Gibbo is in Hong Kong, making his way slowly back home. He's had four flights to four major cities in four days. He has met with many different people and eaten many different foods, some good, some not so good. He's seen some great things (walls) and some not so great things (poverty). It's opened his eyes wide.
He went out with a Japanese couple in China and they wanted to take him to a Korean BBQ. How multicultural is that?
He has taken some photos so I will be able to do a couple of posts of his adventures in amongst the kids' travels.
Meg is in Prague, soon to head for Cesky Krumlov, Vienna, Salzburg, Munich, Rome...........then the Greek Islands!
Drew is still on the Upper French River at Chaudiere Lodge. He's been gone six months. Meg has been gone two weeks. Gibbo has been gone one week. I look forward to the day all the G type people are together again in the one country (even better, all together in the one kitchen!!).
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Chooks are Stupid
Much and all as I love chooks, sometimes their tiny brains just don't compute anything. Or maybe it's just that I expect too much by projecting human emotions and behavioural standards onto them. Take this morning for example.
Several weeks ago, Gibbo suspected that one of his crele wyandottes had been taken by a hawk. No biggie. Then one day during the week, when I was doing his chooks, she came shooting out from the garden undergrowth, squarking and clucking and putting on quite a turn. Obviously she wasn't stolen by a hawk - she had laid a clutch of eggs and then gone clucky on them. She came out from the bushes to find some food then hightailed it back under and I didn't see her again.
Until this morning.
There she was, sitting proudly puffed with four little legs showing through her breast feathers; further to her left were five fluffy little chicks. Further along again was Poofy. And Coco. And Chloe. And there was me. Can you see where this story is headed?
I surveyed the situation. I thought, "I'm only going to get one go at this". Did I mention I had ten eggs in my pocket (collected from Gibbo's wyandotte and pekin show stock). I'll leave their fate 'til later.
I spent the next fifteen minutes crawling through the oleanders, looking for the others. After searching and finding nothing it occurred to me I hadn't seen Coco for a while so I went looking for her. I found her at the door on the OTHER side of the house, sitting sheepishly on the mat. "Ah hah", I said, "this proves your GUILT. You ATE those two chickens didn't you. I'm not talking to you for the rest of the day".
I went back for one last recon and found the hen sitting quietly in the garden. Strange. I tried to catch her, there was a flurry of wings and feathers and feet - and TWO CHICKENS fell out from underneath her. Coco hadn't eaten them after all! The mother had somehow found and regathered them to her. I caught one of them then went crashing through the branches after the other and slid through the fence to grab him. Victory! I had all SEVEN chickens now. I suddenly remembered all those eggs in my coat pockets and I went to put them in the feed bin for safe-keeping; "that's funny, I thought I had more than that".......then I found four of them on the ground at the fence where I'd shimmied through......three had crush wounds and the other was ok. Poofy had a little mid-morning omelette.
It occurred to me at this stage that I am getting too old for this kind of sh*t. I wondered how I would catch the mother hen who by now was hysterical. I had no chance. Then I figured if I put the chicks in the water container inside another chook pen and left the door open, the mother might go in and I'd be able to capture her. So I did that, then went over the other side of the tennis court where the more civilised (mine) poultry live so they could at least get fed today. After all the goings on on the eastern side I was way behind in my chores. I wasn't in the mood for any frivolity though; the Barnie that had found her way into the white silkies was quickly despatched home and the batch of unruly teenagers (aren't they all) were threatened if they tried to escape. "If you lot escape you'll all be fox bait and right now, I don't care". You may have picked up a pattern here where I have been conversing with the animals. It comes from living on your own.
After feeding my flock I ventured back east and snuck around the corner of the open-door pen.....only to discover....THE DAMN CAT WAS IN THERE, STARING INTENTLY INTO THE WATER DISH. She looked up at me with big round eyes. "Whoa Momma, what are these? They don't look like mice but they sure look good?". I stared back, horrified. I fully expected to look into the dish and see maybe one or two chickens left........but they were all there! I scooped her up and cuddled her and praised her for being such a good girl for not eating ANY of the chickens. I wonder how much longer she could have resisted temptation though?
