Medical Emergency In The Barn...

So -

WHY do food companies put TEN Hotdogs to a package, and only EIGHT buns? I've never been able to figure that one out. It would just make good sense to have them even.....but, then again, maybe it's a ploy to secretly get people to buy more packages of buns...

By rough calculations, you'd need to buy 5 packages of buns, and 4 packs of Hotdogs to equalize things out. That would be enough hotdogs (40) to last me about 5 years - since I really hate the things. They're better cold, right out of the fridge, then cooked.

My wife, on the other hand, LOVES Turkey dogs. She could eat them for lunch just about every day. Of course, this still doesn't solve the Bun to dog ratio - one or the other would be frozen, dried, or spoiled, at the wrong time, before you caught up. Thus - a simple solution....

Dog food.

This, while seemingly wasteful, doesn't really bother us. Hotdogs are still relatively cheap, and buns are not. Besides, the dogs (real, four footed ones....), enjoy a good "people food" snack every once-in-awhile.

Since we had some "other" items that would be "snackable", it was decided that the "outside" dogs would get to enjoy this round. So - I gathered up my wares, and headed to the barn to hand them out. I didn't bring anything for the goats, but they "lined the rails" anyway, in hopes of getting treats.

They were all disappointed, although Romper did come out to the water tank while I was lighting the heater. She was POSITIVE I had goodies. She was not amused when the only thing I had was a box of matches. She trotted off, scowling, when I offered her one.

I decided to give the pups and mom most of what I had - including the two extra hotdogs, so I opened the gate to their "room" in the barn, and stepped inside....

and right onto the paw of one of the pups we want to keep.

I immediately hopped (ok, MOVED...) off her little hand, but the serenade of yelps had already started. Reaching down, I picked the poor little youngin' up and cuddled her, hoping her crying would stop. She slowed down a bit, but - unfortunately - still continued.

At this point, I reached into the bag of goodies, produced a hotdog, and broke off a piece for her.

Who would have thought that Hotdogs had medicinal qualities? They're a gol-durn MIRACLE drug! The pain must have stopped instantly. At least, she forgot about it in favor of another piece of dog....

I dolled out what I had, then went about the morning chores.

Later on, I was outside getting a hose ready to fill the stock tank. All the pups came out to watch, but stayed on top of the "slope" on the side of the barn. I've seen them all along the barn, and about 1/4 way down that slope, but NEVER at the bottom of it.

The snow we've had in the past days has become hard packed, and can be quite "fun" at times - one wrong step, and things can get interesting.

I was seconds away from "interesting"....

There I was, standing still, when my hip decided to give out, which caused a chain reaction like a game of dominoes. One second, I was standing there, smiling at the puppies, the next, I was sliding and heading face-first toward a gate.

Gate 1, Hillbilly 0

I got a nice crease in my forehead, then bounced, only to land on my back, in the snow. After what seemed like hours, but was actually only about 4-5 seconds, I rolled over onto my side to attempt getting up. I was stunned and pleased to see the poor little girl who's fingers I had stepped on, about 3" from my face.

She had ventured down the slope to see if I was alright. It was the first time I'd seen ANY of them at the bottom. I guess she was just returning the favor from earlier.

I was almost disappointed she didn't bring me a piece of Hotdog....

But, then again, I had just received a knock in the head....