Update on SERVAL SON: SPOTS & STRIPES FOREVER

I have at least three high-profile animal welfare advocates looking over my manuscript to see if they will either endorse, review or write a blurb for it for the cover, back cover or inside leading pages.  One of them, if he commits, will blow you right out of the water! Keep reading...

I'm getting feedback... no suggestions, yet, for additional information... so it looks like the book is pretty much a done deal. The readers have found upwards of eight corrections--most of them just typos--and most of them were found by all who have read the manuscript.  But Sandy King and David Sol found a few no one else spotted, so they get the Eagle Eye Award for best spotters!

Tippi Hedren (Shambala/The Roar Foundation angel) is reading the book this week. Deaken lived with her for 15 months, so she's intrigued.

Vernon Weir (with the American Sanctuary Association) has it, too, as does Adam Roberts of Born Free USA (formerly the Animal Protection Institute, where I worked from 1981-1985).

David Sol, an animal welfare advocate,wildlife educator, and tiger dad, is reading it. Lion dad Edward E. Smith has read it.

I've just emailed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (!!!!) to see if he will agree to read and endorse, review or write a blurb for it. He's my "kindred Kennedy" of the bunch (after his dad; I adored him, too)--we've both been "animal crazy" almost since infancy.

RFK Jr. doesn't know me (yet) but I've known about him since his father ran for the Presidency in 1968. Bobby Jr. was traipsing around the Kennedy compound with coati mundis, dogs Brumus and Freckles and, later, as a young man, he became a falconer. If he would run for President, I would support him. He is very passionate about the environment and making the world a safer place for people and animals. Plus he's just plain brilliant. I doubt he'll ever run--it seems the Kennedys are getting out of the political realm altogether--but I would be deleriously happy if he would. (Not a chance, probably.) After Obama's second term ends, we need someone who will return us to some semblance of sanity where the environment and animals are concerned. 

I've just read "DOMINION: The Power of Man, The Suffering of Animals, and the Call to Mercy" by Matthew Scully (former speechwriter to George W Bush, oddly enough, but I totally forgive him that "sin," after reading this amazing book!). DOMINION was recommended to me by David Sol. Scully's book uses a lot of heavy duty, multi-syllabic language (ten dollar words where two dollar words would suffice quite nicely) so it's quite the slog, but worth every step.

Now I'm in the middle of another book David Sol recommended, "The Tiger: A True Story of Vengeance and Survival," by John Vaillant.  This one is about the Siberian (Amur) tiger in Russia. Vaillant is a true story teller (not an academic like Scully). It's a riveting tale from start to finish.

Both books are well worth your time, if you want to read them. Just be forewarned: you'll want to become a vegetarian after reading Scully's book. We've never, in our history as a species, treated our livestock as badly as we do in this day and age... and it is an absolute horror to read about it... especially if you've ever known a calf, a steer, a pig, or a chicken in real life. I wept.  And I'm equally guilty of being a consumer of their flesh. (Well, never veal calves, and rarely pigs... but eggs and chickens, and cattle, yes.) 

We need to get back to basics and allow the animals we use for food to have lives that include sunshine, exercise and other "creature comforts" before we turn them into whatever we put on our plates. I really need to re-think my diet, too.  If I can't find 100% free range products, I need to say, "No, thank you" altogether...

Ethically, morally, I just can't turn my head and pretend these things aren't happening to sentient fellow creatures who fear, hurt and wish to avoid pain and anxiety as much as I do...all for my plate!  It's just not right.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Great thanks to Sue Morgan for this link. If you want to eat animals that are not factory-farmed, check it out: http://www.eatwild.com/

R.I.P. DeForest Kelley

T'was 12 years ago today I held De's hand for the last time. Seems a long time ago to me now... for the first time. It's easier on me this year, THANK GOD!  I also thank God for De's life and his influence on mine.

Amen and amen.

Badass Cowboy DeForest Kelley--Blast from the Past

De as Ike Clanton in a YOU ARE THERE episode

http://www.40discos.com/video/E0xIpA5XRrU.html

De in Gunsmoke episode

http://www.40discos.com/video/kDZprWuEXds.html

De in Trail of Revenge

http://www.40discos.com/video/3oCcdla72WQ.html

De as Dr Belden  in VIRGINIAN "Man of Violence" episode

http://www.40discos.com/video/PrZ2EViZiZY.html

De in Edward G Robinson Movie as Ed Clary

http://www.40discos.com/video/Fc2vTyBkmXk.html

De in Black Saddle Apache Trail Pt 1

http://www.40discos.com/video/ebCYEhlA2ic.html

De in Black Saddle Apache Trail Pt 2.

http://www.40discos.com/video/9XJ_UAsH7a8.html

De in Bonanza episode "The Honor of Cochise" Pt 1
http://www.40discos.com/video/xTa-LxjTYd4.html

De in Bonanza episode "The Honor of Cochise" Pt 2
http://www.40discos.com/video/gviJIkHoXnk.html

These two are dubbed in Spanish:

De as Toby Jack Saunders in Apache Uprising, Pt 1
http://www.40discos.com/video/Ub-tNjspzjA.html

De as Toby Jack Saunders in Apache Uprising, Pt 2
http://www.40discos.com/video/d9XTZAqXDMc.html

Ladies, If You're Having Gynecological Problems, Check Out This Link!

http://wladieshealth.blogspot.com

Back Cover Copy for SERVAL SON/SPOTS & STRIPES FOREVER

COPYRIGHT MAY 27, 2011

Spots & Stripes Forever


If you have ever wondered what it would be like to own (and be owned by) a wild animal—especially a wild cat—get ready to experience it in a way you never have before.