I carried her back over my side to finish off the watering and take some exciting photos of what was growing beneath the ground (subject of another post).
One last check back east proved that this particular chook has a very tiny brain. There were her seven chickens, cheeping very loudly....and she was still in the undergrowth, no doubt shell shocked. I bet she didn't expect a morning like this when she hatched those seven eggs. Poofy had a close look. Several salivatingly close looks actually.
I took them all into the garage and put them in the bathtub base that we use for newborns. I also added the seven chicks that were born in the incubator over the last few days. So now there's fourteen little chickens in the bathtub, one big happy family.
By the end of it all I was exhausted.....and over chooks for today.
Yes Megan, I did apologise to Coco for accusing her of eating two of the chicks. It's just that previous behaviours of hers led me to suspect her right from the start!
And guess who watched all this from a front row seat.......................she must have thought, "There's that crazy woman again. I hope some of the other hoomans come home soon. Hey Maaaare...calm down eh".
Several weeks ago, Gibbo suspected that one of his crele wyandottes had been taken by a hawk. No biggie. Then one day during the week, when I was doing his chooks, she came shooting out from the garden undergrowth, squarking and clucking and putting on quite a turn. Obviously she wasn't stolen by a hawk - she had laid a clutch of eggs and then gone clucky on them. She came out from the bushes to find some food then hightailed it back under and I didn't see her again.
Until this morning.
There she was, sitting proudly puffed with four little legs showing through her breast feathers; further to her left were five fluffy little chicks. Further along again was Poofy. And Coco. And Chloe. And there was me. Can you see where this story is headed?
I surveyed the situation. I thought, "I'm only going to get one go at this". Did I mention I had ten eggs in my pocket (collected from Gibbo's wyandotte and pekin show stock). I'll leave their fate 'til later.
I lunged at the chook and managed to grab her on the second attempt. I also grabbed the two chickens that were under her. They were so stunned they couldn't run away. All hell broke loose. Chaos ensued. The other five chickens scattered. I staggered on my knees after them, trying to hang onto what was in my hands and grabbing at the escapees at the same time. The chook struggled and threatened to squash the two babies I held - I dropped her - and that was the last time I touched a feather on her stupid little head. I managed to pick up three more of the chickens so now I had five...but I was sure I'd counted seven at the start. Coco appeared from under an elevated chook pen, looking guilty, tail between her legs. "Did you eat anything lately?", I yelled at her. She slunk off. I put the five in a feed bin for safekeeping, then in a water dish (empty).
I went back for one last recon and found the hen sitting quietly in the garden. Strange. I tried to catch her, there was a flurry of wings and feathers and feet - and TWO CHICKENS fell out from underneath her. Coco hadn't eaten them after all! The mother had somehow found and regathered them to her. I caught one of them then went crashing through the branches after the other and slid through the fence to grab him. Victory! I had all SEVEN chickens now. I suddenly remembered all those eggs in my coat pockets and I went to put them in the feed bin for safe-keeping; "that's funny, I thought I had more than that".......then I found four of them on the ground at the fence where I'd shimmied through......three had crush wounds and the other was ok. Poofy had a little mid-morning omelette.
It occurred to me at this stage that I am getting too old for this kind of sh*t. I wondered how I would catch the mother hen who by now was hysterical. I had no chance. Then I figured if I put the chicks in the water container inside another chook pen and left the door open, the mother might go in and I'd be able to capture her. So I did that, then went over the other side of the tennis court where the more civilised (mine) poultry live so they could at least get fed today. After all the goings on on the eastern side I was way behind in my chores. I wasn't in the mood for any frivolity though; the Barnie that had found her way into the white silkies was quickly despatched home and the batch of unruly teenagers (aren't they all) were threatened if they tried to escape. "If you lot escape you'll all be fox bait and right now, I don't care". You may have picked up a pattern here where I have been conversing with the animals. It comes from living on your own.
After feeding my flock I ventured back east and snuck around the corner of the open-door pen.....only to discover....THE DAMN CAT WAS IN THERE, STARING INTENTLY INTO THE WATER DISH. She looked up at me with big round eyes. "Whoa Momma, what are these? They don't look like mice but they sure look good?". I stared back, horrified. I fully expected to look into the dish and see maybe one or two chickens left........but they were all there! I scooped her up and cuddled her and praised her for being such a good girl for not eating ANY of the chickens. I wonder how much longer she could have resisted temptation though?
