Hello Gennym, I'm so sorry to hear about Troy. That is heartwrenching...especially after he overcame so many physical hurdles. I know some people would think we're odd for being so concerned about a duck...but I'm sure you're like me..unable to sit by and watch something so innocent and helpless suffer like that. So, I have a good update on William. I convinced the vet by me to continue where the vet a h alf hour away left off..and taht is to continue w/ the antibiotic injections for th enext 10 days..every other day. Do yo uknow that William has gained almost a pound since Saturday when I have him at the vet? Thats like a person gaining 20 pounds. The day after the 1st injection, he showed huge improvements. He was trying to climb into his drinking water ..so I have been giving him water therapy a few times a day now..he loves it...basically just letting him sit in the kiddie pool and splash around. The antibiotics will continue to clear up his lungs and his eye..but i am still converned about this foot. Sometimes I think I'm seeing some improvement in that he is able to sit up on both hocks..but other times he's still dragging it under him..and it doesn't web out..it's all curled up. The vet today said that even if it is nerve damage there is still a chance he will regain some if not all movement. She said her dog got hit by a car once and had nerve damage and could'nt move it's leg for a long time but wound up regaining use of it. So we'll see... I do think the water therapy is helping the leg and of course is letting him be a duck ..not a chicken sitting in a cage on a pile of hay. I can't believe how much I love this little guy..pekin ducks are so sweet and they seem to have a smile on their faces at all times. Tomorrow or the say after..depending on how he is..I plan to take him into the pasture where his 3 siblings are for a visit. The other 3 survived the ordeal just fine..but William almost drowned. There are other ducks who live in the yard where WIlliams's hutch is..nto sure what kind they are..they're black and white speckled..very funny..they travel in a p ack...they ahve been going over to William's hutch and looking in at him and quacking..so i hoep that is making him feel less lonely. Can't wait to see how the reunion w/ his sibs will go...eventually when he's 100% I plan to release him back w/ them in the pasture. Ok..enough duck talk..i'm a crazie... On to my cat who just had a tooth extracted today and is still recovering from the anesthesia..she's sitting there staring at the wall...poor baby. Bye

I inherited some wild mallard babies last year, and fully expected them to fly off when fall came, but they have stayed and now one of the hens is sitting 18 eggs in my dog's house! (My dog is a witless pug, who doesn't care as long as she gets butt-sniffing priveleges). We just got some Indian runners, (more eggs, less likely to sit) as duck eggs are the bast for baked goods. (including quiches, frittatas, cakes, custards, etc) As long as your ducks are grain fed, the eggs wont be gamy. Of course even if they are fed they'll still dabble around and eat any bugs, slugs, and beetles around. Just dont let them around young plants (they'll trample them) or low growing fruit trees. Especially not anywhere after a heavy rain or watering, as they'll drill holes and eat all the tender young plants and grass. A fence only 18 inches high will keep them in, but not prevent dogs from getting them if they are determined. If they have a pond to flee into, it might be OK, but no way would I keep them without a full fence. Consider Muscovies if you can find them. They tame easily and are very quiet, and the best flycatchers around. Many people think they are ugly because of their caruncled heads (look kindof vulturish). But they have a hilarious frill of feathers on top of their heads that they can raise and lower when agitated- like a mohawk! They also don't have as developed of oil glands so don't need or want as much access to water as other domesticated ducks. Their native habitat is South America, and they have claws on their feet that are a lot larger than mallards (all other domestic ducks are derived from wild mallards). If they decide to be nasty (a lonely drake might) they'll really give a hard time to other animals. Every Muscovy I have encountered has been gentle and tame- far less skittish than my own pets. Get them as babies, or they can and will fly off unless their wings are clipped. I recommend ducks- if not for their use in slug killing then at least for their droll ways. They make me laugh every day, and the children love them.

I call them Dream Merchants. Really they are not selling a product but a dream. Went to one Amway party and the poor presenter spent an hour "explaining" to me that it was not about selling dreams. Alas, the first page in the Amway sales book says you have to "sell the dream". Pretty certain I ruined his Amway career. The scam is to sucker people into selling carp for you. You get them excited about being rich without having to actually work. Show a pyramid chart and talk about the hundred if not thousands of people that will soon be "working" for you. Stop to show some pictures of a tropical beach location. Continue by projecting huge wealth if thousands of people all sell this stuff for you everyday. End up by noting that some people deserve fabulous wealth and it can be theirs if only they cough up a hundred bucks to join your sales team. Not everyone wants to be wealthy so not everyone joins your team.... don't you want to be filthy stinking rich without working? I got sucked in by AFLAC. Fresh out of college and looking for a job anywhere. Being an "Insurance Agent" seems almost like a real job. I actually sold a few dozen policies before the reality set in. Just because you establish a customer does not mean that you own that account. No, your Regional Sales Manager has the right take over your accounts because you fail to sell them more insurance every month. Last sales meeting I was threatening to turn the RSM upside down and bounce him on his head. Had to quit before I gave into violent temptations. : ) lyra

Thank you, Amanda, I'll be sure to tell Ashley. She just keeps getting it cut shorter and shorter, mostly because it's always a different color and she gets "icky" ends. LOL I told her she's gonna be bald soon, but she likes her hair short because it's easier to take care of. She's kind of busy with work and school, but you know that better than anyone, I'm sure. Elery really likes me as a redhead and is trying to encourage me to get it dyed regularly. I just hate sitting still for that hour and a half, so it's probably not going to happen more than twice a year, but thank you. I love the color, I just haven't decided how much I love it, and whether it's worth the time and money in the beauty shop. :-) Annie