A Week and More, Second Part

~ PacaRose , left~

Woman plans, God laughs and I'm more than a week late with the second part update. Good news, PacaRose is fine and dandy and I've come to the conclusion he's F.A.T. and has a problem getting to his feet when he lays down with his head uphill. 

~ Carly Shetland, right ~

But, I should start with events leading up to the first paragraph. Every so often, Carly Shetland will become 'cast', meaning she gets turned over and can't right herself. I go to her, speaking softly and in a low voice so she knows I'm coming. Once she hears my voice, she begins bleating, as if telling me she's in a pickle and needs help. 

Fortunately, I don't have to lift her, but can roll her so her feet are on the 'down' side, then she can stand. Carly gets arthritis pain meds in the morning and in the evening which helps her greatly with her mobility, but, even so, there are times when she needs help. 

After getting Carly to her feet, I went to the barn where PacaRose was down and I had to get him up. That meant, I lifted his head and l.o.n.g. neck upright, scooched my feet underneath him and then heaved lifted pushed him to  his feet. Once he got started, he was fine and dandy and begins eating and drinking normally. Fortunately, that was the last day he was down; it's been all good, for him at least, ever since.

~ four paca boys , right~

Next, the farrier came to trim horse feet which was a two and a half hour job. Not all the horses needed trimming but they all needed de-worming and all were de-wormed except HayJ. By the time we dealt with seven horses, I was exhausted and just wanted the farrier to leave so I could crash and get warm but that was not to be. 

The dratted horses escaped into the yard which, as you all well know, wasn't their fault the gate was left open. Totally my fault but that did not ease the forty minutes of pain of getting them back into the barn lot.

On Monday, Donald, Mary's husband, came to fix the barn lights; he figured out the black wire wasn't connected properly and the lights were blown. At any rate, he fixed the wires, replaced the bulbs and it's lovely having dusk to dawn lights in the driveway!

Andy also came on Monday to drag the pastures; he used the harrows to distribute the manure so, over winter, it'll decompose and return to the soil. You can see the lines in the pasture showing where he used the tractor and harrows. He also helped de-worm Hay-J so all the horses are finished being de-wormed; now only the sheep remain.


So far, so good but the story is about to take a downward turn...you are warned.

The dogs, as usual, were with me, every step throughout the day. In the afternoon, Sophie began trembling, shaking and acting like she was freezing so I put her in the Ranger, out of the wind and cold. We came inside at 4:00 so I could feed the dogs their supper and, if anything, she got a little worse. When I put her food in front of her, Gypsy Cat stuck her head in Sophie's dish which was highly unusual. In a hurry, I ran to use the bathroom and Sophie followed me; when she walked into the wall, that's when I knew, for certain, she was blind. I called the vet, told them I was bringing in Sophie, grabbed her up and ran for the car.

Long story short, she might have had a stroke which cause her blindness but we don't really know. I brought her home and, on Tuesday morning, let Sam and Sadie say good-bye. 

Dave and I have always let the remaining dogs say good-bye; it's far gentler to let them know than to let them wonder. 

In years past, Shadow, Zoe, Abbie and Grace were cremated so their ashes were put into the grave first, then Sophie's casket followed. I want to write another post on Sophie but not tonight; tonight is for saying good-bye.








Andy and Donald filled in the grave,  

and I used the tractor's front end loader to pack the earth and finish the job.

This post is being written on Sunday evening, after a day weekend of rain, cold, wind and more troubles. I've been keeping an eye on another old sheep, a weather, who is ancient, probably as old as Carly, and he's in poor condition. I brought him to the barn, where he's been given chicken scratch (easy to eat and digest) and sweet feed with pain meds. He's blind, creaky and confused so, tomorrow, I'm going to ask the vet how best to put him down. He's had a good great life; better than about seventy percent of the humans on this earth and putting him down will be my last gift.

