New Beginnings

Is that redundant? "New Beginnings"

This week was my first week back to school in 22 years. The first day started out well with Chemistry and an instructor who is very easy to understand and follow.

Then I had to stand in line at the bookstore for about an hour to pick up one of the packets I needed, but the Biology one was out and they hoped to have more on the shelf Tuesday.

When Biology started I began to think that this going back to school thing was a mistake. The instructor had slides that he whipped through, it felt like we were supposed to already know a lot of the stuff he was talking about (this is cell biology; not something you think about every day), and he gave us four homework assignments that were due Wednesday, two of these assignments were in the packet. Tuesday my plan was to stay home and do nothing but homework and study, but I had to waste about an hour and a half and gas to drive back out to LCC just to buy the packet.

When I got home on Monday I was feeling rather discouraged so I took some photos that I thought were a little uplifting:

These are the cherries on one of our trees this year:

Now, I don't particularly like cherries, but we seldom see this many and have never had any after the birds ate them. Besides, what could be more cheery than cherries?

Rocky decided to raise a garden this year:

There's already squash coming on:

As you can see, he has a temporary fence around it. Even though it is only five feet tall the deer haven't been in yet. He does have a back up plan in case that happens. I'll keep you posted on it.

Here's what are left of my goats. This is Pearl:

She's pretty shy, but she's a sweetheart.

Next is Otto (Short for Silverado). He's a fun goat. He likes to play a lot and loves attention, but he's careful not to do damage (to people, that is).

Here's Billy ("The Butthead"):

Billy likes to inflict pain. I don't know why, he just does. Maybe he has "little goat syndrome", he is part pygmy. Maybe I shouldn't have taken a picture of him, it doesn't feel very uplifting.

Actually, after yesterday I'm feeling better about school. It's still going to be tough, but very interesting. Yesterday I learned about cell division and got to look at one of my cheek cells under the microscope; it looked like a fried egg.

Now it's time to get my chores and dinner done so I can hit the books again.

Taking a Break

I'm taking a short break from packing up the booth and getting ready to load the truck when help gets here, so I thought I'd tell you about a couple of good movies we watched recently.

Up is a must see. It is animated and if you go to see it in the theater soon you can watch the 3D version. (That's right, we actually went to the movie theater, and we're not even on vacation somewhere.)

Just Looking is an older movie that I hadn't seen before, but glad we stumbled onto it.

Both movies will make you laugh, but they both have meaningful stories to tell.

Now, I'd better get back to work.

Life

For the past couple of weeks I've been trying to stay focused on preparing for the Black Sheep Gathering coming up this weekend. I'll have a booth there selling alpaca fiber, yarn, etc. Now that it is almost here and I'm really feeling the pressure to get more done and feel like I need to keep my nose to the grindstone life keeps happening.

As I was working on fiber Sunday Rocky was getting the truck ready for me. He thinks I can't drive it when it's dirty. We also put the canopy on and I left him to install the clamps that hold it down. I was back in the barn vaccinating and de-worming the few alpacas who were left on the list to do. I got all but three done; these three are not halter trained and are a little too uncooperative for me to administer the medications without help so I figured Rocky could help me the next evening.

So, as I'm finishing up Rocky calls me on the walkie talkie, it's bad news. As he was about to put the last clamp on the canopy he ran his hand under the lip of the bed of the truck and ended up knocking a bees' nest loose. He said the bees buzzed straight for his face, one even bounced off his forehead. When he took a step back and around to run from the bees he felt a pop in the other hip and fell to the ground. He ended up staying home yesterday and today with pain medication nearby. Today he is still tender and limping, but seems to be getting around a lot better and I think he'll try going to work tomorrow.

Last night Rocky came to bed with more bad news. As he was brushing his teeth a piece of one of his front teeth broke off. No pain involved and it isn't a large enough piece the somebody would notice, but it still has to be annoying.

I'm hoping this isn't one of those things that comes in threes.

Today I got inducted into the mamogram club. Oh boy, that was a treat. It did not hurt like you hear and I'm not bruised. It was more akward than anything else.

