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!