Sunday AM Cold and Clear

Fed Larry and Lester at midnight, checked on little Levi (with all the Gaza news it seemed an appropriate name) who seemed to be happy on mother's milk, and went to bed. I thought I would take in Saturday Night Live but it was pre-empted by a football game. Put the new-age channel on the satellite music and nighty-night. Oh, what a powerful and wonderful drug sleep is. I woke up a couple of times, hanging onto my six inches - thanks doggies - but drifted back to sleep. Thought I better get up and mix milk replacer and get the fire/coffee going. Rosanna's hard wood usually leaves me some coals in the morning to help get the fire going again. Have to get another load soon. The twin ram lambs are doing alright and Lilly seems happy and contented with them even though she can't feed them. Lambs don't always take to the bottle right away. You have to be persistent and coax them to nurse. It's awkward for them to be held up in the air, cupped by the chin with a piece of rubber in their mouths. These boys are heavy, too. They took almost half a bottle each. I will feed them every 3 or 4 hours today. I go back inside and cook a two pound roll of mutton for the barn kitties in the morning. This meat looks pretty good, I have to say, and there is no trace of "parts" that the butcher left in for protein. I haven't eaten lamb in decades and have no desire to start eating sheep now, but my cats and dogs are going nuts for this stuff. Heated in the microwave, the pyrex dish is swimming in clear juice...a much nicer meal than the cheapest Tractor Supply dry kibble Matt has been buying. I buy high-end pet shop kibble and oh, does it break the bank. Let's see how long this mutton lasts. I am going to make myself some whole wheat toast and enjoy Annie and Hannah's marmalade, persimmon and grape jam. Annie made jam from some red grapes she had in the house and OH, it's so good. I'm a real jam freak in my old age. Never would allow myself the stuff in the past, but now that I'm fat and happy why not? Life is too short...I felt I wanted to do something with my last vacation Saturday night and asked Matt to take me to B&N. I thought they might have the January British Country Living, but not yet. We ate at Panera where the food is always good and we can eat and bring home a loaf of bread for under $20. The book store is right next door where I can get my stack of knitting magazines, look them over then leave them in the store. Matt reads Fine Homebuilding and Architectural Digest so he's happy. He's being so nice to me I told him he must have a girlfriend. He says I keep him too poor and too tired for a girlfriend. Maybe absence makes the heart grow fonder? They had my next favorite magazine, Selvedge, another British publication, which I would love to buy but each issue is $25!!! so I read it in the store. Funny how we don't think anything of spending $25 in the grocery store for food that is too expensive, but a magazine is out of the question. I guess we can't eat the magazine. Last day of vacation. Back to work tomorrow. I have a new "client" to work with and Regents testing coming up, always very stressful for teachers and students. I will hang a teat bucket for Larry and Lester and pray they find the teat. Have to beat it home fast every day, but what else is new? Next vacation in February. Love the education field - just when you think you are going to jump off a cliff you get a few days off.