Sunday, July 31, 2011

July is passing, August is in our view, The Lord brings forth new hope and challenges.

I woke up today with the grief of my lost goats resolved and looking toward the future. I am still angry at the Animal advocates, the Politicians and the people who want everything to be Politically Correct.  I am angry that people who don't live in an area or with the animals that are a nuisance get more of a say than the victims of the marauding animals.  I know for a fact I have never tried to safe the life of the "poor rats" in the sewers of New York, I have never picketed that they have no rights to kill them, I have never advocated that there should be a higher breeding population and I have never felt that children and property should be second in consideration to their existence.  I number one don't live near them or know the reality of there problems with them so I don't try to cause problem for those who do. The animal right people need to walk a mile in our shoes before they, from their apartments and cities, manage our Cougars and Wolves. Politicians seem to be, at all levels, worry more about what the animal rights people will say about the methods to control the animal than doing it right.  Political Correct people believe more in the romantic view of wolves and cougars than the reality of the menacing predators that are raping and marauding our valleys and mountains,  The overpopulation of wolves and cougars is so bad they have depleted the deer and elk and are starting on farm and ranch animal, children are next on the menu and that is what the politically correct should be aware of.  I am done ranting.... on with life and I am trying my best to praise the Lord for the last weeks outcome.

I praise the Lord that Rommy had a twin that I can borrow, and that Clover had a twin so I have not totally lost my breeding program, One Mokie gifted me back and Herbalist will let me breed to her Rajee.  I know that animal are not as prime as my lost two were but they had the same genetics so the Lord provided me a second chance and options.  Herbalist is giving my girls a new lamb, her kindness to the girls is lovingly welcome.  We have formed a better friendship with Beard, as shared loss provides common ground and interactions. Caesar is so afraid of the cougars he has a new kitten like manner, all be it a 300 lb kitten.  Lilly is biting people afraid we are going to hurt her new baby, the yearling Jewels, too funny if not bad as we have to assure her we are not a danger to her new kid.  All blessings from the Lord and in all things I am called to praise God.  I am getting to the point where I can praise God for the events of the week.  It took prayer and patience, both blessing from God.

My girls are at grandpa's and will be home in the afternoon after church.  I love when they can go to church.  Grandpa goes about 30 miles from here, it is a different church than I was raised in but they have good worship and community.  I so dislike my impasse to going to church, I know I do my girls a disservice by not going but I would do them a bigger disservice by going and not believing in the service I was attending either.  I pray that God sends me an answer to my prayers on going to Church.  So this week I am thankful for the girls going to Church.  I am reminded of Pollyanna, she and the preacher in the movie, had counted the glad verses of the bible, were 812 or 820 were their count. I am not sure which was the real count but I am sure they are all scriptures that lead to the praising of God.  Today I will live in the glad tidings of the Lord and praise him.. I can just hope that each morning I can arise anew with the daily commitment to praise God each day anew...... tomorrow.

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Cougars in our yard at Noon!! Thank God the kids were not home.

I got home just before 1 from the Farmer's Market, we had a good day.  The girls nearly sold all their baked goods, I sold lots of soap, all but three of my new liquid shampoo's.  We got to visit with lots of friends and made new ones.  I got to talk goat milk soap and it's benefits to one and all.  I am a bit of a talker once I get going or stuck on a subject I am passionate about.  Poppie was scared when I got home.  He had been in his beloved garden weeding, at around noon, when the dogs began to bark and carry on.  He looked up toward the back yard and there walking as proud as you please was a mother cougar and her nearly grown kitten. They were in no hurry just strolling between the kids pool and the house.  Poppie did not have Bugs gun, he had been weeding and it was noon, he never suspected he would encounter cougars in broad daylight and need it.  They moussed along with out a care in the world.  Poppie came into the house to wait for me to get home.  He was so glad that the kids were at the grandparents and the grandkids were gone or at their homes.  He said he had almost let the little goats out to eat in the pen but thank goodness he had left them confined.  It is impossible to leave the big ones confined they have to get out and eat but the 4 little ones are left in an 8 by 8 walled pen.  I just can't describe the danger we feel.  Beard is going to contact his friend, that has dog, to see if he can get a permit to come track them.  Teenager the older, saw a young male cougar near the after birth of the calf they had a couple days ago, so we have confirmed sitings of at least 3 and maybe 4 stalking our neighborhood.  I hope it doesn't take the death of a child before the Fish, Wildlife and Parks takes us seriously..... tomorrow.

Farmers Market Day, the girls to go to grandpa's after, Pump to finish.

The ladies and I got our lives back together enough to get our baking done and ready for the Farmer's Market. Sister came to watch us bake so we could watch over her while Brother went to Zootown to have a procedure on his back. She had a fainting incident just after Brother came to pick her up, I can' wait until her surgery, next Friday.   We ended up with 5 rustic loaves, one braided loaf, two pans of orange rolls, 7 pies, cherry and rhubarb, Poppie picked them, we cut or pitted them, and 6 foccacia's.  The restaurant next to the Farmer's Market is having it's one year anniversary party. They are going to have a customer appreciation day and give out free hots dogs, burgers and have games for the kids.  The girls are so excited they will get to go,  then they are going to go the their grandparents for the night. They can't wait to go and spend special time with them. 

Due to the complicated week we had Poppie has not had time to fix the well, he discovered after getting the control box, that when they put the pump back in they accidentally reset the check value upside down, they now have to pull the pump back up 60 feet and turn the check valve over. This shouldn't be all that big of problem.  Bug and his friend are going to help Poppie do it this afternoon.  We probably won't get to go camping as the danger of the Cougar has not been resolved.  They have not caught him and the goats have to be confined nightly and watched during the day.  The cougar has been seen several times during the day light hours so we have to be diligent.  We will have to do something special for Yogies birthday, which is next Sunday, we may still swing camping but not counting on it, another thing the cougar took away for my daughters.

I made several new wonderful soaps.  I have made it with frozen milk numerous times and it make the soap lighter in color,  I had read you could make it starting with cold oils and the lye heats the oil, well I tried it and got very light colored soap, so I am going to see what I get when I combine the frozen milk and the cold oils. I made four kinds of soap for the second time, I have sold out on these and have  had calls for more. I am excited as I would like to eventually have around 12 or so regular kinds of soap and a few speciality items on my inventory.  I have finished up my first soap selling page and I think it turned out astetically appealing.  I had never done HTML before so that was fun to work out, I did get help with making buttons on my paypal site.  All in all I think the page is nice looking and clean.  Off to sell our wares at the Farmer's Market, see old friends, make new ones and answer all sort of questions about the week events from people who saw the piece on the news..... tomorrow.

Friday, July 29, 2011

Gossip of little towns has always been a security blanket in my life.

I spent a great deal of my childhood being the navigator as my mom followed my dad driving a u-haul to some new place.  I learned to read a map, traffic signs, traffic and voice what I saw to aide my mom on these trips.  We drove to Arizona and New Mexico, the longest of our trips, and back.  We moved back and forth from Idaho, Oregon and Washington to Montana.  We quite often traveled in the dark as it was cooler and the kids were more likely to be asleep. I can not, to this day, sleep in a moving car, that was not my job and as my mom depended on me to aide her, she can't read a map, and keep her awake it was droned into me the importance of staying awake.  My parents always moved us to a town that was small, the biggest town I ever lived in was Winslow, Arizona, and in 1970 on route 66 it was an adventure in wonder.  It was a whole different culture and world away from what this little northwestern girl and family had ever known. I think that it recommitted my parents to staying in the little town culture.  Most of the towns I lived in were generally under a 1000 people, except for maybe Grangeville, Idaho.  I am tried and true a small town girls even if it I wasn't a one town small town girl. 

I learned a long time ago that small towns are like great big extended families.  Ever one knows your business, has an opinion about your business, tells you how to live your life, what you are doing wrong and expects you to shape up to their standards.  I do so enjoy the love of a gossipy town.  I figure I would rather have people know all about my life and personal business than if they walked over my dead body laying on the street, like I see happening in the big cities. I don't really have a true understanding of big cities, and to tell you the truth they terrify me, maybe because the only experience I personally have of them is Winslow in 1970.  Give me a little town with it's churches, bars, equal in number usually I might add, and the loving caring of its people.

This week, with all it's trouble and tribulation, brought home to me my love of a little town.  I went to town for flour for baking yesterday, and every where I went I was stopped and given condolences, love and warm affection.  I can't say how comforting that can be, all I meant felt a personal loss at my tragedy. My little town is truly a wonderful caring place to bring up my kids.  I have lived here 31 plus years, raised my adult children in one school, with a stable loving base as their home town.  My little girls are well and truly a part of this great town, they are loved by many of the people here and I know they are the better for it's strength and love for them. 

I am stronger today, than yesterday, my 5 steps of grief are playing out.  I am no longer blaming myself at the loss, I am still angry but that to is lessening, I still cry at the loss of my little friends but know that that to will go way.  I was strengthened and supported by all my friends in my small town.  Everyone I saw wanted to comfort me in my time of loss, can't beat that.  I still wonder why people chose the isolation of a big city but I guess that is a choice they make, as for me and mine, we live in and love our little town..... tomorrow.

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Keci news, long day for the kids, burials, and the threat looms in our yard.

