Snoyhrt Fsy

All ready to go milk the goats; will go out in a bit to actually do it. This morning feels better. We are currently at 66° and 74% humidity. That isn’t spectacular on the second number but it’s a heck of a lot better that 94%.

The goats are being rather vocal. Silly animals. The boys both have collars so this morning they get to be staked out AWAY from their mother. They are quite old enough to be weaned now and now it will happen.

7:32 am

The goat is now milked and only the kids are being vocal. They aren’t used to being kept in the crate after I milk; I usually let them in the pen after I milk. Today I didn’t. They need a water bucket in the crate and something to hold grain and they’ll be set until they go wherever they go. In the meantime, I should really be off to move the stakes and add their two.

7:53 am

The stakes are all moved including two new ones for the kids and I would like to submit a new definition for your reading pleasure.

gross (adj.) when a slug gets in your croc and gets squished all over the inside because you don’t know it’s there

It happens. It’s fun. There is always something to make life interesting.

Now I am having some kind of bagel for breakfast with some milk. Hopefully having the kids separated from the does will increase milk production. Amena is in the process of taking everyone out.

Yesterday was a pretty good day. I looked up Farmer’s Markets within 25 miles of Hubbardston and found a lot. There were even quite a few for Thursday. I went to three and was disappointed. The one in Gardner I knew was pretty pathetic. There were two vendors yesterday. I didn’t even stop. I took Amena, Seth and Joseph with me to go out and about for the other two. First we went to Fitchburg and we drove all around where it was supposed to be and saw nothing. Then we stopped by the Beaudette’s because I originally was going to take Marlain with me because Farmer’s Markets are more fun to peruse with a friend. I’m glad circumstances were such that I couldn’t take her since I couldn’t even find it. Anyway, we got two jars and the original Star Wars movies and then we drove around some more in another attempt to find the FM there before taking off for Winchendon to see the one there. It was another small one. I think there were two vendors although one of them was situated so that it might have been two which would mean there were three altogether. Pretty pitiful. So, my professional opinion is that none of those I saw yesterday are worth my time to sell at. I will look up more for today and next week I will check out other Thursday markets. Paul said he drove by one in Shirley that had maybe eight vendors and it’s in a good neighborhood so I’ll likely check that one out.

Seth went with me to Hardwick to get a collar, milk filters and grain for the goats. I also got him a little toy turtle. I really like the Hardwick Coop. They have a good selection of everything I need for the goats and then some.

Other than that, I accomplished almost everything on my list for yesterday. Today’s list is not as long but there are a couple of things that I thought of to put on it last night when I was in bed that I cannot now remember. At least, I think I’ve forgotten them. I might have remembered one of them because I did add something to the list this morning but I don’t remember if it is one of the things I thought of last night or not.

Joanna has decided to get her own apartment in Gardner. She was being rather noncommunicative about it but I knew something was up and she finally told me a couple of days ago. I don’t mind her moving out at all, I just hope that we don’t end up going to Montana so that she will have no family here because she has found one she likes but everything out here has a 1-year lease and if she gets it, she’ll be stuck with it for a year whether we are here or not. I’d rather end up moving to Montana and having her be Idaho Falls. Much closer.

I asked Laura about moving in with her but she’s not interested because she wants to go to school. I told her that Joanna is going to be going to school but Laura said she wants to go to school ‘out West’ and she hopes we move to Montana because we’ll be closer. She also hopes Joanna doesn’t end up getting stuck out here with no family.

Yesterday one of the things on my list was writing 1,000 words. In reality, I write more than that every day that I work on a story because I usually write at least 400 words here (even on a short day). So far today it’s almost 900. Which is almost funny because I like to make chapters be at least ten pages long and 1,050 words is four pages. The thing that makes it funny is that almost 900 words, if I started at the top of a page, would be less than two. The only difference is that for this the lines are single spaced and for stories they are double. Single looks so much more compact.

Anyway, here are my 1,050 words from yesterday. Let me know what you think and have a great day!

As summer drew to a close, word of the upcoming wedding spread throughout the Dinod Highlands and beyond. Morven’s solitary inn was full to overflowing and Hywel’s friends had taken in friends and relatives. Along the edges of the field surrounding Hywel’s cottage tents had sprung up just within the protection of the forest.

Hywel was at that moment in the largest of the tents with several men. They were gathered around a table on which was spread a map.

