The Evolution of Atlas: A Breeding (and Chat) Thread

[h2oratt]

Good morning!  Coffee is brewing, and I'll get a cup shortly.  Yesterday morning I counted 5 hawks circling in the field across the way.  Then there was the neighbor's dog that ran into our yard.  He ran right back out, but we need to put up new fencing on the front, and put the gate back up.  We had already decided that I will have wired runs, but that removed any notions about free ranging them.  I will also put and electric fence around their area. 

The sand was delivered yesterday.  Dh spent the day spreading the sand.  I helped as much as I could, but that wasn't too much.  I was way to tired, and sore to be of much use.  DD#2, and I had spent Sunday at the coop.  We did a major cleaning, and I turned all the dirt, in the big sections.  I still have one small section to do, but will take care of it the next time I go.  When we finished up at the coop, I colored, and cut DD's hair, then took her back home.  When I returned home, I ran all the wiring, and connected the surround sound system.  Needless to say, I was up all night.  I had about two hours sleep when the sand arrived.  I was already sore from turning the dirt at the coop, and tired from staying up all night.  We both went to sleep very early last night.

Working on my first cup of coffee now.  The cats are out by the pool, and I'm headed that way to listen to the morning sounds, as the world around me wakes up.  I hope everyone has a wonderful day today.

Glad that Hector is doing so much better behavior-wise. 

Wow you have been very busy.

 

[speckledhen]

I have a maran who hold her leg up. We have checked it and I don't see anything wrong. Is this a sign of hock problems? Or just a habit?

Not necessarily an indicator of anything. Many of mine will stand on one leg from time to time. She could have a sore hock from being jumped by the rooster, if you have one-some males are pretty "un-suave" about it, including Atlas and most younger males. Or she may just be daydreaming, LOL.

 

[speckledhen]

I don't usually talk about personal family stuff on BYC, but this one really takes the cake. My husband's brother is 2 years younger, lives in northwestern Georgia, has COPD from years of smoking, among other health (and mental, if you ask me) issues. He's sort of a hypochondriac but still has real illnesses (mostly self-inflicted), if you know what I mean-just like their mother, who died at the age he is now, he gets off on his medical dramas but won't take care of himself, including normal hygiene. Not sure they're even from the same parents, I swear. Anyway, last night, Tom's youngest sister called us. The TN state patrol called her since she was listed as emergency contact. Their brother wrecked his truck somehow, still a mystery, and the police found him sitting at a gas station with his smashed truck in TENNESSEE, with no idea how he got to TN (he lives in NW Georgia, was about 3 hours from his home), almost in Maryville, near Knoxville. He has pneumonia or bronchitis, they thought possible sepsis, but not sure about that now. He was there overnight, both sisters spent the night up there since they have power of attorney over his medical care-his daughter is an RN but she lives in S. Carolina-and I guess my poor husband will have to suffer the 4-5 hour round trip drive to get him, take him back to his apartment which is an hour and a half from where we live and then come home. Tom's back will be screaming for days after this; it's already not good today. He's dreading it, but wants to take some of this off his sisters, who both have full time jobs.

His brother did not have the mind to call either sister or 911 or anything. He had groceries in his truck so he did shop, was supposedly going to pay a cellphone bill on Tennessee Avenue (they found directions to the office written in the truck), then ended way up into the STATE of TN, sheesh. His mind must be going. Definitely his oxygen levels are bad, but he continues to smoke. He's on disability because of the COPD and medicare will not pay for assisted living. He certainly cannot drive anymore. His daughter doesn't want him where she is and I really can't blame her. Thankfully, the THP could not find anyone he had hurt in the crash, nothing he hit, but the windshield was smashed and the passenger door won't work, crunched inward.

He talked to Tom this morning on the phone and apparently he thought we lived 200 miles from where he is in the medical center, not 2 hours, but it seems to thrill him that others must go out of their way to see to his needs. At least, it didn't bother him that his brother would drive 200 miles to get him, drive him back to his apt on the other side of the state from us and have to drive home in pain himself. Their mother was like that, had medical issues, but made them worse by self-medicating, taking meds that conflicted with each other, shopping doctors for more meds and never getting off the old ones, etc. Then, she'd talk about how bad she felt. Me, I'd be completely mortified if I put folks out all the time with my "issues". I say this because it does irritate me when someone won't see to their own needs, refuses to adjust their life to take care of themselves and sees no problem asking for and taking money and time from others who truly don't have it to give. It really is stressful, this situation right now. I know he is sick and I know he is lonely, but I just don't know what to do about him. I can't support a 62 year old man who never grew up and won't even bathe or brush his teeth or wash his own dishes. Sigh. They just can't be brothers-there is no comparison, I swear!

