do your own mayo? NigerianBreederRusty, NeighborTeesa

I eased back into the world today, went back to work. Went to lunch with the GOG girls {Good Ole Gals}, we always have a lot of laughs.

Certainly appreciate the nice thoughts from everybody about Nougat. Mike even got a call today from a top Nigerian breeder, Rusty Repp of Little Tots Estate, whom we've never met but cetainly know of his reputation. I wish we had called him Monday rather than going to the Vet, we may have been able to pull Nougat through. For $110, the Vet didn't help at all.

Now to the mayo - couple of egg yolks, salt, and some mustard. Slowly, drop by drop, add in the oil. I used safflower.

Andrea, my girlfriend from a couple of counties over, was in town and stopped by so I gave her the dripping-oil job. I was eating pizza while she was doing the dripping. :-)

starting to get creamy

mixed some homemade mayo with hard-boiled eggs

for a sandwich

dessert was brownies, whipped cream, cherries, chocolate sauce. My stomach is made of iron.

Want to brag on my neighbor for a minute. Yesterday was tough with Nougat dying plus I've just been stressed at work. My dear neighbor, Teesa of a Klear Life, sends over, lasanga, tossed salad, and strawberry shortcake. This gal is a great cook so anytime I have the opportunity to dig into to her food it's a thrill. Anyway, I told her that her thoughtfulness sure put a bright light on a dark day. Point is - you sure can't put a price on a wonderful neighbor. She, her husband Bill, and little boy Sam are the best. They've gone to Charlotte tonight to get fingerprinted in preparation for adopting a little girl from China.

Bad news about a girlfriend today, her husband has been having an affair. She's just heartbroken, and they have two kids. Thinking about you D.

Nougat is slowly dying

We don't know if Nougat has Listeriosis or Polioencephalomalcia (Goat Polio). He can no longer stand on his own and acts like his neck is broken (one of the symptoms). We've got him in our house. Earlier, after talking with the Vet, I injected 3cc's of LA-200. Since yesterday afternoon, I have been injecting antibiotics and antiflammatory drugs, Mike just got back with liquid thiamine and I injected 3cc's.

I'm actually home this week because of being stressed out at work and now... Nougat was so tame and loved to be petted. He's only two years old and we just got him and his son, MilkDud, in early Dec '08.

If we don't see any improvement, we'll put Nougat out of his misery this evening.

AnnaBelle face vs SweetPea face

both give good face

Suzanne at the ChickensInTheRoad has a new baby, AnnaBelle.

SweetPea is still my precious baby.

Nougat, one of our Nigerian bucks, has been sick. I took him to the Vet yesterday, and $110 later, the Doc didn't find anything obvious. Nougat did have a low-grade fever. He's eating, drinking, pooping, and peeing. Nougie is 2 years old and acting like he's a 100. He hides in his house and doesn't want to come out, like he's been spooked, the other goats seem fine. Mike feeds him a super buck diet. Nougie has always been so tame, now he doesn't want us near him, if a chicken moves in an odd way, he jumps like he's scared. We don't have land like y'all do, we have a tall fence around our property, with thick bamboo, not like he was run by a dog/predator or anything. The Doc has us shooting him with an antiflammatory and antibiotic for a few days. Nougie's ears are down and tail is down. This pic was taken a month or so ago when he enjoyed all the attention.

On another subject, beyond my small world from home, I don't comprehend much of anything that goes on especially in the workplace. Not just the Federal government that screws things up but at the State and local levels too. We have META-BOONE which goes around to the community. If I'm griping about work then it's blasting around this small town. No free speech in the workpace.

I heart eggs and my dawgs

The girls have been busy. For valentine treats today the birds got molasses cookies and a loaf of bread.

I fixed some seasoned hamburger patties and baked potatoes. Mike's valentine treat is going to be a brownie, whipped cream, chocolate syrup, and dang I forgot the cherries at the store for the topping. I told Mike for Valentines, I wanted to be waited on hand and foot by him today and he's doing a good job.

Here's our ungroomed pair of Irish Terriers, Bliss and Brawn. They're thieves and stole some of my yarn. Brawn is the one with yarn in his mouth.

BrawnieBoy

Brawn with is no-bark collar on. He can get carried away at times.

Brawn really does have ears.

Bliss on the left and Brawn on the right.

Not pictured is our third dog, 16yr old terrier-mix Henry.

Thursday Goodies

God help the predator that tries to get between me and that face.

I always get a big greeting (they're looking to see if I have any goodies).

They've got me penned, looking for the goodies.

Goldie and Punkin looking for goodies.

Our neighborhood is surrounded by cow pastures.

The bucks playing around.

The goat girls looking.

Nigerian Does - SweetPea, June, and Clara - baby, mama, grandma.

Nigerian Bucks - MilkDud and Nougat - son and father. We couldn't afford MilkDud's mama, Arianna. Check out THAT udder Diane.

Buttin' around.

This Bourbon Red girl laying an egg and hissing at me. I better git!

arranged marriage & RoseHipSoap

First, I was happy to be part of something good today, check out Peggy's blog at HiddenHavenHomestead, I told ya I love matchmaking.

She wasn't my hen but was available to a good home and I knew Fred was looking for a bride. I read Peggy's blog and see the photo's, Peggy's home is The Ritz-Carlton for animals.

RoseHipSoap from Sunday night, after it sat for two days. I think it feels good.

I take it out of the casserole dish, I was setting the dish aside, and DROPPED the soap in the floor. Geez Louise!

So I have odd-sized pieces.

Pieces from the floor and some I cut off.

The consistancy is sort of like cakey cheesecake. Is that what I'm looking for? All the rosehips sunk to the bottom.

The bars below were all in the 4 ounce range.

I set 'em in egg cartons, does that sound good?

See my goat heads?

The turkey bodies were good but the heads fell off. I won't show 'em to Franklin.

I can now see that this soapmaking is going to take some practice. Sure wish I was actually working with an expert but I'll just keep hacking away at it.

TheWildlifeGardener and 2nd attempt at soap

another one of my favorite books

Mike says he will never forgive me for planting all those hawthorn's, they are very thorny, and eat him up when he mows.

using a recipe from Jennifer at GoatsInTheGarden

Lye - 172 grams
Goat's milk - 425grams (I had to substitute water)
Coconut Oil - 256 grams
Olive Oil - 510 grams
Shortening (Crisco) 368 grams
Safflower oil - 128 grams

cooling the oil


cooling the lye solution

think I'll use rosehips at "trace"

learning to recognize "trace" is the hardest part for me, I hope I got there but don't know.

poured it into a casserole dish lined with parchment paper

this is a batch from Friday night, it is in sort of a dry-mashed-potato state. help! need advice. I put spearmint in this batch. Do ya think it's ruined?