Yesterday, the cougars were brave.  Our neighbor, Beard, checked or trap at 6:30, on his way to work, and no cat, nothing touched.  The dogs went crazy around 7 we really didn't think anything of it, Lady Jay, kept growling out of character, but since they had been confined we kind of passed it off.  Poppie checked the trap around 8, to feed the animals, a little bit of the straw had been pawed away and a little bit eaten off the hindquarter, no cougar.  He checked the does and went to check the bucks.  He was meant with horror.  Rommy looked alive is a setting position, but his head was ran into the fence, throat mauled, hindquarter eaten.  Boaz and Lamb chops killed and not touched.  So we have a Cougar, possible a set of twins about two from the female killed last year.  They may have not been trained right when she died, normally they don't kill just to kill, this one or two is killing to kill, the worst kind of animal. The loss of these three were heart breaking, all were Yogies animals. I think the loss of an animal to a wild animal for food it sort of acceptable but not when it is carnage. The cougar's had also killed a chicken in my yard, the blood went from under my window across a trail they are making between the house and the kids pool. No wonder Lady Jay was going crazy. Our kids are endanger and have to spend the foreseeable future in the house or with adult supervision. The cougar is killing in the day light. I just wish the animal advocates had to live with this continuing yearly attack, they tell you the animals only take what they need, and don't stalk people or homes. I am here to tell you not in my neighborhood.

  We had emailed the local news the day before the FWP contacted us, DC had called her friend that works for them as well. Poppie got a call from the trapper about the media, he said we had contacted them.  We told them we had.  The KECI people came http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbcmontana.com%2F&h=6AQDuxn17 and interviewed Poppie.  The trapper was not happy as because the media was now involved, he had to change his traps.  I think he should have told us that in the first place, but obviously the first approach didn't work, I have 6 hundred dollars worth of dead animals on the ground to bury. We now have to lock Caesar in the horse trailer at night. He was so scared when Poppie found him with three dead friends at his feet. We advised all the neighbors so all the animals can be confined at night and watch in the daytime.  Shinny said they had just had a newborn calf, so they will have to be diligent.  They confined their goats.  Beard helped Poppie in the yard check out trails, he is worried as well, his goat was killed too.  Sad when it is the middle of summer and all our kids should be having fun and enjoying their innocence; our neighborhood is under seige and unsafe.

I hope today brings a better outcome, Poppie has check the new trap this morning, no cougar, the trapper pulled the open traps and put a big cage trap, he says he doesn't want attack from the animal rights people so that is all he can use now.  He would be in trouble for cruelty to animals with the open face traps.  So where do our rights come in, they worry more about being harassed than catching a killer in our neighborhood, some how this is just not fair. The animals have more rights than we do. Then they wonder why so many Montanans believe in the three S's. ( Shoot, shovel and shut up. )  We don't own a gun, borrowed one from Bug, it is time we bought one, we are to the point of being forced to protect ourselves, we have asked for it legally and the right way. We have asked for help but no helps seems to come, the local game warden didn't even come to the house, or they are afraid of what the animal right people want if they do come.  No wonder poaching is alive and well in Montana.  It is a sad time to live in.... tomorrow.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Cougar? Unsure what the day will bring, Goats to feed and cheese to make.

I was up a good portion of the night, I did not hear a loud screaming or disturbance so I am thinking that the cougar either did not return or ate on the carcass around the traps.  His father was a tricky one and did just that.  My goats will have to be confined in smaller pens away from the traps.  My little long haired female Chichuaua,  Muddles, felt it necessary to get in to the trap last night.  Hurt her hip but did not break it.  She will have a limp for awhile and hopefully some more sense of self preservation.  DC's husband, Beard, helped Poppie reset it and disguise it.  I hope the rams and buck were ok, usually there is no real danger for a buck or ram, the reality is they stink.  The big ram, Caesar, weigh 300 pounds so would be a big animal for the cougar to get down and kill. Rommy, his son, who is in the pen with him would not set still of it, or visa versa.  Poppie will have to check the trap soon, if no cougar, we will pray for it to return to the trap tonight, they can return to the carcass for a couple days, a stored source of food.  The cougar had covered the body after he had eaten from it. The goat will be more work, feeding and confining until we get the cougar, it moves on or kills anew.

I am going to make cheese today, have a whole frig full of milk.  I am think maybe more feta, mozzarella or maybe a hard cheese, to set to aging. I hope to finish my carvings that I had worked on a few days back, however my cough has returned so will have to use the nebulizer before I do. I will end up freezing some milk, that will allow me to make soaps during the winter once the does no longer give milk.  We did find both peacocks last night, they had been gone all morning after the attack.  They fly so there was no real danger of them being taken.  We heard that Drama Queen had seen the cougar, around 5 in the morning yesterday, cross the road by our house, so that would sort of give us a time frame of the death.

Coffee is done, I had coffee with Lady, yesterday.  It was a very nice break in my routine and I had a wonderful visit and time. I got to go to CAKLS as well.  I took her some soap, deodorant samples and shampoo, can't wait to see how they worked for her. We may make plans for this week end when the girls are gone to Grandpas.  I pray for increased friendships alot, I know that I have to be more proactive to receive friendship so I am trying to be able to give more time to others.  I think that this week has been a good week for me in developing or redeveloping friendship.  My girls have been asked to be on the library float, they are excited to do so, they will be little pigs.  They will get to wear ear and noses, unknown about tails, but I am sure they will enjoy the event either way.  Coffee to drink and milk to process.... tomorrow.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Cougar killed my prize doeling, Caesar tried to be a hero. Traps are set.

This morning at feeding time Poppie discovered that Clover had been killed by the cougar.  The cougar has killed Pokaspot, goosey loosey, Guinea fowl and chickens this year.  Called the game warden and he advised due to funding cuts he would not be able to send the trapper but would come out to see what he could do.  I don't actually know why but he did get to send the trapper. The trapper set two open faced traps and caged the body of the doeling,  we have permission to unload our gun in to it's body if it gets caught.  It might make me feel a little better at losing Clover but it won't bring her back or compensate us for her loss. Caesar, accidentally or heroically, saved all the little goats, they were in the pen next to him, he and Rommy jumped in to the pen with the little ones and kept them from getting killed, probably made the cougar go after Clover as he couldn't kill one of the little ones.  He might have killed all of them so maybe a lesser loss in the long run, it still upset me to loses my first Boer female I had been working to produce.  Mokie gave me back her twin but she is a little set back and needs fattening, she had been weaned and off mom and moved so not as big and strong as Clover.

I don't like to pray for anyones death but tonight I am praying for the death of a cougar, we have been the victims of him, his mother and his father (who thank the Lord are now both dead) so we have more than given to the cause. The animal need to be gone, much like a nuisance bear needs to be destroyed, the kids had to spend the day indoors and can not go out with out an adult, no way for a child to spend the summer. Lord hear our pray, and protect us from the cougar..... tomorrow.

Wolves back on the news, The Debt looms in Washington, Politics at it's best.

The wolf issue is back on the evening news, and on the same news cast Elk counts down in our area of the state, due to wolf predation.  You got to wonder what they are thinking.  I mean by they, the people who don't live in the real world, they have a romantic idea of wolves running free and being these wonderful loving animal.  They don't have children that are in danger of the wild animals they fight to protect, wolves and cougars.  They have no animals in danger, they don't care that the wild life they profess to love, deer, elk..... are being destroyed due to the unrealistic protection of an animal, they originally want a specific quota of breeding pairs for, which has come and gone, but they insist that more are needed.  Really when will it stop, and I can't wait for Judge Maloy's retirement, lets just hope we don't get a worse judge but I am sure the left wing liberals are already arranging that for our future.  If the law, they are complaining about now, is that it is illegal to have animals not endangered in one state but have to be endangered in all states, did they forget that Alaska is a state, last time I knew wolves weren't endangered there. I just hate that the wolf lovers don't accept that they saved a species, and get on to the reality that the wolves are now destroying our forest, manage them, or the back lash of hatred toward the animal will be devastating to their sustained recovery.

I  truly love the democracy I live in, it is unique to us, we don't have a parliamentary form of democracy, which in this instance would make this debt crisis easier, but a check and balance democracy system. I do hate when the politics of our democracy out weighs doing good for the country.  I hate when neither side is listening to the people that put them in their offices.  I hate that it takes 2 to 4 years to get rid of a bad choice, when we elect the wrong people to their offices.  I hate when, as a lesser politician, you vote against the higher politicians to get farther up the ladder then when you are on top you change your point of view on issues and do exactly what you complained about and voted against.  I hate the promises that are made, to be broken, and I hate all of the Washington outsiders that promise to change Washington then get there and make their bed right in the middle of the insiders.  I hate the fact that the media is so open that it is paralyzing the ability of the politicians to actually get things done, they are so afraid of the media they won't take a real stand for any issues. I still love our system but as a whole politicians need to grow up and do their jobs,  uhm.... lets put their pay checks at the top of the default list on August 2 and see if they get a deal worked out instead of putting the seniors and the poorest in our society at the top. 

I think one of the things I miss the least, in working outside of my home, is the politics of society.  I still have to live with some, but the day to day, office politics, is no longer a stresser in my life.  I am not saying I can't do it any more, I am saying I choose not to do it and am glad daily that the Lord makes it so I don't have to do it any more, it can be so bad for your health.  Why as a people or society is their such a requirement for politics.  I think maybe it is a consequence of society, and then we wonder why people fall of the grid.  I am not off the grid and am in no hurry to be that far afield, but I do feel the pull of its simplicity, if not it's eccentricity. Here is to finding your own balance in this world, and society, all have to and others will always wonder at the choices you make, wolf lover or not...... tomorrow.

