Minus Ten

Last week I cleaned out the chicken coops preparatory to finally getting chickens. I have prepared rigorously for this latest acquisition to our livestock. I read “Raising Chickens for Dummies” and watched “The Egg and I” on classic movies. I was so ready.

That night I bragged to Yael that 3 weeks had passed since my trip back to the States and I hadn’t gotten sick. A first!  My herbal immune supplements must be working. I was even able to clean the coops without my allergies acting up.  Less than an hour later, I was in agony.

In rapid fire order my sinuses swelled to the bursting point, my throat was a fiery pathway to hell, my chest was carrying a twelve pound weight, and my eyeballs were popping out. I more or less stayed that way for a week. During the week, I did nothing except go to the eye doctor and then back home.

None of this is noteworthy except that on the trip back up to the farm, I did NOT see the sheep. Correction, I did not see 14 of the sheep. There were 3 in paddock 2. That was Tuesday. Wednesday saw me stagger out to check the stock. The steers were fine. There were 7 sheep in paddock 2. There were no sheep in paddock 3. At least none I could see from the road. That left me with minus 10 sheep.

I wasn’t worried. Paddock 3 is the one with the deep swale and you can lose a cow in there. Actually, I once managed to lose all 5 of ours. So I set off again that afternoon and looped paddock 3 including the swale. No sheep. Now this is not an easy search. The grass is chest high, the footing is very uneven, and it is steeply hilly. And I was feeling rotten. Perhaps not the perfect time to play Sherlock the sheep searcher.

I reassured Dan and Yael that the missing wool bearers were doubtless down in the swale playing hide and seek. Since my eye surgeries I have to wear these deep dark glasses and I probably missed them hidden in the grass.

I skipped the sheep hunt on Thursday since it rained all day. But today, Friday, saw me resume the hunt. I am embarrassed to admit it but I even started looking for sheep scat to see if they had spent any significant time in some gulley. No scat; no surprise since it had poured all yesterday. Also, no sheep.

Back to my room for lunch. I gave an update to Dan and Yael who were noticeably more concerned now that it had been 4 days since a sheep sighting. So I turned off the stove and went back out. Boy, I wish I could make a dramatic story out of this. I could gain great street cred with my kids but the truth is, all 10 were peacefully grazing in the upper portion of paddock 2. There they all were: 17 sheep all presenting me with equally innocent faces along the lines of “Who, me?” But I knew better. All I had to do was look over at RAMbo. His face was turned away from me but his shoulders were shaking. Another deep sheep belly laugh from he who always wins.

NOTE to readers. I was just kidding about not telling Dan that I had broken the gate.(See previous posting)  I use that gate at least twice a day. I need it to work. I am not a duplicitous mother scheming against her hard-working son. I was just kidding! Honest! You can stop with the emails now. Please!