Monthly Archives: July 2010

Swimming at Centennial Pool in Greeley

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Today we went swimming at Centennial Pool in Greeley. We took the day off -actually a four day weekend for my birthday- and pretended we were kids again. When Britton and I were both young kids -before we ever met each other- we were probably swimming next to each other every day during the summers here in Greeley. Centennial Pool is THE pool to go to. But I hadn’t been there for years.

They had changed a few things since I had last been there. The water slide is still huge, but it doesn’t land in the main pool anymore and it actually kind of hurts your back to go down it. They added a sprinkler “splash” park for the younger kids and removed the baby pool. It still had the diving board and we went off it a couple of times. Britton actually came up with a new dive -the kangaroo cat pounce dive…lol…I wish I had a camera for that one…but you can imagine.  We brought our niece, Summer along for the fun.


Me and Summer -taller than me!

We swam and played around for about 3 hours, ate nachos with carnival cheese like kids, and went and got a cold smoothie later. I was so hungry and thirsty I just downed that smoothie way too fast and ended up with a belly ache while we walked around Sandborn Park afterward. I actually had to lay down in the shade because the sun was making me feel nauseous.

Even with the weird ending it reminded me of all the summers here growing up. The heat, clear blue skies, the smell of sunscreen and chlorine. That flush of red that makes your face glow and the sheer worn out feeling after a long day of playing. We work so much that we sometimes forget all of this is going on around us. It was nice to get out there and have some summer fun in our own town! 

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I Thought I Taw a Puddy Cat

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Well, I thought I saw a cat the night the chickens were attacked. It jumped like a cat, it was black and sleek, had a long, thin tail and nails that scratched the front of the coop upon its return.  I think I may have talked myself out of it being a cat because we’ve never had any problems with cats and the chickens.  Ever.

I got a trap on loan from a guy I work with and figured we could try to catch whatever it was.


Setting up the trap

First we had to set the trap. On our first attempt we actually caught…Kitty! So we had to bring him inside for the night. Then, about 2:30am, I heard the SNAP of the trap. I ran out to see what we caught. I couldn’t tell right away, but with the mewing I knew it was a cat. I left him out there till the sun rose and when I looked in, it was Atchpay!  Atchpay completely tweaked out, he looks a bit psycho now…


Guess who? Atchpay

This stray that frequents our backyard fits the description of the perpetrator and got snagged in the trap about the same time.  So we decided to relocate him just in case.  He is pretty feral and definitely wasn’t comfortable being that close to me.   We drove about 10 miles north of town.  Cassie wanted to go further, but I felt we had gone far enough.  We will see.


Atchpay’s New Home -A farm field out of town about 10 miles

For those of you that aren’t familiar with how a live trap works, Schnoodle will demonstrate the live trap. We put cheese in there all the way to the back, when she steps on the lever it shuts behind her.

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Ode to Dad

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My dad’s health has been declining further. He is now on oxygen and lots of pain meds. He was diagnosed with colon cancer about 3 years ago and has been going through all the chemo treatments, radiation and other experimental things. The cancer has spread to his lungs and now that he is on oxygen and in a lot of pain; he can’t do much other than rest.


Me and Dad in Better Times. What a team!

It is so hard to see him go through this. All I want is for him to be back to normal. The strong dad I’ve known my whole life. The man who owned both a lawn care company and a law business. The man who could get so angry and also be the kindest person I’ve ever known. My dad.

And I am really lucky to have a dad like this.

I mean not every dad will put curlers in his hair with you!

Not every kid gets to grow up with a dad who not only tells you that you can do anything but seems to live it. From building and remodeling houses to being the pitcher in the community softball team and even being the mayor of a town, Dad could do it all!


The Fam Circa 1985/86

He was always there when I needed him. When I  graduated from kindergarten to when I crashed my first car, when I needed help with homework and when he thought I just needed a good rassle. He was the kind of dad who punished me by having me write essays. And you never knew when he was going to jump up right behind you and SNARL just for fun.


