On the Farm and Bri's Appointment

The Mallard couple are definitely traumatized.

They haven't come out of hiding all day except to greet us and let us know they were hungry when we were in search of their hiding place.

They aren't "talking" as usual. She walks with a strange, intimidating tossing of her head from side to side, dipping her beak deep into the grass at every step. The cat walked past and was attacked for no reason.
 The drake follows furtively behind dodging into the bushes at the slightest move.

Both gobbled the food we brought to them eagerly. They aren't ready to return to the barnyard and the scene of their children's demise.

Missy says she saw Goldy, her chicken, but I've not seen hide nor hair of her... Actually, I take that back, there's plenty of Goldy feathers littering the barnyard, but it is possible that the dog or whatever it is caught a couple of mouthfuls of feathers.  I don't know. Missy says quite emphatically that  "Goldy got better. Goldy not died anymore, she walking and talking at bunny's cage.She not died anymore."

SO anyways, next year we are getting geese - great big scary ganders that hiss and honk and chase wandering dogs!!

We are more than sure this was not a wild animal's doings. The incident happened between 9 and 10 AM.

***
Today Brianna went to the specialist. They just about drained her of blood for testing. She came out pale, and so dizzy she couldn't see straight. After drinking a cold apple juice handed to her by the nurse her teeth chattered and she shivered uncontrollably. You know what it costs to test 7 vials of blood????!!!!

She's being tested for celiac sprue, B12, vit D, thyroid, muscle enzymes, to name a few, besides being re-tested for the complements C3 and C4. Scary words like fibromyalgia  - the garbage diagnosis for what they can't figure out -are being thrown around. The doc wanted to be encouraging. He said wanted to get her back to playing violin soon and he didn't think whatever her problem is will affect her for life. Nice words, but she still suffers. School work causes her so much pain.

****
Buster went on a date with dad. They biked on the loop trail. It was good. He earned that with ten whole days of awesome behavior... (not all at once, mind you. It took him a month to accumulate 10 days of no crying at all, getting all his jobs done and being obedient and happy.)  Missy is desperate to earn her ten days now. She's getting close. She has been quite cooperative and reasonable this week. I finally found an incentive - a few minutes on the computer playing Buzzy the Knowledge Bug works for both of them when they've been happy and helpful.

***
My fork wound is nearly healed. It still hurts to drive.

***
Brianna, Christina and I plunged in did quite a bit of fall yard work, but it all ended when I noticed I needed to pick a couple of tomatoes.....

 yeah, just a couple.

Been making tomato sauce ever since.