Monday, July 25, 2011

Homesteader, Time how do you spend yours? Is it a precious commodity in you life?

It has come to my attention that I am not a granola, always knew I wasn't, don't have the right political view to be one, but for a lack of a better word kind of associated that way.  I guess I am a homesteader, no not like a hundred years ago where you got free, hard worked for, land.  I am one of the boomers that has gone back to the land but, as a moderate republican not a granola type.  I try to live as I preach, I try to go back to the land, live simple and basic.  I have lots of animal, I love, and struggle to feed just like I struggle to feed my kids.  I try to be self sustaining, every one knows my politics, every one knows I pay it forward, help those less fortunate than myself, I share what God has blessed me with, I am not, have never been or will never be rich or even well off.  I live from paycheck to paycheck and sometimes hope or need the next one to come a little early.  No one would call be greedy, or selfish, some call me blunt but you always no where you stand with me.  I guess I am the flip side of a granola, head or tails the political opposite, sometimes it is funny how the opposites are so similar, twins of a different color you might say.

I find that when I look back at this spring I have done nothing, where has the time gone?  I know I have been busy doing lots but can't put my finger on really anything worth the telling of. The winter was long and miserable, then we were hit by massive heat.  I didn't get to acclimate so the heat is almost debilitating for me.  Time is such an amazing thing, it is finite, as I believe God knows the time of my death, it is limited and numbered for me, though I am living to 94 so have some time to go.  I find the older I get the more time is precious to me, I don't like to share my time frivolously, I have never been one to share it without thought.  I like to spend my time with family, a few friends, doing selected things.  I am not alot of fun in many situations, I am to serious and as I am perceived to be unfriendly, by some, I am rarely invited by other people.  I am at piece with that in ways, some times it hurts but it is the collateral damage from the way I have chosen to live my life. I am a great deal like my parents in that regard, I actively tried to be different for a long time but the training was there. I know I didn't fall to far from the tree, but I hope it other ways the wind blew me far afield. How do you spend your time?

Do you spend it with family? Do you travel? Do you spend your savings enjoying yourself after years of doing with out? Do you live everyday care free like the grasshopper, and count on an ant to get you through? Do you take time with a child, do you have the patience to let them learn at their pace and not do it yourself, one of the most valuable lessons I have ever learned.  My time and yours are our own, remember to respect the choice you make with yours and always respect how others spend their.  Here is time I spent with Booboo last week.

Take time today to contemplate time, how you spend it, who with you share it and remember it is not infinite but finite..... tomorrow.

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Same sex marriage is New York, Mega Loads and wolf hunting, you know I gotta.

Today is the first day of same sex marriages in New York.  I still do not understand why marriage would be such an important thing to the people of the gay community.  I do believe they have the rights to live the way they like, as do we all, but why it marriage part of their wants?  I believe in civil unions for all couples who want to join together, but as marriage is an institute, set up by God and the church for one man and one woman, why would marriage be something they want. I am not just talking about gay people, I am asking the same question of people who do not believe in God? Why would an atheist want to share with their loved one a ceremony from God? I would think that something given to us from God would be something they would shun.  I am not homophobic, my earliest introduction to gay people was very early in life.  My cousin who is 3 years older than me has been a boy since the day I meant her, she has lived her life, all her life, very masculine.  No one made her that way she was born that way.  I am not sure that all gay people were born that way, and for that matter I am not sure all heterosexual people were born that way.  I don't believe that therapy will help someone born one way or the other to change. I am a purest and just don't understand why the simple ceremony designed for a man and a woman would be controversial, I know I don't want to fight for my right to have a Barmitsfah, as I understand it, that is a ceremony design by God to recognise a boys change from boyhood to manhood.  I see them as both the same type of ceremonies, both for specific people, established by God.  I am fully for Civil unions, equal rights for couples to insurance benefits, tax laws, etc.....

Mega loads and oil have been a big issue in Montana for some time.  I understand that people have issues about their traveling through our state but my problem comes from the hypocrisy of some of those people.  I find that like anything 80 percent of your business come from 20 percent of your clientele.  I happen to live near Zootown, often referred to as the San Fransisco of Montana, very true.  The 20 percent of our community that scream, yell and squeak the loudest about their beliefs live there.  Doesn't the squeaky wheel get oiled first?  The majority of Montana don't have the same opinions as the 20 percent screaming loud.  I don't have an issue with their screaming and opinion if they weren't hypocrites.  I see them on the news all the time hounding, harassing and criminally damaging the big rigs, the property of the oil companies.  My questions is this, what did they put in their car to get to the demonstrations, I know for a fact they drove as the site is remote and no one can ride their bike to an fro, and be in so many places at once, oh I forgot bike tires and paint made from petroleum, did they ride a horse to the event?  They hold water bottles in their hands, what was that made of? Did they come with clean hair, or was their shampoo made from goats milk, their fancy new age wonder fabric clothes, petroleum, just take a look at the list of items made from petroleum, they are hypocrites.  I liken it to drugs.  People are upset about the drug wars in Mexico but if you are using illegal drugs you are part of the problem so get your head out of the sand and be part of the solution, stop asking them to make drugs.  My thought is this, if you are using any petroleum product you are part of the problem, the big oil companies work for you.  So instead of harassing your employees for doing the job you pay them to do, change you life at a real level, stop your demand for oil in your life.  Download the list of petroleum products and stop using all of the items on it, then you can go picket and scream at the people hauling the equipment to make it.  The river leak in Montana is all our fault, get off your butt and go help them clean it up but don't scream about the pipeline that hauls the oil if you are using any of the items on that list, that pipeline is your purchase and your drug of choice. Last time I knew Kayaks are now made from petroleum products, or are they using wooden and hide ones made like they were a hundred years ago, if so kudos's to them and thank you for cleaning up our mess.  I do use petroleum products and am actively trying to limit them but I know I am part of the problem

DC and her family have lost a goat, New Mamma and family have lost a goose; both to the cougar.  It is that time of the year that they come.  The fish, wildlife and parks say we are not allowed to defend our animal against it's predation.  I know they were here first, but like the wolves they are out there in larger numbers than the book smart managers think they are.  If they are to be left alone to do what they will lets let their children play in my kids yard and lets see if they don't get rid of themselves.  I don't think that when push comes to shove that the Sierra Club guys want their kids and animals dead either they just don't live in my neighborhood, or if they do they are Shooting, Shoveling and Shutting up themselves.

Saturday, July 23, 2011

My siblings, an even dozen, who are they to me?

I was born two days before my grandmother Thelma turned 36.  I won a bet for my dad, had I came two days later my grandmother would have been treated steak dinner as it was, she treated my dad.  My mother was in labor 28 hours and I broke the little jay hook bone on her spine.  She said the only thing cute about me was my great big brown eyes, my head looked like a misshapen wiener and I was black and blue for weeks. My mother had never been around a baby, my dad was right at home with me.  The doctor laid me over his arm like a rag doll to prove I wasn't all that breakable, she wasn't all that convince.  My uncle Gary, my moms only sibling, threw me in that air and caught me and my grand mother admonished him that you didn't do that with newborns.  My mother had just turned 18 when I was born.

My brother Silver and his twin Angel were born when I was 14 months old.  They were born about 3 weeks early, my mother had been tripped by a hound about 3 weeks before and Angel wasn't getting fed right.  They were born at home, my grandmother Gladys  delivered them.  They went to the hospital shortly after birth.  Angel lived 9 hours, the two little guys held hands in the incubator. I was an adult before I thought of him as my brother, he had always been Silver's twin, somehow I never connected that he didn't belong to Silver anymore than he had me.  He was my brother too. 

Eleven months after the twins, Red was born.  My mother had not expected him to be a boy, the White's (my maiden name) had not had three boys in a family in countless generations.  He had a lot of pink clothes,  his hair was the same beautiful red as both my grandmothers, an exact match to Thelma's.  He had not been born with the red hair, it was originally black but had turned red shortly after birth.  He had his first hair cut at 4 months old, my grandmother Thelma, cut hers as well and they fashioned little red ponytails and dressed him one of the pretty little dresses that hadn't gotten used,  My dad wasn't impressed, thought those would be blackmail pictures.  He some how didn't get my mom and grandma's sense of humor.

Sixteen months later Sister was born, she was my Sister, and her nickname always reflected that she was.  She had odd dishwater colored hair and when she turned two it turned to the same red as my grandma Thelma's.  She was a delicate little things, sick alot and allergic to milk.  She needed alot of care and my mom need to give alot of care, they had a very close bond. She was the apple of my mom's eye and helped my mom through a lot of hard years.

My mom found that she could not conceive more children for a number of years, they adopted to sons.  One is still my brother, Baby brother, he is my youngest brother and my biggest brother.  The adoptions in the sixties lined up nationalities more than they do now.  Baby brother is German, English and Irish just like the rest of us.  When people found out one of us was adopted people always guessed it was Red or Sister, to us it never matter he was and is our brother.  Mom usually went and brought home the new baby in his case we all got to go. When he was 5 ish he had to get coke bottle glasses, after putting on his new glasses, he got a little scared and said to my dad, "what is that green stuff on the ground?"  My dad shocked said, "grass"  He had no idea that grass existed.

Little Sister came along as a bit of a shock to my mom when I was just short of ten.  She was born at home, as were all the rest of the my biological siblings. Her chest was bigger than her head, I remember it being square.  We all thought my dad had broken his arm as he came out of the bedroom with her all swaddled up.  Her first laugh came as she watch my dad shave his shaggy beard off for the first time. 

