Invasive Action
What a beautiful day today. Clear blue skies. Sunshine. Warm, but not uncomfortably so. It was almost like summer. I prefer snow of course, but that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate a nice, sunny day.
I am however not doing perfectly. My throat hurts from time to time. And also my jaw. Actually hurts a lot. Maybe wisdom teeth? I don’t know. I just know that it hurts when I open my mouth too wide. And sometimes even when I don’t move it. Kept me up last night.
Nawt to worry about though. I’ll be fine.
Spent some time in the sunshine with the animals.
The lambs lounging about.
Me holding Mini. It almost seems as though she is growing smaller. Because the other lambs are growing bigger, of course. I can still pick up Mini with one hand and carry her around. The others are getting too heavy for that.
There were lots of kids at the playground today. Daycare kids I think.
Per is helping a boy into the little bunny enclosure. The kids all love the animals of course. Although it usually takes them a little to get comfortable around the goats. It’s wonderful for me to help them.
Big Magnethe.
But she doesn’t bite.
It’s fun to see the boys who act tough with each other, and then when a goat comes around they are suddenly not so tough. But if they gather up the courage to actually pet the goats then they get very proud and happy. Yes, it’s always fun when there are kids around.
At one point Mads even stole their lunch! Haha. He came running across the play yard with a plastic bag full of sandwiches in it! Per came chasing after him. And it was even funnier because Per couldn’t catch him. It was a very amusing sight. Mads zigzagging along carrying the bag in his mouth. Reminded me of the bear stealing the picnic basket. I guess that would make Per the park ranger.
Later on things took a turn for the worse for Mads, though. I was sitting down with him when Pernille came over. And she was kinda looking him over. Last year he had some fungus infection problems. In a sensitive area. If you get my drift. His peepee, as Pernille said. She was worried that it was back. So she called Per over to help. And I tell you, Mads knew what was up. He understood. And he ran away. Quickly. I helped get him back, and they turned him over on his side. And the fungus infection was back. They let him back up and then Per went and got a bucket and some soap water stuff. I got a hold of Mads again, and this time I helped turn him over. I had his front legs, Per had his back legs. We got him lying down on his side. And he wasn’t happy about it. I held his legs with one arm and my other arm I had across his face and back and I was comforting him while he was washed. To his credit he didn’t make too much fuss once he realized that he was pinned down. A couple of times he trashed around wildly, trying to get free. But most of the time he was still. When it was over he jumped up and ran away as fast as he could. Poor guy. He really, really didn’t like it.
There he is, right after it was done. Looking cautiously around. He didn’t run away from me when I went up to him again, though. And I gave him lots and lots of cuddles and reassuring words. And some treats too of course. I hope he forgave my betrayal. He seemed ok.
It was kind of nice to do. I mean, it wasn’t nice to do something to Mads that he didn’t like and I don’t want him to associate me with bad things. But it was nice to be able to do some more “serious” goat handling. And it was nice to be able to help Pernille and Per out with it. And most importantly it was nice to be able to help Mads forget about it afterwards. I don’t know how much it helped that I was stroking him and talking to him while he was washed. But I think I helped get his mind off it afterwards. So that’s good.
It’s interesting how intuitive he is. Even before they got the washing gear out, he knew exactly what was going on. And he got the hell away from there. It was almost like he could understand what we were saying. Maybe it was the way Pernille was looking at him, trying to peek under his body. I remember last year they told me how much he disliked being washed down there. I wasn’t actually there when it happened back then, but yeah very obvious today how much he hates it.
I don’t think men and goats are too different in that respect, we don’t want people messing with that place of our body unless it’s absolutely neccessary. Or unless it’s a hot female goat. For Mads, I mean. Personally I’d rather have a human female.
That’s my problem, isn’t it? Too high standards.
Haha.
Not long after the ordeal he was running around, perfectly happy again.
With Magnethe.
If I am lucky they will be joined by Vanilje tomorrow. Kurt said that unless he had a lot of stuff to do in the morning then he’d bring Vanilje with him. He didn’t want to leave her in his car if he had to go around and do stuff before he got to the playground. I’m crossing my fingers. It’ll be great to see her again. Oh and he also said that instead of taking Magnethe back to his place to be with the buck, he might take the buck with him to the playground instead. I am crossing my fingers for that as well. I don’t want Magnethe to go away!
But we’ll see.
Before I go I must send thank yous to Belinda. She sent me a wonderful package. A beautiful card, a mix CD, tasty candies and TimTams. My favourite Australian import! Thank you Belinda! I have also gotten a birthday card from my dad. A week ago almost. He sent it well in advance due to the erratic nature of the Greenlandic airmail service.
