"Ducky...Here Ducky, Ducky, Ducky"

Where could Ducky be? She always comes running when you call her. (She's better than Emma and Tara in that regard!) Where is that chicken? In the chicken coop? No. In the garage? No. In the garden? No.

Hmmmm, there's her new little friend, Napoleon, and they have been inseparable for a couple of weeks now. Remember this post from last weekend? Napoleon belongs to a neighbor on the other side of the woods at the back on the property. Napoleon is Ducky's platonic friend. No hanky panky going on here. He has been a perfect gentleman, and Ducky is a perfect lady.

Why is Napoleon (my name for him - I have no idea what his real name is) hanging around that igloo dog house that my sister bought for the stray cats. Not for Joseph, of course. Joseph has his heated bed in the garage, but Tigger and Joanie are welcome to use the igloo to get out of the weather if they choose. There's fresh hay in there for them to make a little nest and just chill out.

But I digress. Where is Ducky? Is there some hay spilling out of the front of the igloo? Better go and see if one of the cats is in there and if they would like some food... Hey, what's Ducky doing in there? Ducky, come out of there. You have your own chicken coop. Come out and enjoy the sunshine. You don't like being cooped up during the day. You usually enjoy wandering around and...and spending time with Napoleon. Ducky, why are you still sitting there? Why does it look like you have made a nest? Ducky, young lady, come out here right now!
That's it, Ducky. Come on out here. Ducky, are those eggs I see? Ducky, what have you been up to? Ducky, do not tell me that those are your eggs.
TEN EGGS??? Ducky, Ducky, Ducky. In two weeks you will be eleven years old. I thought the time where I had to worry about this kind of thing happening was long past. Loooong past. Just wait until I tell your Grammie and Grampa about this...

[An hour later...]
Ducky, here are your Grammie and Grampa. They are here to give you a lecture. Grammie, stop laughing. Grampa, stop congratulating Napoleon. Grammie stop that laughing, I said. This is no laughing matter! I've just been waiting for this damn chicken to kick the bucket , ahem, for sweet Ducky to go to her eternal reward, so I could turn that chicken coop into a garden shed. If those eggs hatch, do you realize I will be starting all over again? Who knew chickens lived this long?
Napoleon, crowing and strutting around the yard is not helping matters any.

[sigh] Off to do a little reading. Lucky I still have this book that I bought...11 years ago.




Who would have thought I would ever need it again?