Happy Sunday ~ Babies

I stayed in bed a long time this morning. I don't think I felt well enough to rise until almost noon, and when I did, I could barely walk. Such is life with the Red Wolf. When emotion overflows to the point of overwhelming, as this past week has done, the Red Wolf comes out to play and gnaws on the bones of the living. He is particularly fond of my bones.

First I took a shower and stood under the hot water as long as I could bear it. I put on my crippled pants and shirt...the things I wear when my range of movement is so restricted that I can't handle buttons and zippers. I knew I was going to probably collapse onto the couch and lay there for the rest of the day. But life wasn't quite done chewing on me.

I hobbled out onto the front porch and looked toward the pasture.

The Babies were there. They were back. They had either escaped from where they were being restrained or whoever had taken them had gotten spooked and brought them back. They looked at me with sad eyes and said nothing.

"Ickle Goats!!!" I cried joyously at them and limped out to them.

They were back, but they were thinner, dying of thirst and stank of ketosis. They were also very leery and looked at my two legged form with suspicion. Wherever they were being held, they were not fed or watered properly and were treated roughly. That much was clear. Goats returning from the wild wood would have been fat and would have smelled of leaf mold and pine needles. Not stale urine and starvation. And besides, my Babies would not have been able to stay away that long had they not been locked up somewhere.

Two things happened that probably facilitated their return. Betsy, The Goat Yoda, went to the stock yard yesterday for me and talked with some of the employees about the theft. And this morning, the local paper had a report titled, "Nubian Goats on the Lam", about the theft.

I forced myself to load them up in the Jeep and took them to Betsy's for safe keeping. It's just nuts. I have over 20 acres and I'm having to board my livestock thanks to the whackadoodles harassing me. It was really heartbreaking to listen to BossyToe screaming like a toddler as I walked away. But at least they will be safe there.

So, the Babies are back!

And that is indeed occasion for a Happy Sunday.

I must go lay down now.