It is way more enjoyable selling equipment online versus live animals.  Equipment is what it is.  Low stress. Some of that stuff sold cheap while some of it sold really well.  All in all, I’m going to move some random stuff that we don’t need.  It can go to work for other people.  The does sold too cheap.  Those three can raise some goats.

I got a call from a former student inquiring about delivery on the items.  Of course, he lives less than an hour away.

It is apparent that there is a wide variety of blog readers.  As I did receive a text from Kansas about one of the self feeders and that if they were the winning bidder they would get health papers for the feeder.

An Arkansas bidder texted and asked if I could ship the feed pans.  And they would also take the PITA doe.

To be honest, these inquiries all made me life.  I appreciate a good smart ass comment or two.  Have a good one and a better tomorrow.

I re-learned several powerful things on Saturday.

First, it is amazing how wound up kids are when you pick them up from FFA Alumni Camp.  It is very common for first time attendees to run up and say, “Thanks for making me attend this.”  Or “This was the best 3 days of my life!”

Second, Tulsa has to be the worst city in the US to drive through.  None of the major highways/interstates run on a normal track.  The interchanges for various highway intersections lie on curves and in other bad locations.  It’s like they gave a monkey a box of crayons and let him draw the lines without a ruler.  Then they just connected all the lines to make for intersections.  I feel like the engineer who designed the Tulsa area highways must have barely passed industrial engineering but knew somebody in order to get the job.  Driving through that city will make you want to throat punch somebody before you get out of town.

Next, throw in the fact that driving on the Cimarron Turnpike will physically abuse you.  That is a rough piece of road that you get the thrill of paying to drive on.  That piece of road will knock the fillings out of your teeth.

OWWW!   I am as sore as I have ever been.  I served a tour of duty on the Shattuck Ag Boosters dunk tank on the 4th of July.  I got to go in the water a lot.  Which was fine.  However, the getting out of the tank and back up on the dunking contraption was nothing short of performing some gymnastics mounts.  I’m pretty sure that there will be a new dunking machine before next year.

Then, I went home and decided to brush beat some sage brush.  But, before I could brush beat, I add to hook the PTO up to the tractor.  Hooking a PTO up should be an olympic sport.  Trying to line splines up while pulling a bulky shaft forward with one hand while trying to pull back the locking collar with the other hand.  While trying to manage all of this, the shaft twisted at a U-joint and rolled out of one hand and smashed the picky of my other hand.  Lots of blood and even more cussing.

Wednesday brought a trip to the NE part of the state as Tammy and I hauled two suburban loads of kids to FFA Alumni camp.  I was already sore but now I had to sit in the driver’s seat for over 10 hours on Wednesday with a swollen, sore pinky finger.  This drive only intensified the soreness.

Have a good one.

I didn’t accomplish much at all this weekend….and I liked it.  It was awesome!    Saturday saw the Kester’s here picking up their buck.  I expect big things from this dude.  They are working on raising some good goats.

I ate blueberry pancakes Saturday morning at the Polly Anna in Woodward.  And then again on Sunday morning cooked by the Dragon Lady.  Eggs, hash browns, bacon, sausage and blueberry pancakes.  I think that I need to write a song about the joys of eating breakfast foods.  Did I mention that I like blueberry pancakes?

Sunday afternoon saw the Schovanec males show up here.  That family has had more than their share of trials and tribulations but they are keeping it together.  It was obvious that TravASS hasn’t gotten out much in the past year, so we just had fun.  Not too much, but a lot of laughs.  Ha!  That chicken!

When was the last time that you put your tongue on a 9 volt battery?  I haven’t in a long time but for some reason, I thought about it today.

I know that I was whining about too much rain back in April and May.  Then it got dry.  Guess what?  We got a butt-load of wind and a bit of rain tonight.  The summer cover crop is up and was a lot like me….wanting a drink.  Well, it got one.  Now I get to pay for some fertilizer.  The expenses are never-ending around here.