My high school graduation

And as an adult, I just can’t imagine not having him to call and ask advice or talk philosophy or politics or money matters. You know, to just shoot the shit as he would say. It is so strange to see him this sick, listless and without an appetite. He was never sick -as a kid I don’t remember him even having a cold. He was certainly not listless -he was always building or doing something. And as for appetite? He definitely was never one to turn down good food!

I just want my dad for a few more years. We’ve been blessed that in these last three years we have been able to be here with him and appreciate our time together a little more.

Dad, if you are reading this, I just want you to know that I love you so much. I want you to get better soon. I want many more discussions and memories and meals! And if Britton and I have kids, I want you to know them. I want them to know their grandfather. But I guess sometimes life doesn’t always work out just as you want. And if that is the case, please know that I am so glad I had you in my life. I am so happy you are my dad, Dad.

After all, what kind of kid draws a picture like this if not a happy one?


My family

 

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Henhouse Attack

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We had an uninvited visitor to the henhouse last night. Britton woke up when he heard a bunch of screams from the chickens at about midnight. The creature went in the henhouse and attacked the girls. It appears to have pulled out Omelette and then Greenfoot. Luckily, they escaped, but not without the loss of a lot of feathers.  Britton saw it scale the fence. He thought it was a darker color with a thin body and longish tail. We had to coax them all to get back into the coop and actually grab and put Greenfoot back in, she was so shaken up.

We locked up the coop really good and after some tossing and turning, we finally got back to sleep.

Then at about 3am, I woke up hearing the chickens fluttering around and making noise, though not as noisy as the earlier episode. I woke up Britton and he ran to the window. He said he could hear the creature scratching on the coop, but couldn’t get in. When Britton opened the window next to the coop, the Thing took off again right over the back fence to the empty field. Again, a blur.  It makes me wonder where Kitty was when all of this was happening since he is an outdoor cat.


Many of Greenfoot’s wing and back feathers

Losing feathers is actually an antipredation defense to help them get out of the grips of harm’s way. When a predator tries to grab them, the feathers tear loose and all the predator has is a handful (pawful) or mouthful of feathers, but the bird (hopefully, and in this case) survives.


Omelette is missing front feathers


Greenfoot’s wing feathers and some back feathers are completely gone

We’re not sure what it was, but it could possibly be a raccoon, weasel, skunk or maybe a fox, but it didn’t have a fluffy tail or obvious scent, so I am leaning toward weasel or mink. We laid in bed talking about possible solutions for about an hour (until 4am). We thought of making them live in a chicken run, but 1) it’s a lot of work to build one, 2) they will wreck the yard if it stays in only one place too long, 3) I wouldn’t want to be completely locked up my whole life, 4) the creature struck in the middle of the night, so it is unlikely it would come during the day.

We also talked about getting a gun of some sort to shoot it, but we were afraid we might mess up our fence or accidentally shoot Kitty or something. We don’t own a gun, but I can see how a farmer or rancher would need one! We also talked about electrifying our back fence -which might work, but is expensive. We are probably going to try and find a live-trap and see if we can’t catch this thing.

What do you think? Any ideas what it could be? Any ideas of how to get rid of it? Anyone have a trap they could loan us? Part of this was our fault. We had been spoiled with never having an incident so we got lazy and didn’t shut them in securely every night. That might be all we need to do to keep them safe, but I guess it’s kind of like people who leave their doors unlocked every night and then the one night someone breaks in you say, ‘well we should have locked it’.

At least everyone made it through ok. I left Schnoodle outside today to keep an eye on things while we’re at work. Not that a blind, deaf 13-year old dog could be of much help, but maybe it will help as a deterrent. Britton also “marked his/our territory” (peed on the fence) this morning as some of the advice to keep predators away suggests to do.

Argh. What a long, restless night -for all of us.

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