Drama Queen was born when I was 12, she had blood shot whites of her eyes.  She looked a little devilish even then.  The doctor, my parents took her to to be check out for her birth certificate, asked why, not a very bright doctor I am assuming.  My dad said, "we hit her with a baseball bat" he was upset of the doctors stupidity at not knowing they were birth marks or pressure marks. She liked drama from the very first it seems.

Baby sister was born shortly after I turned 14, she was the biggest baby my mom ever gave birth too.  My mom will tell you she was pregnant 11 months, some how I don't think so but she didn't have prenatal care to any extent so maybe she was pregnant that long. She turned out to be one of the two smallest of us children as an adult.  She and Sister are both very petite.



I hope that helps clear up some of my genealogy, all be it a tiny bit or a large, very large family.... tomorrow.

Farmers Market, wonderful community response, friends new and old.

The Farmer's Market was another nice event.  I am so proud of the efforts of Peggy on behave of our community.  The community has needed something like this for so many years.  She has really put time and effort in an event that is growing.  More vendors each week, more buyers as well, the comradery and fun is growing and the weekly developments are fun to watch.  It is really nice to have this here and not have to go to Zootown or farther to experience the grass root market and products of your friends and neighbors. Kudos for a job well done to all involved.

I am finding that my soap is doing very well at the Farmer's Market.  Soap has it own appeal, though their are two of us that sell it our soaps are immensely different.  I have a broader scope to my soaps and she has a more singular style.  I have a line of laundry, liquid, shampoos, and will be expanding to shaving soap, deodorants, and toothpastes just for starters.  I find that a person can only have so much soap and as mine tends to last a long time return clients don't need to come back often but that they love it and tell there friends brings in new sales. I love to talk about soap and goats so the Market gives me a new audience each week. Sometimes people passing through the community, sometimes people I don't know in the community and make new connections with, other times old friends I haven't gotten to see for a long time and find that I can reconnect at the Market. Again, I can't say enough about the good it is doing in our community.

Grandkids spent the night last night, stayed with Poppie while the girls and I went to the market, now all are swimming in the pool.  I have soap to make, my inventory is getting a little low, a good thing, so I can make more.  I got my Castor oil so am going to make shampoo today as well. I have shaving soap to rebatch too, so much fun to get to work on them.  Have a great Saturday, do something you enjoy even if it is something others find to be work, I know I am not shy about doing so....... tomorrow.

Friday, July 22, 2011

Rained all night Gods blessinngs coming down, Baking, I hope some resting.

We woke up to the wonderful sounds of raining, the dripping from the roof, the gray song of the drops hitting the vent in the bathroom,  an orchestra of lyrical tones.  The cleansing smell wafts through the windows, the cool moist air; all welcome visitors to our home. A summer night shower is such a blessing and reprieve from the heat to come. My home is still silent as all catch the last moments of slumber and rest before a day fill with plenty to do. 

We have baking to do today, I ask Booboo, as she was my faithful assistant yesterday, "what is your favorite part of baking day?"  She said, "My favorite part is spending time with you mom, I love you?"  I was so happy at her answer, I think mostly because I didn't expect it.  She is 7 and Mom is still a wonderful person, my only hope is she always loves me or returns to her love after the teenager years have come and gone. I know teenagers love you too, but some days it's hard to remember and goodness know they probably aren't going to tell you, it's their little secret that know one should know. We made braided bread, which so reminded me or when I used a red, blue and green pieces of string to teach them to braid at three. They could see the different in the yarn and it helped the teaching click.  Booboo is a very literal person, she is very verbatim, she will repeat the rules or the lesson back to you days of months later, word for word.  She would say; fold the three ends to together, mold the first piece of dough over the next and mold it so it is nice, bring the second piece over and the first piece under... her little mind trying to remember and braid all at once.  She was pleased with her braids. They turned out lovely and we made one that was a cinnamon roll twist. All in all a wonderful mother daughter day, right in the middle of grand kids and kids coming to and fro and making chaos all around us.  I would say my life and home are quite often reminiscent of controlled chaos, should be my motto. 

Poppie, Mokie and I were all a little sick yesterday, Poppie and I upset to our stomachs and Mokie very sick, not sure if hers was Chrons or a bug like us.  She couldn't take the smells of Booboo's baking.  Poppie rested in his chair a bit and tried to feel better.  I rested between baking times and raising yeast.  Today we bake again, not sure if Yogie will join us or not, sometimes she just needs to chill and this week maybe one of those weeks. No baking next week, next week is Yogie's birthday week and we will go camping, we always go camping for her birthday.  We get to go fishing, hiking, wienie roasting and smore making.  The goats will be at home and we won't, we will escaped if only for a few day, Poppie will worry and will be ready to come home after two night as he hasn't gotten to fix the camper bed so will hurt from it.  The fun and discomforts of camping all rolled up in one, but we will come home rejuvenated and ready to take on the world.  The grand kids may come for one night this year, Yogie got to invite them to come and share her special time, Bug's three, not Cubbie and Boy, they would be afraid to stay all night.

The pump dry fired well, it is back in the ground and ready to go, they forgot that they needed to increase the size of the control box, and blew the capacitor so I had to order a new control box to accommodate the 1 1/2 hp motor and not the 1 hp motor. It should be here is a few days, so the well saga continues but joy at the progress is a relief and we are blessed at the progress being made. Coffee to make, Poppie is still sleeping so we are behind schedule this morning, we are being a little slugabed..... tomorrow.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Pump out and on the ground, Yogie has canyons but no appliance. Happy happy.

They pulled the pump out of the well casing shortly after 8 last night.  We all were there to witness it coming from the ground.  It was astounding how all involved needed to be a witness to its appearance from the earth. They pulled it out and sure enough the motor was froze up, they couldn't turn it over with a hammer.  The motor, that Bug had gotten from his brother in law, that is a 1/2 hp bigger than ours had the same gear ratio and was a perfect match for our pump.  The motor bolted right on, it turns and appears to run the pump.  They will dry run it in a garbage can before they but it back in to make sure it works.  Poppie is going to have the old motor, and the pump of the one from Bugs brother in law, both rebuilt as back up for either part of the pump for future failures.  The Lord always has a plan for even the small things, non believers always scoff and says he wouldn't have time for the mundane, if he was real.  I believe that God has time for all things to all his believers, that is what makes him our Lord and God.

Yogie had a rough day at the orthodontist,  they pulled her expanding appliance,  it was the second one and had been in her mouth since January.  It had gotten to where it almost appeared to have grown into the roof of her mouth.  One side of it couldn't be seen it was a good 1/8 inch into the palette, the other side following suit.  The dentist had to use laughing gas to pull it.  She put a topical pain killer on the palette as well. Booboo and I both held her hand, she need both hands, and squeezed her little hand so hard but was brave and didn't shed a tear.  The appliance did it's job and she no longer has the two cross bites she originally had and her face is opening up so much.  She was always a lovely little soul with a pretty little face, but the enlargement will make her face all the more lovely and her teeth are going to be so beautiful, almost identical to her sisters.  The changes make them look more alike everyday.  She will be glad of her braces when all is said and done.

Got a message from Herbalist last night, the little goat we picked last week, that she had said was a girl, we never actually checked as we were advised she was a girl, is not.  We have to pick a different goatie.  We have decided we will take the little girl with no ears, she is a dark brown with a black strip, she actually looks like one of our yearlings, but with no ears, they are half sisters.  She is to be Yogie's goat and her name will still be Dolly, the same name we had picked for the boy that is not a girl. 

Today Cubbie and Boy will be here, and it is a baking day.  Sister will not come to share the day with us, which will be sad,  she fell off the bleachers when she passed out and has reconcussioned herself.  She has to stay home for safety sake.  She will be getting her surgery to repair her heart on the 5th. 
She had originally prayed for a cancellation, so she could get in sooner, but when Brother told her that the only time people cancelled those kind of operations, that her doctor does, was not by choice but because they no longer could make any choices she stopped praying for a cancellation.  She wants to wait her turn so all can last to their surgeries.  We are now just praying for a good out come on her day of surgery. 

Baking with my girls, sponge has to sponge, so time to finish up art work this morning and finish breads this afternoon.  Pies to make as well. Foccacia and something new tomorrow, we will hit the cookbooks looking for a new recipe, that is half the fun..... tomorrow.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Yogie to an ortho today, Grandkids this morning, Lovely rain and moisture, yay.

They began work on the well but a wonderful rain storm sent them seeking shelter.  Poppie was the last hold out and came in last for his jacket.  They ate dinner and the rain subsided to a pleasant mist with threats of more to come.  Dinner had slowed the drive of Bug, Son and Teenager but Poppie was ready to go again.  He received no support in his need to finish and with a light rain falling had to give up for the evening.  He will be raring to go later this afternoon, he can see the end in sight and wants to get to his goal. It is a nice cool morning with promise of more rain to come, a blessing as the ground is so dry and the weeds are turning a golden yellow.  The evening work to come will be blessed with mild temperatures and not the glaring sun and it's heat.

Yogie is going to have the appliance removed from the top of her mouth today, we hope, so to Zootown we must go.  It has actually been pushing up into her palette and causing irritation to the roof of her mouth, if not pain.  You can see the wonderful room it has created in her mouth so it has well and truly done it's job.  I have to get on her to brush her teeth more; she and Booboo are going through a protest of sorts this summer, they are actively not brushing their teeth so it is a fight every night and morning to get them to do so.  The bottom line is that they are being lazy, or just like to stir mom up, I am not sure which motivation is worse.