Strawberry fungus on goats.  I only see a few cases per year.  Most vets will hook you up with a round of antibiotics and some vetricin and a big bill.  Just get some kopertox and apply to those spots between their toes.  Might take two applications over a week’s time and that crap will disappear.  Just wear gloves or you will have green fingers for a week or so and look like some kind of leprechaun.  Don’t taste the kopertox as it is NOT magically delicious.

I went to the Dollar General to buy some toothpaste this morning.  I found what I was looking for and then headed down the toy aisle.  Holy crap!  They had some wicked cool Star Wars action figures.  So, I bought a Yoda and a Darth Vader.  These mini figures are pretty cool.  I can tell you this much,  if I am ever too old to buy some Star Wars action figures….well, hell!  I’m better off dead because I’m not ever going to be too old to have a toy or two.  I’m already thinking about when the nieces and nephew come to the house and want to play with them.

I’m not sure who leads the funnest life–Kela or Duke.  She is farting off in D.C.  Nationals game, paddle boating on the Potomac, etc.  Duke–he’s been blowing up fireworks, fishing and is now in NE OK bow fishing with friends.  Me—I’m stuck here, doing chores, eating fresh cantaloupe and some Katy Frazier brand crackers.  But, I got to talk to several former students this evening.  Well hell!  Looks like I’m the big winner.

I’ve been thinking that I need to make an air freshener that smells like ripe cantaloupe.

Over and out.  Here’s to nothing but horseshoes and shamrocks to all of you.  I think that I will find a mild-mannered mule and wish you a wonderful today and a better tomorrow.  Peace out!

Survived a weekend that was full of retardation.  I didn’t have to be anywhere special so I didn’t leave the place.  I won’t waste the space or time going over all of the retarded activities but I will tell you that Duke and a crew of boys put on a fireworks show on top of the hill across the road.  I got lots of sun.  There may have been a roman candle taped to a chicken. (no animals were hurt, just Schoovy’s ribs from laughing so much).

Here is another online complaint.  If you buy something online and are having somebody pick it up, please tell the seller that you need health papers before the day of pickup.  Some states don’t require much on health papers while others require a full visual inspection, gum massage, complete rub down and maybe a happy ending.  I don’t know the rules of every state, that is the buyers responsibility.  I don’t mind getting health papers but the seller needs to know ahead of time.

Yes, I realize that most states are easy to get along with.  While some, NM and AZ, require a lot.  I also realize that most haulers don’t need health papers, which means that most sellers aren’t planning on getting health papers unless requested.  And that request needs to come from the buyer as soon as they know that they need them.

Actually, this probably needs to be a check mark at the close of an online auction.  And the buyer should pay for the health papers.  A $35 health paper charge on top of commission on a $500 goat starts to take a big bite out of the check.

There needs to be a set of basic online purchase rules/etiquette to follow to enhance the sale for the buyer and the seller.

I’m done, for now.  Unless I get another text dealing with the PITA doe buyer.

I enjoy dealing with online customers.  I like talking the animals–positives and negatives.  I like helping with sight unseen purchases and I love when they get the animal and are pleased.  I also liking getting the animals off the feed bill and delivered to the new owners.

I don’t enjoy the calls or texts that only ask about delivery.  Ask about the animal.  Every online auction now states some kind of delivery option.  Every sale clearly states that it is the buyer’s responsibility to take care of delivery.

I’m dealing with a “customer” that questioned delivery immediately after they “won” the auction.  Of course, this was via text.  I told them that I would try to find a ride this weekend.  I did. But they did not respond to voicemails or text messages.  So, I still have the animal here.

Then on Monday, I get a text wanting to know when that goat would be delivered.  I politely replied that they needed to respond to texts or phone calls and that it is their responsibility to get transport.  I had a ride but they missed it.  I then get a reply that their phone is shattered and didn’t work.  But the texts are coming from the original #.

On Tuesday, I have a professional livestock transporter coming to the house to pick up a different animal.  I inquire about their delivery route.  Hold the Phone!  This delivery is going within an hour of the hometown of the other goat.  I text that I have another ride for them.

