Musings

Arriving home is both a relief and nervewracking for me. I am the last one to leave, and bear the responsibility for making sure everything is secured. I am the one to find any disasters when I come home. The dogs are crazy, the sheep are bellowing, the cats are swarming around my feet. Everybody is hungry, thirsty and has their legs crossed. If I wait, I am always sorry. If I make a stop or two, and I always do, it's getting dark when I pull in. Yesterday I found four or five sheep in the driveway. With the way cars and trucks speed by on this road, sheep wandering around could be disastrous. The quickest way to get them back in was through the milk room, which requires going up steps and through two doors. I got a bucket of grain and tried to lure them in. I made the mistake of putting down cat food for the starving kitties. The sheep stopped to munch on it before stepping in the bowl and scattering it everywhere. I got them looking at the bucket of corn again and into the milk room. Closed the door, then opened the next door into the barn. I had to hold the door opened while the sheep filed through. Once in the barn I had to get them through the gate to where the other sheep are. After all this I could use a drink, or at least some hot coffee, but the doggies are waiting. It goes on and on. I try to wind down a few minutes, check the news, etc. and maybe play with some fabric before deciding what in the world I am going to make for dinner. I finished Candace's special order bag early this morning after doing more than half of it last night. It's real nice and I bet she'll like it. She picked out the outer fabric but I added the soft, wooly orange suit fabric for the lining. It comes from Porter Studios in Hamilton and is matches Candace's hair color! Candace is house sitting this weekend when we go to Lisa's wedding in NJ. Lisa is Mia's best friend from kindergarten, and she is the Maid of Honor. Going away is frightening for me and it usually doesn't happen because it is impossible to find someone to take on this madhouse. Candace is mature, loves animals and is happy to farm sit. She worked in an animal shelter at one time, and should feel right at home in the chaos that is Maggie's Farm. Out to the barn to tote warm water to everyone. Cold all week with snow every day. Winter is here to stay.