I had a friend comment on my blog that she wasn't sure who all the people were in my blog, as I use codes or maybe she didn't know the people I used the code on.  The truth is that my friends are all in code, the names I use on them are the first thing that comes to mind when I think of them.  The family names, except Eldest, are the nicknames I have called or call my kids and grand kids. I just want to say it is not that I wouldn't use their names it is just that I chose to write a blog and they didn't, I think I am somehow obligated to respect their privacy on some level.  I am not all that sure the they would be bothered if I used their names but if even one were upset I would have done them a disservice so I like the coded names.  Coded names it seems, are alot like lies the closer you stay to the truth the easier they are to remember. I am not saying I am a liar, though all fall short and do, but it is a philosophy I have heard that good liars use.  But then maybe coding names is a lie on some level,  a thought to ponder....

Grand kids this morning, I think the pseudo grand kid will not be here but with his dad.  They will be hunger and testy at the rain, so they will be kids.  Maybe they can play electronics this morning.  I rarely let them so we will see, probably no pool and no biking/triking, which ever the case would be, so electronics it will be.  I hope to finish up the carving I am enjoying working on. Coffee is done and my day is to begin.... tomorrow.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

They retrieved the pump, a big sigh of relief, manly team work gotta love it.

Bug got off work early so they got to start on the well around 5 last night. I am not sure of the techniques they administered, maybe it was more of a wing and a prayer, or a series of plans that changed as they went along, sort of a fly by the seat of your pants operation.  Son joined in after he got home from work.  Teenager from next door aided as well. The combined efforts were fruitful and just before 8 the lost pipe, which is attached to the pump, peaked it's way out the top of the well casing.  I think the sigh of relief that came from all involved was audible mentally if not physically.  Bug admitted, after the fact, that he felt the odds were slim to non of retrieving it after they dropped it.  I assure you the exact same thoughts his father and I had had at the time it had dropped.  The Lord truly answers prayers, and in all things, we should praise God.  The time spent working on the joint problem has helped Bug and Son learn to understand each other, truly a blessing that I am not sure would have come it the pump had not dropped.  So today I am thankful that the pump dropped to the bottom of the well, and thankful that the Lord helped them retrieve it.

Yogie has an ortho appointment tomorrow after noon so have to plan the day around that.  It is late in the afternoon.  I have 5 grand kids and one pseudo grand kids to watch today and the 5 grand kids tomorrow.  We do love having them, and truly cherish the blessing of having a bond with our grand kids that not all people are blessed with.  I truly believe that time spent together is one of the best ways to create a bond. That being said 8 children at one time is a lot of work.  I find it exhausting sometimes.  My girls try to be good and help, as they are in tune with good old mom, so know I tire but they are little girls after all and join the natural arguing and mischief.  I maintain they are ladies all be it ladies in training so they have a learning curve like any one else.  I am prepared for Buga's tattling, M's whining at being the odd man out, Yogie taking charge and being bossy, Eldest and Boy being boys, and Booboo being the voice of reason. Ahhh a wonderful day in the making.

DC's Tinkerbell (aka Pokaspot) has come up missing, unsure at this point if it was that she got away and can't be found or if a Cougar has picked her off.  I am hoping it is that they just haven't found her but it is the time of year the Cougar always makes its presence known.  I hate when the cougar comes.  We lose little ones and that is a tragedy. DC's is new to goating and I am sure she is devastated at the loss, if it turns out to be so, I am still hoping on the return of Tinkerbell.  I am also fully aware that in our goat experience Tinkerbell has been a jinx name.  My little girl that I lost last spring with the triplets was also a Tinker.

My coffee is done and Poppie is bringing me a cup.  Children to prepare for so I am going to meditate, take solace in my coffee and pray for an uneventful day..... tomorrow.

Monday, July 18, 2011

The pump is hanging, they dropped it but they saved it, long hot day.

I got the kids up at about 8ish, the grand kids live a later life than we do so they had to be encouraged to go to sleep the night before so it was around 10 ish before all had settled down. I made them waffles and eggs. They ate up with different digress of interest in their breakfast.  They finished up and went out to play.  Poppie went and got his slop from the local restaurant.  He was still gone when I got a call from Bug on the cell phone, we are a little backwards and use less than 500 minutes a year on our tracfone, we don't have regular cell service as we would never use it enough to pay for the service. I answered and Bug had  thought he might catch his dad.  Dad had forgotten it, part of why we use so few minutes.  He wondered why Poppie was out on diamond rd and blew by him, I told him I didn't know why his dad was out there but I would have him call.  Poppie got home a short time later and he called Bug.  Bug was teasing him, he had seen him but was Poppie had not driven by him. He thought it would make him call faster.  They made plans for Bug to come help with the well.

They got started on the well just before noon, they were doing fairly well.  They worked out how they would support the pipes as they removed and unhooked them.  The first one seemed to go well, I did not go out there but I can see the well across the yard through my picture window in the living room.  I was rebatching soaps, scenting liquid soaps and talking to Daughter. The first pipe came out after awhile, the nest two came up and at a bit faster pace as they had worked out the kinks in their operation.  Daughter had gone home for a couple hours and had left M to play with the girls. Yogie went up to her Uncles house to visit, she had intended to visit her Aunt Sister but Sister was sleeping so Yogie was helping her Uncle wet down the driveway, so the dust would settle.  Booboo and M were playing with Cubbie and Boy at Mokie's.  Daughter returned about 4 ish.  I decided I would go out to check on their progress.  I just got out there when Bug said, "you don't want to be here just go back to the house." 

I was totally at a loss at his response to my coming out to see them.  Well they had just dropped the pump.  The chain had slipped and Bug had tried to stomp on the chain but, thank the Lord, it had slid free of his foot.  Poppie told me it would have taken his leg off or hurt him badly had he caught it.  Bug said when the pump dropped he looked over at Poppie and Poppie had turned white.  They were both scared that they would not be able to retrieve it and it would cost more retrieve than had they just had someone fix it in the first place.  Bug sent Daughter to his house for items he thought they would need to fix it.  Son came over and found they had dropped the pump and stayed to help.  Yesterday was Mokie and Son's 7th anniversary.  They and the two kids had spent the night in Zootown and had come home a few hours earlier. 

Daughter returned with the items.  Bug used his spotting light to look down the hole, it has 30,000 candle light brightness, he could see the electric wire all coiled up at the top of the pipe still in the hole.  Bug and Son, who are not always comfortable with each other as they are very different, decided they could hook it.  They worked together to make a three pronged hook, much like the hook they use to catch alligators on the different alligator shows. I know I digressed.   Bug promised it to Boy when they were done with it.  Their plan was to hook the wire knot and pull it up.  They put the hook down the casing and Bug successfully hooked the knot of wire.  He pulled it up, to fast for Poppie as Poppie was afraid he would drop it.  Bug slowed down as it got higher and higher as the knot got smaller and smaller.  It got to about as high as they thought they could go and still keep it hooked, they then used a slip knot on a wire that Bug fashioned and grabbed the end of the wire.  They successfully pulled the wire up and secured it for the night to a tree, the Kubota and anything else Bug thought he could wrap it around to keep it secure, he was making sure it didn't get dropped again.  I had fed the kids around six but Poppie and Bug wouldn't eat, Poppie ate at this point but Bug wouldn't.   He has lost a lot of weight this summer. He and Daughter have been having problems and like his dad when he is stressed he won't eat, and again, like his dad has no weight to lose.   He wouldn't eat even then.  They left soon and took the girls home, Bug wanted all the kids to hot tub with him. 

I am very proud of all three of the men who worked so hard to retrieve the pump.  I don't always see them as hard working, problem solving men.  They are usually my sweetie, my baby boy and my daughters sweetie so it was interesting to see them in such a different light, but they are all a blessing to his family in more ways than they will ever know, differences aside..... tomorrow.

Sunday, July 17, 2011

The Pump has died, Today is the day the Lord has made take joy in it.

I think one of my favorite verses in the Bible is 1 Thessalonians 5:18, In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. I have long remembered this verse when I have problems or down turns is my daily life.  It says to give thanks in all things, it doesn't say to pick and choose the things we give thanks for it says in everything, I would imagine that would mean all things.  I am not called  to understand Gods plan for me, I am called to give thanks for everything as that is his will for me in Jesus.  I find that sometimes it is not with in my understanding, in the moment, but in the plan of my life it is always the best plan.  It never fails to amaze me that when I get to look back on it, in hindsight, and see that indeed God is always right and his plan is the always the way for me.  Amen.

Today I am called to give thanks to the Lord for the pump being burned out, Poppie changed the capacitor and it is definitely the pump.  The pump is about 12 years old and at one point it ran three houses, I am sure that was a struggle on it as it is only a 1 hp pump.  It gave us a good long life, thank God for its effort on our behave.  Bug has come up with a motor for a 1 1/2 hp pump that is new.  He is going to help Poppie pull the pump and see if it can be fixed, cleaned or if the new motor can be used on it.  Poppie's friend also has access to pump parts so we will see if that is God's plan for us today.  Maybe in the end we will have to get a complete new one but I don't have the money for it so we will see on that front as well.  I am thankful that one of the jobs Poppie had when he could work was changing deep well pumps so he has the knowledge and know how to do that, God's plan I am sure. He has access to the equipment to do it as well, again God's plan.  I am sure at the time Poppie made these contacts or acquired the knowledge we had no thought to God's plan, but now the plan is becoming clear to us.  I don't really believe in coincidences I believe that God has a plan for us and we are enlightened to it as we live our lives. I thank God for all things and everything.  I think people say it some times as "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger",  I think that has the same meaning as, in everything praise God.