The author, Kristine M. Smith, does not advocate the keeping of wild pets, especially wild cats, wild dogs and simians. To the contrary, for the many reasons she explains and has endured, she is opposed to wild animal ownership for most people. The commitment is brutal, the risks enormous, the memories indelible (good and bad).


But there are times when adopting a wild one in need seems uncontrollable, a part of your destiny. If you’ve felt the tug, this book will introduce you to what you’ll be getting into. Look before you leap.


You are responsible for all you tame.


About the Author: Kristine M Smith is an animal behaviorist and advocate with decades of combined experience as a wildlife rehabilitator, captive animal caretaker, and humane educator. She is also a well-regarded copywriter, writing for businesses around the world. Find out more at kristinemsmith.biz.

WOO HOO! 21K Words Later, I am 99.9% Finished with the New Manuscript!

Now I need a riveting title. Wanna help?

So far I've come up with

SERVAL SON

SPOTS & STRIPES FOREVER

I know there is a better title lurking in the cosmos. Can anyone capture it for me?

FOREWORD and DISCLAIMER from "SERVAL SON" My Next Book

 "Serval Son" (working title)
(aka) Spots and Stripes Forever

copyright May 27, 2011

Here's the beginning of my new book.

Let me know how you like it

and whether or not you'll be

eager to buy it when it comes out.

Thanks!

Serval Son/Spots & Stripes Forever


FOREWORD – and DISCLAIMER

I first learned about serval cats—the “poor man’s cheetah” — during one of my courses at Ralph Helfer’s Wild Animal Affection Training School in Colton CA in 1977-78. I was assigned to train a pygmy goat and to tame an adult serval cat named Sneakers.

Training a goat is child’s play. They teach themselves to walk on 2x4’s while you’re still lifting the boards into place! They’re naturally curious, naturally playful, and naturally “ascendant.” Build it and they will climb!

But…tame a serval cat?! YIKES!!! That was a whole different matter—a greater level of difficulty. Mr. Helfer said I’d pass the course if I could get Sneakers just to sit or lie quietly near me without hissing or slapping. He wasn’t completely sure I could accomplish this feat, so he set the bar low...

Sneakers had apparently been abused (emotionally if not physically) during his time on earth. And servals look pretty ferocious and lethal when they hiss—which they do a lot, sometimes for reasons no one can discern. When they add slapping and backpedaling or crouching and preparing to spring onto your body, they look even scarier. And Sneakers did that… a lot!

Of course, I didn’t know any of this at first; I learned as I went along. All I knew about Sneakers was that he was housed in a wooden barrel inside an enclosure that measured about six or eight feet square. I was supposed to go in there and tame him.

Awrighty, then…

Long story short: Over the course of the next eight weeks persnickety Sneakers segued from being one po’ed putty tat to a purring, head-rubbing critter who fell asleep in my arms as I lay beside him under a tree on test day. Helfer came by, saw the two of us cuddled up like Romeo and Juliet, and smiled, “You pass!”

Was I proud? You bet I was. I woulda burst my buttons had I been wearing any to burst. I had tamed an adult serval cat. I mean, taming an adult feral domestic cat is next to impossible, so this was quite the feat, was it not?

Not so fast. I later learned that servals and cheetahs are the Perry Comos of the cat world: you can tame adults caught right out of the wild. Africans did it for millennia, using them as “coursing hounds” to catch faster prey (dik dik and other larger antelopes), then taking the kill, rewarding the cat with a few mouthfuls, and using the rest for their own purposes.

Probably not even Ralph Helfer knew this. During the course, I also was taught “never ever” to leave a serval cat alone with any other critters, because servals were rated among the “wildest” of wild animals and should never be trusted with other creatures. I obeyed this precept until my own serval, Deaken, taught me how utterly nonsensical a notion it was. I denied him other companionship for more than six years that he should have had...but more about that later.

You can’t believe everything you read in books—except mine. (I’m a straight arrow.)

My 17 years with Deaken were an eye-opener, a heart-warmer, a trauma-inducer and a cherished relationship I expect never to repeat again. And here comes …

The Disclaimer

I don’t believe in exotic or wild animals as pets (especially wild cats, wild dogs and simians) for a lot of reasons. The primary reason is that probably less than one tenth of one percent of the people who get them knows what they’re getting into, so both parties suffer grievously. There is usually a traumatic and premature parting of the ways. As Ralph Helfer told us in class, “You are responsible for all you tame.”

