffy wants to join the newbies since Dotty, his ‘wife’ seems to have disappeared. I suspect she is sitting on eggs somewhere but have not been able to find her and Daffy quacks all day for her – his loneliness is gutwrenching. I hope she hasn’t been taken by that fox.

So – another new poultry mini-chapter. Let’s hope it all works out because I want eggs again!

Wings

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Cleanliness is next to godliness

by jmgoyder

The godly geese!

Wings

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The goose story

by jmgoyder

Thanks to Jane for this link. It is so sweet and interesting!

http://www.wimp.com/gooseman/

Animal Friendship Wings

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Funny incidents

by jmgoyder

FUNNY INCIDENT 1

Anthony and I just had a nostalgic talk on the phone about the Captain Stirling hotel (where he thought he was last night). He remembers vividly his delusional episode which I find rather remarkable. I remind him of our stay there when I was heavily pregnant.

Me: You took me to the cheapest hotel in Perth, with a room that didn’t even have a bathroom so I had get up and go to a communal bathroom a million times during the night because of being pregnant and needing to use the loo. Your were such a tightarse!

Anthony: I thought it was quite romantic.

Me: You really ARE deluded!

Anthony: Remember bumping into Ed in the bar? [distant relation around Anthony’s age]

Me: How could I forget that! Remember how we didn’t understand why the bar was so crowded with middle-aged women?

Anthony: And Ed told us is was ‘Grab a granny night’!

Me: It was appalling! So why did you think you were there last night?

Anthony: Because it looked exactly like the Captain Stirling.

Me: So you’re okay today?

Anthony: Yes, I’m not there today.

Me: Where – at the Captain Stirling?

Anthony: Yes, I’m back here.

Me: Okay, I’ll be in later – I love you.

Anthony: [mumbles incoherently – this is happening a lot now]

Me: I can’t hear you – what did you say?

Anthony: I love you.

Me: Well it’s about time you said that!

Anthony: I couldn’t remember the words.

You gotta laugh!

FUNNY INCIDENT 2:

Ming and I have the usual mother and son conflicts and after a particularly horrible argument, which Ming later insisted on analysing every nuance of until we were reconciled (rather exhausting), we had this conversation-

Ming: Mum, I don’t want to see any of my friends for awhile.

Me: Why? What’s wrong?

Ming: Nothing. It’s just that I want to work on repairing our relationship.

Me: You really are unique, kid!

Ming: I try.

We both laugh!

FUNNY INCIDENT 3

Adolescent peacock 1 [we have too many for me to name them!]: Is Julie watching?

Adolescent peacock 2: She’s trying to take pictures you idiot! Turn around.

White adolescent peacock: I think I’ll leave you guys to it.

Angelina: Those two peacocks are getting very cocky aren’t they, Malay.

Malay: Hey, watch your language!

Tina Turner: Don’t worry, New Kid, around here this is considered normal behaviour.

New Kid: How do they do that feather thing?

Tina Turner: I don’t know and I don’t care!

Phoenix 1: Their need to flaunt themselves deeply saddens me. It’s a sign of the times. I prefer to let my beauty speak for itself.

Adolescent peacock 2: I told you to turn around. Do you think Julie wants a picture of your bum?

Adolescent peacock 1: I can’t turn around because you’re in the way. I’ll try again tomorrow – I’m exhausted.

New Kid: I’m having a bit of trouble adjusting to this place, Malay.

Malay: Don’t worry, New Kid, I was born here and I’ll look after you.

Family LOVE STORY Wings

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Antidepressants?

by jmgoyder

I have now spoken to two of Anthony’s doctors about the possibility of him going on antidepressants or some sort of medication to lift his spirits. The trouble is, of course, that when asked, “Are you depressed?” he immediately says no, without the slightest hesitation. Despite his inability to smile or laugh in the ‘normal’ way anymore, he still has the most amazing ability to remain relatively stable emotionally (it is me who zigzags constantly from one mood to another!) However, it is becoming more and more obvious that not being home is making him constantly sad, and longing for us – Ming and me – is making him even sadder. His head is always bowed right down now (an effect of Parkinson’s and his spinal condition) so that when he stands he is almost bent double and I have to kneel down to look him in the eyes.

When I thought about telling Anthony about my weird dream (see previous post), I anticipated he would laugh his head off because I keep forgetting he can’t laugh at all. Every time I see him I get a shock all over again at how deteriorated he is – and how quiet, sometimes sullen. So this week I am going to organize an appointment to get some happy pills – after all, what harm can it do now? I realize this post may elicit mixed opinions and that’s probably a good thing. I don’t know what else to do.

I’ve been wondering why I continue to love Godfrey the gander, despite the way he bites me all the time (even when I am giving him bread!) and I think it’s because his confidence, his boisterousness and his strut all remind me of Anthony when he could stand up straight.