Sheila sent me a photo of Jack receiving his diploma from his friend/mentor and one of the diploma itself. As the writing appears rather miniscule on the blog (or "blob" as Jack will have it) I thought I should fill you in on the actual wording. It says:
Jack has earned his "Jack of all Trades" Degree on April 27th, 2011
Apprentice Electrician; Sous-Chef; Feed Co-ordinator; Inventory Manager; Gate Keeper; Tour Guide; Goat Herd; Shepherd; Pig Wrangler; Dog Trainer; Major Overseer of all things barnyard.
My dear friend is quite a Renaissance Donkey. And a ladies' man, as you can see from the two lovely and astonishingly hirsute female donkeys he has drawn into his circle. Long may he reign over the sanctuary.
The Beauteous One (and Wilson)
I May Need A Decorator...
Very Blue But Quite Roomy
Possible Donkey Cottage?
Wilson's Transient Acne
Pony Composter Supervises Fence Repair
Arrival Of Wilson
Mike Is Reloaded - But What Has Happened To His Tail?
Wilson Hauling a Wide Load
My New Friend, Mary, A Most Capable Driver
Wait, Rosie, Wait!
My First Time In An Indoor Riding Room
The Two-Tone Joe, With Me in Distance
The Magnificent Rosie
Molly and Young Human Discussing Who Will Be Boss...
The Donkey In The Iron Mask - This Should Be Illegal
THIS Is How One Bathes A Donkey's Leg
Saying Thank You To My Friend and Seamstress
Hauling a Wide Load Through the Alfalfa
DOWN WITH DONKEY ROPING!
What He Said!
unkle simon fussin over his nefew oliver
momma sally and baby oliver
baby oliver groomin simon
unkle simon groomin baby oliver
jack givin junior some advise
Quite Capable of Angry Biting Behaviour
Two Insects Attempting to Flee Winter - To No Avail
Still Life With Horse, Human and Door
Human Working, Haflinger Supervising
Do I Look Like A Balding Buffalo Lap Robe??
Shady Character Lurking in Shrubbery
Galloping Donkey Breaking Land Speed Record
Manure Streaked Chester Has No Shame
Innocent Bystander - No where Near Door
Suspect Number Two With Broken Door
Suspect Number One With Broken Door
Chester's "Buried Treasure"
Chester Inspects Harrowing Job (And Shortly Thereafter Rolls on It)
Chester vs Tractor - The Stare-down
Jack Accepts A Non-Vermifuge Offering
Guess Who Always Gets The Last Laugh?
Cute? No, No, Not Cute! Evil I Tell You, Evil!
TJ(Virgil) and Finnegan - Plotting
The Venerable Russell Mule
Simon and O'Sullivan in Their Lounge
Exhausted But Nearly Home
Plucky Donkey Towing Large Load
An Audience of Two
Chester's Dental Makeover
All This Awaits An Unsuspecting Young Chester
Molly & Maggie
Chester on Guard Duty
I'm Never Alone...
An Equine Triangle
Yes, I'm Afraid It's Ice...
Molly, Sally, Sheaffer Tidying Run-In
Sally Unconscious From Overwork
Penny Slaving Away
Sally Slaving Away
Jack Plots His Revenge...
A Most Unwilling Patient
Keeping An Eye Out For Spring
Snow-Covered Donkey - What a Travesty!
molly got an opinion on near everythin
laurel installin th ear mufflers what she made me
me an paul all winterized up
qween primrose al sheila me an paul
herself lookin all squinty and tryin not ta blub all over me
wait im comin!