It isn’t like you can change your mind and find your critter a new home and a new life with a reputable, responsible caregiver all that easily. Your charges do bond to you, especially since their first few weeks of life are so vital to establishing a relationship that must last into adulthood; one that is safe, sane and sustainable. And too few people have the proper permits to take over if you falter or fail; those who do are usually filled to the brim with other peoples’ cast-offs as well as their own broods. And who is going to watch over your wild one when you go on vacation, fall ill, or in some other way have to leave them behind for a time for any one of a dozen legitimate reasons?

I knew what I was getting into. I was trained. I read copiously. I had experience. I had the permits. And I’d had at least 20 domestic kitties before. I was—and remained—committed to nurturing Deaken’s life as he grew, and grew, and grew to knee-high and three feet long from tip of nose to tip of tail. How much different could it be to raise Deaken when I had raised so many house cats?

Still, I had no idea. Looking back, it was great discipline. Looking back, it was herculean. Looking back, I smile and feel very blessed, but also extremely lucky that it worked out as well as it did. There were times when it could have gone tragically wrong. I carry the emotional scars of all that. I still have nightmares about trying to move heaven and earth to keep Deaken safe from people and people safe from Deaken. Looking back it is a miracle that more people weren’t hurt… that Deaken himself survived largely unscathed.

So no… I don’t advocate wild animal ownership. Although I expect you to fall madly in love with my serval son as you get to know him better, I want you to pay exquisite attention to what it took to sustain the relationship, what it took to meet requirements, what it took to protect lives and property.

It’s not a game. Pet ownership itself is a tremendous responsibility. Wild animal stewardship is a whole other level. It is not for amateurs. It is not for dreamers. It is not for people who expect to have children or to have them around. It is not for people who want to take vacations.

Wild animal stewardship is only for people who will dedicate themselves entirely to the wellbeing of their wards. It’s a tall order. You’re about to discover how tall.

I hope that in learning about Deaken you’ll also learn about why sharing him vicariously with you concerns me a little. I know you will love him. Please just don’t love him so much that you decide you simply MUST have one of your own. Becoming a wild one’s parent is an overwhelming commitment that no one should take lightly. Not even you.

I know your heart is good and that it’s in the right place. Enjoy the ride but please don’t let this story compel you to take on more than you can commit to wholeheartedly… and legally. If you do it wrong, everyone gets hurt.

Imagine loving like this and losing your pet to the authorities because you weren’t properly licensed or because your furry darling grievously injured someone. It happens all the time. Lawsuits accrue. Next door neighbors panic.

How quickly everything can change from idyllic to catastrophic.

Few stories end up the way Deaken’s and mine did. Remember this as you go along, and I will feel satisfied that you’re receiving the whole story, not just the heart-warming parts.

You are responsible for all you tame. Don’t do it unless you can honor and truly treasure the obligation from Day One to the day your charge crosses Rainbow Bridge.

Still "Dancing with Deaken" in My Dreams

Deaken, my "Serval Son"

May 16, 1979-Sept. 11 1996

(This was Carolyn Kelley's favorite photo of Deaken.
She framed and placed it in their sitting room.)

At least twice a year, even all these years after his death, I dream of Deaken in such amazing detail that I can hear his chirp, feel his breath, and run my fingers through his fur.

I've had so many different pets that I've lost count of them all--and I know they're all waiting for me across Rainbow Bridge and that we'll reconnect one day--but the one that consistently "visits" me in my sleep is Deaken.

He was just five days old when I brought him home...

Deaken at approximately four weeks of age

He was all grey as a kitten (where he wasn't spotted or striped) except for his muzzle and his belly, which were white. I was a goner the moment I laid eyes on him.

I had tamed and trained an adult serval in Southern California during my Wild Animal Affection Training days and had fallen big-time for their unique look and presence, although I often joke, to this day, that servals look like they're put together by a committee: spots AND stripes, tail shorter than seems appropriate to me; satellite-dish ears, long, lean legs... but without a doubt, God knew what he was doing, so who am I to critique one of His most perfect creations?

Servals are the Perry Como/Dean Martin/DeForest Kelley of the cat kingdom: laid back as can be (except on the extremely rare occasions when they're riled). Africans can catch a full-grown serval and tame it easily. (You probably know how nearly impossible it is to tame and gain the trust of a domestic cat born feral, so this is a remarkable thing!) Cheetahs are the only other cat as easy to tame and train to do a human's bidding. Servals and cheetahs have been used for centuries by African natives as "companion hunters"--they can run down prey (dik dik and larger antelopes, etc.), which human hunters then confiscate for their own uses.

With their over-sized ears, servals can detect other creatures moving in tall savannah grass (their usual habitat). Their ears are so finely-tuned that they can hear rodents burrowing three feet underground. Read that sentence again--and marvel.

