Despite A Late Start ...

 We managed to get a lot of running around done, and things taken care of. I did, however, totally forget Tractor Supply. No worries, I'll deal with it tomorrow, saith she.

First stop, he voted. We stopped by his precinct and he got that done.

Second stop, I paid my June month at the Outlet Store in Fountain Inn. I had a check waiting - $38.70! My writing may never make me rich, but it feels good when people buy my books for their little ones.

I was going to bring my books back with me but decided to leave them in the store until the end of the month and to advertise them on FB daily, to hope to push some sales.

On the way back through to Mauldin, I hit on the idea of Andy's. Their "ice cream" is a custard, so has protein in it, and he had it with banana and strawberries and then whisked into a milk shake ... and managed to drink it down slowly without choking or it getting "stuck" as it went down.  As basically the first thing he was able to eat, I was glad it went well, and had some nutrition for him.

Then we went to Publix so that Mark could pick up his meds. He had been on the phone with the VA for over an hour and a half, and the VA doctor approved the endoscopy that the Urgent Care doctor had put in. He also prescribed pain meds for Mark, who came in and is now napping (which is good).

He should have had an endoscopy a couple of years ago, as he had this kind of problem before, and the gastroenterologist had been having him come in every 5 years for a colonoscopy (because his dad died of colo-rectal cancer) and then had sent a reminder to book both (it being about 10 since his previous endoscopy). Mark's primary care person at the VA wouldn't do it though. It took 6 months or so of continually asking before she even considered the colonoscopy ... then sent him a ColorGuard box instead because he's "not high risk". There are only two choices, she is either lazy or incompetent, but what's not high risk about his dad dying of colo-rectal cancer? How much of a higher risk is there? Plus, if she had ok'd the procedure with the gastro-enterologist who'd known him and done his ops for about 15 years, he wouldn't be going through this now, as the beginnings would have been found 2 years ago. Now it will be a new person who doesn't know Mark's history or have all the pics and notes from his previous ops. At least though, he will get his oesophagus blown out, and the ulcerous tissue sorted. I just hate that this could have been avoided had she done her job properly in the first place. End of that particular rant.

We went all the way up to Pelham Road, to the place for the part I need for my upright walker, and they don't have them in stock, so Mark found it on Amazon, and tomorrow we'll make sure the sizing is right (that walker is over on the property) and then just order it from there.

I "fancied" Oriental House, so as we came back down Garlington we stopped and picked up take out. Chicken, green beans and onion in a Cantonese sauce (that I had them add carrot to) for me (lots of leftovers for another day), and an egg drop soup for him. He had maybe a half, and again it went ok, so he has the rest for later. Suffice to say, I've found a new favourite dish!

I'm just enjoying the peace, and listening to him snoring. At least he's not hurting when he's asleep.

Wide Awake And Can't Sleep

 Ugh, it's 4am and I've been awake a couple of hours and am dead beat, but sleep is eluding me in these, the wee hours, of this morning. One would assume that the 5 hours in the ER would have tired me out, I felt tired when we left, but no, now I am wide awake.

I'm not worried about hubby now I know that he's going to be ok. Oesophagitis is fixable, even though he's in pain from it. The CT scan ruled out the rest of the bad things that I was afraid of. The last couple of days, with him dealing with issues swallowing, food feeling like it was stuck under his diaphragm and other pain, had me worried that I told him, "we're going to Urgent Care". They sent us to the ER so that he could have a CT scan. They gave him some morphine for the pain and he is sleeping well now.

The past couple of days have been busy, over on the property. My grandson, Dylan, and great-granddaughter, our miss Lily, came over on Sunday. Dylan helped Mark and did some mowing,

Miss Lily and I hung out with the goats, and she had a blast, feeding chickens, feeding the stray dog, sitting on the tractor with Sunshine (yep, the goat jumped up there and Miss Lily went up to hang out with her). The weather was hot but there was a breeze, and it was a beautiful day.

