Last Day at the Farm

So, I completed my final day of work at Guernsey Animal Aid. I’ve finally got the hang of things and feel like a part of the team. Just in time to leave! I’ve bonded with Jack and Merlin, the resident ponies. I think they sensed my sadness in leaving as Merlin kept rubbing his nose up against me and Jack kept following me around. (Or was that because I had forgotten to give them hay?) Either way, I’m sure they’ll miss me as much as I’ll miss them! And the dogs! Wow, I am going to miss those guys. I feel like they have become part of my family. Its going to be hard to say goodbye. So I’ll wait until right before I leave. So, as I’m working, I’m chatting with one of the local volunteers who asks me where I’m from. I tell him NYC. “Do you have a gun?”, he asks. What? “No, I don’t have a gun” I tell him. “Why, do you think all NY’ers have guns?”. “Well, we think most Americans have guns”, he replies. “Well no, that’s not true”, I inform him. “Yes, there is a huge gun problem in the country, but no, not everyone has a gun, and no, I myself do not own one.” I don’t know if it was my imagination or not, but I think he looked relieved. Ah, Guernsey.. I’m gonna miss ya!

Once Bitten, Twice Shy

Today was a pretty easy day, though it began with a little bit of drama. I decided to be brave and feed the goats and Lamby all by myself.  As I was walking through the gates, the goats tried to jump me again to get to the food and as I was fighting them off, the lamb escaped! I didn’t know what to do so after I put the goats’ food down for them, I ran after Lamby, grabbed him by his oversized coat and tried to pull him back in. That didn’t go over so well. He was trying to eat the rabbits’ food which was left outside his pen and I was interrupting him! He gave me a look to kill and then assumed headbutting position. However, this time he missed. But that didn’t stop him from trying- now the lamb was chasing after me. At this point I began screaming for someone, anyone, to come help me please! Not a soul was in sight. Of course. Then, as I’m fighting off Lamby and screaming at the top of my lungs, the goats- who I guess finished eating- escaped as well! Now I had 3 loose animals. Finally, someone must have heard my screaming because right about then, Sue and one of the volunteers came walking- no, strolling- over to help. I thought Sue would be upset but apparently this sort of thing tends to happen with new volunteers? Sue got the animals safely back into their pens and I made a note to myself to stay away from the goats and the lamb. I should have known it was going to be one of those days. A bit later on, I was standing in front of the bird avery, waiting for the Macau to curse, and I brilliantly stuck my finger in the cage to pet him. He then bit into my finger actually breaking skin. This is the 2nd time this week I’ve been bitten by a bird after sticking my finger in its cage to pet it. A girl never learns. After the morning feedings were done, I spent the rest of the afternoon cleaning out the bunneries. Another glamourous job! Since it was Maria’s last night at the farm, we decided to hit the town one last time together to celebrate. We went and had the early bird Italian dinner special and 1 glass of wine each, and were both ready to pass out. So, after stopping by a cafe for cappuccinos that we hoped would wake us up (they didn’t), we called a cab and called it a night. Starting tomorrow, I was on my own.