What Makes YOU Smile ?

Happy New Year from Fern-enstien.  She has been pretty miserable for the last week because Wifey and I have been sick with the flu and she hasn't been getting her minimum daily requirement of human companionship or outdoor play-time.

Since I have been forced to stay indoors, I have had some free time to play on the computer, and happened to come across the "Jose Cuervo" page that let you design your own personal bottle label.  I couldn't help but paste this photo on it.  Now seriously, wouldn't you buy a bottle of Tequila with a label like that?
What a happy face.

And with the cold weather we have been having, Fern gets the shivers when she goes outside.  She would probably enjoy a little shot anti-freeze before stepping outside in the snow and rain and wind.  She has such  a light coat compared to Peaches, who just loves this weather, so far.

Wifey and I both got sick a week ago last Friday, and today seems to be the turning point.  We both feel like we just might survive this thing now.  The coughing and sneezing have abated somewhat and the wheezing has lessened.  Our sinuses aren't dripping as much and our throats and airways don't feel like they are on fire anymore.  And the headaches are GONE.  I guess the medicinal alcohol did it's job.  Nothing like Old Dr. Dillon's Cure-all in the little brown jug.  A hot tattie before bedtime really helps.  For those of you not quite sure of what I am saying:  1 double shot of whiskey  poured into a cup of steaming water.  Sip that as hot as you can stand it, as fast as you can.  Then jump into bed and cover up well.  You will probably have to get up during the night to change your bedclothes because of all of the sweating you will be doing.

Neither one of us felt up to going to the doctor's office and sitting for hours waiting to be seen so we treated ourselves at home instead.  If things continue to go well, maybe we will be able to celebrate Christmas next weekend.  That is if our kids and grand-kids are over this stuff too.  Oh Yeah, EVERYONE has it.

Well wishing you a very Happy New Year,  stay well.

From a Different Perspective

Life is full of ups and downs.  And I seem to getting down a lot lately.
The other day my chiropractor said that I really need to spend a lot less time on the ground.
I told him, "But you miss so much with your eyes almost six feet above the ground."
I don't need the Discovery channel to see the grass growing or bugs moving around.  My left leg has that all covered with it's keen ability to just not be there for me at times, which provides me with a close up viewing of sights I haven't noticed since I was a child.  And when was the last time you looked straight up at the sky?

Being tall has it's disadvantages too, it's a lot farther to fall.  And a lot of things just don't fit right.  Clothes, chairs and sofas are too low, beds and blankets are too short, that bottom shelf at the store is impossible to reach, yes life is tough on the above average height group.  Have you ever gotten into a short person's car to drive and forgot to move the seat back first?  And speaking of cars, OMG !!!  Are all car designers 4.5 ft. tall or what.  Recently I went on a trip to Florida with friends and their car had molded head rests that may have been comfortable for a shorter person, but the tops hit me in the back of head forcing my head down at an un-natural angle when I sat back comfortably.  Try that for 12 hrs. a day for 2 days straight.

I also worked for 30 years as a grain elevator employee.  They are designed by double jointed midgets with a sick sense of humor, who are bound and determined to make tall people suffer for their shortness.  I actually met a few of them. Oh, they are nice enough to your face, but don't turn your back on them.  I really felt sorry for our maintenance crew, anybody who wasn't built like a dwarf didn't last long.

Anyway, last week we were watching our grandson Owen and he wanted to go outside and play with the goats. I happened to remember the camera so the following photos are the result of our adventure.

At 2.4 years of age he has mastered driving.

Fern anxiously awaiting her playmate.

Ugh Oh, this is a bad idea.

Ok, backing up on uneven ground wasn't smart either.

Another one bites the dust.

Okay, I'll go check on Dad.

A little HELP here please...

I ain't picking him up.....

Maybe he just need's a kiss.

So see, it ain't all bad, just takes a little different perspective.

Winter Fun ?

Winter is here. Yesterday we spent all day cutting firewood and cleaning the stinky duck pen. PEW, they are as nasty as pigs.

We have been trying to get everything ready for winter, but still are far behind. Haven't even got the storm windows on yet.

Fern's HAPPY face.

The goaty girls are fascinated with the snow. Peaches has a nice thick coat and isn't bothered too much by the cold, but Fern has a very thin coat and does a lot of shivering out in the cold wind. I guess I will have to make her a blanket coat to use when she is outside.

It was nice enough yesterday to let all of the animals out, there were patches of grass for them to feed in. Since the leaves have fallen from the trees the girls have been eating grass too. The ducks were also liking the snow for a little while but then their feet must have got cold and they all went back inside. The poor turkeys were confused and trying to mate. Evidently they can't tell the beginning of winter from the end. The terrorists (our Guineas) were everywhere and for the first time since the young ones were born, didn't bother the other animals. They also went in last night without any coaxing, another first. It normally takes at least half an hour of chasing to get them inside, and thats not until it gets dark. Last night they went in while it was still light out. We didn't even have to chase the chickens inside, so everyone must have been looking forward to the warmth of the coop. I know we were more than ready to get in out of the cold.

Two weeks ago Wifey had a little accident with the golf cart and sprained her knee. She was going too fast and turned too tight and fell off the cart. It is doing better now, but for a few days all she could do was hobble from her chair to the bathroom and back. I on the other hand had been bragging that it had been a long time since I had fallen. So Monday I fell four times, twice my leg gave out, then I forgot about the trailer hitch on the truck sticking out so far and then got my finger caught in the collar of a hungry goat. I was trying to hold the goats back so Wifey could pour feed into their pan. Peaches may be small but she is VERY powerful. Her Boer goat lineage insures that all 80 pounds of her is all muscle. She twisted around so fast twice and was pulling so hard that I thought for sure she had broken my finger. She knocked me off my feet and Wifey was hollering that I was choking her. My poor finger was twisted in that collar so tight that Lynn had to undo the collar to get us free from one another. It is still swollen and sore.

 Note to self: NEVER get between a goat and her food. And keep your fingers out of the collar.