I’ve got a buddy that lives in Phoenix. He works for a large company that has a practice that I find pretty interesting. This companies reseach shows that after 8 years, most employees find themselves in a rut. Either they are burned out or trying to start a business on the side, etc. So every 8 years, they give their employees an 8 week sabbatical. Paid leave to be away from work, do what they want to do, get their mind right kind of deal. Sure, some employees may use that time to find a different job or start their own business, but they are giving their people a chance to come back refreshed and/or giving an unhappy employee a chance to leave.

My friend is on his second sabbatical with this company. He has taken vacations with his wife, done some other side business deals, spent time with his kids and just chilled out. He called one day on his way to a southern Arizona winery. He is flying in for an OSU football game. Basically, he just gets caught up on stuff he wants to do and gets in a good mood.

I took one of these sabbaticals at the end of my teaching career. I took care of all of my livestock-in the daylight. Actually was a Dad. Ate cocoa puffs, went to church and basically got myself into a good mood. It was the best eight weeks of my life.

We are all guilty of being too engrossed in our jobs. Our livelihoods depend on it. Then when we schedule a vacation, it becomes a stressful ordeal because of travel, iteneraries, etc. Everybody needs to find a way to take a small sabbatical and just take care of those little things at home that are actually important and just get your mind right.

I have gotten pretty good at having very small sabbaticals. Sometimes, its just good to sit on the edge of a canyon and watch the goats or an armadillo or the sun. Maybe shoot a couple of cans or just hit rocks. And some wonder why I don’t answer the phone or reply to a text. And if I am home by myself, with no place that I have to be, I still eat a big pan of cocoa puffs. Of course, this only happens three or four times a year now.

Nice crisp morning out there today. I actually kind of enjoy colder weather. I know there will be a lot of people complaing about it being cold. Before you start complaining, I want you to remember back a month or so at the NINETY plus days of 100 degree temps. I’ll take these cool, crisp mornings any day over that blazing furnace that we endured this summer. You can always put a coat on when it is cold. Not much you can do outside when it is 115.

I’ve been at war with flies around Duke’s hogs the past two weeks. Fly bait, sprays, keep pens clean, etc. This morning kind of ended that battle.

A lot of people out west are finishing drilling wheat. Most have a stand up, just waiting for the next rain. Lot of corn stalks and milo still being baled up in TX and OK panhandle. Anything that might have a chance of making a meal for cows has been baled up this year. Not much other choice, with no grass to eat.

I know of a few wethers that could be bought if you are still hunting. Call Darrin Gambell at Canton at 580-886-4160. I think he will take $400 or less for a wether that placed at Tulsa. Mike Weber may have one for sale at Vici–580-254-1749.

Lots of people still hunting goats. Anybody that still has any decent wethers shouldn’t have problems getting rid of them. Nominations are coming up quickly and there aren’t many goats left. Online doe sale tonight should average good. As the race to get those last goats gathered comes to an end, the southwest pig race begins. Thousands of hogs will change hands the next 5 weeks. I don’t miss being gone every night and every weekend during October and November looking at pigs.

Got the pig to vet to get his ass sewn back in. Drove like a spotted assed zebra to make it to Pfeiffer’s before the sale started. Got there with enough time to look through the wethers. There was five or six that I thought were way good. I was suprised that a couple of them didn’t bring more than they did. I thought lot 3 might bring 5 or more and lot 6 might bring 10. Big crowd and almost all had money to spend. The sale average had to be pretty good. Didn’t take long to sell 60 wethers. Old Bonham can run right through them. Better be on your A game and pay attention or you will miss your goat. Lots of people still needing goats in OK and Texas.

Unloaded goats, then loaded one and headed back to Cleo to pick up the trailer and the pig and then head for the house to unload and do chores. Duke was at the barn at 10 p.m. when I got home. It was Friday night and the Dragon Lady wasn’t making him go to bed. Cats and coons were terrorized were for several hours.

The sale went well. Lots of new bidders. For only having 7 goats for sale, there were lots of phone calls from lots of places. The wethers ended up scattered around, but going to good homes. Thanks to all the buyers, bidders and lookers.

There are a few families that have too many wethers in their pens. If you are still needing wethers, call me. They will be priced from $400 to $1,500. They are of various genetics-several from Pfeiffer’s, some from me, some from Texas breeders. A couple of them placed well at Tulsa.

It has definitely been cooler of a morning this week. The ground is still wet, but we wouldn’t turn down another rain. Need to be checking noses on goats of a morning. Cool, damp mornings will cause some to get snotty noses and possibly a rattle in their lungs. Keep an eye on them.

What a day! I would rather have my head slammed in a sliding glass door rather than go through another day like I did today. I am highly capable of screwing stuff up on my own. I dang sure don’t need help from people I thought were friends. Never, ever, underestimate what other people will do or say. It will only cost you heartache, money and most importantly, time.

Lot #1 wether in the Duke’s Up online sale will not be offered for sale. He is no longer with us and, therefore, will not be offered for sale. He is free if somebody wants him. I also have to deal with a slight prolapse problem on Duke’s porcine project. The joys of livestock ownership.

On a good note, have had lots of new visitors to our place to look at goats. I do appreciate all of the calls, emails and visitors about the goats. I will gladly help if I can. Thanks.

The feed bill went up at Kelln Livestock last night. Duke now has his three Phoenix barrows. Not only does hog feed cost more, but they eat and waste a lot more. Plus the cost of wood pellets and wood chips later on. And scooping crap. I’m glad he likes his pigs. Of course, you don’t have to blanket a pig.

I don’t care what species of animals my kids show as long as they have a project and are developing work ethic and meeting people. We’ve been know to show chickens, pigs and goats. I would love to show a steer or two. Kela didn’t want to and Duke isn’t old enough.

If you are needing blankets, then you need to go to the following link. They are a canvas blanket that has a romovable lining inside attached with velcro that allows layers to be added when needed. They also have a belly strap that uses life jacket buckles. Way better deal. www.etsy.com/shop/BlanketsByBrookeT

Very well made blankets that are very versatile.

We got a little over 2″ of rain over the weekend. This was a widespread, much needed rain. I wish it would have rained more in the OK & TX panhandles, but at this point we will take whatever we can get.

Although the rain was welcome, cold & wet weather isn’t very conducive for having sale goats look on top of their game. Oh well, that’s just part of it. We ended up with 8 wethers on this sale. 6 we raised and two others. We were planning on losing BoBo at Tulsa. Instead, we lost Little Stevie Peaches. That kind of shook Duke’s thinking up. He didn’t want anything more to do with BoBo. So he changed his mind what he was going to sell for sure. He is keeping Waterboy and Spasm. BoBo will be floored at $2,500 and the other seven will be floored at $200. If you can’t make it out to look this week, give me a call and I will give you my opinion on the set. I will be around after 6 every evening this week, including Thursday.

Tori won div. 2 at the doe show at Tulsa yesterday with a doe from us. Got a call from up north about the 6th wether that we sold in our April online sale. He won a class at the Ohio State Fair.

Big thanks to all that run the goat show at Tulsa and the fundraising part. Thanks to all that bought tickets, donated items, donated goats and those that sold tickets. We will have to continue raising money to help this thing grow. Now, if we can just get OYE to pull their heads out and do the right things. That is a whole other story and I am actually in a good mood this morning, so we will leave it alone. For now.