by gillybirds
Writing 101 challenge – Write a post based on the contrast between two things — whether people, objects, emotions, places, or something else.
Today’s twist: write your post in the form of a dialogue. You can create a strong opposition between the two speakers — a lovers’ quarrel or a fierce political debate, for example. Or you could aim to highlight the difference in tone and style between the two different speakers — your call!
You’re sitting on my side of the couch.
no I’m not
You are too.
no, really I’m not!
And get your skinny leg off mine
why are you so grumpy anyway?
I’m older than you, can’t you give me some respect?
but you never want to play! You’re boring
You’re annoying!
Why won’t you play with me? I think you’re great
It’s been nothing but trouble since you arrived. You’re so cute and playful. I’m just old and stiff. I think they love you more than me
but mum adores you! You let her stroke you when she is sitting reading quietly. You protect her from everything. I just drop chewed toys in her lap and steal her yarn. That makes her crazy
Fair point Lucas. That’s all true. Do you remember when you chewed that first edition signed book she gave dad for Christmas?
how can I forget? No treats for days for me
Mind you, I was in the dog house – literally – when I bit dad for trying to kiss mum and he had to get a tetanus shot.
how could you do that? I love dad so much. He throws the ball for me for hours
Chasing a ball is so dull. What’s the point? I’ve never understood it. Best thing to do is lie in the sun waiting for the postman. He loves a surprise!
and squirrels.
Yes! Squirrels!!!
lets go and chase some now. Come on! You know you want to!
Blogging dogs family random musings The Daily Post Writing
by gillybirds
Enjoying the last official day of Summer 2014 Naughty Lucas got carried away off lead jumping through tall grass and splashing across a large stagnant pond.
A quick wash in the sink has left my laundry room in serious need of a wipe down and a trail of mucky paws across the kitchen floor.
Happy Monday!
dogs family nature
by gillybirds
I was hoping that once February came our stormy weather would blow away to somewhere else. You know the weather is bad when a dog bred for the snowy peaks of Tibet starts crying ten minutes into a walk when the rain Is coming sideways at you. Unfortunately after a lovely sunny day today we are heading for a massive storm overnight.
This morning the Gillybirds got to have a long time scampering round the garden in the sunshine, splashing through the huge amount of rainwater lying on the surface. This has been the wettest January on record. I’ve been worried about the hens getting trench foot.
To navigate the garden I have been wearing my son’s size 12 Wellington boots which are easy to shake on and off, they are enormous. It reminds me of when I was little I used to clop around the house in my mother’s fancy stilettos. Only this is muckier.
This morning I was refilling the hens water container and as I carried it back across the grass I stumbled, dropped the 5 litres of clean water and fell right into the muck and puddles, which splashed everywhere. I had to completely change my clothes, and it was only some time later I realised that I had given myself a mud face pack too.
At least I didn’t break or crack the water container. It is important for hens to have clean water, they would drink anything dirty or clean. We are all longing for Spring to come, though it hasn’t been too cold, and we’ve had no snow, we are longing for blue skies, warm sun, and the possibility of walking across dry grass in a pair of stilettos.
hen keeping
by gillybirds
With Gillyboy number two having left school, and number four now aged in double digits we can no longer be classified as having young children. I have always loved babies. I love their smell, their tiny perfect nails, their ancient wise stare, those chubby little wrists…but our family is so busy and our lives full of activities we can all enjoy I am not longing to return to long sleepless nights and the Terrible Twos. Also four children is one more than my car can carry at a time! Enough is enough!
At this time of the year my hen keeping friends are buying new pullets or nurturing their own hens eggs to get new chicks for their flock. It would be nice to introduce some new hens, particularly since our coop is supposed to hold up to ten birds, but our girls are an established flock and we can just about keep on top of using up three fresh eggs on most days. To introduce new hens would take time and may not be successful. Much as I would fancy a little variety by buying a different breed or two mixed in with the rusty Gillybirds. As we have no rooster we can’t breed and incubate our own. Anyway the cost of egg incubators is shocking! And this way of increasing your flock seems to bring its own disappointments.
We had the excitement and novelty of introducing a new puppy to our family last August, naughty Lucas is now about to celebrate his first birthday, bigger and bolder than ever.
And I look after my two year old nephew every Wednesday who has embraced the Terrible Twos with all the energy and determination that a two year old boy can muster.
And I have my gorgeous new niece, now 7 months old, who I get to see on Facebook or for real every couple of months.
At our church toddler group the mums know about my baby cravings and I get lots of cuddles from tiny newborns while they welcome the chance to drink a cup of tea in peace.
However, we have had some new arrivals here at Gillybirds Manor. Unplanned.
You may recall my blog post about a robin who came indoors one morning way back in January. Well, Mr and Mrs Robin found our premises to their liking and have built a nest high in our garage. Once discovered we kept away to leave them to roost in peace. And now we have two robin babies who fly in and out all day long. I’m not sure when they get their red breast feathers but they are tiny wee things just now.
Home Sweet Home for the Robin family
dogs family hen keeping nature
by gillybirds
After a great deal of family discussion, in light of the Vet’s diagnosis for the overweight moving hearth rug that is our beloved dog of arthritis in both hips and a possible heart problem, we decided to enquire about getting a puppy. Tibetan Terriers are not a common breed here so I couldn’t believe it when TT pups were advertised in our local paper. Yesterday we went to meet M, the breeder, and the parents, and the two remaining puppies. Being the only lady in the house(our four feathered ladies belong strictly outside) I had fancied a wee girl doggie. By the time we had driven an hour to the breeder’s home there were two boy pups left. One was black with 4 white paws and a white ring round his neck, the other white with two black ears, a black eye, a perfect black circle on his back and a wee black waggy tail.
It was very difficult to choose. Perhaps bringing Mr Gillybirds and two of our boys was not the best plan as there was divided opinion over which pup to choose. In the end we chose the whiter pup, his markings are very unusual and he was finer boned than the black pup. M the breeder called them Spot and Andy. Spot is now home with us and goes by the full title of
Lucas Domino.
He was born on 22nd June this year making him 11 weeks old.
We are all in love. Even the hens who were so curious when we took him outside for a sniff and a piddle (some chance)
Except Buttons, our 7 1/2 year old TT. No one likes their tail being treated as a chew toy, or being kept awake half the night by high pitched yapping. But I think he’ll come round in the end.
dogs hen keeping
gillybirds 