As impressive as it is to read, nothing prepared me for Deaken's listening abilities! In fact, Deaken essayed the feat in such an amazing way that De Kelley taunted me about it years later by drawing a cartoon of Deaken "hearing things" in the way a demented woman might IMAGINE things!   The story of what Deaken heard--and De's reactions (both artistic and verbal) appear in my first book about De, "DeFOREST KELLEY:  A HARVEST OF MEMORIES, My Life and Times with a Remarkable Gentleman Actor."



BUY IT HERE!  Or buy it at Authorhouse.com at a discount (you can get the hardbound version at AH for Amazon's softbound price!) OR get it immediately as an e-book for just $4.95 at AH.

PERK: If you get it as an ebook, you'll see all the inside pictures in LIVING COLOR, which is not the case with the tree-book versions. And with the e-book you can search by subject matter or occasion, making it easy to find all the spots in the book that are about Deaken and his interaction with the Kelleys and me...and anything else you want to look up again after reading it the first time. You know: birthday and convention shenanigans, pachyderm poop plaque, my first utterly-nerve-wracking sit-down meeting/dinner with the Kelleys; puffed penis hilarity...

Sorry... I didn't start this blog entry intending to advertise my book-- honestly!--but it occurred to me that you're probably going to want to know a lot more about my relationship with my "serval son" than what I can provide here, and I haven't written that book--yet!-- so I'm pointing you to what I do have that you can read now. But be forewarned: the story of Deaken's final days is in there, too, so you'll definitely need a hanky. Guaranteed! Many fans (fellow animal lovers) have told me they were sopping wet after meeting and loving Deaken the way De and Carolyn and I did...

I always love my Deaken visitations.  The one that occurred last night was a delightful surprise. In the dream, I was walking along a road near a slightly-forested environment in my present-day times and I heard Deaken's familiar and distinctive chirp calling out to me from the meadow-area just outside the rim of forest cover. I grinned like a madwoman and called out, "Deaken!"

He chirped again and headed in my direction at a lope. It was like he had been missing me as much as I missed him!  He practically barreled into me, purring and head-rubbing as enthusiastically as he knew how.  My fingers were all through the coat on his back and sides, reacquainting themselves with his contours.  And he has four legs and a svelte build again (where's he's been living all these years across Rainbow Bridge)--his absent back leg is restored to perfect condition and he looks as good as he did at his best (just after his "gangly teenager" stage).

The visitations are so complete, so lucid, that I can smell the environment, hear his breaths, feel his heartbeat. (I never as palpably noticed these things while he was with me in real life! This is a preview of the heaven we'll share, I think!) (For those of you who don't think animals go to heaven, you're wrong. Heaven without animals would be hell! Maybe if you don't like them, or if you fear them, you won't be obliged to be around them.. but for animals lovers, this is good news!)

Deaken has never left me. Like De, my serval son is tucked in my heart forever. For lots of reasons. I cannot wait to see my two favorite De's again someday! 

What a reunion that will be!!!

I Just Wrote an Article for Funds For Writers....

...by invitation of C. Hope Clark. WHEEEE!!!

Hope says it will be published the evening of September 2nd. I'll mention it again closer to its debut!


Kris

HAPPY 94TH BIRTHDAY AC LYLES!!!

I was outside all afternoon with the goats following an entire morning of non-stop writing for a client. My brain needed a break, so I opened the door to the goats and we went behind their fence for some blackberry leaf eating.  Er, they did. I accompanied them but didn't join in... (I presume you're delighted to hear that.  There is no need--yet--to call the Funny Farm on my behalf. Promise!)

The girls have grown so large that they can stand on their hind legs now and eats leaves off the plum trees in our yard. This is not a good thing, because Jackie and I would like to have some plums this summer and fall.  So I have to tell them no and keep them "otherwise occupied" as much as possible.

Laverne loves two or three of Jackie's prize bushes, so that's a constant hassle, too. But I think I've figured something out. At least, it's working so far. 

Whenever Laverne heads in the wrong direction, I call out ominously, "Laverne... that's a no no." If she keeps going, I toss a relatively heavy, short branch so it lands beside or slightly ahead of her. For some reason, this action really scares her.  (Maybe it's instinctive: a falling branch may indicate that a predator is falling out of the sky and downward onto her.)  She bleats, bolts immediately, and comes back to me for "protection." She doesn't know I'm the culprit who threw the branch.  I'm glad this ruse works because although I can't outrun her, I can out-throw her.

What else? I got my Obama-Biden bag in the mail today. Did you know I have an Obama_Biden_2012 Store at Cafepress.com? There's a link to it on the right hand side of this blog (in the margin).


I also have a DeForest Kelley store at Cafepress but forget to keep saying so, so there have been very few sales.  Its Called DeForest Station.  (I know.  groan...)  There are some clever things there.  Check them out. (You'll find the link in the same place.)

I mowed the lawn today, too. It takes over an hour even on a riding lawnmower. We have a lot of yard! Too much yard!  But we do love it.

