The Big Day

I know it's wordless Wednesday, but I have not been able to follow that edict...almost ever.

So here is what happens.

I took the precious ducks to the school last week, and I will admit to my epic failure in getting pictures. I assumed this task would be easily handled. I was wrong. I failed to take into account that I, as the duck owner, would be the ring leader of this circus. It was my main duty to hold while 80+ kids took turns alternating between complete fear of Conner nipping them, or petting his head.

The great thing about this all was the excitement they all had with the ducks. Many of the kindergartners this year were from my class last year and they loved it! A great many others enjoyed meeting Conner and Sally for the first time. The teachers there marveled in the sheer size of the ducks compared to the tiny little balls of fluff they were when they last visited those many months ago.

I am currently trying to get pictures of the ducks on their first day in the public eye, and I will get them, Ms. Aslinger took several, Josh took a few from my camera, and Ms. Shannon took some as well, all I need to do is compile them.

Now, a note on behavior. Ever since I took Conner and Sally to school I have noticed some things.

- Sally is more irritated by my presence than ever. She simply can't stand my picking Conner up, or trying to pick her up.

- Conner has grown more accustomed to my holding and petting him, and runs away far less than before.

- Conner bites a lot more now, maybe in play, maybe in aggression, of yet I am unsure.

- Conner loves to chase more now as well.

To this end I must bid you all farewell, I have games every night and must ready myself for such events.

Until we meet again, consider this pictureless Wednesday.

T-minus two days until the surprise.

Ok, so in two days, give or take (Wednesday) I am going to do something special with the ducks. This is secret, tip top-utmost-only a few people know-I shall say no more-secret.

Until this momentous event I will supply the world with the latest round of pictures. I do hope you enjoy.




I love this picture. They are deceptively similar in size. However this is an illusion, Conner is actually 64 feet tall.



This one is a bit blurry, and I am not sure why. I blame the ducks and the fact that they are as fast as lightning...







These two are of Conner and me. I am petting him, and trying to get a pine needle out of his bill. If you take note Sally is in the background giving a less than pleasing eye. It turns out little miss prissy does not, and I repeat DOES NOT like being held. In fact she sent me a legal document saying as much.

Also, one other note, if you will notice, attached to my face. Those are chops, glorious, beautiful chops. Gentleman, do not be jealous. They are just chops. You too can have them.




Right, so this one...well, you be the judge. (I am aware that I will[inserting corny joke beware...] that I will be the butt of many jokes after this.)

Conner the Defiant, Conner the arrogant.

Just as the title says, though defiance isn't exactly the word to describe him. It isn't like I expect lots from them, other than simply to live as ducks do, with quacking, feathers, and worms. So to call him defiant might be a bit far fetched on my part. Still, he does defy. To explain I must backtrack and recap.

For some weeks I have been trying to get Conner, and to a lesser extent Sally, to let me hold them without flailing, and pecking. I say Sally to a lesser extent because she is completely oblivious to my attempts and her aloof behavior makes this even more evident. Conner however is a bundle of character and down feathers. He loves to play, and her loves to pretend he is the ruler of some imagined kingdom. When you approach him he just stays out of hands reach, and when you retreat he pursues. It is quite humorous. However recently the humor has become lesser with his new tactic of biting, which I will allow none of. The last straw was when he decided I was the one who needed to be bit. So I scolded him the way any good human father with duck children would: I gave him a gentle tap on the bill.

He was livid, refusing to speak to me for the remainder of the day.

All the while Sally strutted and kept to herself.

The next day Conner let me pet him, but only momentarily. Over the ensuing days Conner allowed more and more contact, which, by last night, all added up to me holding him gently under my arm for about 15 minutes. This is the most he has been held since he was first born. Of course now he is about 15 times the size he was then.

I was pleased.

I've also been debating something, but will need clearance I am sure, and I expect it as well, otherwise I would be worried about the system we are running around her. What am I talking about? I am thinking about bringing Conner and Sally to school. See, in Pre-K we do a letter a week, and we are currently on week B, so in two weeks we will be on week D, discussing, like you can imagine, all things that begin with the letter D. Good idea, right? I thought so too.

Still, I will need to ask the rules on this from our principal. I think she will say yes, as I don't plan on having them here all day, and I won't be bringing them in the building.

My one concern is this, Kindergartners. Aka the Pre-K students from last year who helped hatch our ever loving ducks. I don't want to cause some sort of disturbance, but I would love for them to be able to see how much they have grown, they are, after all, their ducks too, I suppose.

I will talk to the appropriate personnel, and let you know what happens.

Until then, know this Conner has the exact same personality of his father, and Sally, she has someone else's personality. Whose I do not know.