Sunday, December 9, 2012

Behind Door Number 3




I seem to be able to find excitement in the most unlikely places. I was too tired to fix dinner the other night, so I talked Randyman into “Frito boats” which is just Fritos covered with canned chili, you know, gourmet stuff like you’d find at a Little League game. True to form, the lid would NOT come off the can and multiple attempts with the can opener were no help. I grabbed a spoon and started trying to PRY the lid off and my hand slipped. The tin lid sliced through the flesh on my trigger finger like a hot knife through butter. It cut from the center on top, around almost to the center bottom. Luckily, I don’t think it hit bone and rather than spurting, the blood just flowed freely, so no arteries or anything had been cut. It was time to find out how tough I really am. 

Driving 5 hours to an emergency hospital and spending outrageous amounts of money on fuel and medical bills over a finger was NOT an option.
So, I could choose to visit the cowboss over at the next ranch who has all the equipment to suture wounds on dogs, horses and the like, WITHOUT the benefit of anesthetic, or I could just doctor it myself and beg Randy to wrap it up.

You learn a lot about yourself in situations such as this. I learned that I am a big coward and I opted to douse it with peroxide, seal it with superglue and have Randy wrap it heavily, with a splint, so it cannot bend and break open. It’s doing okay and I am tenaciously learning how to work around not having the use of my right trigger finger which, apparently is the only one that works efficiently with an opposable thumb. The damaged digit does get in the way, but so far I have been fairly successful in most of my undertakings, with a little help.


Luckily I had already made bread and the peach pie was ready to go in the oven. 




Two stalks of celery have already been dehydrated and put in a jar for use in stews, soups and other dishes later in the year...or even next year, although I will be dehydrating a LOT more before then.



Yes, amazingly this is what 2 stalks of celery look like once they are dehydrated.

It got very cold and windy and looked as though it might storm again last night so I fed everyone early. I have to separate EmmaLou and give her extra hay and grain because she is lactating and will lose weight. To do this, the sheep have to be out of sight, preferably out in the big milk pasture, or they steal all her food. They are like 'pasture piranhas'. I had shut the gate to the alley so they couldn't get in, although they usually stay out until their normal feed time so I figured they would be clueless about Emma getting extra rations. Unfortunately, last night they wanted in early. I made them wait while EmmaLou stood next to me eating her goodies on my side of the fence. 



The offended woolies (technically, they are ‘hairies’ but that just doesn’t sound right) stood behind a gate glaring at us with Cletus looking on and loudly voiced their displeasure until I put Em back in her pasture. I had NO idea sheep were so vindictive, but after I let them in and opened the gate to the first corral, they mobbed said gate and knocked me down in the mud on their way over the top of me. Somewhat irritated, I pushed my way past them and opened one of the 3 big doors on the solid panels by the milkroom/feedroom, craftily slipping through without any sheep leaking in. I grabbed a little  grain and put it in their feeder in the next corral over, through a third door, so they wouldn’t knock me down by rushing me while I walked there with it to the feed bucket. I then carefully  let them in and stood behind the solid door where I would, in theory, remain safe and undetected.

 KAH-WHAMMM!!!

 500+ lb of sheep all hit the door at the same time, causing said door to make full body contact with me, at about the speed of light and sandwich me into the fence behind. I broke 3 fingernails below the quick and found myself too breathless to holler at them. After I recovered somewhat, I finished my outside chores and headed to the house to fix dinner.

When Randyman came home, I was relating the hair raising and death defying experience I’d had and he had the nerve to burst out laughing, resulting in no pie for him.

I see little humor in imagining a tombstone left on a working cattle ranch proclaiming the occupant below had been killed in a stampede...of sheep. It could happen.

There has still been no romance between EmmaLouMoo and BennytheBull, but at least they are finally on speaking terms. There has been quite a bit of rain and it has made the pasture they are in very muddy and slippery, so, for fear of one or both of them being injured when and if she finally DOES come into heat, we had to move everyone and I do mean, everyone! Mister is less than favorably impressed with the new accomodations, but found the mini-bar in the adjoining room to be a nice feature.



I headed out to the back pasture and brought Mister in while Randyman risked his life putting the sheep behind the milk shed. We (he) tied panels together and filled the wheelbarrow up with hay and we (he) let the cows out so they would follow him down the alley and out to the pasture Mister HAD been residing in. The footing out there is much safer. Instead of following him, EmmaLou, Sushi and Benny gleefully headed over to the hay stack to see if they could get through the barrier we (he) put up and have themselves a buffet breakfast. We (me) grabbed a bucket of grain and a shepherds hook and headed their way. Emma was the first to realize her error. She obediently followed the wheelbarrow, sampling the contents all the way to the new pasture, while I walked behind the bull with my long hook, without which I am not very courageous. All the while Sushi ran around us in circles, bucking and kicking up her heels. She, unlike her mother, is quite enamored of the bull. She only pays attention to Emma long enough to fill up with milk, then goes back to making ‘big cow eyes’ at Benny. She is going to be a handful as a teenager. I thank the good Lord she’s not human or I would have to lock her up for years on end.  The good news is, she WILL be ready to breed by this time next year, providing she sweetens up and shows promise of making a decent milk cow. 

We got the hungry little trio into Mister’s pasture and hopefully Benny and Em will consummate their relationship and remain there instead of jumping the fence and leaving the country. We shall see.