I'm going to need 16-18 more T-stakes for the goat fence, it turns out. I've already "planted" the 20 I bought this weekend, plus two that were left over from last time, and there's still a substantial gap to fill to fence in the goat pasture completely. Oy vey... It is what it is.  Until we get the funds, I have to be a "goatherd" every day the weather is nice at least a couple of hours a day. Not that I mind... I just have to work later in the evening (and on some weekends) to compensate for the time outside.

I guess that's about it for this time. Hope I didn't put you to sleep with all this world-shaking news!

Laverne's Sporty New Head Gear

(You can see larger images of these on my Facebook page.)

The points of Laverne's horns are growing out at an angle so she's getting pretty "lethal" when she flings her head around to shoo Shirley away.

So today I went to the Dollar Store and bought two sporty rubber balls, sliced a hole into each one with my handy dandy deer knife (which I would never use on a deer or any other critter), and ran some Super Glue inside, then pushed them onto the end of her horns. Voila!!  Instant protection for Shirley and anyone else who's within range of her head.

Now when we trim Laverne's hooves we don't have to worry about her rearing up or thrashing her head about and wounding anyone with her horns.

Yeah, it looks pretty dorky, but IT WORKS!

Shirley's horns are growing in a nice arc right over her neck and back, so the points on hers don't pose a threat... otherwise, she would have received a pair of soccer balls to match her white coat.

My girls MUST remain color-coordinated, you know!  LOL!

At Last! Photos of the Goat Fence!

As I write this, my sister is downloading the photos on her digital camera to her PC. That means I'll have the ones I want in just a few minutes... Hallelujah!!!

I got the signs from Vistaprint today in the mail, so this is perfect timing because I put them on the fence and took photos of them with her camera already. So you'll get to see photos of your name on the fence (that is, you will if you contributed to the fence fund, you will!), the fence, and the girls enjoying their new pasture.

I estimate the fence is a little more than a third complete as it stands now. I'll be getting a couple hundred dollars' worth of fence panels and stakes every month or so, so I can extend it out frequently all spring and summer long until the entire area is fenced. (We're fencing  the perimeter areas on two side of our property so Laverne and Shirley can eat the blackberry leaves and vines that pop up there from the neighbor's property and keep them at bay so we don't have to slash, burn and poison them to keep them off our place.)

Perhaps it goes without saying but I'll say it anyway: there is still plenty of time to donate to the fence fund if you're so inclined! But I'll be writing in the names of donors from now on since the signs have already been printed and I've been given no indication about who else may want to donate to this very worthy effort.

It is so much fun to look outside and see them enjoying their pasture area!  Today Shirley went around the side of the building while Laverne wasn't paying attention. When she discovered her "missing," she just about lost her ever-lovin' mind.  I heard her bawling at the top of her lungs, frantic, so looked out the window to find her running at warp speed all over the pasture and into the pen area (everywhere there was to run EXCEPT around the corner of the pen) bleating her heart out, looking for her sister!

A little panicked myself, I went outside and called, "Shirley!"  Shirley bleated pleasantly and came to the fence where I could see her (but Laverne couldn't). Laverne continued to rocket all over the place yelling at the top of her considerable lungs. (I should have filmed it.)  I had to go into the pen and call Shirley back into view so Laverne wouldn't have a stroke.  As soon as Shirley came into view, Laverne went over to her and chilled out immediately.

It's amazing how bonded those two are--even though Laverne can be a real bully to her at feeding time.

Here's the link to the Sky Drive for more goat pix!

http://cid-6fb921adf044f220.photos.live.com/browse.aspx/Goat%20Pix

OMG! Jim and Kay Sent Me an "Easter Goat"! CUTE!!!

I'm trying to get my Kodak Easy Share dock to kick into gear so I can post a photo of the "Easter Goat" I just got in the mail from Jim and Kay Loveless in Chelsea, Alabama.  IT IS SO CUTE!!!!!  Thank you!!!!

Jim and May also sent $40 for the goat fence... which lies in my back yard at this very moment, with 25 heavy steel posts, awaiting my touch (er, placement and pounding). I just have to wait until the ground beneath the starting point of the fence dries out so I can dig out there without getting trapped ankle deep in heavy clay-like mud. I tried doing something there two days ago and my shoes ended up so heavy, I couldn't lift them.  Grrr... It's just that one spot that has me stopped, but of course it's the starting point, so I can't proceed until it dries out there... 

I am so blessed!!!

The Day After--Basking in the Afterglow of a Milestone Birthday...

My 60th birthday party was yesterday. About 200 Facebook friends sent me well wishes and, here in person, 15 people attended the birthday dinner hosted by Jackie, Wendy and Sue.

The Lineup: Marian Hawkins, Mary Jane Cooper, Penny Howard (childhood friend, daughter of Mary Jane), Betty , Carol Beitz, Sue and George Rebar, Phil, Wendy, Casey and Jamie McNiven, Malia (first grader from across the street and frequent goat-walking buddy and guest when the other kids are here), Andy and Ella Wallace (two of the children I watch in the nursery during church, cousins of Casey and Jamie) and Jackie.

