The Dragging Tale

Silkie Update:  Musashi has settled in with his fluffy harem, and has worked his way up to "Cockadoo-dle."  I suppose we'll have to wait for the final "doooo."  When Craig and Deb delivered him, they had been told that it would take three days before I could expect fertilized eggs.  I don't know whether it is the wet, cold snap we've had, or perhaps the stress of having a new roommate move in, but the littlest girls have not laid a single egg since Musashi arrived!  Maybe they're waiting for the "dooo," too.

Omen Update:  Nothing really bad happened yesterday after all those warnings...I was on guard all day.  The sun came out and stayed out, and I succumbed to its siren call and took a book out to the deck to soak up some rays.  I almost didn't go in to answer the phone, but thought it might be Arden regarding our dinner plans.  I'm glad I did, because it was an eighty-one-year-old, out-of-state cousin whom I have seen only once as an adult.  I was in her wedding as a flower girl or some such, and we lost touch for a long time.  We reconnected some years back with Christmas cards and, of course, this year I didn't send any.  (I did write, but she hadn't gotten the letter yet.)  She was calling to find out if I were dead (perfectly reasonable at our age).  Just think if I hadn't answered the phone!

Dinner Update:  The phone call did set my timing back somewhat and I was late getting the bread to set.  The soup fortunately didn't take long to throw together.  Arden is punctual...I mean really punctual...and I was just going down to the goat barn when she and Audrey, her darling little dog, arrived.  She got to watch what I think of as "show time."  Going into the pen, the goats and Poppy mass around me and we all troop together to the barn.  They cluster around as I put down their nighttime treats and then open the gate for Poppy and Sheila.  They dash back to their room, and I open the stall door for Nineteen and Tessie.  There was a hitch last night because Audrey startled the girls, and Ruth wanted to come in out of line.  Finally got them sorted and into the right stalls, shut that gate, ran around and let Lucy into her room, and at last Cindy, Esther, and Inga were herded into the big room they share.  It's like watching an old, jerky, silent comedy film with the Keystone Cops.  Don't say I don't provide amusement for my guests.  Arden and I had a drink while waiting for the pumpernickel bread to come out of the oven and I put the finishing touches to the chunky corn chowder, and talked of books and politics and the economy, etc.  Bessie Anne and Audrey played nicely together, and Bess very kindly allowed Audrey to play with her very best toys.

It was a good day.