I am going to clean house today, help Poppie when he needs me, play with my Grand kids and Kids, who are all asleep on the floor, well not all, three anyway.  I am getting up to make waffles and pancakes, they can never agree on which so I just heat both pans. I am thankful that we have temporary water from Mokie and Son, they had gotten it from us for a year or so, so now they can repay the kindness of their water. Today is a wonderful day, it is a day that the Lord made, I praise him for it and all that entails...... tomorrow.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Farmer Market, wonderful people to meet and visit with. Great Day.

I was tired this morning and didn't get up to blog before the Farmer's Market.  We had a wonderful turn out, lots of sellers and a bunch of buyers.  Peggy is doing a wonderful service for the community by starting it and getting it going. There was a steady flow today and alot of people that had never sold or came to buy were there. It is growing and that is wonderful. I have actually sold a lot of soap in the last three weeks so will have to make up more.  The girls did well again, they have a steady clientele and new clients that are surprised to see that they are cooking and baking at their ages.  They actually make between 50 and 75% of it on their own.  I look forward to the day when they make it on their own but in ways don't want the day to come.  I like that they still need me and want me in their lives. Next week we are going to make eclairs and peanut butter cups, no cookies, foccacias, sourdough and pies.

Belle was there with her little boy, her little girl was grounded from the Farmer's Market this week for being a little naughty last week. She is experimenting with fudges and what they want to cook as their niche.  She is doing well on selling her Salves, it is getting a good following of clients, a wonderful thing.  She is getting her own niche figured out for selling items, I am happy for her in the regard.

Poppie is fixing the capacitor on the well, we had ordered one earlier in the week and it came this morning, a good thing as the old one gave up the ghost last night and we have no water.  Poppie hooked a hose from Mokie's frost free head to ours to get us a little water in the house for the short term.  He spent the morning working on Professors trailer, some one had borrowed it and had broken the taillights and damaged the plug on it.  Poppie is welding a new bracket, replacing the lights and adding a jack.  Professor will be surprised with the jack, Poppie is excited to have something to fix.  Poppie is also going to go out this week and clean out their barn with his friends Kabota.  Poppie does like to work and I have to let him do it once in a while to keep him from hurting himself doing what he shouldn't.

I hope to enjoy the rest of my day, their is a fair in the next town down and I have heard they are doing spinning so may go see that or go mushroom hunting haven't decided yet but we will go do something special this afternoon.  Mokie, Son and the kids, will be going to Zootown to spend the night in a motel for their anniversary.  I hope they have fun. Enjoy you afternoon........... tomorrow.

Friday, July 15, 2011

Adults need their Moms, Do you have a favorite child? Should you?

My Mom likes to say that her adult children don't need her so she doesn't need them.  I think she has arrived at this place in her life only since she has gotten the triplets and no longer has the time physically of mentally to share with all of her children, or maybe it is why she got the triplets at 59.  I can understand the complications of having adult children and babies or small children at the same time, as I do;  but have come to a total different feeling for all of my children.  I rarely talk about the triplets, they can be very lovely little girls in their own right, but as a family, all generations, have given up so much as a result of their adopted. Their arrival totally spiraled the family into complete dysfuntionality.  Maybe the grasp for youth was the beginning of the end of my mom's mental stability, I don't know.  I often seek to understand my mom but she isn't understandable in the end.  She is not mentally the woman she once was, age? mental deterioration? I don't know and have decided to no longer loses sleep wondering or seeking the answer it has been 10 years after all. I need her but she no longer needs me, her own conclusion.

Sister said to me this week something that plays in my mind over and over.  That you have a connection with your oldest child you never have again or with your other children.  She said "you become a mom with that child a feeling you never get quite the same again."  I know exactly what she means, and it has nothing to do with loving that child or your other children, it just is.  For me and I would suspect it is similar for all woman or atleast all I have had this conversation with.  It is a moment of Epiphany, they place that baby in your arms and you are a mother, your emotions swell and it is indescribable.  You are just a mother.  You have more children but as you are already a mother the feeling is not the same again, only in that one moment when you became one does it come. You have that moment in time with that child, no matter how your relationship evolves with that child, good or bad, that moment remains.  You have new moments of loving each child individually and for the first time but those moments are different than becoming a mom, once you are one you don't unbecome one to do it again for the first time. It is a once in a lifetime experience.  I think it can be like becoming a wife, for some, as I only did that once in my life time but it is different, but both a once in a lifetime experience.  I also think that having a favorite child is part of having a real relationships with your children.  I have moments with all of my children where they are my favorite.  They are all my favorite as each relationship is different and they are all my favorite in that relationship.  They are never all my favorite at the same time but all my favorite part of the time. Loving a child, yours or not, is always a special and different relationship you have with one person, a special and once in a life time relationship, or it should be.

I need my children, adult or not, I really can't imagine not needing your children and would be saddened to come to that place in my life where I didn't. I take joy in my memories of them as children and take pride in them as adults.  They all have lives of their own, places to go and children to raise but the joy of seeing them as strong independent people is soul warming.  I believe that a child should need you less ever day starting on the first day of their lives, but by the time they are adults they should want you, if not need, you in their lives. I don't need my mother, that is true, but do miss and want her in my life, now if only she could feel that in return. How sad.  She is the lesser for not wanting me or my family in her life. 

Goofy rolled over at 11 days, Bug was four months and Mokie two months. Goofy and Bug crawled at 6 months, Mokie never crawled she sat and scooted on her bum, so funny.  Yogie only bother to crawl at 8 months so she could stand up next to the couch and walk along it, walked alone a 9 1/2 months.  Booboo crawled at 8 months but didn't bother to walk until she was weeks past her 1st birthday, she didn't have anywhere to go apparently..... tomorrow.

Thursday, July 14, 2011

The girls went in the Jaunty Car for a ride, weeding in progress and Booboo still off.

Booboo got to go to the libraries pool party on Tuesday, she seemed better but she must have been compensating as she threw up again yesterday. We are keeping a food journal for her for the Doctor. The pop was actually what seems to set you off, she was more than likely right. The fact that we do not use pop in our lives except for the occasional treat seems to have made it so it is a trigger of some kind for her. She had gotten a pop on Sunday and got sick a little while after she had finished it. In May the same thing had happened. She was the one to notice it originally. The Doctor is thinking it may be an IBD of some sort. She will probably end up sending Booboo to a specialist after the week of journaling. She doesn't think it is gallbladder as Booboo is too young for that. I truly pray it is not Chrons or Ulcerative Colitis, I hope it is something less sinister. She has always had issues with gravy, now pop but eats veggies well with no problem so there is hope. I won't dwell it won't do me any good anyway.

Sister came down and we talk a long time about Mom, she and family came to Sisters on Monday, stayed about 15 minutes, and left. Sister's daughter brought her new baby out special to meet mom, dad and the girls. Mom basically blowed her off and they left. Sister and I love our mom but it is sure hard to deal with her issues sometimes. She wouldn't even stop to see me and my family. I still have no idea what it is that I am supposed to have done this time to make her mad. Can you cause that much trouble when you haven't spoken of, spoken to or spoken about some one. The bottom line is that mom can't love more than one kid at a time and she is "in love' with Drama Queen's money just now. I really wished some time I had the mom that people see looking in from the outside. You don't know how many people tell me how lucky I am to have her. And in some ways I am, but they don't know the reality of our lives, we as a family put the best face forward and no one has a clue of the reality of my mom. I know that I have tried to be the mom people believe my mom to be and in many ways I have succeeded but it is hard work. Anything worth having is hard work. I do know that I have an adult relationships with my adult kids, I don't try to run their lives, I don't consider them the enemy if they don't agree with me on every issue. I taught them to have thoughts of their own, I taught them to stand up and be good people. I taught them to take responsibility for their success and their failure. They have to do with it what they will, as adults, but they have knowledge.  All things I had to learn the hard way as my mother never taught me any of those things because she doesn't know how to do any of them and hides from them. Oh to have the mother people think I have. I always say thank you for saying so when they tell me how lovely she is, they have the right to their perception no matter how miss guided it may be, is that wrong?

Poppie weeded most of the day and most of yesterday. He is bound and determined to get his garden looking its best. It is coming along quite well considering the late start it got. Poppie is having a fight with his goat Lilly, she keeps climbing on the pig house and jumping into the sows pen to steal her grain. She gets stuck in there and can't get out. She has done this four times in the last week. The first time Mokie helped him get her out, the second time I helped him, the third time he hurt himself doing it himself. He decide he was not helping her out again.. Yesterday, she was there when he feed the goats in the morning, he did not feed her anything but the slops the pig got, she spent the day in there looking like he should save her. He refused to help her out. Last evening he went out to feed the goats for the night and low and behold she had gotten out let's hope she had learned her lesson.

Sister and Brother went for a ride in the Jaunty car this evening and invited the girls to go along. The Jaunty Car is 1920's dodge that Brother restored. It is a convertible and looks like Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, in a way, but they call it the Jaunty car after the car in the Gnome Mobile. The kids have always loved it and they take great delight when they are invited to go in it. They went for a long ride on the back roads the trip was about 30 miles long. They had a great time.

