like flower...

Bambi taught me that if you don't have anything nice to say then don't say nothin at all.  I think I need to take that advice today.  I am hurt and shouldn't say anything via blog.  Sorry guys, just gotta follow *some* of the advice that Disney has given me.

babies.

Well, wow last night was a dozy!  It start out pretty smooth, but we (the on call person) got a call from the owner of the house that had the otter kits we picked up.  They were saying the mom was coming around and seem to be looking for her babies.   We discussed the possibility of trying to reunite them in the morning; 6 am to be exact.   So I was relaxing at home watching some tv and got a nice little laugh out of my cat.  She decided that she wanted to be my laptop and crawled in my laptop bag!

Heading to bed dreading the early morning rise I quickly nodded off into sleep land.  I was awoken by my phone going off at 1:30 WTF!  It was the on call person and she was saying the guy was not leaving her alone and calling ever 1/2 an hour and threatening to call the police (like they could do anything).  I decided I would nip it in the bud and just take the otters out then!  He continued to call even after I was in route b/c I was taking to long- it takes over a half an hour to get there and that doesn't account fro stopping to get the the otters.  I set them up where it would be most likely she would come get them.  Home again, all wired I had a hard time getting back to sleep somewhere around 4 am I finally was back in sleepyland.  The bad part, I forgot to reset my alarm so I woke up thinking it was quite bright outside and found I was then late for work.  I headed out the door in under 5 minutes, getting to work and calling to find out about the otters.  Mom didn't come back and they wanted to try again tonight.  At this point us at center decided it was best to abort the reunite plan, they weren't exactly happy about it, but we weren't excited they decided to close off the access to the den from the mom.  

Back to center we got them cleaned up, warmed up, and food into their bellies!

I was off kilter all day b/c of the late run, and then the late start so I wondered around and did some projects that have been on my personal list of things to get done.  I even went and peeked at the baby barn owls, they are really changing from the last time I put pics up.  Their outer down is starting drop off and real feathers are starting to go.

Now I have to figure out what to eat for dinner and will have to do a couple of night feeds for the otters that are in an incubator in my bathroom.  I am really fearful that I won't make it to midnight for their last feed.  It is going to be a long night!

Happy Easter

Well, I had a good trip off island, it was basically a trip of playing Cinderella at my brother's house, but that is okay it was a change of scene and also gave me some Rock Band time.  I know I sound like a pretty big nerd with the video games, but something about this game appeals to me... Hell, it is a video game, and does involve music what more could I want (okay you can play dress up and put tattoos on your characters too so hey).  

My trip was pretty uneventful coming back.  I stopped and picked up a bunny for transport in Mt. Vernon and then off to the ferry where I learned it is getting to be about the time when more than 1 hour will be needed for line up :(.  It was smooth sailing with the sun shining bright and warming me as I sat and read a Patricia Cornwell novel during the crossing.

The smooth water just outside of San Juan Island.

After getting back I settled in for some food before heading down town to listen to a friend of ours play at the local Italian restaurant.  It was quite fun with many of us at the table to cheer him on.  After that the local scene of Herb's was taken in.  I have to say I do have pictures of some dancing but don't feel comfortable posting them without permission.  So yeah. you will just have to use your imagination.

This morning brought rain and cold to the island.  The only thing to lighten it was working with our bunny from yesterday to examine his wounds and do care.  And then midday brought the otters in that we got yesterday.  Shona took them home last night for their feeds and to get them in a stable state before bringing them in for their noon feed to get us set up on the feeding basics of otters, River otters 101!  They are ubber cute and make the sweetest sounds!  Sounds like mom has come back looking for her babies (the hole under the house was being closed up when they noticed the babies... grrr), so I don't know if we will try a reuniting plan.  It is most likely the best thing for the babies, but will be kind of sad for us.  But the whole point of our job is to do what is best for the animals.

The medium size boy.

Another shot of the medium sized boy (no picture of the biggest baby)

The littlest one, a girl.

I hope your Easter was filled with joy.

