I am tired!

Early morning work out yesterday with CrossFit. I got home to do my chores, the neighbor's chores and of course the regular stuff.

Last night I caught an opossum in the neighbor's hen house. It was in a nesting box and I have no clue as to how it got in but I couldn't leave it there!

So I had to get it out, but it was not cooperative and it was very nasty.
I used a shovel and a rake to get it out and got it in a bucket and put a lid on it with a metal weight to get it out of there.

From wrangling angry possums to....
a pretty bad night with my sweetie...

to...
finding a goat in the throes of labor when I went up to do morning chores....

I didn't know it was Sedona's first time kidding. I called said neighbors to ask where they were on their travels back home and they said they would be home in about an hour.

I told them that their goat was ready to give birth.
Only after the hoof and nose presented, Sedona gave up for a long while. She came an leaned up against me and I could see she was chilled and exhausted.
I wondered how long she'd been at it.
All I recall from my goat days was that they hardly ever have kidding problems and usually give birth after presenting within 30 minutes.

Thankfully the neighbors did show up. Their oldest boy came in to see if Sedona had given birth.
I told him: Get warm soapy water and your mom and her goat kit. Sedona needs help.

Everyone came and I had Lauren hold Sedona while I examined the baby. It was alive but the sac had broken. I washed up and soaped up, Lauren offered me some gloves but I know from ages of birthing animals that my hands could feel much better without. Oh well, it would be messy anyway.
The kid was twisted the head turned as to make the birth impossible... and as Sedona bawled out her protest, I got the kid straightened and pulled the both feet gently forward as she pushed.
I saw the nose and tongue.
Lauren's husband got me a piece of twine and I caught up the slippery legs.

Funny now that I look back on it. I talked to Sedona like this:
Hey honey, I got the feet, okay I got the nose,...oh sweetie just give me a little push...come on that's it..
that's good...
oh sweetie...
yes...
come on...

I kept up the blather until with a huge bawl the head came out and I told Sedona that it was all easy peasy now!
Baby came out all slimy. Broke in my new coveralls as I pulled the kid onto my lap and started to clear the nose and mouth of goo and ick.

Sedona gave one sigh and walked away shaking. We adult humans kneeling in the bedding with a newborn goat were in wonder. The children stood glued to the stall panels watching and talking.

This little one was brought into the house and wrapped in warm towels and dried off. He ... it was a he...got some colostrum and warmed up.

My neighbor sent me a photo just before I went out for our evening chores...

What a beautiful little Lamancha!

One of the kids asked me later if I'd ever helped deliver a baby animal before and I had to smile at all of the times I had.

I feel good inside.