I hope this doesn't make me sound like a bad person, but I have my husband's health to be concerned about, a man who has health problems that are truly no fault of his own and plague him every day of his life. His brother is being supported by his sisters, pretty much, as he was by his own father who died about 2 1/2 years ago of COPD, leukemia and lung cancer. He gets almost as much disability per month as we did on Air Force pension and we supported our dogs and 50 chickens and two vehicles with that, no problem, but he always says he has no money. His father's widow definitely was not going to support that man after her husband died so he latched onto his sisters. One of them even bought that truck for him when his old one quit. It just isn't right, IMO.

 

[GingersHuman]

Sorry to hear what's going on. There's nothing I can say or do to help, so ((((hugs)))) instead.

 

[speckledhen]

Sorry to hear what's going on. There's nothing I can say or do to help, so ((((hugs)))) instead.

Thanks, I appreciate just a sympathetic ear. No suggestions needed. I do vent on occasion, though I try to spare folks most of my rants, LOL. This just never seems to end and no amount of talking-to changes his behavior or makes him understand how much stress he puts on his family sometimes.

 

[holm25]

Cyn I am sorry to hear about all your family troubles... Idk what else to say about it... Not much else to say... Family is a blessing but can also be a burden... I hate to say burden but idk what else you could call it...

 

[robhuncor]

It sounds like he might have had a memory lapse problem. And also it sounds like someone hit him and left the scene - unless he went off the road, sideswiped something, then back on. In any case, he needs supervision. Whatever family member takes charge should probably talk to a senior advocate/Medicare specialist to see what's available for him. He may also be eligible for Medicaid. The advocate would be able to help with any other benefits he might be eligible for that he is not now receiving and also if that includes any sort of assisted living. Usually those advocates' services are free.

 

[speckledhen]

Cyn I am sorry to hear about all your family troubles... Idk what else to say about it... Not much else to say... Family is a blessing but can also be a burden... I hate to say burden but idk what else you could call it...

You're right. Thanks, honey.

It sounds like he might have had a memory lapse problem. And also it sounds like someone hit him and left the scene - unless he went off the road, sideswiped something, then back on. In any case, he needs supervision. Whatever family member takes charge should probably talk to a senior advocate/Medicare specialist to see what's available for him. He may also be eligible for Medicaid. The advocate would be able to help with any other benefits he might be eligible for that he is not now receiving and also if that includes any sort of assisted living. Usually those advocates' services are free.

He's on Medicaid disability now, paid by the state. He had some in-home care, someone to check on him once a week, but he let her go after a couple of weeks. He doesn't want a stranger, he wants family to support him financially. Even my own sons know they are expected to stand on their own two feet and have been from the time they graduated from college, but he just never seems to mature. He wants to be a burden, it seems from his actions.

The HP searched the route and they can't find anything he hit or anyone. And no reports were made about whatever happened, either. Makes me wonder if a deer hit him or vice versa, but they might have found that if it was the case.

 

[Wyatt0224]

I'm sorry to hear all this. I hope your husbands back will feel better soon. Best wishes for you, your husband and your family!

 

[speckledhen]

I'm sorry to hear all this. I hope your husbands back will feel better soon. Best wishes for you, your husband and your family!

Thanks, dear.


On a positive note, regarding Hector: I was in the lawn chair, Thea in my lap as usual (she is such a baby!), Jill laying on the ground under the chair, Hector standing beside me. He would look up into my face, his eyes just as calm as could be, occasionally, picking things off my rolled up sleeve of my flannel shirt, very gently. He's been a very good boy lately. And he's as wide as a house, looking at him from above, LOL. He still doesn't have a tail, but if you lift the end of the saddle feathers, you can see what appears to be a tail trying to force its way out. I can't wait. I want to see him balanced.