I can hardly believe it. My birthday is on Thursday. I will be old, so old. I think I need a serving of soup and some old fashioned talkies tv.
.
Current music: Billy Corgan – Towers of Rabble (97something)
be yourself, don’t be yourself
speak your mind, don’t speak your mind
stand alone, don’t stand alone
be on your own, be all alone
.
March 13th, 2007 at 3:58
Yogi Bear says: “Hey, Boo Boo. Let’s go steal a pic-i-nic basket.” I’ll bet that was funny to see Mads running off with the basket. He’s the Easter Goat instead of the Easter Bunny.
Poor Mads, what a tramautic experience! How nice you could help with the procedure. Must just be in a goat’s nature to be forgiving. Our boys don’t have any hard feelings towards us after hoof trimming and they don’t particularly like it. They must not dwell on unpleasant things. I need to be more like that!
It’s hard to make them understand you’re not planning on doing harm to them, but they know when something different is up. They are smart.
Our goats aren’t “zombie goats” anymore. They both went to sleep on Sunday when I was out in the pen with them. I was even petting Billy and he went to sleep. I’m so boring, I can put goats to sleep now! It was a warm, sunny day and they were so drowsy and yawning.
Oh, you know you have it bad when you get excited watching your little sleeping goats breathe. Watching them eat hay is bad enough, but I do love to listen to them crunch!
You’re not so old. You’re just a young pup!
March 13th, 2007 at 7:43
Thanks for reminding me of you upcoming birthday. I must run out and get a very nice card. I have no clue when it will arrive in Denmark all the way from San Diego. But it shall arrive nonetheless albiet late.
I’m sure Mads will feel so much better in the coming days. No one wants to have a fungus infection ‘down there.’
Now, I have to think what kind of birthday gift. Mmmm…
It shall be a surprise!
March 13th, 2007 at 10:21
And because I know I will forget, happy birthday for Thursday!
March 13th, 2007 at 16:08
My wisdom teeth are coming D:
I’m going to try to send your card tomorrow morning. It’ll be late, but I have got you one.
March 13th, 2007 at 21:24
Debster – Haha, the easter goat! I like that. And I like that the goats don’t dwell on the negative things. They’re not like silly humans who gather up past experiences in their brains and get scared of life.. Life for the moment, I would like to learn from that.
Congrats on the sleepingness! No more zombies for you. You didn’t by any chance have a priest stay over recently did you? Maybe they were exorcised. I love a tired goat. It brings up the maternal instinct in me, I just want to rock them gently and sing a lullabye.
Paternal, I mean. Yes.
Luis Lemmings – Don’t worry about the lateness of the card, I shall be happy once it gets here that’s for sure. I’m sure you’ll come up with something great. And Mads is already doing much better. Clean as a whistle.
Aoj – Thank you, in advance!
Clare – That’s what you get for being so smart :-P
March 15th, 2007 at 18:33
Poor Mads! What an unpleasant infection to have! He’s lucky to live someplace with people who care for him. Even though treatments are unpleasant, I think the goats you have a relationship with instinctively know that you’re there to take care of them – even those unpleasant procedures. Just like he could sense you were out to catch him (so he ran away!), he can also sense that it is not your intent to hurt him (but he’d still rather avoid the washing!) They don’t hold a grudge, and this is why Mads still allows you to love on him and why he’ll still lay down all vulnerable next to you. You’re still his friend, possibly the bond is even deeper now that you’ve partaken in some “serious goat handling”. Like it’s moved to a new level… beyond hugging and treats and into his essential well-being. That might sound a little corny, but I think it’s true. :)
I’ve had to be a part of several health procedures here (especially for poor little B.J.). It broke my heart to restrain her for a shot I knew to be extremely painful to her. And I had to do it 3 times! Talk about associating someone with something bad!! But each time I tell her that it’s to make her well, that I love her and I’m sorry to have to do this to her. Each time I reward her with treats and pats, to make sure I’m MORE associated with pleasure then pain, and soon all is forgiven.
Ah, the highs and lows of animal husbandry… it’s something we’ve just begun learning about, and I’m sure the journey doesn’t stop here, for either of us.
March 15th, 2007 at 21:50
Laura – Yes, very unpleasant. And then the fact that you can’t do anything about it yourself. You have to trust those unpredictable humans to help you out! But yes, it’s definitely a good bonding thing. I hope he can sense that I only want the best for him. I’d never do anything to hurt him.
It’s a very rewarding journey.