What does it cost?  $150

I’ll find a hauler. My phone is broke.  I have a new #.  (but they are still texting using the original #)     

      Good luck.  You won’t find it cheaper.

I can’t drive an hour to pick it up this week.

My conclusion–some people don’t need to be buying animals online.  I have found two rides.  I have fulfilled my obligations.  I have never charged extra for keeping animals past a week.  I’ve got a feeling that this one is going to be here a bit and that I’m going to charge a PITA fee.  That would be a Pain In The Ass fee.

Of course, it could be worse.  I was going to deliver an online buck purchase to TX two weeks ago.  But on delivery date, the buck was showing signs of thiamine deficiency.  Duke and I doctored him.  But, we lost him. So, no payday for me.  No new buck for the buyer.  The joys of livestock.

Have a good day.

Sales rise and fall.  I have had a first row seat to the rise of online goat sales.  I have seen several goat sales that were started, lasted a few years and now no longer exist.  This weekend had three sales in OK.  The biggest crowd was the Saturday night sale in Perry.  The smallest crowd was at Norman.  For several years, this was the hottest goat sale in OK.  High priced doe kids, wethers and there was always a bargain or two.  This year, mostly bargains.  There were some really good goats that didn’t bring much money ( I bought several).

When that sale was first started, it seemed like the Fairgrounds was extremely happy to host an event such as that sale.  After a year or two, the flea market expanded and the goat sale was pushed to one side.  Then there was the year that all of the displaced dogs/cats from the Moore tornado were housed in the fairgrounds.  (Feeding time was a bit noisy).  Then a farmer’s market started taking place in the parking lot.

Now, I have perused through the  offerings of the flea market.  I even purchased a bunch of .22 shells a couple of years ago when those things were hard to come by.

This year, the flea market took up 3/4 of the fairground building.  Add to the fact, that the parking lot on the goat side of the building was under construction, so no access to those doors or parking spots.  Now, the Farmer’s Market has turned into a full blown market complete with their own building.  The goat sale was an after-thought and our trailers were in the public’s way.

But, that was the best farmer’s market that I have ever attended.  I bought and sold goats at this fairgrounds but I also bought 2 cantaloupes and 3 bushels of Webbers Falls sweet corn.  The cantaloupes even survived the trip home.  Just saying, that was an impressive feat for a pair of melons..all things considered.

All in all…a good weekend.  It could have been way worse. Trust me.

Duke and I survived the big sale weekend.  Although we are kind of dragging donkey.  There were quality goats traded this weekend.  The good ones brought really good money, and then the bottom fell out.  Everybody is chasing the elite goat.  The really good ones and nice goats aren’t bringing much money.  There were some bargains to be had.  I bought (and sold) goats on both ends of the spectrum.  The main thing is that all of our goats found new homes and they all found good homes where they will have a chance.

I’m road weary and have numerous projects around here to take care of.  And that is my plan for this week.

It’s a pretty well known fact that I have loved watching Saturday Night Live over the years.  Yes, that show has its ups and downs with an ever changing cast but the ups are some of the funniest stuff that has ever been on tv.

I was listening to an xm comedy channel the other day and they played an Adam Sandler song called “The Goat Song”.  This song tells the story that ties back to Sandler’s “The talking goat” routine which is hilariously inappropriate.  Anyways, this song got me to thinking about SNL actors and their ties to goats.

Jim Breuer did “the goat boy” routine–half goat, half man.  I’ve also listened to an interview with him describing how he came up with the idea.  It involved a goat at an LA zoo and some kind of weed.

Rob Schneider had a pet goat in the “You Don’t Mess with the Zohan” movie.  Of course, this was a Sandler movie.  Maybe Adam Sandler is actually a goat fan.  I might need to find a way for him to become an investor.

Random, worthless facts from an old fart with a keyboard.  Have a good one and hopefully we will see some of you at Norman or Perry tomorrow.