Of Goats and So Forth

Monday, November 20th, 2017

5:40. My alarm went off. My eyes opened, and I turned my alarm off. I was still in that state when you could decide to go back to sleep or actually get up. I wasn't quite sure which it would be, and I wouldn't know until I got downstairs and checked my messages. Best to go down there groggily in case it was a negatory, so that way I could fall back asleep. I flipped my computer open and waited for it to get started, then logged in. There was a message. What did it say? It said we had the all-clear, we were on! Now my eyes flew open I jumped to. Pulled on my boots, brushed my teeth, grabbed a jacket, and waited. Then I got another message saying the car was out front, so I switched the light off and walked out the door. Where was I going just a tad before six in the morning? To the land full of goats and their milk! Monday mornings Christy and Charli go over and milk goats for some people a little ways out of town, and today I got to tag along. It was just Charli this time though, since Christy was out real late last night and since I was coming she didn't have to and could get some more sleep. So we drove on out through the dark rainy morning, and by and by we got there. The various pails and stuff grabbed up, we headed down to the barn where the goats were and got to it. It's been so long since I've milked anything, and even when I did do it years ago it was only the occasional here and there and I never had a chance to get any good at it. As it was I was pretty stoked to get another shot at it. Charli milked the first one so I could be reminded of how's it's supposed to look, and after that we switched off every other one. It was loads of fun, and we had a good time to talk while doing it too. Gradually the sun rose up and you could perceive the light through the storm and rain, but it was still dreary out. That didn't dampen my spirits at all though, and I was still happy. Albeit a little more thoughtful and less prone to laugh boisterously because it was still fairly early, but still, it was a great time. Once we'd finished, we took the milk inside to filter and bottle it, and I met the people who own the goats. (They also have cows and ducks, and other things, but we just milk the goats.) We got to talking a little bit, and swapped stories about Black Angus cows among other things. Then the lady gave Charli some goat cheese that she'd made, and when we headed off to the car to leave, she gave it to me. This is going to be some amazing cheese, I'm tellin' ya! And then she dropped me off at my place, and that was that. Quite the fun morning, probably the best I've had in awhile! Would highly recommend.