DianeS - Listeria spreading, culling the rabbits

[moolie]

Great scores!

If the meat grinders are the old school kind, after you've thoroughly washed them, you can boil them in a pot--you'll be amazed at the crud that will rise to the top (says she who knows from experience when she bought a second-hand grinder last year). Mine is great now, but there were little bits that I just couldn't wash off when we first got it so hubs decided to boil it to make sure it was sanitary.

 

[ORChick]

Great deals! Congratulations!
I haven't used this company yet, but I did bookmark this page for when/if I ever need new blades for my garage sale found meat grinders. You might want to keep it handy as well. http://www.sausagemaker.com/meatgrinders.aspx

 

[DianeS]

Thanks, all!

I like the idea about boiling them - I'll definately do that.
And thanks for the link! I'll keep it.

 

[DianeS]

I have lost the cables to my camera - grrrr! So you'll just have to visualize this one.

I have a new frame for eight rabbit cages! I'm so stoked. The rabbit cages had been hanging and sitting in various places in the back yard. Some were sitting on top of unusable wire cages, some were using 2x4s and bricks to elevate them, etc.

We had intended to purchase PVC and build a frame, but the cost was prohibitive.

Then this weekend we walked two doors down to a yard sale and saw a BUNKBED with a metal frame. It had lost one rod that would have helped support a mattress, but that was inconsequential. But it made the price $20 for the whole thing, and they accepted $15! It's a twin-upper and full-lower bunk, and is exactly the right size. My three odd-size cages and one growout cage fit on the top, and four large 36-inch-square cages fit on the bottom. When it comes time to separate a litter of kits from their mom's cage, I can hang a ninth cage from the footboard of the bed with a bit of chain.

There is plenty of room in between the two layers of cages for a second "roof" that will funnel droppings into a bucket. Room underneath the whole thing for a similar setup there, too.

I love the way it looks. Right now it's painted white, we'll be changing that to green at some point in the future. I'm all for stuff blending with the foliage since I have all my rabbits (and chickens) flying under the radar. The new setup is tucked nicely under a pair of trees next to a vine-covered fence. It looks so nice and cool there. The leaves the rabbits can reach will be gone in a couple days, but most of the overhang is far enough away to stay.

Has anyone else repurposed something as a frame for rabbit cages?

 

[DianeS]

Things to do when visiting the Philippines.

1 - Sweat.
2 - Sit inside to avoid the tropical storm that's blowing roofs off.
3 - Squeeze 14 people into a vehicle that seats five, and ride down a very bumpy road.
4 - Kill spiders bigger than my shoe.

Why am I here again? Oh yeah, my husband.

On the other hand, here are other things to do when visiting the Philippines.

1 - Eat marang fruit.
2 - Eat mangoes.
3 - Eat ube ice cream.
4 - Eat very fresh fish.

Who is the wonderful person who brought me here? MY HUSBAND!

 

[moolie]

Sounds like you are finding balance in a totally unfamiliar place, good for you

 

[moxies_chickennuggets]

Things to do when visiting the Philippines.

1 - Sweat.
2 - Sit inside to avoid the tropical storm that's blowing roofs off.
3 - Squeeze 14 people into a vehicle that seats five, and ride down a very bumpy road.
4 - Kill spiders bigger than my shoe.

Why am I here again? Oh yeah, my husband.

On the other hand, here are other things to do when visiting the Philippines.

1 - Eat marang fruit.
2 - Eat mangoes.
3 - Eat ube ice cream.
4 - Eat very fresh fish.

Who is the wonderful person who brought me here? MY HUSBAND!

Nothing quite as good as eating a fresh picked mango off of the tree.

 

[baymule]

Just finished reading your journal. Then this post that does not fit in with all the rest.......I'm reading about rabbits, cages, chickens.........then what to do in the PHILIPPINES? What are you doing there? And why did your husband see fit to take you to the Philippines? Is it work related/honeymoon you never had/cross one off the bucket list/ waiting on a tsuanami/ looking for chickens to import/really really wanted fresh mangoes?

 

[Denim Deb]

Naw, she wanted to do laundry by hand!

 

[DianeS]

Naw, she wanted to do laundry by hand!

That's for you, DD!

Seriously though, baymule, my husband is doing research here for his Master's Degree in sociology. The research is narrowing itself down, and may end up being on the true cost impoverished people pay when they seek health care - even free, government-paid-for health care. Should be pretty relevant with the US health care becoming almost mandatory - will it really give us fewer sick people, fewer people who declare bankruptcy because of medical costs, and fewer unnecessary deaths? We're not sure, and this research could help people figure that out. (And give him a Master's degree, a great stepping stone to his PhD, and a great research reputation in the mean time.)

He chose the Philippines because we found a contact here who was willing to house us and find guides and translators for us. A friend of a friend. I got to come because the tickets were an anniversary present from my husband's aunt. (Yay!) Living here is cheap, even when you're a tourist.

We do interviews every day we can, mostly in the free and low-cost health clinics the government runs for the impoverished. Learning good stuff.

We are here until August 21, so lots of time for me to eat more delicious things. The fruit here is SO good, it almost is a different thing than fruit in the USA. And you can check out my blog, rantingaboutrectangles.com, for more Philippines travel adventures. I have posted about the spider bigger than my shoe on there (complete with photos), but haven't posted about the Ube ice cream yet. I also did what I think is a good introspective post about the differences between saving money as a choice and not spending money because you don't have it. I get thoughtful when there's a lot of quiet.

Hope that clears things up!