Green Acres: The Saga

The last three days have been a blur.

Daily chores include walking, chasing down and feeding five dogs; bottle feeding 1 calf and 1 sheep 3 times a day; feeding chickens and 1 satanic pigeon, collecting an egg or two if there are any (last two days there haven't been, don't know if she's not laying or has found a different place to hide her eggs); letting sheep into the pasture in the morning and bringing them back at night (Mark is an excellent sheep dog); feeding the neighbor's horses once a day; caring for three caged birds; feeding wild birds; checking 5 cows for any new births (none so far); doing what repairs the weather will permit (it rains often and without warning); and handling any emergencies.

Monday night while hunting for cows we came across a sheep that couldn't stand. It took two days for the vet to get out to the farm, so we basically had to bring her down from the upper hayfield in a jeep, find her a comfortable spot in the shade, and bring her food and water as she would accept it. The vet says she's ancient, has a dislocated shoulder and probably a brain abscess. He gave her an antibiotic shot and told us to keep her comfortable. She may get better, and she may not. Yesterday she wouldn't eat or drink, but today she takes water and will eat grain and hay. She still can't stand on her own - only time will tell. I hope she recovers, but I wonder what one does with a dead sheep... I mentioned our lamb with a cast, he looked at it and said it might need to be removed earlier than thought. Also mentioned a lot of the sheep seemed to have footrot (a lot of them are limping) and recommended penicillin for them. Kathy puts this green copper solution on their feet but by the holy skull of Mogg's grandmother, I'll be dipped if I know how she catches them to do it.

Sheep are surprisingly smart when they want to be. The more I'm around them, the more I see that for "dumb" animals, they can be inventive and devious.

Our biggest challenge is the horses Kathy is boarding for a "friend". Her fences are not designed for horses, and they seem to be able to go anywhere they want in spite of our best efforts to keep them in the fields around the house. The foal seems to have a small cut on its foot above the hoof, which may have come from getting over, under or through fences, but it doesn't look serious. I do worry because there's nothing we have done that has been able to contain them, but they keep coming back so I know they know their way around. I can't remember if I mentioned that one of them bit me the other day - we were trying to work in the carport where there's a mitre saw, and I was trying to shoo her out of the way. She whipped around like lightning and nipped my shoulder. No damage, but her speed surprised me. She lost a goodwill point for that one.

Mark and Angela have to head home on Saturday. They are the best people, having them here has been an absolute joy, and I shall miss their company.

It's difficult to get online here with all that's going on. I'm amazed Kathy manages to get a comic out three times a week with all the work there is to do. Large kudos to her.

More as circumstances permit.

Yes or No Meme - Gacked from fearciuil

... who gacked it from a huge lineup of others.

Kissed any one of your LiveJournal friends? — no
Been arrested? — no
Kissed someone you didn't like? — no
Slept in until 5 PM? — no
Fallen asleep at work/school? — regularly
Held a snake? — yes
Ran a red light? — Never on purpose
Been suspended from school? — yes, I'm evil
Experienced love at first sight? — no
Totaled your car in an accident? — no
Been fired from a job? — yes
Fired somebody? — yes. It's worse than being fired
Sung karaoke? — no
Pointed a gun at someone? — no
Did something you told yourself you wouldn't? — all the time
Laughed until something you were drinking came out your nose? — no
Caught a snowflake on your tongue? — yes
Kissed in the rain? — no
Had a close brush with death (your own)? — Yes.
Saw someone die? — yes
Played Spin-the-Bottle? — yes
Smoked a cigar? — yes. Disgusting
Sat on a rooftop? — yes
Smuggled something into another country? — yes
Been pushed into a pool with all your clothes? — no
Broken a bone? — Ribs. Ow
Skipped school? — Yes, but not very often
Eaten a bug? — Yes. Chocolate covered bees.
Sleepwalked? — yes. Unsettling
Walked on a moonlit beach? — yes
Ridden a motorcycle? — yes
Dumped someone? — No
Forgotten your anniversary? — Never. Fat lot of good it did me...
Lied to avoid a ticket? — no
Ridden in a helicopter? — no
Shaved your head? — no
Blacked out from drinking? — yes
Played a prank on someone? — yes
Hit a home run? — yes
Felt like killing someone? — Every time I get behind the wheel
Cross-dressed? —No
Been falling-down drunk? — yes
Made your girlfriend/boyfriend cry? — Uh. Never on purpose...
Eaten snake? — no
Marched/Protested? — yes
Had Mexican jumping beans for pets? — Yes
Puked on an amusement ride? — Came bloody close in Prater Park...
Seriously & intentionally boycotted something? — yes
Been in a band? — no
Knitted? — yes
Been on TV? — yes
Shot a gun? — yes
Skinny-dipped? — yes
Given someone stitches? — no
Eaten a whole habenero pepper? — No, but I've had hotter things
Ridden a surfboard? — Tried...
Drunk straight from a liquor bottle? — yes
Had surgery? — Only minor
Streaked? — no
Been taken by ambulance to a hospital? — no
Tripped on mushrooms? — no
Passed out when NOT drinking? — no
Peed on a bush? — What do you think the outdoors is for?
Donated Blood? — Over 5 gallons and counting...
Grabbed electric fence? — no
Eaten alligator meat? — no
Eaten cheesecake? — groan belch groan
Eaten your kids' Halloween candy? — Only what they gave me
Killed an animal when not hunting? — Yes, for compassionate reasons
Peed your pants in public? — yes - was 5 years old. Very traumatic.
Snuck Sneaked into a movie without paying? — Yes, but only after paying for entry into another feature
Written graffiti? — no
Still love someone you shouldn't? — I will always love the mother of my children, even though our relationship didn't work out. You don't love someone for almost 30 years and let that go easily.
Think about the future? — yes
Been in handcuffs? — no
Believe in love? — yes
Sleep on a certain side of the bed? — Switch occasionally