Just got back from spending the weekend at my sponsor's wedding...got to visit with all the people I love and miss so much. But I really missed all the people I've met here...Wendy,Nic, and Gammy especially.

Welcome to all the new people here...I'm so glad the board is picking up in activity again. Keep posting...someone somewhere needs to hear what you have to say.

Gammy...I went to an alanon meeting while I was there. What wonderful people we have in our lives!!

Anyway, just catching up on everything.If anyone is following the step board,I'll be posting step 4 tonight or tommorrow morning.

Love, cheri

Hi Cheri,

Glad to hear you have been having a good time of things. All is good here too. Am trying to get my butt into the van and go and pick up some feed for the critters...but somedays are better than others when it comes to getting moving...it is much more pleasant just mosying around here sometimes. 

We have a new goat called Dancer, that is trying to find her place and I have been keeping an eye on her...the others are being pretty rough with her. I enjoy watching new goats enter the herd and seeing friendships develop over time. She arrived trying to convince me she wasn't really a goat...first suggesting she was really human...and then aligning herself with the dog and bounding about with him. She is such a gentle soul, and it is hard not to stop the natural flow of things and intervene...the others seem to be educating her with a lot of tough love. She is young, but strong and big for her size, and doesn't object or stand up for herself when the others boss her around or tell her what to do (Butt - Pull your head back through that fence: Ok *pulls her head in* Butt - This is my dish: Ok *finds another dish* Butt - She is my friend *watches the other nudge the friend away*. Butt - Bugger off, we are fine without your input: Ok*does her own thing*.

She is slowly winning them over... She attracted the bucks attention first, and he is clearly the friendliest...though his mother scolds him for giving Dancer attention. His Mum is the lead goat and gives her the most trouble. She was alienated from all the girls...having to one by one deal with their challenges and directives. She doesn't fight, doesn't grovel, or beg...just seems to quietly maintain that she is Dancer, and she is here. The tiniest goat, a third of her size has also tried pushing her around...she looked at me like "Is she serious?" and just stepped on...I can't help but laugh. She just keeps doing her thing. While it is clear she has to win the lead goat over to be accepted, she doesn't seem too perturbed. Seems confident in a quiet way. Just keeps being herself. Interactions are fascinating things...there is much to learn from animals, I think.

Next week, there is an old milker coming. She is slightly lame and limps...I wonder how they will be with her? Will they respect her age and injury? Or will they demand "she keep up" and "get with the program" if she is going to be a part of their herd? It is all very interesting.... Life as I live it today. One thing I do know...is that while there have been attempts at setting up break away herds, it has never happened...eventually they all stand as one.

Ah - it has been a while since I wandered off into wondering in print on this board...lol

The pig is cool. He has become quite vocal and starts jabbering on whenever he hears me cough. Still dances about and does these cute spins and show off tricks. Got him a harness to lead train him last week, and he squealed his little head off when I first put it on. He has really soft skin behind his ears where he gets lots of scratches and tickles. I just love going in there in the morning and seeing him peek out sleepily from his hole in the straw. He has made a really cool bed, and you can't even see him when he's in it...sticks his nose out and you just see the hay move a bit.

Anyway...lifes good. That's my report from my part of the world...lol

All the best everyone,

Nic

Goodmorning Cheri and Nic,  Having my second cup of coffee,trying to collect my thoughts. I was going to post last night but my husband came in, wanting to "finally" put my swamp cooler in the window, sooooo I jumped up and went out in the pouring rain and lightening and helped him. It was almost 10 pm, he's been working wheat harvest, so doesn't  have much time to do anything. As I reflected back on the events of last night, I thought maybe he was trying to get both or one of us, me, electrocuted .... not sure , but will be very happy as I sit in a house that isn't 100 degrees anymore. Today, I will have to wear both wrist splints, which I had on last night, but my hands are really hurting, rain,lifting, typing, being 50 is very interesting to say the least.

Cheri, it sounds as though you had a great time at the wedding, isn't it amazing how these things are so different than "normal" events. The program seems to come into all our affairs. I think it has something to do with serenity. As you can tell from my share above why I need Al-anon, I sometimes , still, very often, let my still practicing alcoholic husband talk me into craziness, and I just go along for the ride.He is doing better, work has him so busy and he is trying to work his program. His boss was his sponsor years ago, the boss has not been in AA for a few years now.Said he was tired of watch people get sober and then go back out, it makes me sad because so many of those are back and doing great,one day at a time. Al-anons are just like us, have different isms.

Nic, I love the word pictures you create, I can see Dancer as she goes about her day, trying to find her place in the world and she will. What an adventure this life is if we just live it to the fullest and just keep putting ourselves out there.How is you friend doing? I think of him often, I remember how hard it was for me to reach out to others when I first got sober, still is sometimes. I was so self sufficent, such a loner. Life is different today, I am grateful for all the people in my life who add so much to my world. This board is one of the blessing I thank God for daily.

Well, I got to get going, let my hands rest. Have a great sober day.

(((Hugs)))

GammyRose

Mornin Gammy ,

My ol mate is doin pretty good...keeping it together...we've had some rain over the past few weeks, which has had everyone out seeding and taking advantage of it. He has developed a new bond with his ol tractor, I think.. and has been turning soil almost obsessively, but he enjoys it and it's keeping him out of strife, I spose. I remember those repetitive sorts of jobs helped me too when it was hard to know what to do with myself. Am hoping to take the girls over their today, as he likes spending time with them, and is a great teacher....one of those interesting types that invents, builds and creates...and am sure the girls will benefit much more from spending some time with him, than they are in front of the TV.

The TV is really driving me nuts. It has been on from the moment I get to up till I turn it off at night...despite the fact I have turned it off several times in between. The girls are on school holidays. I have been wondering what would happen if I went out and threw tennis balls at the aerial...but then I know I would eventually have to climb up there and re-set the thing

Your bloke likes working with electrics in an electrical storm? Blokes... they wanna do some weird stuff at the weirdest times, don't they? Why do they always want to do things outside when its raining? My mate was doing his washing the other day...water going everywhere...I call him Magoo...It was raining...machine is outside on the end of verandah. He is singing and having shots at me about how efficient he is (because my washing had been sitting there for several weeks)...then there's a huge flash and pop. He switches everything off, shuts all lids and walks away. Um...Nic... I think I broke the washing machine! Good on ya Magoo...I walk over there and there's water everywhere! Do you know water is the best electrical conductor in the world Magoo? He does that weird blinking thing that blokes do... I told him either he stayed away from the whole area until it dried out and I could have a look or I would bop him on the noggin. But what about my washing? Well...the EFFICIENT thing to do would be to exit right now Magoo!!!!

So he decided to go play with his kombi van in the rain instead!!

Maybe they all evolved from Atlantis or something?