Time Out

Being the herd animals that they are, isolation is probably the worst punishment a goat can get.  Tessie's time out in the play yard for the night had the desired effect.  She was so glad to see me in the morning, sticking to my side like a burr as I opened stall doors for the others.  Tess apologized in every way possible to me and to her pen-pals.  She took her turn for breakfast on the stand without coaxing and spent extra time rubbing against my side.  I told her I understood that it was the hormones talking and not a personality defect that had caused the problems of the previous day.

With the first signs of a cold coming on, I took a voluntary time out myself.  Luckily, it was NASCAR Sunday and I could curl up under a soft throw and nap for a hundred laps or so.  The most die-hard fans will agree that a nap somewhere in the middle of a race is almost obligatory, even without the sniffles, and no penalties are imposed.

Tessie was the first girl in the barn door last night.