Oh, What A Night

Had a miserable night. Can't drink coffee after 5 PM no matter how good it tastes...Forced myself to go to bed at 12:30 then laid there with toothpicks holding my eyes open and thoughts racing across the pallette of my mind like a fast moving storm. Maybe it was the tussle I had with Lola that got me all fired up. She was dragging a big branch caught in her mohair. Matt had gone back in after chores and I didn't want to bother him. I decided to trick her into thinking I had some corn for her and got her close enough to catch one horn...then hold on for dear life. Lola is a big sassy goat, daughter of Dallas Alice (who is now missing - another concern that kept me awake - coyotes on the ridge???) and my sainted Jupiter who has since crossed over the Rainbow Bridge. She ran, pulling me along, but I got ahold of the other horn and was able to wrestle her on to the shearing stand. I got the branch cut off, along with the mohair ruined from being on her too long (sigh) and trimmed her hoofs. A mouthful of wormer and she's done. Typical of any goat I get the hair off of, she started nibbling on the itchy spots that are newly revealed. Satisfied I had done something worthwhile I went inside the apt. and sank in the easy chair which is so chewed up I will probably toss it in the dumpster before Hannah and Luke come. I have a papasan chair from Pier One that needs a new cushion. I bought it for Mia when she was in high school, covered the cushion twice since then. Now it's time for a new one and I think they might have cushions in New Hartford, a town I can actually find myself. Started watching a movie with Edward Norton - why haven't I noticed him before? He's so talented. Then tried to go to bed...no deal. Went back to the living room sofa with a quilt and pillow and made the dogs move over. Made myself some strong chamomile tea - just like Peter Rabbit's mother - and curled up on the couch. There was nothing on I could stand to watch, even with ALL those movie channels, so I put on one of my favorites of all time - Pride and Prejudice with Keira Knightley and that oh, so handsome English guy. That lovely piano music, the fabrics (gotta make some slipcovers like the Bennets had) the dresses, the fields, the houses, the dialogue, etc. kept my mind from racing the way it does when I can't sleep. I finally calmed down enough to go back to bed for two hours when Matt's alarm rang at 5 am. I asked him to set it again for 6:30, but I was awake. Matt had gotten most of the sheep in but there were the stragglers, gathered at the gate with a few up the hill. It takes a bit of doing to get a group in with others wanting to get back out. I have to open the gate, stand inside a few feet and hold them back without making a fuss that would scare the stragglers off. Ofcourse, they took forever to tiptoe in, then I spied another group coming through the mist and had to wait for them. It's a miracle I got to work clean, dressed, awake. Wonder how long I will stay that way. No kids today just paperwork. Testing starts tomorrow.