Well kids, after being away in Oklahoma trying to get the place sold, packed up and done with there may be a double party! Bernice is about to get online selling milk after many trials and tribulations. Our scheme of getting the bulk tank calibrated and in use is almost done. All that is left is to get the buyer here to do his test and cement the thing down. I'm now certified to buy R12 for the Mueller tank and when we can AFFORD it (maybe after the first milk check finally comes in?) I'll top that Mueller tank off! Right now we're still scurrying around to tansfer milk from the other tank to the Mueller riiiiiight before the hauler gets there, hehe. That legal slight of hand is still doing fine with no problems in plate count.

So Joe is planning 10 pounds of potato salad to take to the group party at Bernices. Sound like a deal Bernie? Group Party after your first milk pickup????

-- Dennis (westwoodcaprine@yahoo.com), May 08, 2002

Answers

Now don't forget we also have to celebrate your show wins too from this upcoming weekends:):) Yep, sure sounds like a great deal to me too! Guess i better fire up that grill! We're looking at this weekend. The electrician/plumber said that he should be done by saturday. Of course everything has to happen on Saturday when I'll be at the show. I'm going to go up Friday night and stay over, mostly because i don't want to get up early Sat AM and trudge off, bleary eyed to the show.

I bet you are so glad you have the place sold and all that moving finally done with! Saturday marks one year that we moved, made that long trek here to AR. I can't believe a yr has gone by already, where does time fly to?

Tomorrow is going to be a bad day for me, it marks one yr ago that we had to put Jackie down. For those that don't know, Jackie was Ziegen- Mensch Jackie, my late beloved Alpine I tell all the Jackie stories about. I miss her still so much. And, as Dennis mentioned, I sure have had my share of trials and tribulations this yr and it got to the point last month I wanted to give it all up. I just couldn't go on anymore. I didn't want to go on, but my dear friends supported me through this all and threatened to kick me if I did. I went from a size 18 to a size 11 in less than 3 weeks, what a way to loose the weight too! So guess that was the positive that came from this. I came out of my rut when I looked at Jackie's picture this weekned, I keep a pic of her on my desk, and I thought, "Her death will not be in vain!"

Joe and Dennis's story of grit and determination, and ours, hopefully will give ya'll inspiration that if you have a dream you can make it happen. Well gotta go, time for work. Have a blessed day everyone:):)

Oh, yep, party here on the mountain soon:)

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), May 08, 2002.

CONGRADULATIONS, with prayers for you all....

-- Barbara (vozarbi@sensible-net.com), May 08, 2002.

Congrats Joe and Dennis!!! And Bernice!!!!!!!!!! You guys go tear up the show ring this weekend!!!!!!!!!! And I'll be there in spirit for your party, Hugs Jan Nordberg from snowy north Idaho.

-- Jan Nordberg (oim@icehouse.net), May 08, 2002.

A most sincere CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!

I can't imagine all the struggle you all must have gone through to get where you are..actually I CAN imagine, I like so many have at least looked seriously into such an endeavor! Wow, again, the best of luck!

-- Patty (SycamoreHollow1@aol.com), May 11, 2002.

Thanks all!

Bragging time. Bernice's buck Hawk, took reserve grand champion Alpine buck at the Harrison show and our Idabel took reserve grand champion recorded grade Jr doe. Beaming here as our's are working girls, not "show" does who live on a slik pillow;-)

Dennis & Joe

-- Dennis (westwoodcaprine@yahoo.com), May 13, 2002.

Dennis, Joe and Bernce, I envy you all having each other as friends. Sounds like you have a great time together!

-- Gloria (mullinaxclan@webtv.net), May 13, 2002.

Joe and Dennis are wonderful folks who have worked so hard to make their dream of a goat dairy a reality. And Joe was entirely responsible for making Hawk go RGCH, he showed him for me. They did very well at the show and also worked hard to make it a success. If not for them the show would not ahv ebeen sanctioned. they generously brought their hard working dairy girls to show. And..... despite some obstacles such a smoving and being used in a dairy, not life on a silk pillow, they did well.

Actually I have to admit this: I owe my return to the show ring to a handful of dear close friends. They encouraged me to get back into the ring. I know vicki probably recalls the post I made to AlpineTalk 2 yrs ago when Val and Maggie palced so high at nationals. I actually cried, (more from shock and stress) but then those 2 were our Gemini breedings. I have to share this:

I was so disheartened when I showed my jr doe and she was 5/out of 5. The judge mentioned not liking her feet and added that she was the dairest doe he'd seen all day. Then it was time for bucks. I only brought 3 goats all together. I had started to clip hawk but he is a sundgau and is mostly black. I proscrastinated as usual and when i tested a 6" spot strip on his rear leg i noticed he would look like a skinned rat. Magellan already looked like a plucked chicken.My other reason was it was still a little too cold and I'd rather scrafice winning than risk pnemonia. Glad i didn't now because we had horrible storms last night and it got cold fast.

anyways, I happened to be waiting ringside for the Alpine buck classes to start. Thats when I saw the competition. I knew it was over, I didn't stand a chance. I figured the buck was older, but he wa sa yr old or near a yr old. The folks who owned him stood on the opposite side and kept looking at Hawk. The really looked hard when hawk reached up to me for a kiss and I kissed him on the nose. Good thing it wasn't rut season:):) I got nervous and asked Joe if he could please show him for me because I stink at showing and he has a lot of potential. joe kindly showed both Hawk and magellan for me. Then in the GCH class he showed hawk and I showed Magellan. It was close, but the reason i feel he went RGCH and so does Joe is because I didn't have him clipped. perhaps, but this other buck was equally nice.

So my show win really is because of joe and his kindness.

Sorry to ramble, but although i didn't cry as i did at nationals, i was still very happy. It's been 2 yrs now since i have shown. This was the first time ever that hawk was shown. Thanks Joe and Dennis so much.

Gloria, I really believe that God puts people in our paths for a reason and I am blessed to have them as good frinds.Its so nice too that we can be good friends and not feel any competition between us. Reminds me so of my friends back east I showed with. It just never crossed my mind. Hey.... Dennis, we should play act and say stupid stuff between us like, "You goat is sooo ugly that the buck ran off. My dear friend in NC and i would jsut say these horrible things about each others' goats. People thought we really meant it. We just chuckled and had fun. In fact one lady asked how i put up with my friends nasty mouth

But ya know.... I'd give the shirt off my back to them too.

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), May 13, 2002.