Animals

When your new sibling is actually a duck

by Veronica on March 23, 2012

The thing about having a duckling inside, without any of its siblings, is that it doesn’t realise it’s a duckling. Sure, neither of my other children are living in a plastic box with a sawdust floor, but ducklings aren’t great at seeing the big picture.

Ducklings also have a built in suvival reflex that goes something like “HOLY FUCK I’M LOST AND ALONE, PEEP PEEP PEEP PEEP”. This has enabled me to find many a duckling separated from the mother, all I have to do is follow the peeping.

Unfortunately, the inside duckling sometimes freaks the fuck out and goes “HOLY FUCK, I’M LONELY, PEEP PEEP PEEP PEEP” which doesn’t help me in the slightest, as I know exactly where the little thing is.

It has meant that as soon as the frantic peeping starts, my children race for the duckling box, vying to be the first one to reassure the baby that it’s not alone. My children sit around the box chatting and the duckling tones its peeping down to “hey, I’m joining in the conversation as well” and everyone is happy.

I wasn’t quite sure what I was expecting, but apparently the duckling assumes that my children are its siblings and my children are happy to peep back at it.

Also, while they’re bothering the duckling, they are not screeching at me.

Everybody wins!

Amy is back to school today, which is divine, even though I am now down one duckling silencer. Her ear has improved, thank goodness, and I was delighted to drop her off in her classroom today and then walk away.

I love my daughter, but I really love her being at school as well.

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Ducklings, again. This time, one has a love heart.

by Veronica on March 20, 2012

in Animals

Look what hatched here overnight.

Love the love heart.

Current count is seven, with three eggs to go. 70% success rate at this stage is HUGE and I’m pleased.

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Duckling!

by Veronica on March 19, 2012

in Animals

If ducklings knew anything about the Internet, this one would be shouting “FIRST” in triumph, as the other eggs are only just starting to crack.

I’ll keep an eye on the nest and make sure she sits long enough, but I’m not terribly worried – last time she sat for four days after the first baby hatched.

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I really don’t feel guilty about this at all

by Veronica on February 3, 2012

in Animals, Garden

We were in the garden the other day when Amy spotted two snails having sex.

“Mummy, what are the snails doing?”

“They’re making babies.”

“How do snails have babies?”

“They lay eggs.”

“Oh. And then the babies will hatch and eat our plants?”

“Probably.”

Five minutes later, the snails were slowly going their separate ways (they must have been at it all night to be done so quickly) and the ducks were at the gate looking hungry.

So I picked the snails up and threw them to the ducks.

I’m pretty sure they died happy, if we ignore the moments of terror when first they flew, (snails are not designed for flight, by the way) and then were eaten by hungry ducks.

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Why I’ve resolved to stop thinking so much

by Veronica on January 4, 2012

in Animals

It was 1.30am and I wasn’t sleeping. The heat in the house was stifling and opening the windows only helped a little.

I got out of bed and stood, looking at the streetlight and the myriad moths battering themselves to death against it. Sometimes, the bats will hunt under the streetlight and I will stand, watching, entranced for long minutes.

Last night there were no bats, but the breeze had cooled down and it was pleasant, standing there.

I was busy contemplating everything; the growing blob inside me; plans for the morning; ways to make sure we didn’t run out of chocolate.

Deep in thought I didn’t notice the cat, as she wrapped herself around my ankle and, suddenly, viciously bit me on the toe, kicking her back legs against me for better leverage.

I can only say that thinking is dangerous and you should not do it.

Especially near cats.