Goings on...

I really need to set up a routine again with this blog. This is such a busy time for us. We get up in the morning and do chores then it is off to Austin to help Stef with Christmas lights, we get home around 9 or later and go to bed. This schedule leaves little time for blogging. I will try to catch you all up though.

First, we had to say goodbye to Ama last Sunday. She was acting very off for a few days and by Sunday had totally lost all of her faculties and we decided it was time to put her down. Right away Lala and DD tried to take her place out front. They both kept escaping from the fenced barn area to roam up front where Ama used to be. I wish I could let them go back and forth at their will but Lala has a bad habit of chasing cars. I really want to get a fence finished around the front of the driveway sot he whole property is fenced off.

I'm still trying to get the girls (goats) bred. For the life of me I cannot tell when Charity is in heat. I thought she was going yesterday. The boys and I somehow managed to get her into the back seat of the car and we went to Fran's. I couldn't use the truck because it has the dumb top on it and I haven't figured out a way to get it off or how to hold it open yet. Anyway, we got to Fran's and put her with Rastiff, a very handsome and highly odiferous young man. She was not interested at all, but he was... There was a possible breeding but not positive. Yeah! We probably get to do that again!!

Cole is just not interested in Holly. We have tried many times with half-hearted results. Luckily I have the best goat friend in the world, Fran, and she is going to let me use one of her bucks, Magnum (Flower's dad), to use on Holly. I think she went into heat today and will probably take a quick trip with her to Fran's tomorrow.

When Flower goes into heat next she will also be taking a trip to Fran's to see Rastiff. Luckily she is such a hussy I have no problem knowing when she is in heat.

I also made my first batches of soap a week or two ago. Fran and I put our brains together and whipped up a couple of batches. Much to our surprise, it actually worked, we made real soap! With goat's milk, of course.

The pigs are getting bigger. Not sure how much they weigh now. I need to get a weigh tape and tape them but I'm not sure how I'm gonna get them to stay still for long enough to do it. I'll tell you about that rodeo when it happens. I want to get them butchered when they are around 250 lbs. That is when the feed to meat ratio begins to lower.

The chickens and ducks, yes we still have the disgusting ducks, are doing fine. We are only getting 2 or 3 eggs a day now. We need to put a light out in the coop so they think the days are longer. It is also time to butcher again. We have a good 6 or 7 roos we need to dispatch.

Stef is working 16 hour or longer days at UPS, doing Christmas lights and still trying to have soccer practice once a week and keep his martial arts classes up. This year has given us a few extra special challenges. I haven't been able to help as much because my back still hurts from the accident, although I am starting to feel much better now. Also, Stef tried to break his ankle a few days ago. It is swollen and black and blue. He is limping around and pitiful looking, yet he is still climbing on roofs every day. He's my hero.

The boys are doing great. Niko's improv classes are over until January. His class had an improv show for we went to and it was really good. Niko did very well, he was really comfortable being in front of an audience. Deklan's art classes are coming to an end next week. His class is having an art show on the 19th. Everyone in the class is picking their favorite masterpiece to be on display. Deklan picked 'Pears at Sea'. I will post a picture of it soon.