What a mess

Nothing has gone smoothly. Nothing. One thing after another, from thieves to disease to natural disaster. I am still here. Kasey the Pirate Bun is not. She got sick on December 26th. Between the holiday and COVID, I couldn't get her the help she needed and she died. Welcome Genevieve, new bun wife to Pierre.

Whiskers the cat was very old. We got her the best vet care but had to let her go. Welcome Olive the tortoise shell ball of energy and pantry fortifications.

Then the ER and overnight hospital stay and the follow up care that required a negative COVID, the results of which were lost and a billing snafu that has sent us to collections and cost thousands more than it was permitted by law.

And the SCU Lightening Complex Fire that had us evacuating 2 rabbits 2 cats 3 ponies 3 goats and a dog at 11 pm in the dark and smoke, and subsequent insurance claim and clean up, and power outage lasting for weeks and no phone for 4 months. Cell tower too far away for service, satellite internet too slow for VOIP.  I had to drive 30 minutes to get a cell signal, so no, you cant call me back later. Two weeks in a hotel with 5 pets, during COVID lockdown. Three and a half weeks for ponies and goats  at a friend's because they wouldn't allow trailers on our road. Oh boy, did she ever come through for me!

The fire burned all around out house and barn, coming within 20 feet, but both are still standing. A doublewide mobile home and a metal shipping container with a wood floor are gone. Lots of trees too. A storage shed with a riding mower melted and flowed sown hill before solidifying again.

There were piles of manure in the pasture that looked white and fell to ash when you touched them with a toe. Stumps of trees left craters where the roots had smoldered underground. Crews were still putting out burning stumps three months later.

Puff the barn cat at lived in the hotel and decided she was not going outside again. Now we have two cats in the house.

So my original goal of conditioning the ponies enough that I could drive them uphill from home this winter, nope, didn't make it.