Friday

TGIF!

Worked a couple more days at the farm. Combed a lot of cashmere! Also worked on the fence down to Jenny Nash with R on Wednesday. What a mess after this winter! Lots of large limbs down, insulators busted, temporary stakes snapped-two places we had trees down and R had to run the chainsaw to cut them up.

Thurs in between combing at the main barn and the bucks, Willow and I headed back up to Nash and finished repairing the upper section of pasture fence. Now that part is ready for the big bucks. I hope they were moved today or tomorrow since I am so scared they will get run over at Prescott.

Boss lets them out every day for a "walk" and they want to be right along the edge of the highway. Cars don't frighten them. Everyday when we meet her there, they are right along the road.

On the home front, the lettuce is up after a light rain last night. We staked the peas, which aren't up, but some flowers I planted with them appear to be sprouting. Or, it could be weeds...

Oh yeah, the black flies are swarming. Will have to spray my goats tomorrow-they are hiding in their houses.

We ran some quick errands today-dump, bank, grocery store, hay...We chuckled to see the summer decorations up at the transfer station-a giant shrek sitting on an old chair and a scary black ceramic rat.

The grocery store was rather empty-flu phobia? In one aisle we heard coughing coming from the next aisle over, so we moved over to the meat. A woman came out of that aisle and stood very close to me, leaning over the meat, so I moved on. I am not afraid of people-but I had a feeling she was going to start hacking away.

We quickly picked up the rest of our purchases and I moved into the express aisle since the bagger at the other aisle was coughing. Sure enough, our checker started hacking away-you know how when you get a tickle in your throat and can't stop? Like that. She kept turning her head and coughing into her arm, but Willow and I stood there horrified. Geez.

S came out for a chat when we stopped for hay, and we admired the newly shorn sheep (they have 9 or ten)Willow knows all their names. I know one of their names. LOL. S and I talked about the flu bug, and he asked me why there was so much concern over this one, and I was glad to be able to answer that it was because this one appeared to be striking healthy adults. A typical flu usually strikes the young and elderly the hardest.

He is particularly secluded, but his wife is a schoolteacher, so he does get exposed to bugs through her. He and I are usually outside and maintain a polite distance from each other, so we don't put each other at risk even during our long chats.

Willow and I went fishing late this afternoon. The Firebird didn't want to go. Willow's first cast she caught a tiny pumpkinseed, which of course had managed to swallow the tiny hook. I left my needlenosed pliers at K's when trying to help with the quilled German Shepards awhile ago, so I need to get another pair.

I was quite happy that I managed to wiggle the hook a tad and it popped right out and the little fish swam away free.

Then, when I was rebaiting the hook, Willow tripped over the pole while re-enacting the big catch,and sunk the fishhook into my finger. I let out a howl and several words not fit for print.One phobia I will readily admit to is getting caught by a fishook. I bled a tiny bit and it stopped hurting after about 15 minutes.

But Willow didn't get another nibble. I think I scared all the fish away with my yell, or they could smell my blood on the hook. Now I know how a fish feels.