I carried her back over my side to finish off the watering and take some exciting photos of what was growing beneath the ground (subject of another post).
One last check back east proved that this particular chook has a very tiny brain. There were her seven chickens, cheeping very loudly....and she was still in the undergrowth, no doubt shell shocked. I bet she didn't expect a morning like this when she hatched those seven eggs. Poofy had a close look. Several salivatingly close looks actually.
I took them all into the garage and put them in the bathtub base that we use for newborns. I also added the seven chicks that were born in the incubator over the last few days. So now there's fourteen little chickens in the bathtub, one big happy family.
By the end of it all I was exhausted.....and over chooks for today.
Yes Megan, I did apologise to Coco for accusing her of eating two of the chicks. It's just that previous behaviours of hers led me to suspect her right from the start!
And guess who watched all this from a front row seat.......................she must have thought, "There's that crazy woman again. I hope some of the other hoomans come home soon. Hey Maaaare...calm down eh".
Berlin Update
Subject: Hello from Berlin 29/07/11
Hi all,
Just a quick hello cause I'm really tired. Did a bike tour of Berlin yesterday and saw the Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie, Hitler's Bunker, etc. Took lots of photos again.
On an 8am bus to Prague tomorrow. Very excited.
Not much other news, still raining and cool here.
Love to you all,
Meg
Hi all,
Just a quick hello cause I'm really tired. Did a bike tour of Berlin yesterday and saw the Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie, Hitler's Bunker, etc. Took lots of photos again.
On an 8am bus to Prague tomorrow. Very excited.
Not much other news, still raining and cool here.
Love to you all,
Meg
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
First, We Take Manhattan......
Hi,
We made it to Berlin today! 10 hours on a bus!!! Our accommodation is pretty nice and I have wifi in the room. Another bike tour tomorrow, for four hours! Lots of history and things to see in Berlin. Tonight we went out for dinner with a huge busabout crew, and then went down to the river to drink (you can drink in the street here). A mini bottle of Jager is 3 Euro!!!
Attached is a photo of a bike rack in Amsterdam, a couple of photos from the Heineken factory and a photo of the four of us at the I Amsterdam sign.
We went to the Anne Frank house yesterday and it was incredible. They still have pictures/posters that she painted onto the wall while she was in hiding! It was kind of eerie. We werent allowed to take photos, so none to send. I've take over a thousand photos so far!!!! :)
Not sure what other plans we have for Berlin aside from the bike tour, but we met a lot of people tonight, so that was fun!!!
Love to you all,
Meg
We made it to Berlin today! 10 hours on a bus!!! Our accommodation is pretty nice and I have wifi in the room. Another bike tour tomorrow, for four hours! Lots of history and things to see in Berlin. Tonight we went out for dinner with a huge busabout crew, and then went down to the river to drink (you can drink in the street here). A mini bottle of Jager is 3 Euro!!!
Attached is a photo of a bike rack in Amsterdam, a couple of photos from the Heineken factory and a photo of the four of us at the I Amsterdam sign.
We went to the Anne Frank house yesterday and it was incredible. They still have pictures/posters that she painted onto the wall while she was in hiding! It was kind of eerie. We werent allowed to take photos, so none to send. I've take over a thousand photos so far!!!! :)
Not sure what other plans we have for Berlin aside from the bike tour, but we met a lot of people tonight, so that was fun!!!
Love to you all,
Meg
Dear Family (26/06/11)
Hello Everyone including Stoph
Hope this letter finds you all well across the world!
I am feeling better tonight, my aching head is improving and I feel like I can sit and write to you all instead of going to bed. Both Coco and Chloe slept with me last night but Chloe woke me up at 5am running up and down the bed so she is now banished from the bedroom. Coco gets under the covers and moves around a little bit but isn't a problem.
