Home Life

Sleeping In! What a luxury! Little dogs get me up before 8 but what a treat. Uli, Gertie and Teddi are in crates so when Jacky gets up he leaves those alone and takes Bryn, Candy and Magic downstairs. Every other day I get up first and take all 6 downstairs. There they join up with Willie, Traeh, Trixie and Casey. Yes, I have 10 dogs.

All the dogs with Aren, Derek, and Anna (with Aren's roommates dog) at Christmas

Right away I get a phone call from the neighbor asking if I was missing one of my dogs. I look down at my feet. "no,I don't think so". Well, she had picked up a papillion at the end of the the road next to our place. People are all the time amazed that purebred small dogs are dropped off. I have many of those that people tied up to picnic tables, left in houses, dropped off on the street. In the case of this dog, I suspect it's an unneutered male that has been lifting his leg in the house and peeing on things. The neighbor said he had piddled on the blankets in the garage. Yep! That's almost a sure sign the dog was dropped. No, I didn't run and pick up the dog. The sad thing is there is no end to dogs needing homes.
Next after breakfast was cleaning the horse stalls. With no children left at home, the chores now fall to the parents. Since Jacky and I both leave the house early in the morning, Jacky usually feeds the horses and goats and lets them out before he goes. He starts work at 8 whereas I start at 7 (ish). But since its winter (kind of - it was 46 degrees today!!!!), the horses spend the nights in their stalls. Jacky usually has to clean the stalls after he gets home. It's dark by then, or almost, and it takes him about an hour and a half to clean, bed, water and feed everyone outside. Usually I take care of the dogs and cats inside and try to start supper. Jacky is very sweet to let me stay in but on Tuesdays, since I'm off, I can at least clean the stalls. That's what I did this morning. Lots of poop from 7 horses and 3 llamas. The chickens needed water, oyster shell, and grit. Plus a little cleaning out of the loose feathers that fly everywhere. The 2 goats don't need much. It looks like neither Ginny nor Maggie (the goat) got pregnant after all the attempts by Jacky and I this last fall. We actually tried 3 different bucks several different times. I guess Emma won't get to show a Nubian kid or a milking doe this year.

Nope, there won't be any cuties like this one this year!

It took me about 2 hours to take care of the barns. Now they were all ready for tonight when everyone comes back inside. The ponies enjoyed some old apple slices which the goats wouldn't touch.

Cricket

 The llamas had to have their horse treats though. They are really cool animals although I don't look forward to clipping them this spring...

Will, Gitana and Captain Jack

This afternoon was chores - a run to Owatonna which included a trip to Fleet Farm for mineral blocks and holders for the horses, and a run in the opposite direction to Albert Lea to pick up Emma's check at the feed store (and pick up cat food and dog treats). By now it's time to go home and start feeding the hungry 4 leggers. The dogs all get cooked oatmeal and raw ground turkey while the cats get boring dry food. Soon Jacky comes home and  goes right out to feed the outside animals while I start supper - ground goat meat in 'Hasty Hash'. Goat meat is surprisingly good and I may have to buy a kid goat from one of our 4H friends to put in the freezer this summer.

Tajar the cat is feeling better today. I gave her shot this morning but kind of poked the needle through the other side of the skin. Hopefully most of it stayed under the skin...It happens with the vets all the time too. Tajar is in the spare bedroom where no one can bother her. She is really enjoying the private time. Soon she'll get bored though and I'll have to let her out upstairs. Then Emily, the upstairs cat, will get her nose bent out of shape. Oh well....

Teddi is snoring upside down with Gertie right beside him. Uli is warm tucked in beside me while Toto the cat spreads out between us all. Nothing better to stay warm with!

Teddi