Jackie made Mom's renowned "porcupine meatballs;" Sue made a decadent, world-class chocolate cake with chocolate frosting (did I tell you I like chocolate? If not... now you know!), and we all talked and talked and talked.

Several of the ladies played cards.

Marian and George exchanged some conversation in the Czech language, which was fascinating!  I'm going to try to find a Tacoma-area Czech-speaking local club so Marian can find more locals who speak Czech. She came here as a young girl speaking only Czech, quickly learned English and taught it to her family, but she would love to find someone local who she can practice it with again. 

This is by no means a final tally, but so far I've received $343 for the goat fence. I also got a royalty check from Authorhouse for $136 and a church paycheck for $100, so I'll put that into the pot too. Jackie plans to add another $250, I think... so that's a little over $800. Wowee Zowie!!! If the neighbors still want to borrow the goats, they'll be paying for some posts and panels, too.

In two words: The "Bucks for My Does" campaign has been a phenomenal success. I can't wait to have the panels delivered (next weekend) and get my little darlings out into a "pasture" for perhaps the first time in their young lives. (I believe they were pretty much barnyard-bound with their moms until they came to us last July.) 

THANK YOU SO MUCH TO EVERYONE WHO CONTRIBUTED.

I know there is money on the way to me from Afghanistan (unbelievable!) and other far-flung places.  Everyone who donated will find your name on the fence, if you ever come out this way for a visit. 

There is NO WAY my sister and I would have been able to do this in time for spring without your ENORMOUS help.  I'm pretty sure now that we'll be able to erect at least HALF of the total span we'll eventually be fencing in--and in the meantime, we can just plant the stakes all around the perimeter and move the panels as needed to keep the goats within the areas we want them to be munching all spring, summer and fall.

I will take photos (FOR SURE) and videos (PROBABLY) so you can keep track of the fencing process.  And I'll for sure take pictures of Laverne and Shirley in their new pasture checking it out (and probably cavorting in it) as soon as we have enough of it set up to make a grand showing of it.  I hope to have it mostly set up by mid-April. 

My right hand and lower back are beginning to cause me some problems, so I don't know how many fence stakes I'm going to be able to pound in on a daily basis. That's the hardest part of the setup and will take the longest.  I may be able to get some help from Casey and her dad. If so, that'll be a godsend...

OH!  I also got other lovely things for my birthday. The wee ones all made me handmade cards; if they were too young to write notes in them, their moms wrote the notes for them... I treasure them!

Margot sent me $25 for the goat fence.

Edward gave $40 for the goat fence.

Laurel sent $25 for the goat fence and a small keepsake book she made by hand which is FABULOUS!

Casey got me two critter figurines (a lion cub and a dog)

Betty and Carol got me a Subway gift card (YES!) and a box of Turtles (you know, those wonderful chocolate-covered nut candies)Marian's caregiver got me a $25 gift card for another store (non-food)




Mary Jane got me a book I'm very much looking forward to getting into, "The Book of Awakening," by Mark Nepo

And George and Sue got me a frozen Smoothie kit

Phil and Wendy gave me $50 toward the goat fence (paraphrasing) "if you must but we hope you'll spend it on yourself."   News flash: spending it on the goat fence IS spending it on myself!  Nothing will make me happier than getting my girls out into an open area so they can feel deleriously free ! I can already see it in my head; very soon it will be a reality and I will be able to bask in its accomplishment!

<<<<<<<<<<< >>>>>>>>>>>>>>

In Other News:

I have a busy work week ahead on Elance. It may actually consume a full forty hours for the first time ever. Now, THAT would be a welcome happening!

Jackie wants to have the desk I've been using in my office as a work desk for her quilting room, so I swapped it out a few days ago for a smaller one that Dad made me 25+ years ago. It's EXACTLY the right height ergonomically and I sit up straighter at it, so it's going to help my back a lot. I'm typo-ing less often too.  I finally have THE RIGHT DESK FOR THE JOB!  (Thank you, Daddy!)

And I got a loveseat from the church for just $20. It matches the rug in my living room much better. (My old couch, a hand-me-down from Jackie, was killing my back.) I also got a storage cabinet and bookcase for my office for $15 from church, so my home and office look SO much better now. (Thank you, George, for delivering them to me!)

I am ORGANIZED!!! When Malia came by yesterday and saw my new office and living room setups, she said, "Wow!  It doesn't look junky in here anymore!!!" (Out of the mouths of babes!) She is absolutely right.  And the good news is, with a smaller desk I'll have to keep things neater: there's no extra room for strewing  or stacking papers, so whatever I have out (visible) will have to be "a work in progress;" ll else will have to be filed away somewhere. WOO HOO! This way my office with stay un-junky!

How cool is that!?

Fed 625 Starving Children for a Year in Two Hours Today

Wendy, Jackie, Casey, Sue, Jennie, Beth and I just got back from the Puyallup Fairgrounds where we worked for two hours bagging  meals for Feed My Starving Children, a non-profit Christian organization.  Wendy, Casey and Sue did it last year and told us about it this year, so we pitched in.