Mark's been working on the enclosure for the goats,

and we now have a nice hay rack in the pen that the 2 boys will be in after this weekend. Mark was putting it together in this pic. We pick up Max on Saturday morning. We met him earlier and think he and Solomon will have fun together.

Sunshine's new companion, Maisie, also arrives on Saturday.  She will only be 8 weeks old so we'll be keeping a little bit closer eye on her for a couple of weeks until she knows she's safe, and is settled.

The stray dog saw Solomon and Sunshine for the first time on Sunday and freaked out.  She started barking and backed away, we think she was trying to figure out what they were! She did end up eating though, and watched them like she watches us. She'll get used to them, she's a chow hound (poor baby) and nothing is going to stop her coming for food.

We hooked up with a new vet, closer to us and deals with large and farm animals, so on Monday, Solomon and Sunshine go for their CD&T shots. Max has already has his, and Maisie will have to wait another couple of weeks, and will be getting disbudded at the same time, under anaesthesia.

Noon - well, I managed to nap awhile, and then woke up and we are now having a rainy day. Hubby took his shower, I don't shower in storms, so here I wait for the lull, so that we can then get our day's to do trek started.

I have to pick up a new arm support for my upright walker as the other decided to split. That's heading in one direction, towards Greer, but then I have to loop around to go to Fountain Inn, to pay my boutique fee and pack up my books. On the way to Greer, I have to do a stop at Tractor Supply to get another sack of goat grower pellets, a red bucket for the boys' feed and a storage container for it as well, a bale of straw and a bale of hay. Getting ready for separating the boys and girls this Saturday. 

Saturday will be another busy day, going first to Belton to pick up our new boy, Max, and then to Fountain Inn, to pick up our new little girl, Maisie. Then the fun begins! It'll be great having 4 again. We missed having goats, it has been 10 years since the last of our previous 4, Sadie, died.

Today Has Turned Out To Be A Glorious Day

Despite a rough start (courtesy of Lowe's) the day ended up coming together pretty nicely. The Lowe's shenaningans began yesterday, when we placed an order for another animal pen. They had 1 in stock, for "same day" pick up. Yeah, ok, so their definition of "same day" is different to mine. We waited for the email/text to say "come and get it" ... and neither came. So I called, it had been about 5 hours, and 7.30pm so our plans to head to Belton and get it up weren't going to happen. The lady said it was there ready to pick up, so Mark headed to the store ... only to be told that he couldn't have it as there was no manager on the floor, and a manager had to let him have it! Yeah, that was weird. So, Mark came home, and when we went to bed, and the store closed, still no communication from them.

I woke up this morning, and gave them a call when the store opened. The manager was frazzled, and said she was understaffed, but she'd check into ot and call me back. An hour later, I called again as I'd received no callback. They could not find the item, the best they could figure was that our order came in as the only one in the store was sold to someone else, and that the inventory wasn't updated. She did say, she'd transferred our order to the Woodruff rd store and for me to call them. 

The lady there was frazzled and did her best ... but lo and behold! Their "one in stock" was gone too! Lowe's really needs to work on their inventory update system.

So, Mark cancelled the order and we went to Tractor Supply ... the pen was paid for, and loaded in about 10 minutes! Thank you, TSC.

We headed over to the property, and Mark set about putting it up in what will be the goat field. We let our 2 chickens out to free range while we were there.

I drove down to the bees to grab the hose, and drove back up to the front porch with it so that I could water all the plants up there. I may look a bit silly, driving a Kia Soul, with the driver's side door open, dragging a hose but hey, where there's a will, there's a way, and I have my stuff to do around the eventual-farm/homestead just like hubby does.

My grandson stopped by with Miss Lily, and he chatted with Mark, and helped him a bit. Miss Lily came in my car with me and we went to look for the geese, and drove up into the fenced in goat-field-to-be to give grandad a drink. Later she picked peas off the vine but was a little bit grossed out by me eating them, pods and all.