Quick trip

So, I felt the need to get off the island, but also I generally try to take a trip off island at this time of year.  Normally, it would be the 3rd weekend, but since we have an event next weekend at work, the eagle flight cage warming, I had to choose to come off this weekend.  It isn't a long stay, basically I got in last evening and will head out tomorrow morning.  I have just been doing mundane things, but it just seems different doing at home.

Last night we played some Rock Band, today I got up and got groceries for my brothers house and few items to take home with me.  I figured I would make a "Easter dinner" for tonight and also get an angel food cake as kind of a pre-birthday for my brother and me (the main reason I generally choose the 3rd weekend). More on that later.  Then I spent a good part of the afternoon cleaning, sweeping, dusting, vacuuming, scrubbing (bathrooms & the kitchen), and even spot treating carpet spots.  Then I relaxed with some more Rock Band.

I know I said it was a mundane day:  but as for dinner I made a honey glazed ham, with brown sugar carrots and pineapple. Roasted Garlic Mashed potatoes and buns.  Both my brother and I ate way too much and we will let it sit for a few hours before we go to the angel food cake with cut strawberries and cool whip.  YUM!!

So now that I have bored the pants off of you I hope you are all doing well and keeping yourselves busy.

nothing to add today

Shop class: C+

Well, the past few days have been absolutely gorgeous on the island.  To bad I have had to work, I wish I could say that I have utilized my time outside but I can't really say that, huh?   I have utilized my time at work though.  I built me a new squirrel den box.  I always have this vision that I would be good at that kind of stuff.  I can build things sure!!  Yeah, not as well as I think I can.  I don't know if I just lose interest after awhile.  I measured everything, I cut with the table saw, found screws that would work. Then found out that well one piece was too small, no problem I could use it for another part since I hadn't made the back yet, but now I needed a new top.  I improvised and made made something that would work.  I started to put it together thinking I was staying square to the side, yet on sided ended up not so square meaning I needed to trim off some of another piece to make that side work.  GRRRRR....  I have a finished product, it will work and I will make it work well :)  but it just isn't the prettiest home.  I think I should stick to actually caring for the squirrels that will use it.  PS the front looks so big b/c I used an old den box as my model.  I think I may take the front off and actually cut it down so it doesn't stick up soo far.

  

Squirrel den box to go up on the shelf in the mammal cage, the "door" is shut like when we catch them for release.

Door is open, ready for its first inhabitants.

Other than that not much is new.  We got the Great-horned owl out for release today and we will probably be getting our first baby mammal of the year flown over in the morning.  God bless us the patience to feed cottontails. :P

Sunshine on my shoulder makes me happy.

Today was a soulfully productive day.  I meet up with a friend for 9 am breakfast and then wondered around town for a bit, spending some time hanging out in their shop before heading back towards my apartment.  The sun was out, the temp that was just a touch nippy this morning was starting to warm up.  This is exactly what I have been waiting for!!  The temp was right around 50 degrees, I find this perfect for a nice healthy hike or running.  So I soon picked up Guinness and we headed down to Mt. Finlayson.  I took different trails than I normally do and found that I added a lot more length to the trek.  Half way through before I started the "hill climb" my breakfast decided it wanted to sit like a brick in my stomach.  /ugh  It did make the nice quick pace slowdown a bit, but still was trying to hold good form, plus maximizing the "work" I was actually doing I forced myself to push the best I could.  Here are some photos.

In the interior of Mt. Finlayson.

Looks like evidence of an otter.

A bald eagle flies over me.

One of the several wind blown trees.

See the tree line along the right, my truck is past the end of where you can see and down the hill.  Lovely, lovely hike.  This is around the outside, after the climb.  Probably took me as long to walk this as the rest and this is the "short" leg, but I wasn't feeling well.

After returning back home I composed an email to the person whom I would share the condo that is in question to ask her some questions that are making me a bit unsettled about it.  I can't say that it isn't question out of the norm. Plus, I am a Taurus so I can blame that for not being ubber keen on making changes.  I also called my parents and found out that they are once again being pelted by more snowstorms. Having a lot of nervous energy, I ran into town to pick some things up at the drugstore and back down to the shop to just see how the day was going.  

