Since we are trying hard-core to socially distance ourselves, our only regular companions these days are our animal buddies. Those of you with pets will understand how much comfort furry friends provide. Those of you who don’t, ought to adopt yourself a fuzz-buddy or two. The pandemic isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, vaccine or no vaccine, and neither should you. Having some four-footed company will keep away the quarantine blues.
Fred and George Pupper are in the doghouse. Mostly Fred. One day last week my husband didn’t latch the gate correctly. Fred swooped in and caught two of the three rabbits housed in the back. We are assuming he thought they were large rats. Fred is an excellent rat catcher. Cocoa witnessed Fred’s transformation from fun-loving friend to killing machine and is still a bit traumatized by it all. Anyway, Fred must be tied until something is done with the final rabbit. Hopefully, sooner rather than later.
We finally rehomed Terry. He has a bigger play yard and seems happy enough. He’s the only dog there, which he really needed to be with his dominance issues. Four dogs were too many for our little compound.
We had a bit of drama with Fuzz. Someone (my husband) left the front door open and Fuzz strolled out. There were people having clandestine family gatherings on our road, at least two groups. Well, one of the groups decided to take Fuzz with them when they left. He’s been cat-napped and we are so sad. We are still a bit in shock. I mean, after going through two near-death experiences and the deworming process, someone just ups and takes him. And his first time venturing out the door too. Well, what type of behavior can you expect from people having clandestine family gatherings during a pandemic, right?
Anyway, we are up to 6 kids in the Flores Goat kindergarten. They are just big enough to go out with the adult goats on the foraging run. My husband traded one of the older chivos for a borrego, so now we have a single borrego. He isn’t too old, less than a year perhaps. He likes to play with the kids. Up and down the road they go. Yesterday, the youngest chivita got “lost” and hysterically ran towards the horses that were tied out front. We all watched in horror, sure that she’d get herself trampled. She didn’t, but that ended recess for the day.
Rojo is being saddled trained. He’s doing well. Lady has figured out how to open her door and has been letting herself out nightly. Fred and George don’t mind the extra animal, but she’s eaten all the leaves off the coffee, nispero, and granada trees. Someone (my husband) needs to do something about that.
We seem to have founded a palenque (literally noise place but used in this area to refer to a place with many roosters mostly trained as cockfighters). We have 6 roosters in addition to 4 hens somehow. Although we aren’t training cocks, they fight continuously causing no end of noise throughout the day. I’m hoping some of them can be rehomed, sooner rather than later. It’s quite a cacophony in the morning.
If you’ll remember, the neighbor’s cat Garfield had a litter of kittens a few weeks ago. She had them in the abandoned house on the other road. My son tried to encourage her to keep taking care of her babies by leaving food and water. After a few days, the kittens were gone. We feared the worst. There are stray dogs, coyotes, and all sorts of other dangers for newborn, helpless kitties. However, the other night, two of Ms. Garfield’s offspring came to the front door for a handout. One looked like a mini-Garfield and the other was black and white. My son and I joked that they were meowing something that resembled “Mom told us to pick up the food order and here we are.”
Sadly, when Fuzz was cat-napped, so was Garfield Jr. The remaining kitten took up residence in our wood pile out front, so we brought her in after a day or two. There’s room and we have all this cat stuff. She’s a much sweeter kitty than Fuzz was. My husband hasn’t taken to her though–perhaps it’s too soon and he is still grieving Fuzz. Or maybe because Manchas (Spot) is female. Cocoa isn’t sure what to make of her. He wants to play, but Manchas is having none of that. We’ll see how it goes. Cocoa misses his Wrestlemania buddy.
We continue taking the Puppers and Cocoa on multiple walks around the block each day. That bit of sunshine and fresh air makes everyone happy. And year two of the pandemic continues….
Surviving Mexico 