It is taking me nearly an hour to do all the animals in the mornings because I feel so crappy and go really slow so I don't hurt my head. I banged it really hard getting into the car this morning - it brought tears to my eyes. I haven't been this sick since I had Drew. He was nine months old and I had a sinus infection and Gibbo was playing football in Vanuatu and Mum and Andrew came out to stay with me. Andrew took me to the doctor and I got a pethidine injection - and on the way home, coming up the hill at Colkerri, I thought I was in a jet plane that was about to take off!!
The three little Barnies that were born Sunday night are doing well although I had to tie the legs together on one of them - they were splayed. He appears to be doing ok now. Gotta look after those Barnies hey? Selling 4 for $450 makes them precious. Who would have thought?
A dog at Beaudesert has Hendra antibodies and has to be put down and a horse at Chinchilla has died.
I'm back. I've spent the last few hours updating sliprail with Canadian and European entries. It's taken me ages because I keep losing internet connection. I'm just about finished, just waiting for the Belgium photos to load.
Not much happening here really. We had a disastrous trip to Brisbane on Saturday - we got a flat tyre at Wainui - and the spare was flat. Dave came to help but his tyre didn't fit but he brought a little air compressor with him and the boys pumped up the spare. Martin picked up Meg's car and drove to Wainui to meet us then drove our car back to Dalby. We didn't get to Brisbane until 7pm. By then I had a cracker of a headache and we ate at Coffee Club. I had the chicken and asparagus risotto - it was awful. Pat picked Gibbo up at 4.15am Sunday for the airport; I went back to sleep for a bit until Drewie skyped me. After we chatted I had breakfast back at the CC (pot of tea and raisin toast) then drove home. Didn't miss any turnoffs either Megey! Called in at Binda for a coffee and chat to Desley; she had Isabelle, Georgia and Lachlan with her.
So the last few days have been quiet without you all. My head has really given me grief and my ribs and chest are really sore from coughing but I think I'm getting better now.
Belgium photos have loaded so I'm off to bed.
Miss you all a lot, looking forward to seeing Gibbo in four days time,
Love Momma and Mare
Hope this letter finds you all well across the world!
I am feeling better tonight, my aching head is improving and I feel like I can sit and write to you all instead of going to bed. Both Coco and Chloe slept with me last night but Chloe woke me up at 5am running up and down the bed so she is now banished from the bedroom. Coco gets under the covers and moves around a little bit but isn't a problem.
It is taking me nearly an hour to do all the animals in the mornings because I feel so crappy and go really slow so I don't hurt my head. I banged it really hard getting into the car this morning - it brought tears to my eyes. I haven't been this sick since I had Drew. He was nine months old and I had a sinus infection and Gibbo was playing football in Vanuatu and Mum and Andrew came out to stay with me. Andrew took me to the doctor and I got a pethidine injection - and on the way home, coming up the hill at Colkerri, I thought I was in a jet plane that was about to take off!!
The three little Barnies that were born Sunday night are doing well although I had to tie the legs together on one of them - they were splayed. He appears to be doing ok now. Gotta look after those Barnies hey? Selling 4 for $450 makes them precious. Who would have thought?
A dog at Beaudesert has Hendra antibodies and has to be put down and a horse at Chinchilla has died.
I'm back. I've spent the last few hours updating sliprail with Canadian and European entries. It's taken me ages because I keep losing internet connection. I'm just about finished, just waiting for the Belgium photos to load.
Not much happening here really. We had a disastrous trip to Brisbane on Saturday - we got a flat tyre at Wainui - and the spare was flat. Dave came to help but his tyre didn't fit but he brought a little air compressor with him and the boys pumped up the spare. Martin picked up Meg's car and drove to Wainui to meet us then drove our car back to Dalby. We didn't get to Brisbane until 7pm. By then I had a cracker of a headache and we ate at Coffee Club. I had the chicken and asparagus risotto - it was awful. Pat picked Gibbo up at 4.15am Sunday for the airport; I went back to sleep for a bit until Drewie skyped me. After we chatted I had breakfast back at the CC (pot of tea and raisin toast) then drove home. Didn't miss any turnoffs either Megey! Called in at Binda for a coffee and chat to Desley; she had Isabelle, Georgia and Lachlan with her.
