Smudge on countdown watch and around the bucket at Poundlane !

Looks like we are on count down watch with Smudge, her temperature has dropped subtly from 37.7 C to 37 C this morning. She seemed fine when I popped off to milking at 5 am this morning , but on my return there was a change in her, when you are close to your dogs, you just notice the change. It can be a subtle as the way they just look at you and Smudge keeps looking or they are just lying in a different place and with Smudge at the moment, rather than be lying at my feet whilst doing this, she is in the utilty resting away from us. This morning whilst outside with all the dogs, although mild for the time of year, its not that hot a dog should be panting and now Smudge is intermittent panting, which to me suggests she is having mild contactions. This morning after coming back from milking a drop in temperature was noted and I then looked at Smudge's notes from her last labour. Last time she whelped (gave birth) three days before her first mating, due date, so that would be pups arriving on Tuesday. The stage we are at now can last 48 hours, she is also digging her bed ever now and then and her notes from her last whelping show a drop of temperature to 37 C  base lined at that and then started to rise with this stage lasting around 24 hours until birth of the first pup.  As always we are all excited at the prospect of the birth and as always it is mixed with a little apprehension to get it all right for Smudge's safety and the safe arrival of her pups.

Its been a bit ranty on the blog lately and thought this might soften the tone. My husband took this little video of me in the kitchen this morning after coming back from milking and walking the dogs,  getting veg ready for dinner. Its all glamour here at Poundlane. We keep a bucket for peeling veg and fruit into and we compost it all. Yes, we eat Brussel Sprouts even when its not Christmas and we love them and as the video will show, Henry also loves them.
You will notice I've yet to get my hair cut, but Tilly is sporting rather a tight hair cut. A couple days ago unbeknownst (Bad parent award for me) to me she had got hold of a pair of scissors from the kitchen and went to her bedroom, to then reappear with a gift for me, a bowl of her hair. What could I do, but laugh, I could hardly get all high and mighty, because I did the same thing when I was about her age, believe me it did not amuse my Mum, as much as it did me when my daughter looked up at me so pleased with her efforts at cutting her fringe, Well, I say, "cutting her fringe", when I should say, "cutting all her fringe off", as there is no fringe left. I had three options, 1, make shift topee with the hair she had cut, 2, comb over with hair at the back of her head,  or, 3,  just cut it all short. I took the third option and you will see the result in the video.  Her siblings are calling her, "Big Baby", which is a character from Toy Story 3. It will grow back, she does not seem worried about it. Walk of shame tomorrow though when I take her to school. Lol
You will notice that my husband is not that good at doing videos, he won't mind me saying that (he has other skills though) and that to start with we are unaware we are being filmed, so hopefully what I'm saying to Henry won't cause to much offence, but I do then say it again, just incase you don't catch it the first time. Henry loves eating Brussel Sprouts, we do make sure its only a couple at a time and apparently that's okay.
Well, I hope you enjoy the video and it don't get much better than sitting round a bucket peeling Brussel Sprouts with your children and your dogs. Might make "Around the Bucket !" a regular feature. Before any one gets all health and safety, no child lost an eye  in the filming of this, on the knife I am holding in a rather precarious position.
Got an inbox getting a bit full with updates and photo's again and will get them all on the blog soon. Will hope to next blog with more news on Smudge.