What an amazing, warp-speed two hours. We gathered around tables in groups. Each had a specific job: measuring out veggies, soy and rice, weighing each combined bag carefully, sealing it, loading it into boxes.  Each box held 36 bags; each bag held six meals.

There were probably ten tables in the place and around 100 volunteers all told.  In just two hours we filled 244 boxes.

36x6=3,888 meals per box
3888x244=948,672 meals packed in two hours.

They say that's enough to feed 625 children for a solid year.

And we were just the final two-hour shift in the two-day event. The emcee said 1000 people had turned out to volunteer, so multiplying what our 100-person shift did by ten, that's 6,250 kids fed for an entire year.

These events are held once a year in multiple areas around the country. If you'd like to find out if one will be held near you so you can volunteer, or more about the organization--or if you'd like to donate money to buy the food that the volunteers bag up for children--visit the link below.  You'll be glad you did!

http://www.fmsc.org/

Junior, High School Chum and I Reconnected Today

Today Valerie (Chase) Barrett drove down from Seattle with her three boys to meet and walk the goats and have an outdoor weenie roast -- although I was advised not to call what we cooked "weenies" in front of the boys. (It's not easy changing one's vernacular when one is used to having all girl children around, but I managed.) 

It was frigid outside. I don't think the temperature lifted above 43 degrees and it was quite windy, so that brought the temperature down to "freezin' our buns off" COLD!  Only we "old folks" noticed or cared. Her kids were so busy running around with my "kids" (BAAAA!) that they peeled their jackets off after a while as Val and I just shook our heads and shuddered at the idea...

I kept looking at Val and thinking, "No way can she be almost 60." I wonder if she thought the same thing about me. Hope so!!! 

It blew me away to contemplate that. Being almost 60 doesn't faze me in the least, but thinking about classmates being 60 floors me!  They sure don't look 60. At least, Val doesn't.

It was terrific to reconnect again. We'll do it more often, now that she knows how well her boys respond to a visit here.  WOO HOO!  That does my heart good. Jackie will love seeing her again when she gets her chance. (Jackie was working today; missed seeing everyone.)

The little girl from across the street came over to spend the day, too. Her name is Malia. Her dad lives in Hawaii. She fit right in.

Malia often walks the goats with Casey, Jamie and me, so when I told her I would be hosting a goat walk and weenie roast for friends from Seattle, I invited her to come along. She jumped at the chance.

She's an only child and there are few other kids on this block her age. She may even go to church with me whenever I kid sit there so she can hang around with Jamie some more. She's going to ask her mom for permission. (They worship at another church.) Malia is on a week-long school break; Casey and Jamie aren't.

After the Barrett family headed back to Seattle, Malia came into my office where I was working. I told her she could hang out with the "puppies" in my living room while I worked until her mom or grandma came over to claim her (both had gone into town) but every so often she wandered in to see me and talk or ask questions while I worked.

She was flabbergasted to see photos of me with "famous people" lying around in various nooks and crannies (she's a curious kid) -- V.P. Joe Biden, Senator Patty Murray, DeForest Kelley. She just couldn't get over it. She was over the moon about it!

Then she decided, "You must be famous, too!" 

I laughed and said, "Only in very small circles."

She said, "What does that mean?" 

I said, "It means I can go to any store and someone will know who I am only about once every ten years. The last time I was recognized in a store I heard, 'There's the goat lady!'" She thought that was very cool. (So do I, truth be told.)

I don't need my next door neighbor's child thinking I'm anyone other than "the goat lady." That's fame enough for me in this neck of the woods! 

I was amazed Malia knew who De Kelley was. She must have a Trekkie or two somewhere in her family...

I told Malia she would probably meet plenty of famous people herself during her lifetime. (She's only eight years old.) That seemed to perk her up--even though she's already pretty perky! 

I said, "Famous people like these ones enjoy meeting people. Not all famous people do, but our country's leaders and some actors do. It's how they find out what we're thinking about them, because how we're thinking about them is important to keeping their jobs. We can vote them in or vote them out." 

But if she ever asks me to take her to meet her Senator or Congressman or woman, or a V.P. or President, you'd better believe I will think at least a dozen times about it, after what happened to Congresswoman Giffords' and her littlest "fan" in Tucson in January.

And that is very, every sad.

Hoof Trimming Time! Kris and Casey Take Care of Laverne and Shirley

https://cid-af85110a95b9f3aa.photos.live.com/browse.aspx/Goat%20Pics

Photos by Phil McNiven!

BTW: The final photo in the slide show, showing a before-and-after look at a goat's hoof, was taken from the Internet. I have never let my goats' hooves grow long enough to look like the half on the left (overgrown and yucky). I trim their hooves at least once every four weeks, usually more often.

Thanks to Melinda Kettler for This WONDERFUL De Kelley Link....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCSPimDxXDw

*sigh*

I miss him so...

