Visiting with Old Goatie Friends
Yesterday I went to visit Margherita, Carmelina, Colombo, and Nina in their new home. You remember them, right? From before we thinned the herd?
Well I’m happy to report that all four are doing *wonderfully.*
Their coats are shiny and clean, and oh my have the babies grown!
I’m saddened to report that Colombo wouldn’t come to me at all.
He seemed to have absolutely no recollection of all the hours we spent playing in the pen, but then he was the shyest of the three kids.
Baby Neeners warmed up to me very quickly though:
I always did have a soft spot for her. Isn’t she becoming a *gorgeous* goatie?!
Then as I petted Nina, something clicked in Margherita as she seemed to recall all the face scratches she got from me during the previous year– and then she wanted more even after I left the pen.
Such a sweet face! I always called her my capra-cuccio (CHOO-choh) because her big eyes always reminded me of a donkey (cuccio means donkey in Italian; capra means goat, of course).
Carmelina was her usual self. She never was one for petties, but I did manage to sneak some in anyway when she wasn’t hovering around the fence looking for food. Yup, same old Carmelina. Always hungry.
But you know what really warmed my heart? When the guy now taking care of them said, completely unsolicited, “Mò non riesco ad ammazzarle!” Now he couldn’t bear to slaughter them.
Yay! It always was part of the deal that none of them would end up on a table, but you never know — and it was great to hear that he had really fallen for the girls and Colombo.
Our lil’ buck-in-training, by the way, just may be off to the next town over to become a stud. Fingers crossed it all works out for him — and that he’ll be more friendly with his does than he was with me.
I’m so happy they’re all doing well, but I have to admit I was in a bit of a funk after we said good-bye. All over again. Just like they got on the back of that Ape yesterday.
I already missed them only minutes after seeing them, so I did the only thing I knew would lift my spirits back up. I visited the home pen to see my Pasqualina, who will always be my baby no matter how big she gets.
There’s just nothing like a girl’s first goat love.
7 Responses to “Visiting with Old Goatie Friends”
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Awe, so sweet! Happy they are doing so well and are so beautiful! I know exactly how you feel and you came home and did the same thing I would do. I went a few years back to see the babies I had before and my two favorite boys didn’t really recognize me either, but I was so grateful they went to a wonderful home too!
Now where’s that iced coffee and the box of Kleenex’s because now I’m very teary eyed too! xoxo
P.S. Give the girls a huggie from me!
Done, Pam! You don’t have to tell me twice 😀
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I was in a funk myself this morning, & reading about how well the goaties are doing & seeing their pictures was just the thing. Please give Pasqualina & Pinters squeezes from me. 😀
Will do Beth! Glad the goaties made you smile 🙂
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As I have said before, Pasqualina tugs at my heart strings every time I see her.
She’s sending you many goatie hugs (she loves giving them) 🙂
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How wonderful you get to see the goaties that have left your farm…that is always the hard part, having to sell some.
Indeed, Melodie; I’m very lucky to be able to see them grow 🙂
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I’m so glad you had the chance to go visit your sweeties!
Thanks Teresa!
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Thinned the herd? How could you?
It was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make, but everyone is really better off this way; Pasqualina in particular is doing much better now that she isn’t bullied at the feeder every day! Still, I was a mess for a while…and I still miss them 🙁
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Just got a chance to see that you had gone to visit with the four goats that went to another domicile. That was heartwarming to hear. Glad also to hear that the man said “Mo” non riesco ad ammazzarle”. I have not heard the expression “Mo” since my Grandpa and Dad were alive. They were Calabrese, of course, so I heard that word many times a day.
Yes, it used to be more localized, but now people all over Italy say it as slang; fun to watch a language evolve 🙂
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