Suitcase bed, walking in the dark, wrangling kids

Part of the fun of being married to Mama is pretty much knowing what to expect and yet finding what you expect to be a little unexpected as it unfolds. Last night we watched Savannah and her brothers. Less Leo, who went with his mama, Krystal, on her venture to a moms-night-out with the home school group they belong to. They made cranberry jelly – which we got to taste later. Sometime after dinner, Savannah needed to nap for a bit, but we had no safe place to lay her during that nap. For some reason we no longer have a pack-and-play which we would typically use. Instead, Mama asked me to get a large suitcase out and set it on the spare bed. We put a pillow in the bottom of the suitcase, covered that with a soft blanket and placed the baby in the repurposed “bed”. It worked really well. Mama told me later that she got the idea from my Mom, who when Joshua was little took a dresser drawer out of the dresser and used in in the same way as we had used the suitcase. A perfect baby bed for temporary use.

Late in the evening, I went for a walk. I am trying to do the mile walk three or more times per week. With darkness coming so early, those walks now have to be taken after dark. Last night as I started down the road, I heard a commotion in the trees off to the north. It sounded like two cats fighting. But we do not have a lot of cats in the remote area where we live. It was a horrific commotion. I almost turned around to head back to the house but decided to continue. Whatever was happening, it quieted down by the time I walked to the end of the road and back. I will have to start taking my pistol with me as I take those walks in the dark. I doubt that I could use the pistol effectively in the dark, but it would make me feel less at risk in the event of an encounter with a predator. Although, I am more likely to cross paths with a skunk, a raccoon or an opossum, the coyotes are getting more numerous lately. We are seeing them more often. Hearing them every night. Last night was a little odd in that Sam and Sasha did not go with me on the walk. Maybe because it was fully dark, and they were already on duty at the farm.

I will have to go home at lunchtime today. Mama has the Thomason’s coming back over at lunchtime to help us catch the kids. Three of the four will need to be debudded. Two of the three will only need an application of a solution to will inhibit the growth of their horns. Julian, however, will need to have his horns surgically removed. Horned Myotonic goats do not sell well. Plus, the horned goats are a nuisance. As we are continuing to discover with Scamper. I had to stop what I was doing yesterday evening to put more wire on the part of the fence he was trying to pull down. He loves hooking his horns in the wire and pulling back as far as he can. Before I reinforced the fence, he was able to pull back a good way. After I added the wire ties to the fence, he was completely frustrated that he could not repeat his triumph. It is frustrating for me given the fact that Mama has been planning to sell him for two months now. That sale will eventually be made, or he will be taken to the market. One way or the other, I plan to permanently interrupt his destructive tendencies.

Catching the kids this afternoon is another of those times that make living with Mama a continuous adventure. I will try to video some of the process, but I may be too involved in the activity to document any portion of it. That is usually the way these things work out. I have the crates ready for transport – loaded in the back of the truck. The vet appointment is set, so all we need is to get the patients into those crates. Tada! Simple, right?
Only in Mama’s eyes.