INTRODUCING (1)..........

The noise in my head earlier was all the small ducks talking at the same time about what they wanted to say and when.  I had to be quite stern with them to get them to be quiet.  Big Duck, of course, was above all of that nonsense and sat back and watched the small ones being silly.  My opinion in all this - and it does count as I am doing the typing because they can't, they don't have fingers - is that the polite thing to do would be to introduce them in their correct order and one at a time so everyone can get to know them for who they are.

Firstly, this is the family photo.  As you can see they hang out in the bathroom, which is a sensible place to be if you are a duck.  Now to the individuals in order of appearance in my life.

BIG DUCK

This is Big Duck and from the previous photo it should be fairly obvious why that is his name.  Big Duck came into my life in August 2006 and as he is the first he will always be special in my heart and the little ones just have to respect that. 

My eldest sister was visiting Darwin, we went shopping looking for a present for her youngest daughter who was expecting her first child.  My sister noticed the duck and pointed him out to me, I saw him and yes, love at first sight, and laughed.  I have a small bathroom and no bath so the thought of making Big Duck mine did not enter the equation.  My sister had other ideas.  It was my birthday in two weeks and so Big Duck came into my life and has been there ever since and will continue to be in my life.  How could he not?

The next thought was where would he live?  As I mentioned I have a small flat.  There being no bath, the only place for him is sitting on top of the washing machine.  Big Duck has never fussed over that, actually seems to enjoy it.  Always smiles at me and that makes me smile as well.

Big Duck has another important role in my life.  He also acts as the washing machine alert.  The washing machine is a top loader and so Big Duck has to shift when I put the washing on.  I have a tendency to forget that I have done this and the washing sometimes is left in the machine longer than it should be.  I discovered that by sitting Big Duck on the toilet seat when I put washing on, at some point later I would ask myself how he got there and remember to hang out the washing.  Simple but very effective.

BLUE DUCK

This is Blue Duck.  I had the fun to buy all the Christmas presents for the staff at the place that I was working in December 2007.  I went through the quite extensive list and had appropriate presents for everyone.  At the last shop I was in, buying the last three presents I had the thought that maybe it might be nice to receive one myself on the party night.  I looked aroung the shop and found Blue Duck.  Small, inexpensive, fun and a friend for Big Duck when I wasn't home.

On the night of the Christmas party after the presents were given out, I had several staff members come up and comment on the duck.  That was great!!! Blue Duck had made his mark and he hadn't even been home yet.

Blue Duck went to Europe with me last year but that is the stuff of other stories.