Nature Can Be So Cruel

We posted about Speckles last Friday and little did we know what we would discover a couple of hours later.  A predator got into the swan cottage and did the most horrible crimes to our sweet Speckles.  Mom had to help her cross. It was one of the hardest things that she's ever had to do in her life but it was the only thing that she could do. The damage was too great.   This happened only a couple of hours before mom picked our dad up at the hospital to bring him home to us. 
The predator did not touch Speckles' eggs.  They were all in the nest exactly as she left them.

The incubator was set up and all of the eggs were grouped inside.  The ones with "F" on them, meant that dad had candled them before he left for the transplant games.  The ones with "J" on them are the ones that mom collected on this horrible day.  They hadn't been candled yet so we didn't know if they were fertile are not.

As mom was loading the eggs into the incubator, she heard peeps coming from inside a couple of the eggs.  She called dad, who was still in the hospital to tell him. Mom also told him that the eggs were rocking and rolling all by themselves.  Dad asked if there were any "cracks" in the eggs.  YES!

How horrible that Speckles babies were going to be hatched less than 24 hours after she died.  She was such a good mom.

 I"m going to be an uncle again!

I'm keeping watch~~

 There are 12 ducklings - an even dozen. 

 One more egg is in the incubator and we think that it's fertile. It rocks but not a whole lot.

 We hope that Speckles knows that we saved her babies and we're taking good care of them.  She was the bestest mom and we feel so badly that she will never meet these adorable ducklings. 

RIP, Speckles.  We miss you and we wish your ducklings could have known you.  Life stinks sometimes. 

Love ya lots♥
Mitch and Molly

InterNational Ice Cream Day

They're saying that today is National Ice Cream Day and we think that it NEEDS to be changed to International Ice Cream Day! 
No way would we miss celebrating this special day!

We hope all of you do too!

So until next time.........

Love ya lots♥
Mitch and Molly

Speckles

This is Speckles.  She is sitting on 14 eggs - some are fertile and some are not.
Dad found her by the side of the road trying to be invisible so no one would find her sitting on her nest.   Dad picked up Speckles, who didn't even try to get away, and then collected her entire nest and brought her and it home and put them both in the swan cottage. 

 She sits on her nest all day long and at night she covers her nest and slips out and stretches her legs and wings and gets some free time for herself.    

 Would you ever guess that underneath those down feathers and straw there are 14 eggs? 

 Speckles has had her fun for the evening. She's heading back home to the swan cottage to eat and drink and sit on her nest. 

Dad estimates the eggs to hatch in a week or so.

***Mom took dad to the hospital yesterday morning.  He was still having lots of pain.  They admitted him and he's feeling better at this point and hoping to come home today. 
Fingers and paws are crossed!

Love ya lots♥
Mitch and Molly

The USA Transplant Olympic Games

Our dad is coming home today.   He's been in Houston, Texas, at the USA Transplant Olympic Games.    He is a player for Team Connecticut.
These are the team colors and shirts for 2014. 

 Each team from all over the country is given pins to trade and collect.   Dad has fun trying to get as many as he can from as many states as he can.

These are pins that he's collected from other Transplant Olympic games that he has attended and participated in. 

These bucket hats arrived days before dad left. Every single one of them was extra-large and wouldn't fit the team members so they're going back but not before we got to try them on for fun!

 This was the schedule for all of the events.   The games began on Friday the 11th and ended on Tuesday,  July 15th with the closing ceremonies.  

Dad was entered in swimming and track and field.   No medals but our paws and fingers were crossed.
Dad says Houston was HOT but he was having a great time ☺

Dad wrote and told us that he came in 4th and 5th place in his swimming events and he said that the high jump was great sailing over that horizontal pole to land on a cushy soft mattress.   But then he told us about the long jump.  Our dad got hurt jumping the long jump.  From what mom told us, it sounds like he planted his shoulders in the sand and jarred his entire body.   He was seen by doctors but he decided to tough out his discomfort.   Monday night, we got a call from one of his teammates that dad was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance.  He was in pain and needed help.   The hospital fixed him up with a sling and meds and discharged him and dad stayed at his hotel room all day on Tuesday trying to feel better for his trip home today.
We can't thank his teammates enough.  They were there for our dad when we couldn't be and we owe them a HUGE thank you for taking such great care of him and helping him out.  Thank you so very much ♥

We've missed our dad.  It seems like he's been gone forever and we can't wait to have him back home with us.  

Hang in there dad.  We're coming for you!  We'll be heading to the AirePort soon and we'll take very good care of you and get you back to 100%!  You can count on us!

We love you, dad♥
Mitch and Molly

Tasty Tuesday

Look what mom brought home for us from the grocery store!

You're not supposed to eat the green part, Molly!

 That's better.  Thanks for taking off the rind, mom~

 This is even better  - all for me! 

 Watermelon is sure the bestest!

Have a tasty Tuesday, everybody!

Love ya lots♥
Mitch and Molly

This and That

We have daylilies blooming in our gardens now~

 And the trumpet vine is blooming too.   Now if mom only had time to sit there for 15 minutes and watch for hummers!

 I'm going down to roll and scratch my back.    Molly says that I look like an uncoordinated moose!

 Do I look like a big goof to you?

 Just drop and roll, Mitch.  It's so easy!  You're trying too hard to be graceful like me and it's just not working! 

 Keep practicing, Mitch!

So until next time.............

Love ya lots♥
Mitch and Molly

Natural Balance Dental Chews

Mr Andrew at Chewy wrote to us and asked us what we would like to taste test for the month of July.   We sure do love getting these emails from Mr Andrew.  It's fun to get yummy and fun stuffs in the mail!

 We chose the Natural Balance Dental Chews.      We know that  a lot of you eat Greenies but our mom won't let us have those because she is always hearing "iffy" things about them so we've never had them before. 

 When Mr Andrew offered us the Natural Balance Dental Chews, mom read the whole package - front and back and deemed them safe!  yippeeeeeeeeeeee

 They are simply WONDERFUL!

 Mom thought it might be fun to work on our interactive game skills.   
 We can't get the dental bone out, mom.  It's too big and it's stuck!

 This is much better!    Molly got her dental chew out in a flash and thought she was going to take my ball.  Nope - not today, Molly!

 These Natural Balance Dental Chews are absolutely delicious and safe.  
Could you slip another one into our fun treat ball, mom - pretty please?

We will be ordering more of these!  Thanks, Chewy!  You are the absolute BESTEST!

So until next time...........

Love ya lots♥
Mitch and Molly