After a quick shower, it is about time to head for dinner. Pizza seems to be calling our names. 

tough choices

Well tonight I had a tough decision thrown at me.  See an acquaintance has a prime deal on a condo right down town but to be able to afford it she would need a roommate.  As I am not in a lease bond agreement, I opened my mouth and said that.  I love where I live, I love having my own space, and having all of my utilities taken care of except electricity.  It is really cool and actually has a gorgeous deck on the upper level right off of the bedroom, plus a sweet bathroom.  The bad parts: not much in the way of storage, no pantry, no closets, and the bedroom has many angles to the roof line that make it tough to utilize the room for furniture.  There are lots of windows and doors with many "french balconies" or even little balconies.... ugh  decisions decisions to make.  I would save some money if I do it too, but we are talking about it being on the second floor of the condo building and then what was discussed to be my room would be on the second floor of the condo... so moving some of my furniture would be very difficult, as some of it is quite old and old= heavy.  Plus I don't know what I would do about not having a closet, a pantry for food, or all the stuff in my small storage unit on my apartment now.  grrr...

I will have to sleep on this and think it over.  PS here are some pictures of the stair way of one of the buildings that leads across... instead of just walling to the roof hatch they "continued" the stairs into nothingness... great design.

Lyle demonstrates by standing on the last step to no where..

It is like they couldn't figure out how to end the design.  Really there are steps to no where, and alice and wonderland little closets everywhere.

down and out...

but not yet lost. 

I was discussing with a friend last night how this late winter/spring has been horrible weather-wise.  By this time last year we had gone to the disc golf course a few times.   I was taking Guinness to the beach or Redoubt for at that time walks quite regularly.  This year, no such luck.  I can't say that we didn't have our late "snows" last year, it snowed on the open house we had (end of March), but this is getting down right ridiculous.  Even the bar for karaoke was quite empty last night, most likely from the steady downpour of rain.  The next few days show that there is a  break in the weather and I am really hoping that it stays that way.  I would love to be able to get out and do some things outside.  Plus it would nice to wear my new casual athletic kicks that I just got!

I am also hoping with the next few days being decent in weather that we can get the Great Horned Owl out for release.  I am very proud of that little guy and how far he has come.  Hopefully I will come back and he will be gone, but for good reasons.

Remember me, with my severe head trauma and head tilt.

This was me today, with my ear tufts laid back b/c I am pissed off.  He flew around the cage a few times at the aggravation of me being in the cage with him.

is it the quiet before the storm??

Well, I heard last Saturday was a doozy at work.  I came into one less Eagle, a robin replacing the one we had, and the first babies of the year... 3 barn owlets.  Well the last few days have been kind of quiet.  I have been able to even work on cleaning projects and painting projects.  I painted a few doors at the center and have realized there are many touch up spots that need to be done.  I don't think they will happen this year.  I also know that I will have to add painting the quiet room, treatment room, and human kitchen to the list for the winter.  

Sadness has abounded though, we did have to euth one of the baby barn owls.  It came in with a broken wing and over the next few days we noticed that the leg was splayed a bit.  I can't say that it was broken, but we really wonder if the owl had brittle bone syndrome as the radiograph showed the bones really light (possibly meaning they were weak).  

Other than that, I woke to the weather playing April Fool's on us, it was actually snowing!  My truck was covered with a heavy wet smush that I had to clean off before heading to work.  Shortly after I got to work it turned to a heavy thick rain, cold rain... all .... day.....long!  Ugh.

After feeding the critters, including the owls in my "hood" (Shona said I looked like a KKK member), b/c we have a white hood with a owl face drawn on it with eyes cut out for feeding young owls who can be imprinted.   I washed walls in 2 rooms & painted 2 doors that we recently placed windows in.

I haven't been up to much outside of work.  I took Guinness for a walk at the beach on Sunday but since then the weather really hasn't cooperated.  Only getting colder and wetter since Sunday.  Hopefully we get to see the sun again soon.  I really am looking forward to it!