ridin with th qween primrose
hittin the snowy trail
Sheaffer Portrait
Mosby Taking In Some Fresh Air While Guarding His Ladies
Mosby's Favourite Card - Rather Racy
Jerry And Ben - Ready To Party
The Charming and Debonair Birthday Boy
Just a Few of The Mosby Birthday Greetings
O'Sullivan - Well-Dressed Donkey Sunbathing
Simon - Stylish If a Tad Askew
O'Sullivan - Snug as A Bug
VanaRose - Fully Winterized
Timothy - After First Trim
Stuart - After First Trim
Juliette - After First Trim
Peter - After First Trim
I'm Keeping a Sceptical Eye On The Coming Winter Insanity
Doc, Self-Decorated For Autumn
Jack Soaks in The Pale November Sun
Portrait of Self by Elise Genest
Paula Donkey - Front Feet
Paula Donkey - All Four Aching Feet
Stuart Donkey - Front Feet
Paula Donkey - Back Feet
Stuart Donkey - Before His Trim
Timothy Mule - Front Feet
Paula Donkey - Front Foot
Juliette Pony - Back Foot
I Think They May Like Each Other...
Leon and His New Human - Animal Magnetism At Work
watchin the beeste, waitin ta pounce
doc cant reech the handle on the bak end
A Very Excited Leon On His Way To His New Forever Home
Leon Calling To His New Human
A Most Unacceptable Present
An Acceptable Present
Good To The Last Drop
A Coffee Drinker to The Core
Jack Likes His Tim's Double Double
If Looks Could Kill...
Selflessly Supervising
Composite Sketch of Perp by Doc (He Had a Bit of Help)
Side View of Criminal
Mr. or Mrs. Loon - Not Sure Which
Loon Eggs - Unfortunately Unhatched
An Outrage Against Nature - Not All Loons Reside in The Lake
DOGS went in canoes, Not donkeys, Dogs
Annabelle, Less than a Month After Arrival and Already Much Improved
Simon Introduces Himself to Annabelle and PrimRose
A Much More Optimistic O'Sullivan
O'Sullivan on Arrival - His New Life Begins
My New Amphibian Friend
Arachnid Artisan at Work
An Entire Wagon of Donkey Food
My Friend Smokey Soaks His Ankles in The Independence River
A Much Expanded ChristinaRose
New Face At PrimRose
Team Sheaffer Returns Triumphant
Jack Siphons Watermelon from Alice's Hands
Black Raspberries? No Thank You. Too Soapy for My Taste
Donkeys and Donkey Handmaidens on a Walking Tour - Note Donkey Tails in Synchronization
Molly Examines Parental Unit and Micro-Humans
Small, Striped, Sticky Micro-Human
Donkey Staff In Training
Sheila and Jack Have a Quiet Word
Maintaining My Dignity During a Personal Assault
What a Disgrace
Four (Possibly Five) Sheets to The Wind
A Moment of Striking Lovliness
An Easy and Cheerful Drunk
Leon - Guardedly Optimistic
Annabelle - After Her Refreshing Bath
KristinaRose - Keeping her Strength Up
Annabelle - On Recovery Mode
The Shy and Handsome Leon
Just Waiting - Not Knowing
Little Pregnant Jenny - So Exhausted She Can't Stand
Foundling Donkey At The Auction, Not Knowing His Future
Ahhhh Yes. Sheaffer Donkey, Fire Chief
Felling a Bit Awestruck by The Splendor of THE HAT
The Label says "Made In London" !
L to R Group Photo - Bert, Willy, Marble and Molly In Their Summer Residence
The Very Lady-Like Marble
A Donkey Salutation from Molly
Willy Operates the Red Dispenser
Marble Shows Emi How to Use A Treat Dispenser
doc ona fake brige
Good Night, Sweet Prince
Snow Dusted Greenery in May. Unspeakable.
Avian Robber is Concealed Behind Me
Brighty of The Grand Canyon
Sage and Otis - Two Rare Bears On Their way to Help PrimRose
HIGHLY Recommended. Renews Itself Almost Instantly.
Fragrant, Slightly Soapy Taste but Quite Pleasant
Off Limits! Could Land You in Jail!
A Light Finish After a Filling Main Course of Twigs
This is NOT Grass - Merely a Smelly Imitation
Doc Crossing "White Water"
Giant Ball Flees The Docinator
Doc Tackles the Giant Ball
Studying the Tree Mangling Device
The Chunnel Project Engineers Consult - Feline Engineer Districted by Something Shiny
Aiming for Beijing - Note Cat Behind Tree
Nearing the Equator
Almost there...
