I know your first question...
Seriously?
Yep. We got two baby goats yesterday. And no it was not an impulse thing...we actually ordered them and waited an entire month.
Second question...
Have I lost my mind?
Totally but in the best way.
Goats were all my daughter wanted for her birthday. We are home now so it seemed like as good a time as any. We have both wanted goats forever. Both of us are frustrated farmers that would do better on a ranch or farm than a city or town. But here we are...with a micro farm nonetheless.
For Grace, she has two new playmates. She is totally my daughter and prefers furry friends to people. While she isn’t antisocial...she just gets something from animals that people cannot provide.
For me, I got to make my daughter happy. I got to make her 13th birthday the best one ever (according to her) and I got to say yes when I would have historically said no.
The pandemic has allowed me to fall in love with home. I love it here. I am happy here. I do not really miss going out or to the office. I know that will return one day and that will be fine. But for now and the foreseeable future...we are here. And this is what my best life looks like. Some land. A few structures decorated in my way. A garden. Animals - chickens, rabbits, guinea pigs, cats, a dog and a horse and now goats. That is likely far too many for most people. But for us. It is perfect.
So our urban (although you cannot call Ojai urban and not laugh) farm is now complete. We have our brood...we have our family. We have a lot.
Today I am ridiculously grateful for the love of animals that I share with my daughter. How we invite them into our lives, enjoy them and make them part of our everyday. This life may not look like anyone else’s idea of a great life but it is my best life and it is happening right now.
I am filled with gratitude and wonder for the life I get to live today. It is filled with beauty, love, joy and now goats. My wish for you is that you find the thing(s) that make you content, happy and at peace. Go for it. Put yourself in the way of beauty and may you come to love all creatures great and small...with and without fur or feather. Love and attention are the greatest gifts we have to give. Love now. Give now. None of us are promised a later...
And for those of you wondering...this totally means that when the pandemic is over there will be goat yoga in my backyard!