You can't go home again......

Yesterday, as I walked down the fallen leaf, rain soaked lane with my dogs, I started to think about my younger life; living at my parent's house (which is a little over a mile away, or less as the crow flies) and how life was so very good then.  I remember playing kick ball after school with the neighborhood kids, and bus rides where we all sang songs.  We had some very cool bus drivers, and out school is in a small town, so we had a small classes.  What I miss the most was the sense of being, of belonging.  Knowing how your day would go in school, and after school, what you would do.  During Christmas time, we would go Christmas caroling with real oil lamps.  We would stop by The Knauss' house and Mrs Knauss would give us all apple cake.  All the neighbors loved to see us arrive and listen to us.  Halloween would see a bunch of us kids going together and having brown bags half full of candy.  We never worried about pins in candy, or other scary things.  We also did not do bad things, we were a good group of kids.

My parent's house is on about an acre and a half, and they have always kept it neat and well landscaped.  I always feel at home there.  As I drove up there for dinner the other day, I got upset thinking about when the time comes that my parents either sell the house, or us kids have to.  Will the new owners care about it like we did?  It makes me want to never let it go.   So many memories there.

As adults we spend so much time planning, and doing, and life goes by so much faster.  We have new memories to forge and new friends to make, but none, so far, at least for me, have reached the bar of my child hood memories, and the feeling of belonging.   I do feel at home in my home, and believe me, it took a long time for that to happen, but I would not say I have many memories there- that said, selling it would be hard, because it finally is home.  Basically, I don't want to move anywhere else alone, because I would still be just that, alone.  I am so blessed to have my family near, and that my parents are doing well.  In the end, as long as you love, and are loved, you are living, that I believe.

Part of me wants to move home now and turn the clock back.... but I know you can't go home again.

Sore and then some

After a full day of work yesterday, I met Charlie at the farm to get the paddock fence in.  I had a new roll of sheep/goat fence sitting there, beckoning me to get the job done.  So, after we cleared out the pile of limbs that was in the paddock, we set to the fence.   Not that much fence at all, but we used trees, yes, you read it, trees as some of the posts.  This is a tree farm, and well, I decided to make use of the ones that stood in a nice line.  We got the posts in, the fence stretched and all the clips on/staples in where we needed it and it took us several hours.  Way longer than I thought it would.  Afterward, I was BEAT, I mean just beat.  So glad it is done now though.  Just have to hang a gate and we're good to go.  They should not be able to get out of here- I hope.

After we finished, I took the dogs for a walk and then headed home, stopping for some fast food on the way.  I just could not see having the energy to cook.  So, got home, took care of animals and got in bed, yes, that's exactly what I did.  I didn't even read my book.

This morning I got up and noticed that I had several cuts on my hands (you always get cut doing fence) that hurt, and my back, oh my aching back.  It hurt from when I cleaned out the barn, and this morning it hurt worse from the fence.  Bending down to open dog crates... ow...  So, today is a normal day again, and hope to work Joe.  He gets buggered up when he can't work... 

Anyway, that's all for now!

My computer is on it's last legs, so I have borrowed a lap top.   Now I NEED to get a new computer... But, not until after I have paid my taxes next week.  I swear, if I won the lottery, I would just set aside tax money until I died....  and pay everything off ;0)

The puniest lamb is doing better and he color is coming back.  Glad I treated those who needed it.  Still have some of that wormer left, so will keep checking everyone- especially the lambs.  I cleaned out part of the barn on Saturday, and now my back hurts a bit- that hay loading I did really did a number on my back.  Anyway, still a couple more areas to go, but it's better.  Sheep are otherwise good.  One of the new Romney girls has been marked, and even if I didn't have a marker on the ram, you would know who he has bred by how he sticks so close to his "favorite" girl.    He must be very happy lately. 

Worked Joe both Sat and Sun, he's doing well, and now, when he takes off, he knows it's for an outrun, as opposed, generally to being wild and crazy.  I do like working him.

Had a nice dinner at my parent's last night, pork roast with browned potatoes.  Any meal with potatoes is a hit with me.  I had to work Sunday, so my day was sort of off kilter.   This week Charlie and I will get more done, and I will continue the usual stuff.  No trials coming up, but that's okay.  I could use the no spending of money time!  Gas is enough to kill any un-necessary spending anyway!

All the leaves are brown....