She got to see the stray mama, who wandered by looking for her food, but was too timid to venture closer with extra people there as well as us. Methinks we have a long road ahead of us with her but hopefully, over time, she will trust us enough to do what she needs to whether we are close by, or not.

This evening has been peaceful, we were outside and had Sunshine and Solomon out browsing, they are so sweet. They munched up and down the row of bushes and trees near our other front gate, while hubby was working on his pallets.

Sunshine is still tiny, but when she gets to eating, she packs it in and gets ROUNDER.

Solomon likes to show off "look mama, I can stand up on 2 legs!" 

This one caught them perfectly in the dusky sunlight, as they circled the tree trunk, chewing on leave from the underlying bushes.

Solomon is quite a handsome lad! He comes and stands in front of me sometimes for me to play with his ears. I LOVE Nubian's ears!

She may be tiny but she is a bundle of mischief. I love the way she gets silly and skips and dances, then just stops. She is a little character, that's for sure! She loves when I take her face in my hands and tell her how pretty she is.

I had said we wouldn't get back into goats, 10 years ago, after we lost the last of our original 4, Sadie, yet here we are, starting off another herd. 

Sunshine will just be a companion for the Nubians girls I'm going to get, as I've decided to only breed Nubians again. I am addicted to them, their noses and their ears just have me hooked! 

Solomon, like Rammy, who was my first goat when we had the L'il Foxes herd, calls differently for me and Mark. For Mark it's a long "Daaaa" and for me, a distinct "maamaa". When Rammy used to do it, nobody believed it when I told them, until they came over and heard him. He was my beautiful baby. I had to bottle feed him for a few weeks as he'd been a preemie ... but he grew! He had a personality like you would not believe. Look at that face, he was such a mama's boy.

A beautiful end to our day. Sunshine and Solomon are back in their pen ready for overnight, with their hay and a nice bowl of goat feed and sunflower seeds.

Ye Fencing Is Taking Shape!

Yesterday was a stressful one, over at the property, to be sure. Hubby fought the tractor, for a couple of hours, trying to get the lawnmower deck back on. A part had broken off of it awhile back, and my grandson had welded it for him, and then - when Mark had tried to put that part back on - the pulley broke. He'd got another pulley from Gus's, and was finally trying to put everything back together. It didn't slide onto the shaft the way it was supposed to. He gought it and finally got it on, only to test drive it and have the part pop off. He was so frustrated. Fought again trying to get it on and just as he was about to blow a fuse, it slid on perfectly! 

He then mowed a bit around the edge of the fenced paddock that we intend to use as the goat field, so that he had access to where he is adding to the original fence with the pallets on the outside, and intends adding an electric fence on the inside. It was so hot by that time, though, that we decided to cut it short and came home.

I watered in the melons and (poss) cucumber, and they are all doing well, perked up a lot for being transplanted the day before.

Today, everything went perfectly. We went early, so it was cooler. We filled up with gas, both vehicles (his truck and my Soul) at 85c a gallon, using our Spinx points! Can't complain at that, 20 gallons for under twenty dollars!

I'd intended painting some of the pallet fencing, but it was still damp with the morning dew, so I was lazy and just watched Mark for a while, and read some David Bladacci (The Collectors) the rest of the time.

He put in almost a row of mesh fencing

to divide across the paddock. We want to be able to keep our male and female goats separate, but also to let them graze other than just in "their" area, so that the greenery can keep growing.

It's coming along pretty well now, the tractor being able to pull the fencing along, and being able to pound the stakes in (have bucket will pound!). He's hoping to get that bit finished off tomorrow.

Today, as I drove up he dirt track, the 4 geese were there but - sadly - only 4 babies accompanying them now. I had to stop to let them cross, and then wait on a little dawdler, hopping along. I hate that they've lost 3, that's sad, but I hope these manage to survive. They are pretty safe on our property, they have their own creek and plenty of space to where they don't have to go near the main road.

The stray mama dog was over yesterday, being her sneaky self and trying to run off with the whole bag of dog food when she thought we were otherwise occupied.  Mark put some out for her. She watches us but doesn't want contact. We didn't see her today but put food out anyway. She knows she is safe coming there to eat. I just wish she'd bring her puppies with her.

