Cray-zeeee

Yesterday, my cousin spent the day removing all the fence posts around the farm. Sunday was spent cutting down the apple trees. It's really a wonder I haven't had a breakdown. Anyway, Molly pops on IM this morning to tell me the following story. Everything in ( ) are our comments.

Her husband (my cousin) was pulling fence posts and taking down fence yesterday... and this lady pulls up and stops in the road and rolls down her window.

The crazy woman (CW) says, "What are you doing?" (really cocky).

He says, "Taking down fence" (duh)

CW: "What are you taking down the fence for?"

Cousin: "Because I don't need the fence anymore"

CW: "Well, we are NOT going to let YOU ruin THIS side of the road like you ruined the other side. So, you can just stop what you are doing right now"

My cousin just ignores her.

CW: "Are you taking down that fence so they can dig over here? Because we will put a stop to it and what you are doing - Just like we put a stop to you trying to put the asphalt plant up"

Me (to Molly): Call the cops...we got a crazy on the loose

By this point - he has lost all patience and says "No, don't worry, they aren't going to dig over here. Someone from Michigan is planning on putting a NASCAR track in here, so you don't need to worry" and went and got back in the skid loader to continue pulling posts.

Hello, police station? We've got a crazy on the loose!

Have I mentioned they're putting in an asphalt plant? Yeah. Great.

They had a big town meeting about it last month. My dad, uncle, and cousin all went. Lawn Mower King stayed home, because frankly, he's a former mining engineer - he knew what was going to happen. He's been to these things before. Anyway, he and I are figuring they'll have another one of these "appease the community" meetings and then they'll build the plant. They don't care.

However, at the meeting there were several people with facts (ok, ok, they printed their "facts" from the internet) and most of the community is against the plant. They went around and had people sign petitions. They sent out flyers about it. Here's the thing. We (my aunt and uncle, my parents, and Molly) haven't seen anything about these petitions or flyers. Nothing.

I can understand my parents and my uncle - they are the ones that leased the land to them (not the land for the plant, mind you). But LMK and I? We're not part of this. In fact, my grandfather was really against it. His house and the land it sits on are not part of the lease. We're not on the quarry's "take". If they want a huge supporter, HELLO! MY life is changing. MY home is changing. They shine 4 - 1,000 watt bulbs in MY front window until 11 o'clock at night.

But anyway...now we're somewhat worried about nails being put in our driveways and such, because frankly, that woman sounds cray-zeeeee.

Goats

As I said yesterday, I hate goats. Anyone who knows me might be shocked by that statement. I love all most animals (okay...creepy crawlies aren't high on the list).

Goats are the exception.

One of my first memories is of Billy. Billy was my cousin's goat. Billy was mean. I was around three or four years old and Billy loved to terrorize me. He'd headbutt me (like goat's do) and generally traumatize me. I have a distinct memory of him cornering me in the cow barn, knocking me down in the filth, headbutting and kicking me until I somehow escaped and ran to Grandma's house. I had many a bruise from Billy.

My parents did what they could to protect me but all they could do was refuse to let me play outside. That wasn't fun. My cousin (and her family) thought it was funny how Billy seemed to have a vendetta against me. "Haha," they would chortle, "isn't it cute how Billy chases Erin around?"

"Oh, Billy likes you, Erin."

Meanwhile, Erin is running for all her little legs are worth to escape from this goat. I can still remember the fear I felt when I saw that goat coming. I tried hiding behind my parents or my grandfather but Billy just would not give up.

Billy made a quick and swift exit after the day he turned on my cousin. Evidently, it was ok to terrorize me, but one slip where she was concerned and that goat is history. (Yes, I'm still a little bitter about it.)

So I am not looking forward to Middle Cousin's Wife brining her goats. My only highlight is that I am now bigger (MUCH bigger than a goat). They better not mess with me. I'll..... I'll....sit on it.

Who's laughing now, Goat? Who's laughing now!