21st century (with waterfowl)

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My health is improving a little, though I'm not sure you can say the same for my sister Julie, who (inevitably) seems to have picked up the same virus that I am battling. 

It seems hard to believe that this month I will be celebrating my 60th birthday.  I remember when I was at school I calculated that if I wanted to see the 21st century, I would have to live to be fifty.  That seemed so far off in the future... !  And today the year 2001 is nine years in the past. Sometimes I wonder where that half century has gone. 

We now have four geese in my backyard as well as the population of chickens that invaded colonised the property from Julie's house.  I've always had one goose, but three goslings were rescued from an uncertain future at Julie's place and have grown up strong and resolute in my yard (where the lawn used to be once upon a time).  The only difficulty is that the oldest goose tries to boss the chooks around, and honks at them loudly if they displease her.  Heaven knows what the neighbours make of it.