* There are still some nice soaps on hand for Christmas gifting :)

23 comments:

  1. Reading your blog is good for the soul. How do you live down being killed by a sheep stampede. I guess you wouldn't if you were dead, huh. Keep Susan in your heart. Fire is frightening but the Lord is with her just like He stays with us. D-boy sings, "I try day by day,seems I question half the day, all night long, I sing this song,wondering what I'm doing wrong." from a song called Shy. I guess we all question when things go wrong. The answer is always, hold on, hold on. Sorry this is so long. lildex

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  2. I will surely do so, Dex. This has been a difficult year for herm but she has a strong faith and will come through the valley on the other side. True, we all turn to "Why me?" as a reflex, before we remember, what really, do we deserve?
    It's never too long dex, always glad to hear from you!

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  3. Well you had one adventurous day for sure. I am sorry to say, I guess I get no pie either, as I laughed out loud at your adventure too. Maybe your just a good story teller. I am sure though for you at the time it was scary, for the sheep being so mean to you over and over. I hope your getting a good laugh about it today, and I hope your finger heals too.

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    1. thanks Ann Marie. BTW, I love that 16 muddy feet! LOL

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  4. I bet it was fun typing that post! Sheep can certainly lure you into a false sense of security. I only have the two left and they can really put the squeeze on me if I'm not careful. Here's hoping that EmmyLou finds something attractive in Benny - I mean, even I think he's a looker! And be careful!!!

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    1. I'm no fan of bulls, but I have to say, Benny is the most mellow I have ever seen!

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  5. I find your posts both inspiring and refreshing. I'm sorry about your finger. My daughter and I have both had major cuts on our hands. They're not fun and like everything else take a long time to fully heal. As far as the rest of your story I find myself in your place as I read. I can see everything happening to me.

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    1. I am glad you enjoy reading them. Thanks for taking the time to stop and comment :)

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  6. OW, ow, ow... my fingers hurt thinking about ir. *wince* I certainly hope you are quick healer. (And that you have a current tetnis shot.) I had no idea sheep could be so aggresive! Be careful out there and heal FAST. hugs....

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    1. The sheep are not so much aggressive as greedy. Particularly hair sheep! LOL

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  7. Good for you for doctoring your finger yourself! I had a trip to the ER about 18 months ago for a gash on my cheekbone. Not only did they do a subpar job with the superglue (I think they should have sutured since it was on my face) but I'm STILL paying for it! They charged $1400 for a tube of superglue and a tetanus shot and I was there for about 45 minutes. What a bunch of crooks! :(
    I'm glad the sheep didn't knock you around any worse than they did, the critters do tend to get a bit rambunctious when it comes to food!

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    1. That is exactly why I didn't want to go in. One of the buckaroo women here lost her thumb roping. They raced her in and after waiting several hours they told her they couldn't do anything, but she's paying for it! We are fearfully and wonderfully made and a lot of healing can be done without intervention. Not all, but this will :)

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  8. Found you on the Homestead Blog Hop, and I'm glad I did! You're a great storyteller. :)

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  9. that first picture is off the wall...or maybe i mean it should be on a wall in a museum or somethig. awesome. i can believe u got knocked down by sheep, greedy animals think they can make u do what they want...cows are something like that. Do u mean like a stalk of celery with lots of shoots or one stalk. i'm not to keen on celrey so this is how i'd like to see it...crushed...and dead. i just started sinking that song after a long burial. o-o spelling is rearing its ugly head. spent the day outside. it was cold but we cleared a field for the cattle and fed a little too. Italked t u only lst night so i have nothing to say really. daniel

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    1. Thanks danielsan, I really like that picture too. Those old barns are falling down and I am sad to see them go. I mean 2 big stalks...the whole thing with bunches of ribs on it. One you can't get your fist all the way around...but they ARE mostly water. I wish I could ride along with you, I can't keep up with anyone here anymore, they are all in an all-fired hurry and 'my' lizbeth, #5, is gone at school. I don't even ask anymore when I feel strong enough cuz I'd just be in the way, but life holds other treasures too. I never get tired of chattin with ya

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  10. I did the same exact thing to my finger a couple of weeks ago. After it bled all day, I decided to go buy some bandaids. I bought a new can opener too. I guess the one I received for a wedding present 20 years ago wasn't going to last forever. --Heidi

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  11. Wow, Petey, I came by to return the blog visit and thank you for the comment on mine. All sorts of hair raising, life & death adventures going on here! I've never had sheep so I had no idea. I have had can openers, but mine must have been the tame kind. Thankfully. Hope everything has settled back to normal in your world.

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  12. Thanksfor the invite, Kathy, I will head on over :)

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  13. Petey, Since I know how the story ended and you are still alive indeed, I also laughed! Chances are good, like Randyman, I may have snickered at the time too. (in regards to the sheep) I don't know why some of us do that. Laugh first, then ask if you are alright. It's just plain wrong and we have no excuse! :) I think after a day like that, I would want to sit in a nice big hot tub with one of your beautiful soaps and soak the day away. (hand held in the air of course!)

    Here's hoping that all of your animals remember today who has dominion over who and that you are back in charge! Be blessed, Staci

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    1. Oh, Staci, I think we take turns being in charge...I am pretty sure they skip my turn a lot though!

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  14. Im guilty of laughing too but I can totally see dad cracking up and turning an even darker shade of red :) happy to hear you are ok though and I hope your finger heals quickly

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