I have to tell you what I witnessed on my way there. I was about the fourth car in line at a stop light and I could see this woman standing on the corner with a sign. At first glance I didn't think anything about her, but then I looked again and noticed that she looked clean and well kept. Her clothes were every day jeans and t-shirt, but they too looked clean and not overly worn. I couldn't read much of her sign from where I was, but the top line read, "Engineer laid off." The person in the first car must have spoken to her because I watched her walk over and take something (I assume it was money) that was handed to her. I could see, even from where I was, the despair and sorrow on her face. As soon as she stepped back on the sidewalk she turned away from the traffic and sobbed into her hands. I could see the side of her face, red and twisted in pain and her shoulders convulse with each sob. By this time the light had turned green and I had to drive away. All I could do was say a prayer for her and try to keep my own eyes dry enough to navigate the traffic.

To the lady on the corner: You have made me count my blessings today, and I thank you for that. I hope and pray that your situation improves soon, and that you will be able to look back on this time of your life and feel that it has made you a stronger, better, and happier person throughout the rest of your life. When I feel life is unfair I will try to think of you, and the courage it took for you to stand on that corner and ask for help.

Depressing Day Yesterday

Thursday evening Rocky was getting ready to go to the coast fishing while I was doing my chores feeding everybody. When I went to feed two of my pygora goats I noticed the smallest one, Mini, seemed reluctant to move and not interested in food. On further observation I noticed her quivering which was really weird since it wasn't that cold out and she hasn't been sheared yet. When I reached over and pulled on one of her horns to bring her closer to me she was so shaky that she stumbled and fell. She managed to get back up, but I could tell that her quivering was from the effort it took to stay up. She had her little legs spread out in order to keep her balance.

Rocky was kind enough to stay home a little longer to help me give her antibiotics and check her out a little more closely. (This mostly meant that he had to keep Billy away from me.) We decided it did not look good, but calling a vet would have been a waste since she was 14, which is ancient in goat years.

So the first thing yesterday morning I went out to check on her. At first I thought that both she and Billy were dead. They were both laying on their sides in the shelter and didn't move when I first called them. The second time I called Billy jumped up, but Mini just twitched and ear and kicked her feet a little. She was stuck on an incline with her feet in the air facing uphill. She couldn't get up.

I called my father-in-law since Rocky was fishing and he sent Ricky (not to be confused with Rocky) out. I had to wait for Ricky before I could try to help Mini or else I would have had to deal with Billy who could have put me on my back right next to Mini. I tried to help Mini get upright, but it just wasn't working and she kept groaning like she was in pain. I finally settled on turning her around so her head was uphill, hopefully making her more comfortable. Ricky volunteered to put her down, for which I am very grateful.

After that was done I asked to have her horns cut off, so they did that and then buried her. Now poor Billy is in a run all by himself and not very happy about it. I'm going to wait a week or so before I move the other goats in with him just in case he gets sick.

Poor Mini. I'm going to miss her, she was a sweet goat. (Too, bad it couldn't have been Billy.) Anyway, now we're down to just three goats and I'm wondering if I should start looking for replacements so Rocky doesn't have to start mowing the ditches again.

I Did It.

I can't believe what I am about to do at the age of 40, but it's all set in motion now. I have enrolled for Summer term at Lane Community College. I am very excited, but also quite nervous. My current plan is to become a Medical Lab Technician (they are the people who perform the tests on blood, urine, tissue, etc.). If all goes according to plan and I don't flunk out of the biology and chemistry classes I should complete the program in three years. From there I could end up at a place like Oregon Medical Laboratories, in a hospital lab, a doctor's office, veterinarian clinic, or even a blood bank.

Now, I have been down the college road before with big plans, so I know they can change. For now I am looking ahead at this exciting new career possibility. It will feel good to do something that feels important and helpful.

In exploring this venture I found out that college credits don't expire or rot, so I get to make use of the year I spent at the University of Oregon in the mid 1980's (too bad I didn't take any Biology or Chemistry classes while there). I also found out that I might be able to get Art credits for my spinning, knitting, and weaving hobbies. Both of these things really excited me.

You have to check out this webcam. I'll let it be a surprise, but let you know that it is on the USDA Forest Service's website.