Meet the Danish Suabian. They're like the raccoon of the pigeon world. Love the masks on these guys.
DH told me they were a gift. I got a bit suspicious though when he was going to work and not bringing home any money....hmmmm... working off pigeons, maybe, dear?
Anyways, they're here, and I like them. They're bigger than the Old German Owls. Hard to get a picture of because they're always moving.
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Of course more pigeons means we need a bigger, better, pigeon play ground.
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| Before | After |
I like it. It's like a big pigeon picture window.
Aparently DH built the new run-out around the old one. Then he climbed through the window in the old one, chased the pigeons inside and promptly nailed chicken wire over the window to keep them inside. No easy feat this, when pigeons want to be out in the sun it takes some doing to convince them otherwise. "Ha!" he exclaimed, all proud of himself "take that". Then he turned around and was faced with the still intact wall of the small runout...he was trapped....and his tools were outside of the runout...**snicker**.
Can you just picture all 6' 3" of him stuck in that little runout? Needless to say he couldn't save the old runout. Wish I'd of been home to video this adventure.
More Danish Suabian (regular and red versions) pics for your viewing enjoyment.
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"sound like you know what you're doing, until you know what you're doing".
That's our motto at work these days. After a 3 week crash course I'm now fixing, or pretending I know how to fix, televisions, telephones and internet devices.
Mostly I just pray that I hit the right button.
A couple of times I've forgotten to ask if they're calling from their home phone...that's an important piece of information, because it seems that when I send a reboot signal to their modem it cuts off the phone...oooops....hello? hello? hehehehe
Just get through the call, floor support tells us. One call at a time. Remember, they can't see you. They don't know you've got your hand in the air wildly gesturing for help. They don't see it when you open the wrong program. Just make small talk, or put them on hold until you get your balance. Just get through the call. One call at a time.
I find it totally mind boggling that I can push a few buttons up here in Canada and fix a television issue in the deep south.
According to Hubby, I'm apparently starting to develop a slight Southern accent...
I've been yelled at and called some choice names that would make a sailor blush.
I've also made a LOT of people happy. The two sisters, aged 94 and 96, for instance. They'd sat down to watch the tv and it wouldn't work. She told me "all we've got to look forward to at this age is our programs". I took a deep breath and told her "no problem, I can get it fixed for you in no time at all". I hoped...
Imagine my surprise when, 10 minutes later, she announce that it was working again. She was thrilled, and knowing from our conversation during the wait that I was in Canada, announced that "I'd vote for you as President of Canada" LOL!! I didn't have the heart to tell her...
And I moved on to the next call...
And the next...
And the next...
And guess what? It's getting easier, and little by little, I'm beginning to know what I'm doing...
Tomorrow morning I get to go back to work. I still sound a bit "croaky" but at least I can be understood!
Went to visit some new pigeons this morning. Pictures aren't the best, they wouldn't hold still! This is just a very small sampling of the different kinds there are. As always, click on the photo to enlarge.
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So...I started my new job on the 14th. An entire week of intensive training. It went well and I passed with flying colours. Was so looking forward to hitting the phones on the following Monday. Wasn't meant to be though.
Sunday morning I woke up with a cold/bug/virus of some sort and promptly lost my voice. Had to call in sick on my very first day of "official" work. Figures, doesn't it? Had to call in sick on my second day too.
Had Wed. and Thurs. scheduled as my "week-end" so I figured I'd be up and raring to go by the time Friday rolled around. Ha! The best laid plans and all of that. I still didn't have a voice and one can not make a living making and taking phone calls if one can not talk.
Went to the Doc Friday and discovered that I have an upper respiratory infection caused by a virus...which of course does not respond to antibiotics. Doc told me it'd have to just run it's course :(
The wonderful lady at work (is it really work if I haven't even worked yet?) put me on a medical leave of absence. What a way to start a new job! I'm making a super great impression, not!
Oh well, like I told her on Friday....I've got being sick out of my system I should be healthy for years! I've got until Friday to get rid of this virus. I still can't speak in more than a pathetic squeak. I've gone through 3 boxes of herbal tea and a whole hive of honey...
On a "brighter" note DH came home last night and informed me that he bought 2, count 'em, 2, pigs! Thankfully the man he works for is going to keep them at his farm with his pigs in exchange for DH doing the chores occasionally, I just couldn't envision them in with the pigeons! I can almost taste the smoked pork chops now!! How long from piglet to pork chop I wonder?
It all started with me rescuing wild pigeons at work. There was a family of crows that had become very good at catching them for dinner. I saved the ones they couldn't quite catch but were wounded.
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They lived on the porch for a while until we could get a coop built. See my blog post below for that story.
Next thing I knew I was gifted 9 Old German Owl pigeons. They weren't show worthy for various reasons (mostly coloured feathers on their faces). It seems to be, in the world of pigeons, that if you have 2 you might just as well have 11.
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Yesterday DH went for a drive with Jim, the man he occasionally works for, and a pigeon fancier himself. He came home with these 2 Oriental Roller pigeons. Seems that if you have 11 you might just as well have 13. Good thing I'm not superstitious.
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Last night we got a phone call. It seems DH made quite the impression on the owner of the rollers. He'd like to set us up with a "kit" (flock) of Birmingham Rollers. Apparently, the fine art of performing pigeons is becoming a lost art. He's willing to teach us the ropes (he is 82 years young). Seems that if you have 13 pigeons you might as well have 20. I don't have a photo of the Birminhams, they aren't here yet. DH is clearing out another section of the Shingle Shack to make a home for the new rollers.
I do however, have this lovely video showing why they are called "rollers". Please, if you're reading this, take a moment to watch this, they are spectacular, and it's only a 2 minute video :))
I'm really looking forward to learning how to train these talented birds!!