Sally Helps With Our Dinner Preparation by Sitting on Cutting Board
Two Supervisors
Doc Likes His Water With Ice
Water Below, Sun Above
Someone Is a Leeeeeetle Too Smug
Lovely, Just Lovely
No Words Needed
Jack and Sheila Reunited
CindyLouWho
Jack In His Plaid Jacket
Molly In the Unnecessary Red Coat
A Veritable Cornucopia
A Taste of Spring
My Bucket Overfloweth
My New Shank - With Nameplate - Worn Casually as a Scarf
My New Shank - Says so Right on It
Some of Us Share
Some of Us Do NOT Share
Our Water Trough in Winter - Unspeakable and Unusable
Penny Celebrates Early
Doc Would Prefer the Antlers - He Finds This a Bit "Foo Foo"
Jack Wishes You a Merry Christmas - Free From Vermifuge and Vitinaries
Festive Kitty Destroys Decoration - Good Kitty!
Festive Feline
Barn Boss
Molly Makes Do
Doc Struggles with Starvation
What a Difference a Year Makes
Seeing Double
A Kitty's Work is Never Done
Dignity Shadowed by Impudence
An Innocent Finn Face
Finn Pony - Struts His Stuff
CindyLouWho - Equine Royalty
Face to Face with a Micro Human
Jack Checks For Food
Small, Sensibly Sized Humans
Molly's Opinion of the Woman's Interference
Doc Is No Longer Allowed To Style His Own Hair
For Buddy
Is Something Following Me?
Ferocious Predator On It's Heated Pad
Ferocious Predator (Having a Rest)
Sally Practicing for Halloween
Jack Storing Some Winter Calories
Our Offer of Help is Rebuffed
The Pause That Refreshes
Mr. Dribbles
The Doc Express
Molly Shakes A Leg
Jack - Please Note Decorative Burrs Above Right Eye
Our Fresh Linens Arrive
The Red Tractor Beast
Eeeeyesss, a Modest but Fruity Vintage, Humble and Yet Strangely Satisfying
Selecting a Perfect Specimen
Landsakes, It's Jest a Plain Old Puffball
Good Lord! An alien life form!
Herself Pottering In a Boat - No Sign of a DONKEY Anywhere
That's Not How You Dig A Trench!
Donkey Superintendents
Tabolinski"s Massive and Noble Profile
The Very Ancient Amos Guarding Blind Patsy
Sancho Taking On Some Dust
Tabolinski
Yes, I'm Afraid it's TJ...
I'll Let the Pictures Speak for Themselves
Our Portal to Adventure Has Sadly Been Repaired
Dish Thingy With Broken Arm
The Humans Inhaling Some Lunch
The Belle in The Bonnet
Donkeys Really Can Smile
Jack in His New "blak" Coat
A Very Happy Old Donkey
Smokey & Tucker - The Pause That Refreshes
Lunch Break
Tucker, Smokey and Molly in Their Motorcoach
Hauling the Woman to Higher Ground
Molly Drains the Independence River
How Clever Is This?
Doc And Molly Love Watching Hard Work
A Thoughtful Gift - And Very True!
Donkey Gladiators
Doc Commandeers the Food Wagon
Doc Creates Some Dust
A Lot of Shiny Nonsense
Sabre Tooth Sally
Fence Post Guardian
Gate Guardians
Al And I Visit The Neighbour's Equines
Joan, PrimRose and Sheila - Just Look at Those Hats! Very Tasty
Willy The Donkey Sent His Human Joan "CompleteCare" and Her Chapeau Was Runner-up In The Hat Competition
Even My Old Friend Smokey Showed Up With His Human, Anne
Winsome Wendy Presents Me With My Three Cakes
Rob on The Mounting Block - Co-Organizer and Announcer
I Receive Comfort and Support from Winsome Wendy and Uncle Ed With Herself Blocking the View
Cindy and June With Magnificent Chapeaux
My Official Photographer
Russel Disembarks Cautiously
PrimRose Herself Arrives With Her Team
Tuffy in His "Fauxbearge" Egg
Fly Veil #5
Fly Veil #4
Fly Veil #3
Fly Veil #2
Fly Veil #1
Overworked and Underfed
Spring Cleaning Is Exhausting
Plumbing The Depths of Aural Itchiness
The Official Invitation
My Gift From Ben & Jerry: The Caption says "To Our Excellent Mentor We Hear And Obray
Doc Calls This "A Red Thing"
Doc Calls This "A Grey Thing"
Waiting For Santa Bunny
Happy Easter?? Don't Make Me Laugh
Words Fail Me...
