Sunday was a very exciting day for me! As some will be aware, I am the official judge of the mice at the Queensland Fancy Rat & Mouse Club and the 7th Feb was the first show for the year.
It rained on Saturday, absolutely pissed down and then again on Saturday night. BY Sunday morning we had 28mls in our raingauge - ir what is left of it after the Major Mitchell cockatoos had finished with it.They're the big white ones with yellow crests and there are about 10 of them living in the area. One of the them has obviously been a pet at some stage, and it stands in the tree outside shouting "Hello!" Of course I answer him and we conduct a rather limited bonding session the morning it comes around :)
Anyway I digress.
We left for the show very early because we have 1.5 hours to drive there, but it was pouring rain when we arrived. One of the rat judges and his wife were there, and had opened the hall so we stood like wet chooks under the porch, waiting to see if anyone else would turn up. Fortunately people started to trickle in late, because of slow traffic and in the end a large number of people turned up, around 12 of which were visitors. Some of them already had rats and were contemplating joining the club, others didn't and wanted to know all about rodents. They came to right place!
Lee, the aforementioned rat judge gave a talk about rats in general and demonstrated how to give medicine to a rat without fighting. The rat he selected was well taught - or bribed - and behaved itself perfectly.
Then a girl from the club said a couple of words about mice.
The judging went well, although we only two mice breeders come. A gorgeous Siamese mouse called Olivia got Champion Mouse in Show. The rats were superb, lots of them - big squishy males, sprightly females - a manx, some hairless - all of them gorgeous!
The journey home was hot and sticky and we were stuffed by the time we fell through our door.
We were just recovering today when the electricty account arrived - $310 for three months! That caused a relapse from which we won't recover until it's safel;y paid :(
WOuld you believe in Queensland it costs $600+ to register a 6 cyclinder car, over $1000 o register a V-8 (which is what our Landrover was when we had it)!
Bloody hell.
Tomorrow I am holding a writing tutorial on behalf of U3A. Two ladies have booked in, so I hope I can impart some sane thoughts to them! At the moment, I have forgotten where I put the book I used to record their names - Duuuuuuuuuuuuh, so they will have to introduce themselves all over again. Makes me look and feel like a dork. Perhaps I can plead a geriatric moment?
Best to all,
Diana
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Personally, and I'm the only one that will say this probably, but I would love to see some pics of your mice and rats. I love rats. I think they're brilliant. Although, I find the hairless variety here in Mexico somewhat pitiful looking. I want to buy them all because I feel sorry for them, but then, what will the snakes eat?
ReplyDeleteann
I'd love to hear what aspects you judge at the rat show: conformation, temperatment?
ReplyDeleteI'm big into dog shows and think it'd be fun to know what you're looking for with your rodent buddies. :)
Tina
How'd the writing tutorial go?
ReplyDeleteCorra
from the desk of a writer