It’s been a rough week. Kamel has been sick. That has taken up most of my time, since I found her on Thursday.

I wasn’t there on Wednesday, but they’ve told me that she was fine then. When I opened up on Thursday she was sitting in the hay. I figured she was just tired. Until the kids started jumping on her and Herman started butting at her and she didn’t get up, she just sat there and moaned. Then I knew something was wrong. I let the other goats out in the pen and sat with her. She couldn’t stand up. She tried a couple of times but just moaned again and had to give up. At that point Dennis arrived to open everything. I went and got him and he called Alice and then the vet. I’m glad there wasn’t any discussion about waiting and seeing. She obviously wasn’t feeling well. Very unresponsive.

When the vet arrived she examined her. She had a fever. I forget now exactly what was said. We thought it might be an infection. And Kamel’s old age. We don’t know exactly how old she is. The vet kind of asked if we wanted to treat her or just… see what happened. That upset me. Bodil later made realise that the vets here don’t usually see goats as pets or something that people are so attached to. I’m as attached to these goats as anyone is to their cat or dog. They’re not expendable livestock to me.

So we got started on the treatment. The vet gave her some injections. Antibiotics, vitamins.. things like that. And more medicine for us to give her later and recipes for some high energy food to get in her.

Since then it’s been slow progress. Friday she was able to stand up on her own. Saturday she was already standing when I opened up in the morning. Sunday, thankfully, she started eating again. That was what I was waiting for. I kept seeing signs of her old personality coming back. Acting more and more like Kamel. Even with her tail pointing up at times. But starting to eat on her own was the really important thing. Now I’m starting to believe she’ll be okay. Hopefully she’ll keep getting better. Nothing is sure yet, but I do think she’ll be okay.

I had lots of plans for this weekend, but had to change them all so I could spend time with Kamel instead. If I hadn’t gone during the weekend she would barely have had any time outside. She hadn’t eaten any of the stuff we put inside for her. So I think it was very good that I was there to spend hours with her, getting her to walk around and be active. And start eating leaves and grass. And sitting with her when she was too tired. Hugging her and crying a little. Me, not her.

It just all reminded me too much of when Magnethe died. The same walking around slowly, the same having to help her stand up. Trying to get her to eat. It felt like deja vu. But hopefully the fact that we go treatment started right away and that she isn’t weakened from pregnancy will make the difference. Sweet, old Kamel. I don’t want anything to happen to her.

We’ll end with the usual smattering of goat photos to cheer things up. Most of them taken before Kamel got ill. I have missed just sitting around in the sun with the goat boys. They sure are growing.

Starting off with a funnypic I made of Palle. With a little musical quote. People on Facebook seemed to quite enjoy it. I just love goat ears.

Bruce keeping his eyes on the prize.

Bruce and Clark, one month old.

Three’s a crowd.

Clark looks like a little anime princess here. Kawaii!

Little cutiepie.

Herman the twain-eared.

Herman occupying the bench.

Kamel before she got sick. Always the goofy looks.

Eye of the Mio.

#Palleface.

Silhouette of a Palle.

Those mighty ears.

Palle spotted the camera before Mia this time.

Moody Bruce.

I love the white stripe down Bruce’s chin.

Mia can stand on the platform too.

Bruce is mastering the funny goat looks already.

The family sitting together. Mio with her little babies, Mia with her big one.

Kamel looking in at the other goats, when she first got up and walked around again.

And a goatlog. Only with cheerful things, most of it from before Kamel got sick.

And that’s all for this week, folks. Hope the next one will be better.

It’s been another lovely week with the baby goats. They’re just so much fun. Although tomorrow they will be one month old. Hardly babies anymore. Full of life and glee. Bruce is still the most outgoing. Clark is a little shy, but once he gets over the first hesitation he’s still as much of a little troublemaker as his brother. I love seeing them run around together.

They have had their first trips out of the pen. One morning I let them come out of the main door of the goat stable. Walked them around the corner and into the pen where I let the other goats out through the hatch. So they got a little taste of the big world outside. And later on in the day Dennis suggested we take the goats out in the little cloverfield to get some grass. Of course the goats had other plans and ended up running all around the place. Especially under the apple trees. So it goats! But it was fun to see the baby bros exploring. Still so much new to see and learn.

Not much else to say. Watch the goatlog for more details of the fun I’ve had. But first, many pictures.

Sleepy little Clark.

Clark looking out.

Little help? Okay, little raisin then?

Mio and the babies.

Bruce.

Bruce taking a stand.

He’s so funny.

He’s got a bit of the Palleface over him.

Clark the sweetheart.

Tiny supergoat.

The obligatory sweet Mia.

And the funny Mia.

Buddies.

Sitting on the bench in the sun with Mia next to me and Palle by my feet. What more could I ask for?

Bruceybruce.

The Palledrone ready for takeoff.

All hail the Palleface.

I found a broken chair thrown out. Broke it into pieces to have some building material for the wooden staircases. The seat works as a nice little platform. I put it on the pile of branches and it didn’t take long before the goat boys realised it was a good place to stand when they explore the pile. And a good place to sit.

The three amigos.

Palle is almost as big as Mia now. The rowdy teenager of the bunch.

And a 30 minute goatlog full of so much fun and games that I’m not even going to try to sum it up.

Plus a little musical interlude of fun.

Baby goats on a spring.

And that’s all for this week, folks. See you in the next one.