Monday, April 16, 2012

Personal trainer.

My personal trainer is fierce. No matter how fast I run, he runs just a bit faster.  He is relentless.  If I don't run then he wakes me up at night with his whining and pacing round and round the house. 

My personal trainer makes me a better, faster runner.  Snow or rain doesn't discourage him.  Only midday heat will keep him from our run.

My personal trainer is the best.  In return for his motivation and encouragement, all he asks for is love, ear scratches and kibble.

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Where I run.



I'm lucky to work at a place that has running spots like this.  After a morning of frustration, I can be down the steps and out the door and in the beauty of the forest in just a few minutes.  Some days, the trees are what save me from screaming.  The promise of bird songs gives me strength to make it through a morning of dealing with humans.  Living things aren't meant to be caged in cubicles.

Thursday, April 5, 2012

The art of fencing.

 I've had animals for nearly 5 years now: goats, Dolly-llama, horses, chickens.........and it seems as if I've been working on one fence or another almost the entire five years.  On a broken shoe-string budget and no working knowledge of how to make a good fence, my fence-making results have been a bit substandard.  I've fixed fences with baling twine, chicken wire, sticks, blankets, pallets, old toy tonka trucks, freezer-chests, panty-hose.....
But I'm getting old now, I'm not a young chick.  I have gardens to tend, quilts to make, kids to enjoy.  I don't want to have to react to a goat getting out.  I just want it not to happen.  I want my fences done right.

I'm sick of the piecemeal fences and I'm sick of my animals escaping.
 Last summer my husband and his dad put in wood fence posts.  Unfortunately the ground was so saturated by the above average rainfall, that some of the posts didn't set before fall.  So we couldn't put up the wire.  Oh, and no consideration was given for corner bracing or gate bracing. 

So my next big project is just putting up the dang fence.  I'll get some fence wire, some insulators, and put the stuff up.  I'll search on the internet, scope out some local fences and figure it out.  In the words of Nike, I'll just do it.  I do realize that it may be the end of a marriage (just kidding, kind of) but I can't wait forever.  I need a gate too.  I'm tired of trying to hurl 5 gallon buckets of water over a 3 foot high rope fence.  Because the pump doesn't work and I have to haul everything from the house.  Not that I'm complaining, just stating a fact.  I'm not totally against hauling the water because I've developed some very nice shoulders over the past couple years.
                                                    I'm just thinking that it would be nice to have the fence finished so that I could move on to fixing something else, like the inside of my house.  Maybe even cleaning it, which then may lead to painting it.  Who know, getting proper fencing may lead to a whole new set of positive changes at One Old Goat farm. 

Sunday, April 1, 2012

So this is happiness.


 This past weekend was one of the best weekends I have ever had.  My depression is gone and for the first time that I can remember, I truly had a weekend filled fully with happiness.

It's not that I haven't had good weekends before - its just that usually at some point the noise and commotion become too much for me and I just can't deal with it.  Social anxiety walks hand-in-hand with depression and the combo can be catastrophic at times.

I visited with my parents this weekend and my daughter, grandson, brothers, sister-in-law, niece and nephew were there.  I can honestly say that I have never laughed so hard or just really had a great, great time.

Now that I'm am putting this in words, it seems ridiculous to be so excited about having an anxiety-free weekend.  But it was. And I did.  The ugly, scary hole of depression may be gone forever and it may be waiting around the corner for me to step into it when I'm not paying attention.  But one thing I can carry with me is the knowledge that things truly do get better and that by taking care of myself, I can feel good again.  I do have some control over this and that alone, makes it more bearable. 

So life is good - very good - these days at One Old Goat farm. 


Busy summer

So much for keeping up with this blog! Seems like there is always something to do and for that, I am very grateful! We finally have rain - i...