And the sky is gray.... This song came to mind this morning, as I was letting Joe out.  It was dreary and wet and not at all inviting, but in some ways, it was inviting.  I love fall, and all that comes with it.  I have always felt this way.  Something about accomplishing another year, and looking forward to just relaxing a bit.  I  want to make plans to go apple picking and I am looking forward to the sheep and wool festival.  Almost time to start making apple delights like crisp and pie...

Sheep update

So, before the Big E I dosed the puniest lamb again with Ivermectin.    I took a look at everyone when I got back and she was still not pink/red.  So, at this point I believe the Ivermectin is just not working.  She's a bit better, but not normal.  Then, yesterday, when I went to let the flock out of the room I keep them in when I work Joe, I saw the ram laying down again (he's lazy) and decided to check him. He was not real pink either.  What the hell is going on?  Maybe they normally are not that pink?  So, I called the vet and did not hear back, but am going there to get Valbazen today, and be done with this.  They are all acting well, but this is not cool.  I started graining them yesterday, so from here on out they will all get a small amount of grain, which I hope the lambs will do very well on.  So, that's it for now, will update as things either improve or not.  Part of me says send the puny lamb down the road, because one weak animal can really mess things up for flock health, but the other part of me says this is my fault for not being more observant and pro-active given the mild winter we had....

Thought I would be wiped out yesterday, but as it turned out, after a coffee break at work with some sort of apple delight, I woke up nicely.  That was really good.  Worked all day, and then headed up to the farm with the boys.  We had a big cherry tree come down during the last storm and the sheep were starting to eat the leaves, which are poisonous, so my brother had his friend Mark take away the left over leaves/twigs after another guy cut it up.  No sheep have died thus far...  Anyway, checked the sheep, and all look okay.  Only two girls marked so far.  Took the breeding harness off the ram and put the raddle marker on him.  I think the crayon was pretty much defunct, and the harness was uncomfortable for him.  I checked the lambs again. Two look good, and two others have less than good coloring.  I wormed the worst one again before the Big E.   I will call the vet today and see if I should just give her time, or go ahead and get a different wormer- do NOT want to do that, as the resistance issue of the parasites is always looming.

Have my big giant, horrible rotten school tax bill due next week.  I detest this time of year for that.  I wanted to enter a trial in November, but just can't do it- any and all money has to go to paying bills, not for fun things like trials.  So, time to just enjoy the outside... and working Joey boy.

Joe worked pretty well yesterday.  We are now working more on "do not push the sheep past me you little imp!"   Still, if sheep are a long way away, he will split them.  Need to work on/think about a transition between working him on flanks and outruns, where he does not get the difference...  All in all, he is fun to work and he's very keen.  I do like that about him.  He has no fear of getting  between the sheep and the fence- doesn't really rush as he does it.  It's so great being able to work him a little each day..  So great.

I took out the a/c unit in my bedroom yesterday.  The trim got ruined by some leakage by the unit a few months ago, but thankfully, since I re-set it so it leaned a LOT more, no more wetness.  Just the trim will have to be replaced, not the whole window sill, so that is good.  Also, before I left for the Big E on Sunday, I noticed that the roof over my storage area had a leak near the chimney.  Not good. So, I called the guy who replaced my roof a few years ago, and within just a few hours, he was there and fixing it.  Is that not cool?  That's excellent service.

Weather is supposed to be iffy for the next few days.  Will make the best out of it that I can, but no work scheduled until next week with Charlie.  I am so much happier without all the heat/humidity and bugs, I can't tell you.

Hope everyone is having a great week!

Back

Am back, after two days of trialing at the Big E in Massachusetts.  I have never run in this trial, so I did not know what to expect of Dan and I.  There were two trials on Monday and one on Tuesday. 

Our first run was not too spectacular.  Several sheep missed panels, and although Dan listened well, things were not as tight as they could be- still though, I was happy.  Here is a video of our run



Anyway, after that run in the morning, we ran again in the afternoon, with a different drive direction, and we had a great run going.  All up until we finished the bridge.  We had gotten everyone through everything and Dan and I both got a bit jumpy, and Dan pushed in on the sheep behind me as I tried to guide them into the pen and then he zinged them a couple of times, and we did not get the pen.

That night we were all so tired we ordered take out delivered to the hotel and ate, and went to bed.  It's a long 12 hours at a fair...

Our run on Monday was better than the other two.  We got all the obstacles and I kept calm, and Dan worked superbly.  We ended up with eleventh place, and a little bit of money for our efforts- that was the cool part :)

I was so tired on the way home, I missed our exit off the parkway... I missed Joe a lot when I was gone, but it appears he is no worse for the wear.

Back to normal life now.