It has been a pretty slow week here at Wind Ranch. Conquistador’s hoof is getting better. We got 3 more round bales stored for winter. The farmer only got 2 bales off of our portion of the land he baled this time. Our 3rd cutting was not too good. He gave us an extra bale in the last cutting.. So I had to pay for 2 bales of the 3 this time. He was kind to give them to us at 60 a pop. The price of hay right now is really insane. I really should snake away at least a ton of small square bales… But those are going for 6 bucks a bale right now.. A ton is about 50 bales.. 50 x 6 bucks is….. you do the math. Too much.

The goats are learning how to climb trees. We have one, along the fence line that they could climb and escape. The other side of the fence is the Crazy Chicken lady’s land. If the goats go there, we will end up having to call the sheriff again- except this time we would press charges if they do what they did last time. Luckily a goat can not “scare” a state fair chicken. So holding the goats for ransom would not really work. Plus I would like to see them catch Jamie Lynn. He he he..

In other news.. I got “prenotice” that Wells Fargo plans to lay me off in 3-4 weeks.  They have offered me a severance package that lasts up to 5 months. They also offered me my job back in a lesser paid role. I am not to happy with them; I do not want to make 20k less and go from a level 5 position to a 3. I am already networking and interviewing around town. Not many are reapplying for the lesser roles. They are getting nervous.  If they come back and offer our old jobs in their true extent, then there would be movement in applications.. I know many who are leaving. I would have severance until March. Woohoo- paid vacation!

This news does put a damper on my plans to get another horse. It appears that Croy also plans to not do anything for my birthday (this week) because we will not have income after March, if I do not get a new job. Grrrr.. I am not laid off YET.

Sage had a good soccer game last week. Here she is on the right. That girl is photogenic. She scored a couple goals and then shut down.

Xoe had a game this morning and did pretty well. The other team had 12 girls and they all had major breaks when they got to sit out. Our girls had 2 subs.  Plus in the next town they have 10 yr olds on their team because they are a smaller community and haven’t as many players. Our girls all looked like kindergartners next to them. We lost, but not too bad..  All I can say (and not sound too big headed) is that Xoe amazes me..

Here are some photos of what I am doing with Con’s hoof in effort to get him to heal..

Step 1-soak his foot in Epsom salt and water mixture for as long as he can stand it. Today he stood in it for nearly an hour as I groomed him and played with him..

Step 2- dry the foot really well and then pack the hole, that the vet dug to pop his abscess, with a sugar betadine  mixture.

Step 3- use vet wrap and wrap a baby diaper (size 1) on his foot.

Step 4- duct tape that diaper on there

Oh, and a Q fior the goat friends… Is Jamie Lynn really due this month?? http://www.flickr.com/photos/jetling/sets/72157607348058906/ See that link..

Yesterday, when calling the horses in for grain, I saw that Con was not coming very fast. He was limping (more like hopping) and had stopped. I walked down to him in the field and determined that he was really lame. I fed him right there, in the field and called the vet. She thought abscess and we decided to have her come out as soon as she could. This morning she came and with her big hoof pinchers, she diagnosed an abscess and knew where it was.. Within 10 minutes she had dug a hole in his hoof and the blood and puss was bubbling out. She must be old school or something.. I like it, for she gets out the duct tape and a diaper and proceeds to get his foot soaked in Epsom salt water and then patch the hole with baetidine and sugar.. She wrapped the foot in a baby diaper, vet wrap and duct tape. I get to soak his hoof and rewrap in the same manner over and over again for the next week and a half.
It has been 10 hours since she was here and boy you can see a difference in Conquistador. Poor guy.
This was our first injury with him and he was a trooper.

No I am not kidding.

Jamie Lynn looks thinner and is very sprite. I think she is not pg after all. That’s ok.. We could use some more time learning more about our goats and goat husbandry.. If she kids, then we will be pleasantly surprised. If anyone reading this has any suggestions about how to tell if your goat is pregnant (she was supposedly due this month) please share.  We are always up for learning more from those more experienced..

I think she is looking bigger and bigger.. her nippies are getting larger..

Soon..

Perhaps the 3rd week this month?

stay tuned