Forgive me for I have sinned

It's been way too long I know since I have been here to update you on our journey. Life sometimes gets in the way of other plans. I have now worked for the last 2 years as Senior Educator at TAFE an hours drive away. Been massively busy and time has stood still...literally as I still live in a shed. However we hope to be in the house by the end of the year .... no we WILL be!

Heres an update ... now have 4 cats, 3 dogs, 1 galah, 30-40 mobile lawn mowers (sheep), 2 lizards, 1 snake, 10 odd ducks, 5 geese, 3 goats, numerous chickens, 2 alpacas ...5 children, husband and mother. Since living here we have spotted on the property a koala, wallabies, wombats, possums, frogs, yabbies, many varieties of birds, eagles, echidnas, native mice, ducks, foxes and deer.

Feel more like country folk now , less city-fied. I find myself wondering why people drive so fast, think they are rude if they dont wave on passing by and I smile at everyone as we pass on the street. We never hear cars at night or planes above us and its deadly still and quiet. I still cant bear the thought of guns though or slaughtering our own meat so guess not country-fied enough yet

Will keep you posted

and AGAIN!

Yes thats right ...I adopted another orphaned lamb this one also named Daisy and is Cameron's birthday wish.

Daisy whilst given to us free has cost a fortune as we nurse her back to health. Although she has an identity crisis as not sure if is a dog or human, she is delightful and loves a cuddle . She alo needs to wear clothes to keep warm at the moment so was great fun finally buying baby girl clothes!

We no longer wake for night feeds but she does try and jump onto our beds at night which is ok now but when full grown will be like having a living blanket! She does come on trips to the football with us and walks on her lead and rides easy in the car.

We have also adopted 2 puppies called Maddie and Max and recenly took on 2 newborn goats which also passed away but at least died warm and comfy. I don't think I will ever get used to the sadness of creatures dying but hoping we can save those that can be saved.

I can't believe I did it AGAIN!

You would think I would learn from my last encounter trying to save a sick sheep. After the heartbreak of losing Daisy I swore I would not do it again....until a ewe found its way onto our property and delivered a little baby girl lamb named Flossy....

Flossy's Mum was thin and in poor condition and had not one drop if milk to feeb her baby. We tried to get her to suck and the little bub tried hard to get some milk, so we went and got some bottles and lamb formula and set to raising her. She soon followed us around the house and would cry if we put her back in the stable with Mum, so quickly became our house pet.

Last night I held her like a baby and fed her a bottle and she fell asleep in my arms. I placed her in front of the fire in a laundry basket, all rugged up with a nappy on. She didn't wake to feed and I saw at 2am she was asleeep but moving about. Greg woke at 4.30am and I heard him sigh...Flossy was dead. She was still warm so we tried massaging her chest a little but she was gone and once again we are heartbroken.

It seems that 80% of lambs die if not fed by their mother, no matter what you do. The good news is Mum is still alive and the other sheep we also found half dead has stood up today but I know better than to get my hopes up. I just wish owners of livestock would at least keep watch over and care for their animals. As we discovered next door 4 more dead lambs and a heap more dead sheep. Its not on.

On a brighter note I also saved 9 ducks from the chop as their owner didn't want them. Now we have 11 ducks , 8 chickens and an unwanted rooster but at least they are thriving here. Needless to say I have become vegetarian as I can no longer bear to eat meat when I have so many furry and feathered friends..who knows perhaps I will grow out of it.