Tomorrow is a new day, we'll be headed back over to get on and do more.

She Came, She Ate ... And She Left Again!

The stray mama was back again today, she may not be people friendly, but she knows we are a food source, and she comes over to watch us, makes sure we are busy, and then eats. She doesn't like us talking to her, but I do it anyway in the hope that eventually she won't be so afraid. At least she trusts us enough to come for food, so I guess that's good.

Hubby planted out my tiger melon, and cucumber seedlings and (possibly) one watermelon today.

He dug the trench to put them in, and then laid cardboard below weed barrier fabric, and then put mulch on top, to create a "pathway" alongside, which will also be a better drained area for when they fruit later on, and hopefully help prevent them from rotting. I took the pic mid-work and forgot to take another one at the end of it.

So, Solomon and Sunshine are too smart for their own good. Hubby had them out to browse ... and where do they run? Straight up onto the front porch where the goat feed is! Noisy, too, when you tell them no and drag them away. Awww, my babies.

Last, but one dose of Albon today, then take a fecal sample to the vet a week from Monday to follow up and make sure Sunshine is totally free of it. Only then will I bring our next little girl home. I don't want to risk a 7 week old getting it.

It's been a pretty decent day.
 

Oh Such Smashing Peas!

 

Today we were over at the property and lo! My snow peas have flourished. I opened my car door and picked half a dozen pods and ate the lot there and then. Oh, they tasted awesome! 

Unfortunately, my beans haven't fared as well and don't seem to have grown at all, despite being planted at the same time. I'm going to have to try again, I guess.

Tomorrow, I need to plant out my tiger melons, and my cucumbers. Today, we really didn't do much.  We went over to feed the stray dogs, our chickens and water the bees, and Mark worked some more on putting my new recumbent stepper together.

I didn't see the geese at all, which was disappointing. Watching the babies growing lights up my day. They are about a week old now and getting a decent size.

We made it home just before the storm hit, and got Sushine and Solomon in. She was diving into the alfalfa as I was trying to herd her in, she is a little monster! And she knows it. They are both so loveable though, I can't believe I thought my goat days were over, when we lost the last of our former 4, Sadie, 10 years ago at 12 years of age. Here we are, starting all over again!

71, Sick But What Memories!

 To be honest, I never thought I'd live to this age. Between family genetics (although my mum is now 88 and has passed ages that her forebears never reached) and my "wild streak" riding motorbikes, I'd expected a much shorter life. I'm def thankful God saw fit to let me stay in this world longer, and I have lived such a life, and experienced so many things - good and bad - yet they made me who I am, and have given me so many memories to look back on.

I was born in 1955, 10 years after WWII ended, and yet - in England - rationing had only stopped the year before. I grew up with favourite foods like bread and dripping, rabbit stew, and (yuk!) wanting the Parson's Nose off the roast chicken that served the whole family, and with leftovers, on a Sunday! I remember my mum liking her pig's trotters, and how fish and chips became a favourite Friday night treat (it was payday!).

My school days began at George Tomlinson, and were absolutely smashing, didn't ever let us think that because we were East End kids it was an excuse to go nowhere. No, they taught us we could do, and be, anything we wanted to be, we just had to work hard.  That was our key out of the "poor" start we all had. No inner city "can't do" allowed back then, and our teachers and parents would tell us "there's no such word as "can't"! "

Whitsun, and Easter, I used to go on "touring" holidays with my nan and granpop, down from London and through Hampshire, Somerset, Devon and Cornwall. We explored burial barrows, museums, old tin mines, and various beaches and fishing villages. We travelled through the Doone Valley because R. D. Blackmore's "Lorna Doone" was one of my favourite books. I had various "I-Spy" books

to go through at different times, which had me identifying all sorts of things I saw as we went to dofferent places,  and Ladybird books

to help expound on some of the things I saw. "Stone Age Man in Britain" was one of my favourites back then. I credit both of them for a lot of my all-round knowledge, and they gave me the premise I used all through my daycare days - that learning should be FUN!

