And then there were eight...

When I did chores this morning I spent a long time watching Spirit and the two kids which were born last night. They are all doing well, and it was so pleasant to spend time enjoying them.  Then I came inside to get ready for a dinner party planned for tonight in honor of Rachel's birthday. She turned 29 today, the same age I was when I hatched her. I was cooking dinner for 7, the menu, at the birthday girls request, was to be roast chicken, (home raised) fettuccine Alfredo, with fresh pasta made by our friend Marion, salad, home made focaccia bread, and strawberry shortcake for dessert.  So there was some cooking to be done.  I tidied up the house, goofed off a little, (because it was my day off, after all,) and while I was goofing off Abraham donkey began to bray. And bray some more.  His sound effects are generally pretty predictable. He sings first thing in the morning to remind us that he is starving to death and needs breakfast, and again any time someone enters the yard.  But this braying was at an unusual time, and seemed urgent. I put my boots on and went outside.

 I checked on Spirit and kids, they were all snuggled up sleeping.  Then I went into the shed and there was Celeste, kidding.

Abraham had alerted me!  Three little white kids, two males and a female, were soon drying in the sun.  Celeste has never accepted kids before, but was cleaning these and talking to them. I had high hopes.  She let me help each of them nurse, too. I tucked her up in a small space to bond with her babies, and went back inside to resume party preparation.

I got my dough rising, and made an appetizer platter. I put the chicken in the oven to roast, and prepared the strawberries for dessert.  Then I heard Abraham braying again.  Surely he couldn't be telling me another goat was kidding?  Or maybe he was. Boots back on, I hustled out. There was Ella, with a wet, new kid, and in hard labor.  I plunked down to stay with her, toweling off her kid and getting it started nursing.  Two more kids followed.  Ella is a wonderful mother, she cleaned her kids up, and let them nurse.

Rachel and Evans arrived, as did friends Scott and Marion. I abandoned them  all out with the new kids to get inside and finish making the bread. I put the appetizer platter out, set the table, baked the bread, took the chicken out of the oven, started the Alfredo sauce, grated cheese. Marion made sure that Celeste's kids got a snack, Rachel and Evans got Ella's kids dried off, and gave Ella her warm electrolyte water, then tucked that little family into a cozy spot where they could rest and bond.

Another friend arrived, and pulled on muck boots to go out and meet all the new babies. Those are the kinds of friends I have. The come to eat, but stop to help with baby goats.  Friends that arrive with muck boots.

We had a nice supper.  Chris made the biscuits for the strawberry shortcake, Evans carved the chicken, I cooked up the fresh pasta and tossed it with the sauce. There was a lot of talking and laughter around the table, and Rachel's 29th birthday will be remembered for all the kidding that happened!