Casey's First Speech Will Be About Caring for Goats

Casey (age ten, almost 5'7" tall already... and still growing!) is my best sidekick when it comes to caring for Laverne and Shirley. She loves to help. 

She was recently given a speech assignment about "how to do something," so she chose how to care for goats.  The speech has to be between five and ten minutes long. Hers is already nearly five minutes long (without showing the accompanying photos and tools) and she has it down pat... no hiccups or hesitations...

About the tools. Because Casey can't take sharp objects to school, she spent part of last week tracing the hoof trimmers, hoof pick and hoof file onto cardboard and then painting them to look like the real things.  She did a darned good job.

This weekend or next we're going to give the goats a bath in my bathtub.  (I "kid" you not.) I think.  Unless the weather is scheduled to get nasty again.  Giving baths should give Casey a little more to talk about. Goats don't like the rain, so I have no idea how well they'll take to a warm bath. 

We'll start with Shirley. She's white and would benefit most from a bath. She's also the mellower of the two. She's 99.9% clean looking right now except for where longer hair has grown on her fanny (3-4" from her not-so-private parts). That longer hair catches some urine from time to time, so it's a little yellow-looking.  My plan is to trim that hair with a dog clippers or scissors so it won't be a catch all for spills. If I can do that, she should look more or less like a Disney goat from head to foot -- "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" -- practically perfect in every way. That's what we'll be aiming for.

If Shirley behaves well, I may have Jackie videotape some of the bath so Casey (and I) can show it. We'll see how it goes.

Update on the "Buck for My Does" Fence Campaign.  So far $127 has come in for the goat fence.  That's almost three 16' x 5' fence panels.  I believe more $$$ is on the way but I'm not sure. 


My 60th birthday is coming up on March 5th. That's a milestone.  I want $$$$$ for my goat fence for my birthday. That's all.  Oh, and a free e-card from every one of you, since it is a milestone birthday!


Everyone who donates to the fence campaign will have their names emblazoned on part of the fence. Most who have donated have sent more than one dollar. I usually get $3 or more each time.

Contributors to Date.. THANK YOU!!!

(Updated 3/17/2011)

Sue and Bill from Cle Elum: $30

Billie Rae from Palmyra, NY: $55

Antje from Germany: $5

Carl from the UK: $3

Lynda Lien from Lake Stevens: $10

Debbie Hirneisen, NY: $50

Byron Bailey $30

Edward Smith $40.00

Margot Worthington $25

Laurel Smith $25

Jackie Smith $50

Phil and Wendy $50

Jim and Kay Chelsea AL $40

You can also contribute via my Paypal account. Just be sure to mention GOATS so I don't get the $$ mixed up with my business funds. Email me at kristine m smith AT msn DOT com to find out how to do that.

BREAKING NEWS:

I landed a job on Sunday mornings for the foreseeable future working in the nursery at Lutheran Church of Christ the King. That's where Casey, Jamie, Phil andWendy and all of Wendy's nearby family worships.  I know all of the kids in the nursery; all but two (there are six) are relatives or shirttail relatives of mine. So when the job opened up, I thought, "Hey, why not?" 

I have dozens of age-appropriate Bible stories and videotapes (Bible stories) for kids; I love the kids; and my volunteers will usually be the kids' parents or grandparents (again, relatives or shirttail relatives of mine).  In fact, I got the job because Wendy's dad told me about it and told Pastor Peter about me. Pastor Peter has known me for years; I was Activity Director / Receptionist/Shuttle Driver/Tour Guide/Server/Newsletter Editor at Kings Manor (an outreach ministry of LCCK, an assisted living community) in 2004, so it seems to be a match made in heaven.  The kids are 2 to 6 years of age. I'm not much older myself! Kids think I'm pretty hysterical... and I just love it when people think I'm funny (usually!).

One time Casey and I were sitting in the goat shed. This was late fall, and it was cold.  Laverne jumped on the shed door and knocked it open to go outside. I called out after her, faking angst, "Hey, shut the door!  Were you born in a barn?"  Casey thought that was just about the funniest thing she had ever heard. I've rarely heard her laugh that hard. (She's such a lady!) 

And to this day both girls ask me to tell my Freddy the Frog story over and over and over again.  (It's in my book LET NO DAY DAWN THAT THE ANIMALS CANNOT SHARE.) They heard about Freddy the first time when Casey was about four, I guess.  They're captivated by the story. It's totally true. That's probably why they love it so much... other than the fact it's funny in places. (Hiding Freddy in my underwear drawer until Mom found him; giving him a bubble bath because Mom said he was too dirty to live in the house... POOR FREDDY!  The things animals go through when kids "love" them!  Eegads!)

What else?  Guess that's all the "dirt" that's fit to print. (Urine-stained goat feathers; dirty frogs.) I'll stop while I'm ahead!

Oh, I've got some work again at Elance. ENOUGH work for the moment.  Long may it continue!  It feels great!

Here It Is--The Scribnia Interview

http://scribnia.com/blog/2011/02/09/behind-the-blogs-meet-almost-famous-kristine-m-smith/