MADIE IS GOING TO BE "INTERESTING"

 THELMA LOOKING OVER THE COURTYARD WALL

This morning John was trying to get Thelma's mask on by himself.  Yesterday the 2 of us managed to get it on her by John putting his arms around her neck & me quickly getting it on her.  

But today was another day & she didn't seem to think she needed a mask, thank you very much.  I went in the pen, & she was still throwing her head around when I tried.  I told her this wasn't a nice way to behave & she needed this mask on.  All of a sudden she stopped throwing her head & let me put it on.  WHY?  I have no clue.  Will she do it tomorrow morning?  Who knows?  I sure don't, they surprise me almost every day. 

This afternoon when we came home the back of the truck was filled with goodies, bags of Lakin Lite, & beet pulp & a couple of bales of wonderful orchard hay, Patti sent for momma Mocha, so Tucker gets good healthy milk.  There was some other interesting stuff, so John knew he had to get in the gate, up to the cargo container & hay barn, & get unloaded hopefully before anyone caught him.  Nice thought, touch to implement, especially when Rusty the mule was patrolling the driveway.  

John gave it a hearty try, with Rusty trying to help & John trying to discouraging him.  Madie showed up to help.  John said he was carrying bags in the container, & all of a sudden he had a donkey in the container with him.  She came in thru a 30 inch exterior door into a very crowded narrow area, & John said she didn't have a problem with it.  She looked around, turned around in the small space & hopped out.  When he got done unloading, he came down to the house to tell me about it.  I was facing the window to the courtyard & guess who followed him & noticed he left the courtyard gate open?  She walked all the way to the patio door, looked around, turned around & walked out before we could even say anything to her.  Guess we aren't very exciting after all..........!!!!  When we left this morning, she was hanging with Jenny & Frijolita over by Mocha & Tucker's pen, so maybe she's going to be part of the girl herd.  

Tucker & Jenny's bloodwork came back.  He still has elevated white blood count, but it's within normal range, so no one  is too excited about it.  Jenny didn't have anything out of the ordinary, so I guess she doesn't have anything systemic going on.  Debra looked at a sore on her leg we've been trying to heal all summer.  She recommended trying Ichthammol, she thought there might be something in there.  It does seem to be looking better, but nothing has come out of it.  She said if it wasn't better by Monday we'd try something a little stronger.  

John will be flying  tomorrow afternoon to Indiana to visit with his last surviving uncle & some cousins.  He usually goes in June, but this year we went on our 50th anniversary in June.  He'll only be gone until late Monday, but I'm sure I'll have fun while he's gone.  I'll have help with the morning chores, but will be doing evening by myself.  Weighing hay & stacking hay buckets might be a little fun, with one hand in a cast, but I'm sure I'll get it figured out.