“Here,” said the largest of the men, pointing. “This is where Feardorcha has a garrison permanently stationed.” He was by far the tallest in the tent and had a commanding air about him. His arms made the legs of most men look small and his hands looked as though they could crush a skull as easily most people would swat a fly. His hair was flaming red, thick and pulled away from his face with a leather thong and he sported a surprisingly well-trimmed mustache and goatee. From under heavy brows peered deep blue, fearless eyes which looked down his long nose.

Hywel sighed, thinking. “Cadfael,” he said to his giant of a friend, “What is the purpose?”

A short, think man stepped forward and in a surprisingly high pitched voice said, “Ostensibly, those stationed there are to keep any of the malcontents of the south from escaping into the north. However, we know that Feardorcha sometimes goes himself down and when he returns, he brings back more than he went with.”

“Of this we are certain?” Hywel asked.

Another diminutive man nodded sagely. “Tighearnan speaks true.”

Cadfael laughed. “Well, if Seanan speaks it, it must be so.” He leaned away from the table. “We will decide nothing this day about what actions we will next be taking. What say you we do a little hunting?”

This was well received and soon everyone had filed out of the tent. “Cousin,” said a man who very much looked like Hywel as he slapped him on the back. “What say you of all of this?”

Hywel shook his head. “What can I say? We in Morven are so isolated from the world that while we knew something was afoot, I would never have guessed that it has progressed so.” He paused. “Cadwalader, tell me true, is it as bad as the reports we’ve been hearing?”

“Aye,” was the solemn answer.

“And Cadfael, he is certain there will be enough troops to go against the king?”

“Well, now, that I would have to answer negatively, cousin. When a gathering such as this one is suspect, it is quite difficult to amass much in the way of an army. There are pockets of resistance here and there but in any given place, there are not many. If all were to gather, it would be less than half of Feardorcha’s armies and his seem to grow by the day.”

“Where are they coming from?”

“Here and there and everywhere. I don’t believe Tighearnan and Seanan know exactly how many have come through the mountains from the southern continent but we’ve heard whisperings of them being taken by boat to the far east where they travel along the other side of the mountains and then come by boat again to the northern lands.”

Hywel shook his head and drew his hand over his face. “And we really don’t know what lies beyond those mountains.”

Cadwalader smiled. “No, but we have an envoy making its way through the mountains now to see what they find. We are hoping that there might be men who sympathize with our cause and are willing to join with us. If not, we also have infiltrated the southern continent in order to learn what Feardorcha is really doing there and see if there might be some way to turn those exiled there into allies.”

Hywel whistled appreciatively. “Idris has been busy.”

“Indeed he has. It is no easy task finding men willing to fight and it isn’t any easier funding the endeavor. He has his work cut out for himself.”

The two men were interrupted as three women walked by the path in front of the cottage. Cailin was one of the group and she ran over to Hywel, planting a quick kiss on his cheek before catching up with the others.

Cadwalader smiled again. “That must be your intended?”

Hywel ducked his head sheepishly.

“I always knew you’d find someone, eventually. What I didn’t think is that she’d be the most beautiful woman in the world.”

“Oh, ye of little faith,” Hywel intoned. “Why do you think it took me so long?”

“I see. I thought perhaps you were waiting for her to grow up.”

Hywel punched his cousin on the arm.

“In all seriousness, who is she? She looks so familiar, but I can’t for the life of me recall where I might have seen her before.”

“She was raised by her grandparents in Mynydd. When they died, she went to live with Rhiannon.”

Cadwalader shook his head, trying to remember. “Well, I haven’t been back this way for years, so it isn’t likely I saw her around when I was. I’ve been everywhere else but probably didn’t see her any of those places if she was with Rhiannon and in Mynydd before that.” He paused. “You’re sure she’s not been elsewhere?”

Hywel nodded and ducked into the cottage as his cousin followed. “Not meaning to be rude, Cad, but I’ve got to be off to Bychen this afternoon. I’ve got a couple of people to see to.”

“Say no more. I’ll be off and let you to your spell weaving and leaf eating.”

As Hywel readied his bag, there was a knock at the door before it opened and a beautiful face peered around it. Hywel looked up to see Cailin smiling at him.

“Eirian said you were on your way to Bychen this afternoon. Since there is naught for me to do, I thought I would see if you would like the company.”

Hywel smiled. “Ah, lass, you know I would. I will be riding today, though, and have but the one horse.”

“Hmmmm,” Cailin nodded knowingly. “And I could not ride pillion?” she asked, glancing at him through lowered lashes.