Another week upstate and the craziness continues. Let’s start with the goats! Yes GOATS!

I have long dreamed of living on a farm with a myriad of animals. I have never been a mommy to anything more than a cat or a dog but in my head I am a farm girl who wanted to wear a vintage Laura Ashley dress and muck boots and have chickens that lay fresh eggs, cows that I just want to roam – not milk god forbid  and goats. In my dream my farm has a red pandas, otters and a whole Noah’s ark.

So on a recent trip to visit my new BFF Michael at the Squirrel Hall store where he has chickens – I saw him building a goat house! Frank his contractor was there and before I know it Frank is building ME a goat house and Kevin* and I are off to get two Nigerian Pygmy Goats from a town 25 miles away.

I fell in love with Joey and Trudy – two minis and Trudy was even the runt of her litter. In a dog crate they went and off home like I was buying bread and cheese at the store.

When we got home Frank was done with the house but not the fence and let’s just say the introduction to my dogs did not go as planned. Between Charlie nipping poor Trudy and Joey trying to head butt everyone – it was chaos. I had to find a place to keep them for the night where they would be safe and thank god it was 74 degrees!

Next to the goat house is a fenced in garden which I thought would be a great enclosure and not to mention a buffet for these two. In they went and they seemed happy. Happy until Joey jumped and jumped and jumped (from the ground) himself over the garden fence and there is me in my pajamas at 8pm in the dark chasing a mini goat who did not want to be caught. This kid could make the Olympic team.

Meanwhile his little sister Trudy just baa-ed and baa-ed for her brother. So after chasing Joey for 15 minutes in my pajamas – I decided to put them in the dog fenced area and get the dogs inside. Joey continued to try to jump over and I was losing my shit. He never made it over the fence but for the love of the lord he was willing to die trying.

I finally went to sleep and left it to the goat Gods to keep them safe. Kevin took my car back into the city so he could come back early the next morning to help me goat wrangle. I saw him pull up at 7am and i texted him – “Are the goats still there?” Too afraid to look myself. They were huddled on the steps going up to the house like they were on a plank with sharks!!!!

Frank finished the fencing to their area that day and into their new home they went. They loved it and we love them. They suck on my fingers, want to have their heads scratched and play on the see saw I had built for them. They are part one of my farm plan but the dogs still hate them and while they can’t get to them they insist on standing at their side of the fence and bark incessantly. Not exactly the calm farm feeling I was going for. One would think after 4 days the novelty would have worn off for them but nada.

Life on the farm has brought new critters – we are inundated and being attacked by Lady bugs. Gone are the stink bugs and now from floor to curtains to walls to ceiling we have a ladybug infestation. One should have seen me yesterday sucking them up into a vacuum. But this morning – they were back. Kevin read that bay leaves in the doors would deter them – apparently these little Ladies could give a shit about Bay leaves and prefer the warmth of my curtains and the view from the ceiling.

At least I am not dealing with NYC rats – I will take these bugs and chipmunks gorging on berries outside my window over that any day.

Today I am actually working from home – remembering I have a PR firm to run and instead of a coffee break – I will go and get a goat cuddle. I may be in the country and likes to get things done – poor Michael gave me the idea, I stole his contractor and he is still waiting on his goats! 🙁