rachels.haven's Journal

[rachels.haven]

It definitely feels weird. It's not a petting zoo, and I always wonder if someone's still there and I can't relax in the morning until I go check. I suspect it might be the girl up the hill with the horses and/or her friend. I'm not sure why whoever it is thinks they have an open invite to feed my animals whatever they want-and come in the barn and move hay and stuff. Bucks have specific dietary needs too, and I'm not sure if Nutrena Nature-Country Whatever is balanced enough for for bucks' Calcium vs phosphurus needs so I'd really rather all of them not have it.

 

[rachels.haven]

 

[rachels.haven]

Sold Angel's buckling, Finnegan last week-forgot about that, I think, because it was such a low key affair and he really didn't cause any trouble in the first place.

The Lamancha I looked at came back disease free. I'd been wanting to try a standard goat for hand exercise and lower milk fat in the milk to mix with the nigerian milk and she fit the bill, so I decided to just jump. So far I've learned not to milk barefoot in the barn and get stepped on. I've also learned what "the will to milk" is and that Angel sure doesn't have it. Saffron wants to be milked, and wants to do what I ask. That's weird. She also milks down to nothing and has no meatiness to her udder and big teats whatsoever, which I've never experienced before. She was being dried up back home, so she's only making about two quarts of milk now and has a dog damaged teat, but I appreciate the milk, which tastes like cow milk and not half and half, and the teat, while crooked is still milkable despite the scar tissue.

On Friday I plotted out half a 100x100 foot pen in the wooded part of the front yard. I was going to fence it next year, but I realized that the bucks' current pen is under a pair of giant choke cherry trees which will be shedding leaves all fall trying to kill them, and fence will still be expensive next year, but I'll have the added the cost of feeding them just on hay instead of brush all summer and fall lumped into it, so I took a deep breath, found a cattle man with a long trailer to hire, and picked up as many cattle panels as I could stomach buying(I did the math and rolled fence wasn't much cheaper and a lot more hard work and time). The posts and material to attach fence are being fed-exed here today and tomorrow, because for some reason with HD, orders over $50 ship free, saving me the trouble of hauling two kids to the store to pick out t-posts while they try to run away and hijack a forklift to take home or something

So now I've got a project, a new, second goat to milk, and am getting just enough now that if we adults go light on milk we can skip buying milk at the grocery store. Grocery store milk has been tasting off lately. Not sure what the deal with that is, but I'll be glad when it's not in the fridge anymore. Looking forward to having the next doe(s?) freshen and having even more milk so I can start having enough to make yogurt without hording milk for a few days.

And the inlaws are having a full scale reunion here next week, so I guess I'll also have an excuse to duck out during the lulls and get some post-pounding, ear-protection-wearing, I-can't-hear-you, me-time in. The kids will probably be busy fight-I mean playing-with the cousins their age that are coming up to stay, so it should all work out.

 

[rachels.haven]

Big pen is now 2/5's done-two sides out of five. I'm so glad it's summer and not winter when my tendons are so cold they don't slide, the muscles don't heal or seem to get circulation, and I'm a giant charlie horse from the eyes down. Not sure I could have moved 2 cattle panels without causing myself pain for days much less move 30 twice in one day, pound endless posts and tie the panels on without much issue. Summer is great! I'm excited to get the rest of the pen up and the goats browsing like they're supposed to be.

I have had an appointment with a rheumatologist scheduled for July 26th that I've been avoiding thinking about that I'll be getting a second opinion/re-evaluation of my last "diagnosis" at. But I'd rather continue not thinking about that.
I have a new rule. If they're not 100% sure what I have, I'm not taking drugs for it. Looking back I realize that last time was bad-the side effects from the drugs I took for 6-9 months on the basis of "take this and see if it does something" which randomly became a diagnosis some time between appointments with no change in symptoms during course of treatment and no blood work done during the entire time to check up on the numbers until I said NO MORE either-that doesn't check out. I'm just not doing that again. I would literally rather burn in cold heck all winter with a body temperature of 96 degrees or lower in the house like I usually do every year than do that again with the meds and side effects and no benefit. So I guess that's what I'll assume the worst case scenario will be if they can't figure something definite out-and just keep hoping I'll randomly get a clean bill of health and never have to deal with it again. Maybe since the appointment will be in the summer I won't be feeling so cold blooded.
Gotta go. It's evening/dinner time. And like I said, I'm going to avoid thinking about it, right? Lol.

 

[SA Farm]

That’s no good. I’d refuse to take meds too without being sure they’re actually going to help!
Hopefully your appointment goes well and you can get a proper diagnosis and treatment.

 

[rachels.haven]

Progress on grazing pen has been completely stopped. Have had to have bad (extended family) house guests for the past week so I've been either cleaning up after them so my house does not become a human feces stained wreck more than they've already made it, watching/moderating their nasty bully kid, taking care of their toddler, or trying to patch up my own kids' hurt feelings while not strangling anyone. They leave sunday morning, so 2 more days. Then I will clean my house again, make sure my kids are operating in a relaxed, stable way again, and go back to pounding posts the next morning.

On the positive side, this week has taught me that I really love my own kids. They're actually pretty well behaved at home and fairly well behaved in public. They are also very polite, full of empathy towards other people and animals, and self aware by comparison to the kids I've had dumped on me, which should not be taken for granted I've now learned.

Today I will move the cattle panels I haven't put up yet so no bozos park on them. They are resting on the side of the driveway and have already had some close calls. Destroying them with their stupid car would be the last straw. Wow, I didn't realize I could feel this way about "guests".

 

[SA Farm]

Sounds like you’ve got your hands even fuller than usual
I can’t stand bad houseguests...but then I’m a bit of a recluse on a good day, so my tolerance level is super low.

Hopefully everyone survives the next few days so you can get your household back in order. You got this

 

[Bruce]

Should have given bully kid the post pounder and a post and told him/her to go work on the fence
Sorry you had to put up with all that, maybe next time they come (DH's family??) they should be given a few affordable local hotels to choose from.

 

[CntryBoy777]

It probably isn't "appropriate" for me to reply fully, but....use this as a "teaching moment" for the children....yours....I've had others "shove their rules" to me when I show up at their place, so, when they show up at mine..."I shove mine"....but, I'm the ogre...I fully agree with @Bruce and if ya have the $$...offer to assist in paying for the room....not really close by either....

 

[Senile_Texas_Aggie]

Miss @rachels.haven,

I like Mr. @Bruce's suggestion about letting him pound in some T-posts and attach the cattle panels. In fact, you could have the entire extended family out there putting up the fence. By the time they left, they would be glad to get away! Maybe they'd be reluctant to come back for another visit so soon.