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Monday, July 2, 2012

We interrupt our regular musing....

for the Freddy Report.  Freddy the Bearded Lady came through her minor foot surgery with flying colors.  This vet is such a keeper.  We wrapped her in a towel and I cradled her like a baby on her back, while he cleaned out her infected foot area.  What a mess!  Poor puss.  She was a trooper, but didn't much like not being able to see what was going on.  She now has a nice, clean, LARGE, gaping wound on her foot and I have to wash it out with a weak iodine solution and then dab Neosporin in it twice a day.  Yes, twice. a. day.  Well, thank goodness - my days were getting pretty run-of-the-mill anyway, so this should liven things up.  I borrowed a dog crate and have set up a little recovery area for her, where she's in the shade, has clean bedding, her own food and water and can keep her eye on her compatriots, and vice versa.  When the surgery was over and I had put her back in her carrier (and spent a good long time carrying on and loving all over his dog, Sprocket - the most beautiful Bernese I have ever seen), he handwrote the bill and said, "Well, do you think this is fair?  I'm not sure what to charge."  Wha?  It was very fair - and he gave me iodine and some ointment to keep flies away from her foot, too.

Got half the goat barn cleaned out - I had forgotten that I had laid plastic on the ground under all the pallets.  It was originally for hay storage only.  After forking through about 7 inches of hay and muck, I found the cause for the dampness underlying their bedding.  Ripped it up and only about 7 more wheelbarrow loads will finish the job.  I realized, however, that - in my infinite (or is that finite) wisdom, I had build the stalls around their Igloo and there is no way to get it out.  Now I have to find a way to clean it out on site.  I can never be accused on making things easy.  Nope. 

I tried a new recipe on the grill - and a huge thanks to Jaime for posting it on her lovely blog.  I used salmon and then did sliced sweet potatoes, shallots and onions in another packet on the grill - no muss, no fuss, no hot stove or oven.  Perfecto!  My sister from LA was in town (briefly, part A) and Sylvie joined us.  It was a nice evening.

I plan on taking pictures of the garden this week and posting them.  So far, things are growing and are pretty much on schedule, except for the squash - I planted the seeds late and they took forever to germinate.  But, I will be enjoying zucchini while everyone else's is just a memory.  Wait --.  They will remember that all they've been eating for months is zucchini and will run, screaming, from my attempts to foist mine off on them.  Rats.

Speaking of, we seem to have come to a stalemate.  I have trapped 21.  That's right.  And I saw another, but have not trapped it.  I am hoping that it partook of my One Bite Rat Delight and will bother me no more.  As if.

10 comments:

petey said...

I need a vet like yours. It cost me an arm and a leg to fix Cletus' foot. Yep, thats right. An arm and a leg for one foot.
I am trying to picture the igloo in the goat stalls...its not working out for me...but I bet its a lot like putting a 16' long cattle panel inside of an 8' wide shed to make a tent becuase SOMEBODY won't get around to putting the gazillion dollars worth of new sheeting on the roof...
You have trapped 21 RATS????
my memory sucks. I have been reading your blogs but I still can't remember details. That is the only reason I blog...so I can remember what happend in my own life! So much for aging gracefully...

oh and btw..i have to do your captcha at least 3 times to get it right. Just want you to know I put a real effort into responding LOL

Sue said...

Glad all went well. Now, for a speedy recovery....though, it sorta sounds like you made it so nice that maybe, it might be the place to STAY?

Jenyfer Matthews said...

I still wondering why you were trapping the rat - does your neighbor have a large snake to feed??

Jane @ Hard Work Homestead said...

Wow, your rats must be suicidal, I have only caught 3 in 5 weeks and that is only because I have to change up the place where I put the trap and make it look different. My rats are two steps ahead of me. Glad to hear Freddie is on the mend.

Susan said...

Petey - That stupid captcha! I am tempted to just open it for comments and see what happens. Sometimes you have to put your hands on the computer and just "sense" the letters. I have been battling rodents on all levels for over a month. It stinks. I am with you - I haven't done anything gracefully in my life, let along aging.

Sue - Yes, it's pretty darn comfy and like having your own room. There's going to be a lot of fake limping going on...

Jenyfer - It seems like the only trapping method that works, although, in this case a "live trap" is a complete oxymoron.

Mama Pea said...

You have so much compassion and so much patience when it comes to taking care of and nursing sick and ailing animals. Some day, in the great beyond, all those animals will be waiting to honor you! Seriously. And you so deserve it.

Unknown said...

Your vet sounds like a gem! I've had to break out the laundry basket and tend my sick chickens in the house, poor babies. Almost lost one to worms, brought her back from the brink. I think she'd have had another day or 2 til I figured out what was wrong. Good luck with the rats, ew!

SweetLand Farm said...

The vet sounds wonderful!! Glad Freddy is doing better.
Sounds like your doing a good job at getting your rats too! 21! That's awesome, sorta. Wish they'd go bug someone else thought right?! ;)

Candy C. said...

Lucky you having such a great vet! I too love all Jaime's recipes and her photography takes my breath away!! I hope you have finally got those stinkin' rats under control. Blech!

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

We had a rat in the chicken coop recently. We never had a problem before. We got him, but it wasn't easy. We still watch for others.