Out with the old, In with the new

Just be positive, just be positive (sung in the tune of “Just keep swimming” from Little Nemo) is something that I have had to keep in my head today. So, I know I haven’t kept up on my blogging lately. Partially due to me needing to reinstall all programs on my computer b/c of a virus/spybot that downloaded from SOMEONE’S webpage at the end of October made it so I couldn’t even see wireless connects. Once that got fixed, the wireless connection I used from home has disappeared L . No more free surfing from home for me. So, my internet time has had to come from work or parking down by the Wi-Fi’s on cold days, burr... But soon I will have net at home again, not pirated and locked up so it can’t be pirated. Anyway I am getting off the subject of my blog topic. My post is going to basically be the run down of New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Be ready to have the pants bored off of you.

So out with the old, New Year’s Eve:
Fairly typical work day, except it was freezing!!! I fed my 4 birds outside, my one bird, “Chicken”, and the euro rabbit inside. Took care of my mice, did dishes, washed laundry, swept and mopped. Like I said a typical day for the most part besides an alarm going off in the pool house where everything is suppose to be off so gets me why. Because it was so cold I opted not to work on any outside projects, can you blame me! So I put the anesthesia machine away from Saturdays procedure with the Merlin (see hollowhappenings.blogspot.com for the detailed blog on that. In the afternoon I sat down and spent 4 hours on intern packets and working on organizing for the 2008 season that is right around the corner. I decided to knock off a little early from work (that being around 4:15).
So on my drive home I saw a bald eagle sitting in a field about 100 yds from the road, basically over 4 fences and below a pond. I slowed to watch him and thought I should stop he may not be okay. But then thought 4 fences, private property, he isn’t by the road, he should be okay. Got home, showered and started to work on dinner. Then my coworker calls me as soon as I added the pasta to the boiling water. The sheriff had called her b/c someone called Wolf Hollow, couldn’t figure out how to call the pager, call 911 and they in turn called Shona. She told me that there was a bald eagle off of San Juan Valley road and the Sheriff were there waiting for someone from Wolf Hollow. Great, Happy Frickin New year to me! I guess I should have just stopped. I turned off my food and rushed out the door before we lost what little bit of light still available. I met the officer, Scott, and made my way down the steep ditch towards the bird. He just watched me and started to go into his threat display (raising both wings, one higher than the other and making open mouth hissing sounds). I got behind him with my bear blanket to see if he would flee if I gave him the chance. He just hopped along the ground holding his right wing funny, strange since the caller said he was holding his left wing funny. At this point I know I need my equipment. I head out to the Hollow; get an XL carrier, gloves, sheets, and a net. I head back and now Officer Bill is there as well. They look at me and ask where the cavalry was, I said I’m it. Thank goodness the capture went easy and the unload at the Hollow went well too.
Returned home around 6 ish to overly cooked pasta, gave into eat it anyway since I wasn’t going to make anything else. Relaxed at home for a bit and then got ready to go out to hang with some of my friends. Of course I arrived downtown before they did. So, I felt kinda foolish standing in the bar by myself. Well they show up, now I am hangin out with a few beautiful ladies and thought “God, what did I get myself into tonight.” Well the night went pretty well, loads of laughs, dancing, singing... al the typical good night out things (of course minus the mass quantity of drinks b/c of being on call). At midnight I partook in the midnight champagne… bad idea. I headed home shortly after midnight since I had to work in the morning. I was in bed reading by 12:30 and there was an onset of a headache. Then I remember, champagne and my head do not get along, up I go to get Advil to started taking care of it. My head hurt so bad that my eyes were watering and I couldn’t fall asleep. This morning my head was still hurting this morning…

…In with the new, New Year’s Day:
Head ache, check. More Advil, Check.
Drove to work and started a day that I though would be a little out of the ordinary b/c of knowing we would be doing an eagle exam sometime soon. I did my morning check on my inside animals and went to feed unlock the back door and hear water spraying everywhere, but where was it. I looked out past the seal pools and saw the reserve water tanks with a pipe spurting water. I couldn’t remember where the shut off was located. Luckily Shona walked in the door and knew. I donned on a long rain slicker, dug in the pipe, under about an inch of sludge, under where the water was spurting. I turned the handle, no luck. I walked away, pants soaked from the knees down. Got to the door and thought, wait... lefty loosey, righty tighty… shit I turned it the wrong way. Shona laughed at me and followed me out to relish in my stupidity. Turning it the right direction, past the original location the water fountain stopped. Okay, crisis one diverted. Went inside and wiped my pants down with a towel to remove the excess water from them. Ugh, great now I am soaked.
Finished morning feeds and onto the eagle exam. He was very docile during capture again and didn’t struggle much during exam. He wasn’t too thrilled about me stretching out his left wing though. After the exam I couldn’t seriously find anything wrong with him. I was baffled, off course we had to wait for him to poop to know for sure. Fed him a few pieces of venison. News flash, even if you wearing a glove an eagle beak clamping down on your thumb nail still doesn’t feel good. Set him up in the indoor mew and he just sat there and watched us. No effort to move to a perch nothing. Weird!!! Well later he pooped!! Sad, that got me happy, /sigh, but the color closely resembled that of the mint/avocado green appliances of the 50’s. Not good, means he possibly, I stress possibly, ingested a poison, most likely second hand.
Rest of the day was spent figuring out what things I need to change over with the New Year. New animal Master log for 08 sequence number... gotta make. Updating database, okay. Listing out 2007 animal holdovers, okay. Sorting through 2007 animal records, ½ done. Next, working on USF&W (US Fish and Wildlife) yearly report and WAF&W (WA Fish and Wildlife) report, WA check, ready for the mail... aww US about half way done. I knew, but didn’t quite think about all the yearly changes that I would have to do. I still have to pull all the info together for the year end rehab reporting. Besides all the daily activities, projects, organizing for trips, and calling references for perspective coworker and start making calls about on-site visits. Argh... it never seems to end. All this while Shona is on vacation for the next 2 ½ weeks leaving me being on call 6 out of 7 days. Oh what fun we will have!

Seriously I couldn’t make this stuff up! Now I know that I bored the crap out of you. Wake up and go about your normal lives now.