My first marriage was a disaster, and only lasted 5 years, and then I was on my own for 8 with my 3 children. I struggled, but somehow made it through. Then married Mark, and we've now been together 40 years.

I've now lived in places I'd never dreamed of, when I was growing up. I came to the USA and lived in Arkansas, Florida, Georgia and now (def my favourite) South Carolina - so much history here, and I love my history even now. I spent 3 years in Germany, and visited Luxembourg, and Amsterdam in Holland. I've stood where famous people have stood. I've been in the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, and finally understood the full depth of the family trying to live in that space without being discovered. I've been to places where battles were fought, and imagined the hardships of foot soldiers even attempting to get through dense forests and cane. I surprised myself being able to translate (from the French) almost all the labelling in the museum in Luxembourg (missing only maybe 4 words) some 18 years after leaving school. Not bad, I thought.

I sailed on the QEII 3 times, meeting some amazing and interesting people - an Iraqi millionaire widower with no family, who had made his money arms-running in the 60s, a gold dealer, and

(my favourite) Simon Williams, the actor. He and I sat and chatted many times on the Lido deck. I was there scribbling my poems and stuff, and he would just come and sit with me. We'd laugh and talk about everything under the sun. 

I'm so blessed to have had those experiences. Seeing the Statue of Liberty, as we sailed up the river on a grey, damp morning, made me realise how all the immigrants who'd gone through Ellis Island must have felt. It's something I'll never forget.

On one sailing, I read some of my poetry (out of my book, "Twilight") and was mobbed by about 30 people afterwards, wanting MY AUTOGRAPH. That was a trip, and (very unprofessionally) I giggled too much while chatting to them.

On my last trip, I had the help of 1960s pop group, The Mindbenders, to try to figure out a song from my childhood. Took us awhile with my off-key humming but we got it in the end.

Other memories, oh boy, my best friend, Olga, and I. We were nuts together, so many laughs (and sore feet). We hitchhiked all over, to get to dances and concerts. Some of the stuff we got into, you just couldn't make up. Yes, in one sense it's good that they didn't have cellphones back then, but in another, it'd be fun to have proof that we DID do what we say we did.

Then there's that "you're never too late" thing. After 20 odd years of wanting to, I finally published "The Storybook Witch" and then went on to publish some other children's books as well. Who'd a thunk it?

Which brings me to today and the past few days. I've been sick, courtesy of Daniel and his buddy, Jayden, who gave me the dreaded lergy - rhinovirus - during the school runs.  Sore throat, bunged up nose, thick head, and fevers, finally resulting in a doctor visit. Thankfully, my Vick's regimen, lozenges, vitamins, mouthwash etc has all helped me make it through, as a virus just has to run its course. I'm almost there, today is much better than the last few, that's for sure.

Also, Sunshine's poop is doing much better. Goat poop is supposed to be little balls, like rabbits. The coccidia gave her diarrhea which can be fatal in goats.

Sorry for the poop pic but thankfully, our efforts before the vet (giving her probios and electrolytes) and her sassiness, helped her stay alive, and now, 5 days into her Albon regimen, we now have solid poop (albeit more like dog poop) but we can see the divisions that (hopefully) will become those little balls by the end of the next 5 days. 

Both she and Solomon are bonded to us, she even tries to get in my car with me! They follow Mark all around the yard, and browse the weeds and grasses as they go. They still both love the blackberries the best. The man I was due to get my Nubian doeling from is going to hold her an extra week or two, so that I can make sure there's no coccidia for her to catch when she comes over. I'll know after we have a fecal done on Sunshine 2 weeks after her last dose of Albon.

Today, lunch was Cava, later, we'll share carrot cake from Publix (my birthday freebie) but it's a somewhat lazy day. We may go down to the property, if the weather holds, after hubby goes gleaning, we'll decide when he gets back.