recovery is a bitch.

i used to be better at convalescing. back when i had a desk job. surgery was almost like vacation. i got to sleep late. watch tv. be pampered. etc...

times have changed. i no longer have the dreaded 9-5. i am my own boss. and i actually enjoy getting up and working. because i am a farmer now. i wake up each day to fresh air and aerobic exercise. oh, i know, it's not all wine and roses. i bitch about farming too. especially in the dead of winter when it's freezing and i've got a flock of goats screaming for their breakfast. but i realized that as hard as the work is sometimes, i miss it. i like my life. i really do.

had my implant swap surgery on tuesday. went off without a hitch. was sent home same day with meds and instructions. the instructions are actually quite simple... "do nothing". all i am supposed to do is take 10 deep breaths every hour. and every two hours take a gentle walk inside the house. other than that... i'm not supposed to do anything! it even says in all caps in my post-op instructions "DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DO HOUSEWORK NO MATTER HOW GOOD YOU FEEL". so what exactly is a yoga-addict, field-walking, dog-playing, animal photographer, farm-girl supposed to do with nothing?

i feel like i'm wasting time. but i have to keep reminding myself that i will end up wasting much more time if i don't follow docs orders and wind up developing complications. so, i've been watching lots of movies and documentaries on the ol'roku. and reading a nice depressing swedish vampire book. learning prince songs on piano. and translating warren zevon's songs into french. and surfing the internet like a mad woman.

meanwhile, my husband is taking care of my flock. we recently lost our dear female pygmy goat, violet, to polio. she was a beauty. we are afraid her sister daisy might be going down the same road. jason is making sure that she is getting the bestest of best care. and last night daisy got to come into the house for a bite of dinner (a special blend of minerals, grains, & nutrients just for her) at "happy joe's". this little excursion was i think, perhaps the best medicine for the both of us.

daisy at happy joe's

rainy monday.

storms in belgrade brought the GLOPs inside today. just for a while. since we moved the girls into the front field, they get to enjoy more time spent with the family and occasional admission to happy joe's and the living room. meanwhile, del ray and little bit practiced CPR while porkchop watched the clock.

sleepy roses

lounging lil'ann

mouth to mouth

time for dinner yet?

bernadett update.

bernadett seems to be recovering well. she's been in an isolated pen for about a week now. but i still don't think she's healed enough to join the herd. so, since it was such a nice day, i figured a little sunshine and fresh grass would do her good. i set up a lead by the house and let her chow down. i think she remembers happy joe's. she keeps coming to the kitchen door and begging for treats.

she is getting tons of pampering and extra food. i've been treating her wounds with udder balm. and she no longer needs to wear her bandage.she's not out of the woods yet. i am still praying that she will continue to heal and hopefully be her beautiful strong self once more.

happy joe's clean-up crew.

we have quite the thorough dish-washing staff at happy joe's (aka the kitchen according to porkchop). no dish is too dirty for these dogs. no batter bowl too beastly.

beans don't burn on the grill.

this was one of our first dinners using fresh pork. grilled porkchops, beans, & cornbread (courtesy of happy joe's). what would i do without a husband that can cook?

yes, there is a billy goat living in my basement cellar.

our herd sire, our king, our stud, has been sick. well, he was sick. as a result from the stress of illness, his beautiful long red locks are falling out. in clumps. all over. everywhere. and if that weren't bad enough, the temperature dropped. he wouldn't leave the barn to eat even after porkchop donated his blue argyle sweater. last weekend we were faced with a decision. a very difficult decision... to move patrik, a very cute and lovable yet stinky billy goat into our home for the duration of the winter. luckily our home is equipped with an underground concrete well-insulated basement cellar which is accessible through a trap-door in our bed-room. i know, sounds spooky scary! but you get used to it. i had dreamed of making this room into a wine cellar or a cheese-aging room. and perhaps it will be someday. but for the next 4 or 5 months, it will be home to our beloved patrik.

we were afraid he would get lonely. so, we tried moving gretta the milk goat down there for a day. but it didn't go well. he wouldn't let her eat. he butted and pushed and acted like a true billy goat. gretta spent the day standing in the corner, blair witch style. so patrik will be by himself. but he really doesn't seem to mind. he gets all the food he wants. he doesn't have to brave the cold. he has his own apartment which he likes to decorate with straw and corn. and he's been talking about putting up his own christmas tree. meanwhile, i'm going to need a lot of incense and scented candles!

moving day

patrik's visits happy joe's

dinkerbell update.

dinky came to visit on sunday. she's lookin' good. sportin a new collar, a few extra pounds, and her natural charm. she reminisced about her days convalescing at the rook farm and said she'll never forget us, nor the good times at happy joe's....

this just in.... dinky dog loves chicken!

yesterday was a big day for dinky dog. she got a bath, got introduced to porkchop & del ray and discovered the magical wonders of kitchen-land or as choppy calls it "happy joe's." she stood by jason's feet while he fried some chicken and baked scalloped 'taters. the look on her face was priceless...

"happy joe's is awesome!"