Mokie and Son went to help Professor and Herbalist get hay so Cubbie and Boy are at their grandparents for the evening. It is the first time they have gotten to go stay with them so I hope it goes well. The grandparents ask alotfoccocia's and maybe small pizza's. also new, tomorrow. We do enjoy our baking time together so time to get started..... tomorrow.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Do you ever have a loss for words, or do your thoughts ramble? Sometimes or not so much.

I find myself looking at this white page daily, as I have made a oath to write daily for at least one year, so far since the middle of February I have managed to keep my promise. I don't plan my blogs I let them be spontaneous, from the moment and from my heart.  I know sometimes that makes them boring or dull, but the point of my blogging is many things and playing to my audience is not at the top of the list. I write for me.  Sometimes is is much like the journal I kept when I was reading the book series "the artists way".  Sometime it is cathartic like when I journaled as I read Dr. Phil's book about lifestyle change, can't recall the name of it at this moment.  Sometimes it is a prayer to God or just talking things out with him.  Most importantly it is a journal to my children, and probably mostly for the two little ones.  The older three have no real interest in my blog, I can't say that any of the three have ever even read it.  Daughter in Law does on occasion but that is about it.  I rarely find that I am a person with a loss for words, blogging or in person.  Most anyone who knows me, knows that to be true.  Sometimes when I open the page the white stares at me as if to challenge me, I always raise up to the challenge and let my words flow.  Not always of note but always of me. 

I ramble through life in most of what I do.  I am a general planner but I am not an obsessive person in that regard. I have a simple budget that pays the bills, but I am also the daughter of my father, and know that when I really need it God will provide what I need.  I have a skeleton of a plan for my lifestyle; but the need to be flexible and go with the flow or with the heart beat of life, when it calls to me, to important  to detail my plan.  I found years ago that I had no real need for a calendar in my house, oh, I do have them but mainly for the pictures, so I can draw or carve them.  I haven't had a clock for years, not since I quit working out side of the home, I do have the TV set to come on automatically at 5:30, that helps me get the day going and during the school year get the kids to school on time. I almost never have to be anywhere at anytime, but I do like to know in advance if I have to go somewhere so I can arrange to schedule something into my non-scheduled life.  Does that even make any since, probably not but it works for me.  I do know for a fact that the major stresses are gone from our lifestyle.  I have taken it a step further by eliminating the people who want to or insist upon making my life stressful,  life is to short to purposely choose to live in stress.  Oh, I occasionally wonder where I am going to get the money for hay, or pig grain, or car parts, or pump parts but that is not the same kind of stress as letting daily crushing stress wear you down.  I find that I have become, what in my childhood was known as a hippie or flower child.  I try to live close to the earth, go with the flow, and try to stay out of the way of the man.  I know that sounds false, I do have a mortgage and none of them would have, I have a truck that eats diesel especially if you go more that 62.5 miles an hour, which I don't. We are going to make bio-diesel for it, you know it is alot like making soap come to find out. How cool is that.  Who knew when I grew up I would be a granola, in my own way.  I don't live off grid but I do know why people do. I am in the end a rambler, in words and deeds. God must have thought it was something he needed on this earth or he wouldn't have made me this way and let me succeed at it.  You couldn't imagine the wealth of useless things I know about alot of things, books, cooking, crafting, farming, fiber art, history, politics, children and life.  I look at a white blank page daily, but I always fill it up, what an analogy of my life that seems, I daily start with a white clean page with God and every day I find I fill it up with life...... tomorrow.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Family, what or who it is in your life, does it make you you?

I grew up a happy child with a happy childhood, on many levels, which is hard to explain in the few words of a blog. I would suppose that the major part of any ones life is the daily routine or mundane existence but when you look back on it you remember only the extraordinary, good or bad. The sublime is often lost in our memories. I find that when I write my blog I wander, sometimes it is the daily existence of our current life, that would be the routine or mundane of now; other times it is the extraordinary which would be the memories with enough importance to remember from my childhood. I am not saying the memories are important every time but there is something about them important enough to have made my brain remember them. The other postings I make are like this one, contemplative or philosophical. I have had people comment on my childhood, after reading my blogs, they think they know my life, and to some extent they do as I try to share openly and with honesty what my childhood or life is or was like. It still intrigues me as to why people are interested enough to read it in the first place. The fact is that people only know the part of my life that number one, I share, number two the extraordinary or unusual things my memory saw fit to remember, not the daily or mundane. But isn't life more about the daily, and so, maybe in the end you don't know that much about my childhood, but you do see my daily and mundane now. So do you know the now me better than the child me? I know, I am digressing, but just saying.

I think that my blog tends to be at it's core about family. What is family? Is it the people you struggled or struggle with daily? Is it the people you learned how to survive with? Do all families struggle? Are all families dysfunctional? Is family the people who lift you up and care that you are sick, depressed, love you for who you are, are concerned that you are off somehow, or are so anger at you that they could shake you but still love you? In my experience it is any, all and more than all of these. Family is the people that created you for eons, but that is the easiest form of family, your blood. Family, as I get older, is less about blood and more about love and caring. Your blood is the family you are stuck with, and most every family has, just that, someone they are stuck with, but family is so much more than that. Family is so much more, your closest family can be blood, it can be the person who pokes you and "says don't lie to yourself" and keeps you on the right path. Family is your spouse and your progeny. Family is all things to all people, no form of family is wrong and goodness knows there is not one family that is totally right or perfect.

I have the blessing of having both small children and adult children, I raised, in my life, at this time in my life. I am actively trying to mold the lives of my two beautiful girls, with out controlling them. I learned from the first time around that you can not control the out come of anything and you should not try. God has the control of this life and you should let him do it. I have also learned from my children's memories, that childhood memories, like my childhood memories, are the faulty memories or the single memories of one person. What one brain finds important enough to remember is not the memory, the brain of the other person, that is in that memory, remembers. Each have different memories of an event or they don't remember it at all. They remember their extraordinary moment, and my moment, was just a mundane moment to them so they don't recall it all. So in reality our childhood memories are flawed moments in time. Families are flawed people in time. Families are the cradle of who you are and who you will become. I know you are an adult and think you are who you are, but no, you are still becoming something new until the moment you pass on to eternal life, a blessing only God would give us..... tomorrow.

Monday, July 11, 2011

Booboo was sick all night, She is sure its the Pop.

We got a call from Herbalist to come out and pick out our goat, her yearling had two beautiful babies this morning and her other yearling had had two the day before. I was a little puzzled as I didn't think she owed me a goat, but she was sure she did, not being one to look a gift goat in the mouth we went out to see her babies.  They were all beautiful. We picked out a lovely girl that was cream color and should become a dark cream soda color when she is grown.  The girls and I helped her name this years crop, this is a T year at her house.  We thought of Tazzy, Tally, Tomalie, Tansy, Tiannna, and Thelma after my grandmother.  I helped her dig out a pig trough that she was giving to Son so we loaded it to bring home.  She had the girls go with her to the house to get some money she owed Son for a wooden trough he had made her.  They came back with a 20 she had given them for "helping her name goats" and said they could buy them some lunch.  She really adores childern and has 12 biological and adopted childer. We said our good byes, after Poppie had made arrangements with Professor to go do some Kabota work for them later in the week. 

We drove over the back road, where Kelly had been killed in our community, we didn't go up the road where is occured just on the main road past it.  The girls aren't aware of her passing, as they didn't know her, so weren't affected by the ride. I was not affected like I thought I would be, I was glad we didn't go to the specific place, but I felt more of the calm I usually felt there so was glad I couldn't feel the trauma and violence of the event in the land. We spoted some good wood to go collect, which is closer to the house so wouldn't take a trailer to get it.  We saw lovely wild floweres, felt the call of Gods magnificent forests.

We had promised the girls that if we got out of the woods before 3 they could get burgers at the restruant where we get pig slop left overs for our sow.  We made it so we let them go in and purchase the burgers all by themselves. We stayed in the car and the girls proudly went in and made their purchases successfully.  We went home and found Mokie in our house. Several of her little goats have been sickly lately and we think it was a combination of heat from no shade in their pen, with the new heatwave after a cold spring, and a goat that was bulling them.   The bully is going to go to New Mamma, as she is too small to go back in with any of our bigger goats but won't be nice to the weanlings.  New Mamma's goat will do well with her so that was a good fix.  We gave the one baby kefir and goats milk hoping to give her a boast. We put them in one of my pens that is shaded all day.  The littlest one died, the other two should be on the mend. We put the fiber babies with them as companions.  I think we will bring over the two little withers today. One of them may be sold so I will get the other one as a goat for slaughter in the spring. Mokie was upset, she had been working alot and hadn't seen the goats for a couple days.  I told her that with a goat you have to pay attention daily, they go down hill fast when they do get sick.  She was upset at her loss but will have learned a valubale lesson when all is said and done. Sometimes the painful lessons teach us the most.

After dinner and the goats were cared for, milking done and we were settling down for the evening, Booboo got sick, she was sick or sleeping all evening.  She continued threw the night.  She is sure it was the pop she had had as a treat, it was the first she had since being sick in May.  I am really actually getting worried about her, Poppie is sick too so maybe just another bug, but she has never gotten sick like she has this spring.  Last time she got dehydrated and had to go to the hosptial.  Poppie is going to go get her pepto and we are keeping her full of fluids. I hope this passes quickly if not maybe I should have her looked at by a specialist as she has been a little of since she was sick the first time.... tomorrow.

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Cubbie is transforming, Market went well, How we love our kids and grandkids.

