Travelling Ducks 2008

It is about time that I put up the photos of the ducks travelling with me in Europe as it was in July 2008 - 18 months ago!!!  Lil Duck and Blue Duck travelled with me when I met the kids in Europe.  They both had passports which I had put together for them - how could anyone travel without a passport?  Unfortunately, since 9/11, passport control people seem to have lost their sense of humour and my attempts to have the ducks' passports stamped were met with disapproval - to the point that I felt that if I had pressed any further with my request that I may have been taken away to be questioned as to my motives.

Anyway, both the ducks seemed happy in the bottom of my handbag even if they were not travellers with stamps in their passports.  In the end they are ducks and rubber at that!

INTRODUCING (2)..........

If you have just come in to read this blog, you may need to go and read Introducing (1) first to see the ducks in their correct timeline. You don't need to, only if you wish.

LITTLE DUCK

This is Little Duck and if he was in the family photo you may have been able to see where he got his name from. Oh, he is in the header photo next to Blue Duck. That should give you the perspective. He is little and very gorgeous. He's not in the family photo as he doesn't live with us any more, he's gone back to his real home. He did live with us for about 6 months and went to Europe with Blue Duck and myself last year - as well as my son, daughter and son-in-law. They didn't travel in my suitcase though - my real children I mean. The ducks travelled in my suitcase and in Europe were often in my handbag awaiting photo ops. I think I've mentioned already that the ducks love a photo op.

Anyway, Europe with the ducks is another blog after everyone has been introduced, mustn't break the thread. Also, Little Duck has a very interesting history and I hope to be able to write that for him at a later date.

I must mention my son. I met up with him first in Europe, in Paris to be exact and Alex had to put up with me and the ducks having photo ops - the Eiffel Tower one is lovely. (Are you happy now you have a mention, dear?)

BELL DUCK

Meet Bell Duck. My daughter and I had a few shopping moments in Belgium while the boys did war things - museums, war sites etc. We did that as well and it was very interesting but we also had some shopping moments.

Oops, back to the duck. I found Bell Duck in a wonderful shop off the main drag in Bruges, Belgium - therefore Bell Duck. He's very arty and I thought a great combination with Blue Duck and Little Duck. They all travelled quite nicely together for the last week. That was in July 2008 and he is still with us (of course, he has no reason to leave).

Bell Duck doesn't say a lot, not sure if that is because he speaks Flemish and French as his main languages. I admit to not really checking the extent of his English. Anyway, he doesn't look unhappy and I'm sure he would make it known to us somehow if he wasn't.

TRAVEL DUCK

Travel Duck got his name because he is covered with visa stamps (fairly obvious) but he hasn't travelled with us, he came after we had been travelling. He came into my life via my eldest sister. Thank you again, I am loving the combinations of the ducks and the breadth of their experience. In that respect he HAS travelled as he flew in from Brisbane, via Australia Post and seems quite happy to sit next to the very well travelled Blue Duck.

Oh yes, that was in August 2008.

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.