Crazy Day

I am so thankful that my husband had the forsight to begin preparing our house last night for company. I had planned on just waiting until morning and had he not taken the bull by the horns, I'd have been one very embarrassed woman today.


I got up and intended to make a yummy lunch for our guests: my cousin, her daughter, and a co-worker friend of hers. (I'm currently enjoying listening to my cousin's daughter playing with my kids and thoroughly enjoying my title of "Aunt Susie" :) Cousin and friend are going to a concert in Nashville. )


Well, before I could think of starting any new dish of my own, I had to make sense my fridge. My mom is a compulsive shopper--in the grocery store. She really intends to be helpful by filling my house with groceries, but we don't exactly have the same sort of items on our grocery lists, so it took some effort. Anyhow, I wound up making soup, broccoli casserole, and citrus baked summer squash. And something that went outside for the dog. My mom came and made cole slaw and finished the ribs she started cooking two days ago. Phew. So much for poppyseed chicken! I did joke with her that I was going to have to clear out my pantry and make a run to Gallatin Cares (I think they're closed now, but they used to take food donations) again. She didn't think it was so funny and told me to give it back to her. Huh. So that's how easy it is to get her to take the cases of strawberry syrup and cheese-its back home? I should have thought of it months ago!


Anyhow, by this point it was well past time for me to do my barn chores. I headed out and got everyone fed, clean water, cleaned off spools and roosts, and collected eggs. One problem. Jarlath didn't come to me when I went in his barn, nor did he seem interested in eating. Those are huge warning flags. I took his temperature. Normal temperature for a goat is 101 to 103. His was 105.5. His open sinus cavity was oozing thick, white, stinky puss. Panic! I called the vet... waited for her return call... took a shower... David and I went out to give Jarlath a shot of pennicillin. David then had to go on to work for the last day of the basketball tournament and I ran to the vet. My mom stayed home with the kids. I picked up banamine, larger syringes, and got instructions on how to give intramuscular shots.When I returned home, my cousin and crew had arrived. We had lunch and then she helped me take Jarlath's temperature (now 106) and give him a shot of banamine--this is like super tylenol for goats. I have to give this once a day for 3 days. Tonight after David gets home to help, Jarlath will get his second dose of pennicillin, which he is to get twice a day for 7 to 8 days.


Cousin and friend will be returning from the concert some time after we go to bed tonight, so I have a few preparations to do in that regard. It has been a crazy day! I am thoroughly enjoying our company, thoroughly disliking that Jarlath is in such a state, and thankful that I've got a little more experience under my belt to deal with this without the level of panic that I would have had just a few months ago. I would still appreciate prayers in that regard, if you think of it!