Jewell

I reminded Jewell that the goats don't appreciate her standing in the community drinking water, but she thinks it's too hot for her usual shallow pool.

4 More

We brought four more kittens home to tame and find homes for - these guys were not too wild but still have tamed up quite a bit in just one day of being almost constantly handled. 

They are not bothered at all by our four dogs, but the visiting German Shepherds are a bit much. Fiona really loves them!

When they aren't being attended, their residence is Elijah's bathroom. I found Selah in there reading this morning with all of them snuggling.

Our boundaries about the table are kind of lax right now...

It took a bit to calm them tonight, but all four of them settled down for reading time.

My Summer Accomplishments

I decided some time before the Covid outbreak to go back to school, but being "stuck" at home instead of football, soccer and swimming sure has made it much easier. After analyzing cost, I really decided I had to go full time since it ended up being a chunk less than double the time part time. I enrolled in Liberty University for a degree in psychology with a certification in Life Coaching. Since I pursued an education major many, many years ago, I was automatically a senior, but really have two years of classes to take. I got a jump on it by tackling 18 credit hours this summer. I clepped two classes, took two classes through Sophia.org and start my two Liberty classes next Monday.

For the many who have asked, Yes, I do intend on going to work, but hope to delay a few years and then only work part time until the kids are grown and out of the house.  

Last Wednesday, after I took my 2nd Clep, I hit Joanne Fabrics and bought supplies for my big birthday surprise for Alyssa. Alyssa turned 21 yesterday, so I made her a quilt out of all her mission trip t-shirts that she thought she had donated three years ago; I had dug them out of the bags and kept them. I did nothing much but sew the last eight days, but overall, I was happy with how it turned out. 

She was pretty surprised when she opened it 

And happy, which means she cried like I do - 

Now I have one week to catch up on life before I start classes again. We also took a foster kitten today; tiny little thing the kids named Simba. Kitten anyone?

New Goats and Kitty

I have rescued countess cats over the last 10 years and not kept any of them. I tried last summer to add two cats to the barn, but they bullied Kaden and Tally so badly that they had to move to another barn across the county. Kaden and Tally were dumped at the end of the driveway 12 years right after Elijah was born; they have happily run the mouse control department of the barn this whole time. They also enjoy their morning and evening pet sessions. 

We have had mice in the garage, however, and some making it into the house. The only reasonable option for controlling this naturally was adopting a garage cat. While I had only considered this option, a friend contacted me about "Buddy" the cat who was going to be put to sleep at one year of age due to the fact that he didn't get along with the old cat that was at his new home. He has been tossed around a good bit since being adopted from the SPCA. We brought Buddy home; he is shiny black, we have never had a black cat, so variety is fun. 

He hasn't met any of the dogs or other cats, but we are hoping for the best when he gets out of garage quarantine. He is super sweet, loves to be pet.

Within days of bringing Buddy home, Lady finally had her twin babies. They are darling girls, named Eiffel and Emerald. I'm thankful there were only two so we don't have bottle supplement; that becomes a lot of work on top of milking other goats. We won't be keeping these babies, but I hope to sell them together to ease their transition.

Oliver and Brown Bear

 Another generation loving Brown Bear - this is Oliver's current favorite. It works so nicely that all these kids know how to read, so after one reads it, he may find another kid to read another round.