Monday, February 19, 2007
Even Mondays on the farm can be sort of crappy.
I never really had jobs where Monday reared its ugly head and I had to drag myself into a 9 to 5 gig that my heart wasn't into. That's because I was stupid. It is largely this stupidity that led me to my current wonderful if penurious existence. If you are smart, you put up with a bit of discomfort at a job that doesn't completely fulfill you.
It's why they call it "work".
It allows you to do the stuff you really want to do. You've completely misunderstood if you think work is something you want to do.
Money isn't everything. I'd just like an opportunity to empirically prove this statement. I'll need lots of cash to do this.
No, my jobs were exciting, rewarding and ultimately damaging to my health. That's the bad thing about jobs you love. You don't know when to quit.
I get up this morning and go to get the milk for the bottles and check on my charges.
Violette meets me at the door of the dog crate projectile vomiting. Goat vomit is not a pretty thing. They usually do it when they've eaten something they shouldn't have. In Violette's case it looks like too much alfalfa chaff.
So now, my poor little possum not only has a freakishly bulbous nose, but is very sick to her tummy. This is serious. Most goat deaths involve their digestive tracts. So, I shoot her up with C & D Anti-toxin and give her some orally and some mylanta. I hold her on my lap with her head slightly lowered so she can continue to upchuck all the nastiness in her belly. There is a lot of it. She looks like she's feeling slightly better so I let her have a nurse on her mom. I leave her out there for a while then bring her back in.
Rinse, shampoo, repeat.
We get to do it all over again in another few hours. This has been the sum total of my activities today. Hold baby goat's head while it throws up.
I'm covered in goat vomit. I've gone through a stack of towels that she's puked all over. I think we finally got it all out and now I'm keeping her happy ass inside and giving her Pedialyte until I'm sure her rumen has recovered.
The Goat Yoda was helpful as always. She has taught me well. When I called, she said I'd done exactly what I was supposed to do.
I wonder if I'm clear to take a shower yet?
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Thus Speaketh the Goat Yoda!
Speaking of the Goat Yoda!!! She has joined us in the Blogosphere to preach her righteous and wholesome message to the Goatitudes. Here's her "about me" blurb:
If you like the idea of what I do...I'm sure you'll love what Betsy has to offer.
- Betsy aka 'the goat yoda'
- I was raised in Kingsport, TN and decided that the city was not for me. My husband and I live in Cosby, TN with my goats, our dogs and cats and a flock of chickens. Our girls are grown and gone, so we have to have something to occupy our time! Time to grow our own food, and be sustainable on the land. We support ideas like permaculture and bio-dynamics, as well as community supported agriculture and all natural gardening techniques.
She's just started blogging so get over there and give her some love!
