...dropped down into someone else's story

... well, that's how I feel sometimes. Wondering how I got to this place out in the country and what it is I'm doing here. It all happened so suddenly. And of course, not really. We've thought about it for years. My Honey built up a blog about the homestead -- he did that last winter as we coasted through in a little house at the edge of a small, dead town called Rainelle.

In truth, I should be feeling that I got my life back. Rainelle was a stopover in a place neither of us liked, where we planned to stay only for a while and ended up staying for nearly four years. We knew no one except the fellow who lived behind us who came regularly to "borrow" sugar, coffee, and cigarettes and gossip about all the other neighbors, none of which we knew.

We didn't belong in that place.

But this one fits like a too-large pair of shoes we'll grow into. We put on our extra socks and keep going, waiting for belonging to kick in. I haven't dreamed Asheville since we got here, but only because I have been too busy with this place, and because I know Asheville visit-possibilities fade fast as we think of getting animals.

Speaking of which. Jack and Sissy have bought themselves a cow. It's one of those mini-Jerseys -- or "olde-world" Jerseys. Jack was dreaming Jersey's but not looking for one when one found him, at a price he could afford, and on payments. She's a young one, just now 15-months old and ready to breed. Her calf will be born in early July if she is bred at the next opportunity (late September).

And I've been offered Lilly, the Alpine that has been supplying our milk since we first got here. In exchange for us taking care of her, I've been allowed to keep part of her milk. It's been great to have it. I'm trepiditious about getting the goat and bringing her home. To my way of thinking, there's a lot of land to cross before I'm at that crosswalk. My cards concur. With cards like Temperance and Hermit, I'm cautious about rushing into this. Even if I could. There are miles to go to get the goat stable ready and to get a dog against predators, to get even the drylot fenced for winter, let alone any pasture fence.

Of course, I waffle on that decision. A few years ago, I'd have gone for the goat immediately -- seize the moment. She is a great goat, with only minor problems. She has good conformation except the back legs which give me some concern. She has a long lactation, still milking after kidding in the Spring of 2010. Still giving 3 quarts of good-tasting milk, even though her present owner is a one-time-a-day milkmaid. She's in good health, is too sassy for her own good (will need training, and is spoiled), and she's been kept without another goat nearby. Which is another thing I'd have to take care of. She's going to need a companion animal. Right now she has sheep and an alpaca and several chickens to annoy and ignore. Putting another goat with her may help her disposition, as will getting her bred.

I can see I am trying to talk myself into taking her, as everyone around me is already doing. All other votes are for the goat, but when she gets her, if it's a big fail, I think it will be my fail because she will ultimately be my goat and my responsibility.

And I have coyote to consider.

I have already traded off my antique babybed to have her bred, so I must be thinking along the lines of acquiring her at some point. It could be if we dry her off, the current owner will not think of her as a liablity, the goat will get a break before next kidding, and possibly she could stay where she is until Spring with me buying her feed and offering assistance on the owner's homestead.  If anyone reading this wants to weigh in, or draw a tarot card on the subject, I'd be all for it.

Ok, back to being busy in whoever's life I was dropped into -- whoever she is has apples to can, a huge house to clean, the kitchen garden to work on, ashes to spread on the future pumpkin patch, a goat barn to work on. and a grandchild's homework to help with.