I called Town & Country Veterinary this morning. I've been trying to figure out how to wether (castrate) my billy. I could cut him, myself, but I can't get the required drug without a prescription, and it costs fifty dollars, for WAY more than I'll need.Well, the receptionist at T & C happens to be a member of New Mexico Pygmy Goat Club. Now, as it happens, most members are into show goats. I have no interest in any such thing. It's expensive and impossible, really, with no car. The kids sell for upwards of three hundred dollars, each. Not so much.
BUT, they can help me BAND my billy. Some members have the tool that stretches an elastic band over the scrotum. It's uncomfortable, at first, but only for about an hour or so. I can apply some topical anesthesia to help with that. It's clean, not prone to infection and the least-invasive method, really.
I don't have to worry for about 6 more weeks yet.
I also don't have to worry about worming, until they're off formula/cows milk. But worms will kill a goat pretty fast, at least, almost as fast as you can notice symptoms. Generally, once a goat is "down," ie: not able to walk, it's dying.
The kids are more rambunctious today than ever. They're eating a LOT and are very active for a longer period between naps. Right now, they're curled up, under my feet, as I'm writing.
The ceramics studio is open from 2-5 today, so I'll feed them again right before I take off for the bus stop.
Hell, they're not sleeping, they're nuzzling my shins. I'm the Giant Teat Of The Universe now. My sole purpose is feeding, in their eyes. Oh, and taking them out to the yard for adventures.
All the other animals are fine with the goats. The roosters are a bit scandalized, though. Harpo (I have to post his photo here) is tiny and easily intimidated, but he actually challenged a too-curious goat yesterday. He hides from all the other chickens. But he'll defend himself from a kid.
I worked on cleaning the house most of yesterday, so I'd feel better about heading out to work on pottery today. I bought myself 2 sets of pottery tools: one for here, one for there. One set came with a canvas apron, too. I marked all the tools with Sharpy markers. I wrote "Gone to Pot" on the apron. It has pockets, so I can keep my tools on me when I'm there. Some guy picked up one of my borrowed tools the last time I was there. I had my tools on the sink counter, to dry from washing. He just decided he needed one of them, without asking anybody. The studio provides tools to borrow, but they must be returned. I was just flummoxed that somebody would just TAKE something like that without asking! I don't need to get in trouble for somebody else's stupidity. So, I have my own tools, identifiably mine. If I catch the son of a bitch with something of mine in the future, I could stab him in the heart with another tool, I suppose... jees...
My stuff should be dry enough to smooth, decorate and set on the shelf to be fired. Once that's done, I can glaze them to be fired again. I'm looking forward to playing in glazes.
I'm going to practice making some beads, here at home. I'm thinking of buying my OWN clay. The clay there is recycled. I hurt myself, trying to throw a pot with dry, cold clay that wouldn't work right. It's all mixed up: terracotta, white, whatever people were using. It's soaked in water and run through what looks like a giant meat grinder. It extrudes in round pieces, about 3 inches round, cut into about 6 inch sections. And there was a glass melting class once, who left shards of glass in the clay to be recycled. It isn't sharp, but, if a piece sticks to a finger or thumb while the wheel's turning, it WILL cut the clay and damage the piece. So, I'm thinking I'll buy my own clay.
There are lockers there, big enough for my tools, apron and clay. I just need to find one of my padlocks with a key.
Public ANYTHING is so problematic!
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