The Rest of Sunday Afternoon and Monday

Okay, so I asked Ian if he would go to the shooting range with us. He didnt really seem too happy about me springing this on him spur of the moment. I said fine, I would go alone then, and Karen and Tiffany went along too. Shelby was not up for it. I think she is a little afraid of going to a place like that, she said she didnt want to get shot. I told her there were strick rules and it was a controlled place. She didnt budge on it. I relented and said fine, but she would regret this later, as we had a side adventure after the shooting range.

Of course I forgot my camera like a dufus. So I didnt get any pictures at the shooting range or our side adventure.

So we went to the firing range and I explained to the man behind the counter that I bought a gun but had never shot it before and was a bit apprehensive because I didnt know what it would sound like, how loud, and I wanted to see someone else shoot it so I could see how it kicked before I did it. I explained to him that my husband was supposed to come along to show me these things, but wasnt up for it today and I wanted to come out and check them out at least. I asked him if he would shoot my gun for me. He smiled and said of course he would. So I went and got my shells and gun out of the truck. We went outside the little building we were in and he shot up into the air twice really quick one behind the other.

There was more pop to it that blast. But it was still loud. I also saw it kick, and I dont care what anyone says, you can call me a sissy if you want, but I will be getting a shoulder pad before I shoot that gun, period. Eye and ear protection is required at the range too, so I will get that also. When I have my stuff I will go back and do it. Its going to scare the you know what out of me the first time, but I will do it.

After we went back inside he went over the basics of loading and unloading, which Ian had gone over with me when we got it, but it was good to go over it again. He said I just need to practice loading and unloading that shotgun. So that is what I will do.

Now onto our side adventure. The firing range is not too far from Mr. Tilleys place. You remember him, he is the goat man, and the one I bought the three emu babies from.

I called him up on his cell phone and asked him what he was up to and if he was home. He wasnt at home, he was in Alabama having lunch with some relatives. Turns out he has three baby goats in the barn he is bottle feeding and he hadnt fed them since 7 a.m. and they needed to be fed again about this time. He was going on about how they were probably pretty hungry and asked me if I wanted to go up and feed them. Well OF COURSE I DID! He told me where everything was, the bottles, milk and such and we headed over there.

Right after we finished up and I rinsed out the bottles and nipples and covered them up with cups on the top Joes wife pulls up at the barn. I knew she was probably wondering who in the world was up at their barn and what we were doing. I explained right away that I had talked to Joe and said I would come and feed the babies. She said she had tried to get in touch with him but he didnt answer his cell phone. She was going to ask him if she needed to feed them or not, and since she didnt talk to him she just figured she would head on up and feed. What if we had left there and she didnt know they had been fed? LOL...she would have fed them again. Not that they would have cared. All three of them acted like they could have drank ten bottles each.

So we got to talking and I asked her why these were having to be bottle fed. Turns out sometimes mothers will reject their babies for no good reason and not nurse them and you just have to do it yourself.

He told me he wasnt going to get into Pygmies anymore, but there stood a little one we fed, called Oreo. Cutest little thing you ever saw and sweet as sugar. His wife told us that he had a guy call him up and say he didnt know what to do with the little fella since his mom rejected him, so soft hearted for goats he took the little one. I tell you the truth, I wanted to take him home too! He was a sweetie. Bottle feeding is easy once they will take the bottle. They suck it down like its the best stuff ever. I told her to be sure and tell Joe anytime he needs me to do something like this to just give me a call, I love to do it, and I am not far from his house at all.  She said he just may take me up on that. Fine by me...I would love to do it.

I just hate that I forgot my camera...would have made for some great photos, getting those babies fed. Maybe he will call on us again and Shelby and I can go out there and this time I wont forget my camera.

We got back from that and I threw three pork loin roasts on the grill to cook for a few hours. Used my new slicer and thin sliced it up when it was done and we had some fine BBQ sandwiches for supper.

Having had a full day we were all fast asleep on Saturday night at 10 o'clock! Getting up early the next morning I was well rested. I let the chickens out.

Oh yeah, side note here...we had a predator on Saturday morning sometime between 8 and 10 a.m. It got one of my columbian wyandotte hens and one red star hen. I am now down to just 8 out of 20 of my newest layers from last Spring. I dont know what it was, but I do know it was not a hawk. It ate A LOT from each hen. The red star was left in the back yard, but the wyandoote was drug to the front out in the middle of the front yard to be eaten on. Half the body and the neck and head were gone. It is unusual for possum, skunk, or raccoon to come out in the daylight hours and strike, so I am thinking a very hungry dog (usually dogs will kill for sport and maybe drag one off to eat, so I am not so sure about the dog theory) or a coyote or fox. The body was not dragged through the fence wire like it was so many times when I lost the eleven chickens during my last predator problem. It has been two days, and everything is all good here, I hope it wont come back, but I am not betting on it.

We loaded up the trucks on Sunday. It was just so windy Ian was not in a very good mood. The pool was full of trash again from the high winds. He says there is dirt, feathers and hay all in the pool. I guess that would be my fault. :( The winds were so high there was no way he was going to be able to plant..so once again he has had to put that off. I bet the winds were 40 mph or better Sunday. He wasnt happy at all about this development. I decided he should stay home and relax rather than spend his Sunday riding up and down the roadwith us and the furniture, so Shelby rode with me and we followed Karen and Tiffany back down to their new house. I had the camera...but didnt take any pictures because we were in such a hurry to get in and out of there. Shelby and I still had animals to tend before dark. Their house is perfect for the two of them, has some neat qualities about it and she got a good price for it too. Its the area that I am not fond of...it is not far at all from where I used to live in Forest Park. To each his own though. Anyway, she called her sister and her husband over to help unload the heavy sectional. They had it out in no time and Shelby and I took off for home right away.

Monday was one of those days where you just arent going to get anything done no matter how hard you try. School took longer than usual, laundry went unfinished, the house was not in order at all...but the animals did get tended as usual. I managed to cook a real supper last night so by the time Ian got home from work we were all ready to sit down to supper.

Today we have finished on time and the laundry is going and I feel pretty good. Going to be going soon now and getting my chores done and starting some supper.

Anyone going to watch American Idol tonight? Its the final week you know. Hey Lisa...its hard to say because you do and you dont want David Cook to win. If he wins he will be bound my a contract to do just what they want him to do, if he loses, he wins really, cause he will get a record deal, you know he will, and he will be able to do his own style music. Which I will buy when it comes out, oh yes I will. David A. is going to get the young peoples vote, David C. will get the older group of people I think, so it is anyones guess who will win tomorrow night.

YES...I am going out to take pictures today. ;) I need to take some updated pictures of my babies.