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Sleepless in the stable I took some vacation time this past week and a half, to oversee the birth of a bunch of lambs. Seventeen lambs to date-- in four days. Now this year's lambing was a bit unique-- you see The Sidekick wasn't here to witness the blessed events. She told everyone she was spending a week on an island in the Pacific. And she was absolutely correct-- on Vancouver Island, visiting her mother. Meanwhile I was at home watching the sheep give birth to their lambs. It was a bit tiring, being on call 24/7, but at the same time, I didn't have to be at the office, so my hours were pretty flexible, and I grabbed sleep when I could. The first lambing was 11:30 p.m. Valentine's Day. Before going to bed, I noticed one was `restless.' I stayed with her. By midnight, she'd had a pair of ewe lambs. I was pretty happy, and moved her to a `lambing pen', where the mother ewe and her lambs could bond. I made the rounds again and returned to the new mom to make sure all was well. She was in labour again. The twins had become triplets. I was delighted-- three ewe lambs. I felt I'd won the lottery. I text-messaged The Sidekick in BC. She replied within minutes. She was disappointed she wasn't there for the 7 Independent & Free Press, Thursday, February 24, 2011 Ted Brown event. So my head hit the pillow at 1:30 a.m. Next morning I was back to the barn at 6 a.m., to check another ewe who looked uncomfortable the night before. I opened the barn door in time to see her lamb land on the floor. Within 30 minutes, a second lamb appeared. Both ewe lambs. It was great. The next four days were a marathon. I checked the barn every two hours, watching the ewes as they gave birth. Meanwhile, The Sidekick was plain miserable, missing all their births. Thursday night, she flew in from Vancouver. As I prepared to leave for the airport for her 12:30 a.m. arrival, I stopped at the barn for one more check. One ewe stood alone, away from the others at the hay feeder. Her udder was swollen and pink. She was close. I drove to the airport, picked up The Sidekick, and we `flew' back. We See MISSING, pg. 8 Are you new to Crystal? Ask about how you can save an additional $250 p.p. SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING FEBRUARY 28, 2011 AT 6:30 PM LOCATION: CHRIST THE KING CATHOLIC SECONDARY SCHOOL - THEATRE ALL ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND Council is inviting those who wish to comment on the Proposed Town of Halton Hills Arena Program to construct three (3) Ice Surfaces (one being to replace Memorial Arena), to attend its Special Council Meeting to be held on Monday, February 28, 2011 at 6:30 p.m., Christ the King Catholic Secondary School ­ Theatre located at 161 Guelph Street Georgetown, ON. A Staff Report will be available on February 25, 2011, online on the Town's Website. Those intending to speak need to register in advance with the Town Clerk's Office: Renée Brown, 905-873-2601, ext. 2333 or by e-mail at: reneeb@haltonhills.ca no later than 4:30 p.m. on February 28, 2011. Discover the Treasures of the Pacific Coast April 10, 2011 Pacific Escape Los Angeles to Vancouver 7 Days onboard the Crystal Symphony Deluxe stateroom $2,695 p.p. + $275 taxes April 17, 2011 Coastal Exploration Vancouver to Los Angeles 7 Days onboard the Crystal Symphony Deluxe stateroom IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO ATTEND ­ YOU CAN STILL COMMENT Council welcomes citizens who are unable to attend the Special Council Meeting to submit your comments in writing to the attention of the Town Clerk, Town of Halton Hills 1 Halton Hills Drive, Halton Hills, ON L7G 5G2 $2,695 p.p. + $275 taxes Exclusive Offers · Free Air (select gateways) · $500 p.p. "All-Inclusive. As You Wish" Spending Credits · Complimentary Pre-paid Gratuities · Onboard Host & festive reception Georgetown - OR All citizens also have the opportunity to submit comments electronically by the visiting the Town's website: Open Saturdays 9am - 4pm w w w. v i s i o n 2 0 0 0 t r a v e l . c o m 905-873-2000 328 Guelph St. Georgetown, ON TICO Reg #50018501 http://www.haltonhills.ca/arenas 24 Fares are per person in U.S. dollars, double occupancy and do not include port, security and handling charges of $275. Economy Class air is included for categories CP-E. Air add-ons for other gateways are available from Crystal Cruises' designated gateway cities. All offers may not be combinablewith other promotions, apply to first two full-fare guests in stateroom or suite, are capacity-controlled, subject to availability and may be withdrawn or changed at any time without notice. Offer is subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time. Other conditions may apply. 1 Halton Hills Dr., Halton Hills ON L7G 5G2 Tel.: 905-873-2601 · Fax: 905-873-2347