Bess The Mule With An Admirer
Molly Is Ordering One of These
Willie The Mule
Two Fine Young Competitors
Vision Check For Jack
An Inventory of Jack's Remaining Teeth
Preliminary Rinse For Jack
Drs. Sheaffer & Turner With Assistant Amy
Drs. Sheaffer & Turner
Dr. Sheaffer With His Own Stethoscope
Sally Has Apparently Been Possessed
You Can Clearky See - Four Strands of Hay For Dinner
Jack Spring Cleans His Stall Front
Feet Of Clay
She Can't Prove I Did This
Doc Declines A Good Brushing
The - Ahem - Slimmer Molly
Filthy, And Very Pleased About It
Doc aka "The Mud Man"
Ben & Jerry - Day 2
Beau The Horse Discovers Donkeys
Ben & Jerry Share A Blackberry
Jerry Answers A Call On His Blackberry
Ben Donkey Meets Chance Horse
First Nose Out the Door is Ben's
Just A Few of The Welcoming Committee
They Even Left Business Meetings To Welcome Ben and Jerry
Emi And Her New Boys
Inaugeral Passage Into New Premises
Jerry
Brodie, An Older Resident, Asking "What ARE Those Things?"
Walking The Humans - Ben and Jerry Explore The Large Riding Room
A United Front, So To Speak
Emi, Al, Sheila and Rob - Making A Difference
Who Has The Bigger Smile?
Utter Bliss - Jack and Sheila
Sally Works Out In Her Home Gym
Two Suspicious Characters
Finally, Some Sun
Two Handsome Donkeys, One Bossy Haflinger
My Name in Gold Writing
My First Ribbon
Doc Waylays A Visitor
The Admirable Ed (blue jacket) and Self Reunited
Jack In Charcoal
Penny Breaks In Her New Toy
Sally And Her Backup Mouse
Molly's New Door Sign
A Blurry Sally Working Over Marty Mouse
Jack, Jack & Sheaffer Last Summer
The Jack/Jack Mutual Admiration Society
Airborne Mosby - 34 Going on 4
Mosby's Official Birthday Portrait
Jack Dines Off His Stall Front
The Venerable Mosby
What A Difference A Week Makes
Sally In Her Blue Yurt
On The Windswept Prairie
A Shivery Jack
Mystery Donkey
Sally
Doc Frost
An Enthusiastic Diner - But A Bit Messy
Is My Dinner Cooked Yet???
I Still Refuse To Wear A Coat
I'd Prefer An Electric Blanket, Actually
Solar Powered Donkey
An Address Of Distinction
Thawing Out My Ears
Mary Jane Listens to My Sad Tale Of Life In The Gulag
Jack Chooses A Grooming Tool
Jack Gives Mary Jane A Christmas Hug
Bribe Accepted
A Festive Jack
Photo-op with Bribe
James "Jack" Frost Defaced All Our Windows
The Princess - No Ice On HER Coat
Our Barn Seen Through Layers of Frost
Festive? I Think Not!
NOT Approved by Me
Doc In Basic White
Far, Far Away From The Warm Part of The Planet
I'd Prefer a Bag Over My Head
Jack Tries His Best to Look Festive
The Christmas Floozie
Molly Believes In The Power of Advertising
He Has Absolutely No Shame
Words Fail Me
Jack The Sportswear Model
The Mysterious Flat Man
Doc In His Plaid "Herb Tarlek" Coat
Jack's New Coat - With Price Tag!!