So the last few days have been quiet without you all. My head has really given me grief and my ribs and chest are really sore from coughing but I think I'm getting better now.
Belgium photos have loaded so I'm off to bed.
Miss you all a lot, looking forward to seeing Gibbo in four days time,
Love Momma and Mare
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
My Little Family of Four is Spread Across the World
It occurred to me on Sunday night that, of the six continents in the world, there's currently a Gibbons on four of them - Gibbo (Asia); Meg (Europe); Drew (The Americas) and me (Australia/Oceania). That's quite a spread.
If you listen to my wag of a little brother, we also have Africa covered with the Gibbon monkey.
If the cards fall favourably in the next little while one of us might also cover off on Antarctica by the end of the year.
Who would have thought!
If you listen to my wag of a little brother, we also have Africa covered with the Gibbon monkey.
If the cards fall favourably in the next little while one of us might also cover off on Antarctica by the end of the year.
Who would have thought!
Hello From Amsterdam
Hello from Amsterdam,
It is wild here! We went out walking when we got in yesterday with other people from the busabout tour, and we are staying right in the middle of the red light district!!!! It is insane, there are literally girls standing in windows lining the street. You can smell/see people smoking marijuana everywhere. We tried to go to a bar last night, and the guy told us, "we no sell alcohol, only drugs"...... So we came home!
We did a 23km bike riding tour today in the POURING rain!!! It POURED the whole way around. They took us to a cheese farm and it was pretty cool. I feel inspired to buy a bike and a cheese making kit when I get home!
We're going to the Heineken factory tomorrow and Anne Franks house.
I can't believe I've been gone a week and I can't believe it's rained the whole time!!!!
Lots of love,
Meg
It is wild here! We went out walking when we got in yesterday with other people from the busabout tour, and we are staying right in the middle of the red light district!!!! It is insane, there are literally girls standing in windows lining the street. You can smell/see people smoking marijuana everywhere. We tried to go to a bar last night, and the guy told us, "we no sell alcohol, only drugs"...... So we came home!
We did a 23km bike riding tour today in the POURING rain!!! It POURED the whole way around. They took us to a cheese farm and it was pretty cool. I feel inspired to buy a bike and a cheese making kit when I get home!
We're going to the Heineken factory tomorrow and Anne Franks house.
I can't believe I've been gone a week and I can't believe it's rained the whole time!!!!
Lots of love,
Meg
Bruges, Belgium
Hi,
We made it to Bruge and I have wifi in the reception area, so thought I would send an email with some photos that are a better size! We ate frogs legs before we left France - they actually tasted like chicken but I was kind of disgusted!! They were actual legs, I thought they might just send out meat!
We spent two and a half hours in the rain in queues to get up - then down - the Eiffel Tower - all for 10 minutes at the top!! It was awful!
We bussed it to Bruge, drank some Belgium beer, and were in bed by 8.30. Our room is right above the bar connected to the hostel. Today we went on a four hour bike riding tour of Bruge, drank a beer at the oldest bar in Bruge (1515 it was opened), took a tour of a chocolate factory, climbed the Belfort (366 steps), and went to this old Church where they have piece of cloth with the blood of Jesus Christ on it.
Not sure what our plans are tomorrow morning, but at 1pm we catch a bus to Amsterdam!!
Hope you are all well.
Love, Meg
We made it to Bruge and I have wifi in the reception area, so thought I would send an email with some photos that are a better size! We ate frogs legs before we left France - they actually tasted like chicken but I was kind of disgusted!! They were actual legs, I thought they might just send out meat!
We spent two and a half hours in the rain in queues to get up - then down - the Eiffel Tower - all for 10 minutes at the top!! It was awful!
We bussed it to Bruge, drank some Belgium beer, and were in bed by 8.30. Our room is right above the bar connected to the hostel. Today we went on a four hour bike riding tour of Bruge, drank a beer at the oldest bar in Bruge (1515 it was opened), took a tour of a chocolate factory, climbed the Belfort (366 steps), and went to this old Church where they have piece of cloth with the blood of Jesus Christ on it.
Not sure what our plans are tomorrow morning, but at 1pm we catch a bus to Amsterdam!!
Hope you are all well.
Love, Meg
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