Friday, November 7, 2008

Coming Next Week- Utter Chaos!

Okay, so you have probably never moved 65 sheep and goats from an Island off the coast to Massachusetts to New York's Hudson Valley before, so I'm going to tell you how I'm doing it, which may be totally wrong. There is no manual for these situations, people! We are writing the manual as we go.

First I had to send Patrick down to NY in my truck to pick up the small trailer. He left yesterday and will be back on Sunday with it.

On Tuesday, an equine transport company will be arriving on Island with the BIG TRAILER. It's a monster- 47 feet long with at least two separate compartments. We will be loading the bucks, rams and wethers first over at Tisbury Meadow in to compartment A of the big trailer. The bucklings (baby boy goats) will then be loaded into the "goat tote" in the bed of my truck.

Next we will caravan over to Felix Neck and load the nanny goats and ewes into compartment B of the big trailer and the doelings into the small trailer behind my truck.

Then we will drive down to NY (five hours including the ferry ride) and drop everyone off in the appropriate pen. [I have decided to put Lincoln, our breeding ram, and Buck Fifty, our breeding buck, in with the ladies as soon as we arrive in New York to get our breeding season started.] We will be dividing the flock up a little differently in NY (more on this latter).

So once the big trailer is empty they leave. But the fun is not over, my friends. On Wednesday morning, Erin and I will get up and drive the small trailer up to Lee, MA to pick up our 10 new cormo ewes. (!) Then we'll bring them back down and put the seven adults in with Lincoln and take a long nap.

But not too long. Because on Friday we are driving up to Boston for my talk thingy (calling it a speech is still too scary) and to visit with all of you fine people who can make it. (Oh, and I'm hoping to drop in on Jessica and Adele at America's Test Kitchen sometime on Friday afternoon while we're there.) There will be a meet up after the talk thingy (I think at the Bertucci's nearby because, well, it's nearby) and then E and I will sleep over at shareholder Jenny's house (Hi Jenny! Looking forward to those crepes.) and head to Falmouth to pick up a big u-haul truck. 
Then we'll take that truck over on the ferry and pack up all of the sheep stuff that wouldn't fit on the first run (including the golf cart and the goat hutches) and head back to New York, one of us driving the big truck and the other in the car.

Ta Da! You wouldn't believe how long it took me to map all of that out. It would all be a piece of cake if it wasn't for the infernal ferry! They're so particular about their "reservations" and "schedules."

I will be needing a serious vacation when all of this is over and I'm taking one. I'll be going to Texas for an entire week of Mexican food, manicures and margarita! Oh, and Thanksgiving too.

14 comments:

Sue said...

Boy, that sounds like a plan! :0)
Good luck on the move and have a great vacation!

BeccakBecca said...

A 'goat tote'! That sounds like one of those bags people carry their tiny dogs in. I love it! :)

Anonymous said...

Dear God. I thought moving to/from overseas was bad.... at least you have Texas to look forward to! I'll probably see you in Cambridge.

Anonymous said...

Well, on PAPER that all sounds smooth and well-planned. Here's hoping that it works out that way! Chappy and I are tired just reading about it. But then, anything with that much car travel is going to worry him anyway....

Which reminds me--where are the dogs riding?

Susan said...

Biscuit and CIni will be riding in the small trailer. Normally I'd take them in the truck with me but we will have Gulliver and both of Erin's cats with us, and 250 pounds of white dog is just too much for Chuck.
Our Chappy Cat went down with Patrick on Thursday because he's not so in to chaos.

Anonymous said...

Wow !!!

Anonymous said...

Wow is right!!!!

Pattylg67 said...

Oy!

Anonymous said...

If ya'll will be down at Hudson Valley, what happens to the farm up yonder over the winter months?

Do you board it up or something?

Dana S. Whitney said...

Which week and where in Texas? We have an awesome local Tex-Mex restaurant in Plano. MY TREAT if our schedules over lap.
Safe Transport to all of the hairy critters.

Susan said...

My mom and sister live in Fort Worth but I have friends in Dallas and I'd love to come over for lunch. Maybe we should have a Texas meet-up while I'm down there?

Anonymous said...

Definitely need a north Texas meet-up! I just started reading your blog during the tech makeover contest but I'm already a devoted follower. Patiently saving my pennies to buy a share. I'm between Ft. Worth and Dallas and drive everywhere often. Let us know if you are up for it!

Anonymous said...

Wow - I need a nap, a margarita, and a pedicure just reading/thinking about all of this. Double wow.

You are a trooper - I thought you were only moving 1/2 the flock. Is is all going now?

I can't help but imagine Gulliver in the front of the truck, looking an awful lot like the doggie in the Grinch when he's at the front of the massively-overloaded sleigh!!! Lol....Wheeeeeeee!

Oreste said...

Hello Susan, a salute from Rome. Ciao