In A Happier, Greener Season
Penny Being Snug/Smug in Her New Coat
Red/Green Christmas Theme
And One More, Blurry As It Is
Why Would Someone Throw Him Away?
The Microscopic Rescue Feline
Molly Gives The Woman The Raspberry
Molly Shares Her Food - She Must Have Noticed My Protruding Ribs
Waiting For The Avalanche
Unspeakable Discrimination
Laying In Calories For Winter
May I Help You?
A Sudden Personal Itch
Autumnal Landscape With Donkeys
A Glamour Shot For Buddy
Jack And The Big Dinner Bucket
Wet Donkey With Appliqued Fall Leaves
A Damp Jack Works on His Haynet
The White Nothingness
The Apocalypse Is Upon Us
AND A Huge Green Tractor in The Same Field - Heaven
The Maw Of The Beast
Alms For the Poor Starving Donkeys?
Beans and Dust - A Magnificent Spectacle
And WHY Is There No Donkey In This Picture??
Sigh, The Adventure is Over
The Extraordinary Ed
Hmmm...This May Be the Door To the Secret Garden
This Must Be The Blue Pacific...
What A Fine Quartet We Made!
The Hairest Attendee, By Far
Receiving My Own Personal Blessing
Bubbles, A Fellow Attendee
Technical Difficulties With My Headgear
"Where's That Damned Chauffer?"
Mutual Admiration Society
Jack Is Very Pleased with his New, Improved Feet
Please Note Doc's Tongue Escaping to the Side
Jack at the Mercy of The Dental Torturers
Refreshed and Ready For Dinner
Jack Catching Some Down Time
It's Back - More Revolting Than Ever
The Evil Eye
The Dynamic Duo
The Noble Nostril
Two Handsome Donkey Gentlemen Consulting In A Potato Field
Jack The Forest Donkey
Dougie - Here is A Thistle
These Bolts Need Counting
Looking Into the Maw of The Beast
Penny Next To Wheel of Gigantic Green Machine
This Is An OUTRAGE
Now It's Just Ruined
A Donkey Could Climb Through There...
Posssible Escape Route Being Cut Off
Annie
Three Amigos On the Fund Raising Ride
Brennan, Amos and Patsy
You Know Who - With Sheila and Wilson
See What I Mean About A Double Standard?
THIS IS NOT FUNNY!!
Award Winning Donkey
Jack In His Shiny New Coat
An Olympic Effort
Jack Being Nimble
Accepting Some Sustenance on Our Long Trek
Stepping Carefully to Avoid Excess Clanging
Three Species Examine A New Potato
Jack Conquers An Irrigation Pipe
Deceitful Bathing Canine
Jack Takes a Therapeutic Dust Bath
Do You Recognize This Donkey?
A Pinup For Buddy
Jack With Tasty Floral Backdrop
A Potato-Free View
A Pre-Inventory of the Potatos To Be Counted
Jack Introduces Himself to Cindy
Thoughtfully Helping With the Cleanup
Saved From Starvation
Slow Motion Inter-Species Tag
Jack of The Jungle
Jack Demonstrates The Correct Chewing Style For Older Donkeys
Two Distinguished Donkeys Dining At Home
As It Should Be
I Am Spotted by Two Parade Princesses
Friends in High Places
Transporting the Tall Woman
A Fence-ful of Junior Supporters
My Entourage at Work
My New And Very Large Friends
Doc Tries To Conceal TJ
Jack & Sheila
Molly's Newly Whitened Smile
A Lick and A Promise
Joined at The Shoulder
Doc And His New Best Friend
What a Ridiculous Height for a Door
TJ Is Watching You - Be Very Afraid
The Criminal Mastermind
Itchy and Scratchy
Alright I'll taste it, but I'm still suspicious
The Damn Thing's on Fire!
You call this a Cake?
The Stare Down
Chief Sitting Mule outsmarts the Foot Man
TJ Makes a Statement
This belt looks a bit loose.
Hmmm, the mixture seems a bit rich...