Now you understand why I'm late with the update; it's not just the physical exertion but the emotional toll. Sophie's human Pa had cancer and killed himself and Sophie came to live with me the Sunday after I buried Dave on Wednesday. It's been an emotional roller coaster for all of us...Sadie, Sam and me and between the weather, the work, the tears and all the rest, I am in tatters. 

Dear God. And it's not even winter.

Blessings ~ Abigail ~ Shadow ~ Zoe ~ Grace ~ Sophie ~ Donald ~ Andy ~ Sam ~ Sadie ~ 

Stranger Than Strange

~ the original friends: Shaddie, Grace, Abigail ~

Yesterday morning, Gracie went to join Abbie and Dave. Gracie was much older than Abbie and, frankly, it surprised me when Abbie went first. Gracie had been diagnosed with a possible tumor in her nasal cavity but, with meds, she seemed to be enjoying life. Over the weekend, she seemed to slip downhill, just a tad. On Saturday, I doubled her pain meds and she seemed to rally. On Sunday, doubled meds and she spent the day, with us, her family, on the back porch where she enjoyed the fresh air, sunshine, bird song and watching the cats play. But I we knew it was time. On Monday, I drove Sophie, Sam and Grace to the vet office and we all said good-bye. 
It's been said before; grief is strange. Just when a person thinks I think I'm getting a grip, it flies in my face and, like Yogi Berra said, "It's deju vu all over again."

About 1:30 a.m., the night Abbie died, Jake shows up at the back door. I'd given Jake up for dead; it's been three weeks, perhaps longer, since he'd been here. Then, I heard he was living down the road and wondered why he didn't come 'round any more. Jake is his own dog, he comes and goes at will and Dr. Ann had given him a rabies shot. There's no keeping Jake in the yard, unless it's on a chain and I can't do that. I hate seeing a dog chained! Anyway, Jake comes, stands tall and puts both arms on my shoulders and nuzzles his head in my throat. He loves to give hugs and he's a really good hugger! 
Gracie died yesterday morning, and this morning about 1:30, Jake is at the back door. Again, he comes in, gives me a hug, eats, sleeps in the kitchen and leaves this morning. How is it a dog knows what to do and goes about doing it? Unconditional love...we could all learn something from Jake and the other animals at Thistle Cove Farm.

~ Miss Emma ~

Remember Miss Emma? A few weeks ago I posted she was missing; had gone missing about three weeks and had no idea what had happened to her.

~ Miss Emma tonight ~

A while ago, I came upstairs, sat down at Dave's desk and a cat came to rub against my leg. Absently, I bent down and began rubbing her ears...I only have female cats...and glanced down. It was MISS EMMA!!! She's a lot thinner, but healthy, and starved for affection and attention. Where has she been all this time? It's been more than a month! Let me tell you, it was a trifle spooky when I realized it was Miss Emma! She ate a bit of supper and has been in my lap ever since; she and I can't get enough of each other!

~ part of the current crew ~

Sadie, Gypsy, Sophie and Sam are part of the current compliment of critters on the farm. With Miss Emma returned home, Hattie Cat and Tippy Cat our little family is complete. Or, as complete as it's going to get this side of the veil. 
"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy." Isn't that true in life? Firmly, I believe we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses that we cannot see with earthly eyes...humans and animals alike... God uses His animals to work His will. Remember Balaam's ass and the colt Christ rode into Jerusalem or when the rider "Faithful and True" will ride the white stallion? The Bible abounds with stories of animals interacting with humans; those stories continue today, although, I must admit, I'm as gobsmacked as Balaam when I think about Jake, Miss Emma, etc. There are more things in heaven and earth than I could possibly dream!


Blessings ~ Shaddie ~ Abbie ~ Gracie ~ Miss Emma ~ Sam ~ Gypsy ~ Sophie ~ Sadie ~ Hattie Cat ~ Tippy ~ and all the rest of the crew at Thistle Cove Farm, seen and unseen ~