I think you might have wondered why over the course of the last couple months you have not heard any tales or naughty deeds of the Cubbie Bear.  Well as with alot of 2 and 1/2ish years old she is transforming somewhat like a caterpillar becomes a butterfly.  She has always been a bright little penny, just way to curious for her own good or our patience sometimes. Well her little brain is working, as it always has, and decided that language is good, obeying the rules to the edge, not over the edge, keeps you in a good light with adults, still very bright for her age.  She is much more rounded than Boy, she is more her own person and brave.  She is younger but no doubt will run his life for years to come, already does in many way.  She is maturing at a rapid pace.  She speaks if distinct sentences, but then as I can't and never could abide baby talk, my children always spoke and were spoken to on an honest level.  She uses "my" and not  "me" in her vocabulary, which I personally think is an advancement that some children don't make easy or early very often.  I spent all last spring trying to get the 4 and 1/2 year old pseudo grand kid to use to no avail.  I do realize girls are verbal younger than boys but then again the 4 and 1/2 year is a girl.  Cubbie walked at nine months so has really always been early in her progress.  Just glad she is finally on to being the wonderful little girl she is becoming, she is still a bright penny and a doll to spend time with now.  Oh, I am not saying she still doesn't have her Cubbie Bear spirit in there it's just she has taken control of her spirit and is guiding it so as to not get in trouble, it will be out again and regularly I am sure.

The Farmers Market went well, it was a little slow, the girls didn't do quite as well as the last couple weeks but still good. Yogie had a little girl come up that really wanted to buy a pie, but had no money.  The little girl came back a short while later with a Beanie Baby, she thought it was a true treasure and you could tell she cared for it.  She asked me if she could trade for the pie.  I told her that the pies were the girls and she could asked them.  Yogie was manning their both, they try to take turns but Booboo does alot more of the steady work, she asked Yogie the same questions.  Yogie gladly traded her and both were happy.  One of the other vendors shook their had at Yogie, I think maybe in a negative vein not sure.  I was of two minds, I was proud she made the trade, the little girls so wanted the pie.  I also knew she cherished the bear, so thought maybe it was a high price to pay, but then again their is pride in making your own way and she got to experience that as well. I think in the end Yogie was paid more than fairly for the pie, as the value the little girl had in the bear was more than the eight dollars.  I am raising a wonderful girl.   She walked early as well. 

My pride in my daughter and granddaughter, leads me to contemplate the relationships we have with our progeny.  I am a unique person in my up bringing, as we all are, when it comes down to the brass tax.  I am from the current developing baby boomer generation, though we are now on the over 50 sides of our lives.  I have read all the rhetoric about how we gave all to our children and made them the generation of not knowing about consequences and never knowing what no means, and many other opinions philosophers come up with.  I, my self, am like any other parent in the eons of time, just doing the best I can and love my children and grandchildren.  I do find it fun to read facebook or watch my friends approaches to the same task.

I am, and have always been, down to earth and a realist,  I don't sugar coat things and can be bluntly honest to a fault.  I try to not gossip but as, all sin, do and have, a lesson hard won in my life but am better with age. I try to see my children as who they are and not what I want them to be or with rose colored glasses on.  I do find by reading FaceBook, that all my friends love their children and grandchildren, they post stories, pictures and let us see a slice of their lives, an honor and surely a sidebar to the original purpose of Facebook.  I find Facebook alot like going to a public place and watching people interact with their families. There are the over protectors that kids have never done any thing wrong in their lives, they never have and never will, oh momma take off your glasses.
There are the in your face parents, that kids are outrageous and they defend their child's right to do anything they want and be damn the consequences, their child are their mirror image and haven't fallen far from the tree.  There are the one what kids breathed in and then breathed out, and every time they do they send out invitations to the event, I wonder why the child hasn't invented cold fusion yet.  I have heard them called helicopter parents, don't helicopters that hover to close to the ground crash?  I see the ones that are quiet and once in a while, with such bursting pride, they tell us something they can't keep in anymore, and then we wait again for another burst. I am not saying and don't think any of these approached are wrong.  They are all honest and unique, they are proof that God didn't make us from one cookie cutter, how sad would that be.  I am just saying that all of us have pride in our children. We love our lives, our loves, our children and now or in the future our grandkids.  So when you hear some one going on, and on, about theirs have some patience they love theirs the way you love yours and theirs are as special to them as yours are to you........ tomorrow.

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Farmers Market day, Mokie fell, and we will go to the woods this afternoon. It Saturday!

This morning we will take our wares to the Farmers Market to sell.  The ladies had fun learning new things, we don't have to eat all of their baking as they perfect their art. That is a win win, no one can eat that much and now others, who don't bake, get to enjoy their results. They made pies, bread puddings, cinnamon rolls, foccocias and breads this week.  I will be taking my soap, laundry soap, liquid soap and the little dress deodorizers.  I hope we have lots of fun.  I will set near Belle today, the ladies will have Grandpa back in his spot this week. I think Poppie is going to send radishes from the garden with us as well. It will be be a nice warm morning so all should have a great time.

I want to get out of the house this afternoon and go to the woods. I am going to make a picnic and we will just get out and get away from it all. We haven't discussed where we will go but I am sure we can find an adventure if we try. Maybe we will look for mushrooms or wade in a creek, if we can find one that the water has receded in, we are still in an unusually high water season here is western Montana.

Boy and Cubbie came over frantic that "Momma was hurt" yesterday.  They took me to Mokie's house, as she had fallen, I was very worried when they came as she is now 4 months pregnant.  Poppie, Sister, the girls, Boy, Cubbie and I hurried over to see what had happened.  She had fallen and either broken or hyper-extended her elbow. I took her to the ER and they did ex-rays.  She did not break the elbow and most likely tore ligaments.  She will be in a sling for a little while to let it heal. I was so glad it was not anything that hurt her pregnancy. That was a unplanned break in our baking yesterday.

Belle brought her son over to have a swim, the girls had just gotten out when she called, but got back in when they arrived.  They didn't last long as their bodies had already been cold, and it was late in the evening, so they got cold. Belle's son was a die hard, but when he got out he was cold as well, but the fun of the water kept him in. The rivers are still to high to swim in, actually almost to high for anything. There have been alot of drownings this years, people can't wait for the water, that usually at this time of year we can use, and they take to many risk.  I am saddened by the losses.  A family member of one of our locals drowned this week. So sad.

Well off to pack up for the Market, Poppie has to pick radishes and there is coffee to make and enjoy. Have a great day.......... tomorrow.

Friday, July 8, 2011

Sister to have the hole in her heart fixed again. Praying it is soon and successfull this time.

Sister let my know that she had had her doctor appointment yesterday.  The results were as suspected, the hole in her heart has reopened and the doctor needs to refix it. He's soonest opening is the 15th of August but due to her extenuating circumstance, her concussion history and that she is continually passing out, if they have a cancellation she will get in sooner. So in essence she is on standby. In this day and age to be on standby is so odd, she is taking it in stride. I pray the time speeds by for her and  her surgery is totally successful this time. I know she was the most healthy, she had been in years or maybe actually in her life, when they had fixed the hole last time. The hole, as I understand it, was always there, it just became more apparent as she got older. Hoping this chapter of her health life is closed soon and she can get to be the best of herself soon.

I am so proud of my Ladies. They each took turns baking their farmer's market items yesterday. Yogie made the pies.  She mixed the dough, rolled it, I transferred to the pan, as it was very flaky.  She put in the filling we had made last summer and froze to use this summer. She marked the tops with her own artistic flair and crimped the edges. Booboo's turn came next she chopped the bread into 1/2 inch cubes put them in the pan, she had buttered,  added raisins to the one to be cinnamon raisin.  She melted the butter and brown sugar to bubbling and then added the goats milk and turned off the heat to cool. She beat the eggs, added the soda, and tempered the eggs with the milk, then added it to the milk.  The whole mixture covered the bread and were popped into the oven. Next each got to mix a cake or quick bread, Yogie made fresh apple cake batter, Booboo sliced the apples. Booboo mixed the batter for the pineapple pumpkin bread. Both were very proud of there accomplishments.  They are both becoming very good bakers. They know how to make sure the measurements are accurate. They flatting the cup and spoons properly. They take pride in the knowledge they have and are learning. Proud momma here.

Belle's son was to come and swim in the pool, as a reward for a good deed this week, but due to a thunderstorm will have to come a different day. We were weeding when the storm came in, but did get some of the weeding done. Poppie is so proud of this greenhouse and keeps it very weeded and tidy.  He buckled it all down when the storm arrived. After the storm passed the sun came out again in all it's glory, Belle's son could have come but she has been ill and had already taken her meds so couldn't bring him.  I hope she gets well soon. She has an illness that the hot summer aggravates.  I have added her to my prayers with Sister. Mokie and family were gone when it came time to milk so Poppie and the ladies did it themselves.  The girls each milked out a goat. Poppie can't actually milk as a child his thumbs were both broken, and no one had them fixed, so he can not actually bend the joints in his thumbs.  I think he could milk but he is sure he can't as he had tried to milk a cow, but that was as a child as well, so I think we could and would be good at it, but he won't even try.  I think he is afraid he would be good at it and have to milk more. The girls did a great job, Booboo helped finish Yogie's goat. They do alot of their best work team work style.  I do spend alot of time helping them to be a team on alot of their endeavors. There is nothing wrong with your sister being your best friend. I know mine is, and they are at this point, probably a life time relationship.

Coffee is brewing and the day is calling.............. tomorrow.