Cheap Drunk
Molly gets her Teeth Manicured
Looking for Doc's Brain
The Bribe before the Betrayal
Team Auger
NOT a true artist - merely a vandal
Four Million Donkey Power
Old Bug Eyes
Doc AKA "The Doc-inator"
Muddy Mule in Tatty Halter
Doc Examines Footing in Riding Ring
My Most Ambitious Whittling Project To Date
My Best Friend Smokey (oh, and Linda)
Examining My Easter Bucket
TJ Lays on The Body
Deep In Discussion
TJ Ground Tying - What a Show-Off
Small Dog Enjoying Big Snow
The Horror, The Horror
Two Idiots in A Blizzard
Winter Weary Donkey Suffering Stoically
Abominable Snow Mule (Don't be deceived by high cute factor)
Violet the Cat (Bossy, Opinionated, Lives in House)
Importance of Early Education
Suggested Transportation for Longer Distances
Suggested Transportation in the Early Years
Horses Faint from Overwork
Molly the Equi-Vacuum
Resident Canine - aka Penny
Mule or Hinny (or evil equine midget)?
Molly Ignores the Gladiators
Seeking shelter from the storm
East End of a Donkey Going West
Sneak Attack from Rear
The Unholy Trio
TJ wearing shavings
Wowing the Masses
Self in Festive Garb
Sheaffer
Portrait of Self by Elise Genest
10 comments:
Sheaffer, I am delighted to hear that Jack has been rightly been awarded a Diploma for his unwavering hard work - it is much deserved that our elder statesman has been recognised.
I am available at any time to act as a Scottishtranslator. As Dennis emigrated from America as a yearling, I may even be able to uss some colloquial sayings from your part of the world :)
I am distraught that your party has been postponed, as I so wanted the firefighters hat to get another outing. Hopefully, it won't be too long!
Congratulations to Jack - what an accomplishment!
WHOO HOO Jack - we are so proud of you!!!! And a Certificate - wow - its official.
Nothing happening here - wind is blowing like a hurricane as mom puts it. Haven't worked in a few days because of the nasty wind.
Get my hoofies done tomorrow - thats about it for me.
Your fren,
Hi Sheaffer,
Congratulations to Jack -what a worker that boy is!!!! He is amazing.
I have been very busy during my two month stay at the donkey sanctuary. I have helped look after the "special needs" donkeys, I have also helped the farrier, entertained the volunteers and workers and successfully driven everybody crazy. I wonder if I will get a certificate like Jack's!!!
The best news ever - I am going home on Tuesday. I can hardly wait for the metal box on wheels to arrive so I can start my trip. I will miss my mom Bert but hopefully she will be joining us in the near future.
Your Fan,
Willy
Dougie, the electrical human seems rather relieved to have the job done - Sheila says Jack helped him nearly to distraction. Jack may well require your translation skills - Molly, his new large lady friend has much to say and owing to Jack's slight hearing loss, he tells me most of it sounds like "achhh, bachhh, lachhh, brrrr" to his untutored ears. I too am disappointed at the lost opportunity to show off my hat - but I have instructed Herself to store it carefully for it's next official deployment.
billie, Jack is getting rather above himself I'm afraid. Sheila had to have words with him the other day when he head butted her into the round bale in his rush to get to his ladies. His cranium is remarkably hard.
Buddy, thank you on Jack's behalf. He is quite smug indeed...I'm sorry to hear of the monontony of your days - perhaps a short escape to the lawn and fruit trees would be in order? Or a quick tour of the neighbourhood?
Willy, I certainly hope you receive a certificate - the work you have done is stupendous! It will be hard for you to return home without your dear mater but please be stong - surely she will reappear soon. The sanctuary will most certainly notice your absence...I can guarantee that.
Oh my - what an Official and Well Deserved Document for the mighty Jack.
I also am disappointed about the postponement of your festivities, not leastwise because we'll have to wait for the donning of the firefighter's hat. Please keep us informed about the new plans :)
Calm, Forward, Straight - Jack is very pleased with his first diploma and vows to continue his higher education. What next, I wonder? Quantum Physics? My hat is resting comfortably, awaiting it's next airing, which I hope will be soon...
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