Tit for Tat

We have a rabbit problem. A big rabbit problem. Most have now moved underneath the shipping container that we use for storage and are undermining the shed but they've left a warren in the back paddock that's too dangerous to mow over let alone allow a horse to fall into. The fuckers have built a warren up the back tantamount to a Florida condominium and bigger than the World Square Apartments in George Street so before I can bring horses back, they need to be demolished.

And I have a horsey problem. My ponies are like Laurel and Hardy. A fat Welsh Mountain pony that survives on an oily rag and is about to founder because he steals food and a neglected Arab who needs a bit of feeding up. In fact Chippy is the only horse that I've seen with a visible belly button!

Old Laurie is doing well on his Coprice diet and uber pricey lucerne hay and the ribs are now covered after just 3 weeks but I need to bring him home to avoid a one hour round trip every night to feed and to cut down on the expense. Having him at home means I can feed twice or three times a day, avoid driving after work and quarantine fat boy.

Ever since the drought, hay has been about $25 a bale (they eat half a bale a day at their current digs) and the Coprice pellets $26 for 25 kilos. Fed at 3 kilos a day, it doesn't go far and greedy chops keeps stealing it. My neighbour has a smaller paddock so I can quarantine fatso Chippy but the two can still hang around and snooze together. They've been paddock buddies for 13 years so full on separation would upset them big time. I know, I'm a sap and they should go to the glue factory but I just canna doit Captain! (Thrifty are you paying attention)

I have an overgrowth problem (nope I'm not referring to a need for a bikini wax although that area could do with some attention given the onset of Spring). The back paddock is looking like a forest so it's $350 to hire a Bobcat and driver to demolish the rabbit resort, another $500 for a slasher to bring the weeds under control . . .hang on . . *brainwave* - Son is a landscaper. Son's boss has a Backhoe and a Bobcat. Horses eat grass ergo no need for a slasher. Well it took a while for the penny to drop - I'm a bit slow on the uptake but Adam finally asked his boss if he could 'borrow' the tools of the trade for some work at home. Thanks Toddles . . .

Here is a nanoportion of the problem:





Imagine getting your fetlocks stuck in that! Let alone the tunnels beneath that resemble the Viet Cong's efforts beneath Saigon only without the wok's and sleeping quarters! Although I wouldn't have been surprised if he'd dug up a few bunk beds and a dining table. The solution? This morning Adam borrowed the work truck (he might be smelly and messy and stink up my kitchen with his garlic addiction but he's mighty handy - he does put the toilet seat down.) . . .

This has to be every little boy's wet dream. A truck, a digger and a Bobcat! (We all know what the big boys dream about!) When he was a tot, he loved playing with his Tonka Diggers in the sand pit and blew raspberry noises until his chin developed a dribble rash. No dribble today. First out came the digger and an attempt to remove an old tree stump that was clearly similar to an iceberg with massive roots beneath so we resolved to paint it orange and leave it be. (Not for the horses, for the tractor - we' ve buggered more than one tractor blade on unseen stumps!)



Then to the serious stuff. About a 15 metre square, now deserted rabbit warren with holes that could easily break a leg if you fell in one . . .naturally whilst painting a blue spray area for the lad to work in, I did! Fall in, not break a leg.


Once excavated, the fun bit . . . out comes the Bobcat which looked like more fun than a ride at Luna Park than a landscaping tool . . Look mum, two wheels!

Fill it in and smooth it over . . . .


Job's done in about an hour but packing up takes about the same time. Fitting a digger, bobcat, drills, bits, wheelbarrows and ramps onto the truck is a precision exercise. First you put the 'bits' into the bucket (which weigh a tonne mind - so of course I watched and took photographs and offered moral support "No wonder you're tired at night sweetheart. I have no idea how you do this every day! *sigh and empathy ooze*) No wonder he's developing great guns!


Then back the thing up the ramps which are about 25cms wide . . .


Then back the digger . . . .

And finally, secure the load . . .


Might seem a little pedestrian to you but today he saved me almost $1000 so board payment is suspended this month! And there's something rather wonderful knowing that a boy who grew up without much male influence is so resourceful and blokey.

The saving on board incidentally gave him enough funds to go out and buy Guitar Hero III and two guitars . . . well deserved twanging to my mind. Well c'mon he could have been an Investment Banker! Thank you darling . . next week we'll fix the fence!

Don't you love the Royal 'we'. Cut me some slack now, I did 10 loads of filthy washing and changed his sheets! That's Tit for Tat in my book!