Cuzco's Glamour Shot o' the Day

[Taffy]

Is he grumpier/pushier now than in warm weather? He sure is a stellar goat in all other aspects.

[Nanno]

No, Cuzco is grumpiest and pushiest during the fall ever since we got Nibbles. He knows the girls are in heat and it makes him angry. I think he's worse this year because we also have boys in rut now. All the hormones in the air really put him out of sorts. I don't think he knows how to deal with it and he takes it out on everybody--humans and goats alike. I'm sure if we got rid of the other goats it would be like Christmas came early and his attitude would turn around immediately. He was never friendlier than when we took the girls away to State Fair last year and left him home by himself. Cuzco is one of those few goats who does better without companions.

[Nanno]

The weirdest thing happened the other day. I went outside in the morning to let the goats out of their pens for the day and Cuzco was standing out in the field to greet me. For some odd reason he was not in the pen! All the other boys were still in and the gate was tight shut. One of the support posts for the electric fence was bent at an odd angle, so he must have jumped out, but what possessed him to do that is beyond me. He has never jumped out of the electric fence before. In fact, he hasn't attempted to jump out of ANY fence for years and years! I thought he was way too old to be pulling these kind of stunts. I have no idea what made him do it. He didn't act upset or panicked and neither did any of the other goats, so I don't think a bear walked by (besides, Daisy would have gone nuts and we'd have heard her). Very odd thing. I hope it doesn't become a habit. I know in his younger days Cuzco was able to clear a six-foot horse panel from a standstill (we watched him do it), but he has enough trouble just jumping into the truck bed these days. All I can think is that he must have been really sick of those pervy little boys in his pen!

[IdahoNancy]

I just wonder about dementia. His changes maybe mood related but it dose make me wonder. It's not like you could do anything about it if it was an age related mental decline. He has been a crafty goat most of his life maybe he's got a second wind with all those young hormones around.

[Nanno]

Are you saying Cuzco is a crazy old goat??

(I'd probably have to agree with you actually.)

I don't think he has dementia. He never acts confused or lost. I think a lot of his bad attitude these last two years can be chalked up to plain old jealousy. He HATES that we got other goats and that he has to share our attentions. Cuzco was never an affectionate goat, but I think he was under the impression that his bond with Phil and I was exclusive. Getting Nibbles shattered that illusion and he's never been quite the same since. He's always had an edge of aggression simmering under the surface, but it bubbled over after we got the girls and he erupts like a volcano during the rut.

Cuzco was downright friendly when we took him to Lake City for our "goat vacation" this fall. He was a jerk to Pac-Man, but he was quite the congenial fellow with Phil and I the whole week. It's those evil, conniving women I tell ya! They get a man in trouble every time!

[Nanno]

It's story hour time! I forgot to share this one when it happened but I told it to someone the other day on the phone and it's about time I recounted it here.

One afternoon last spring I heard Daisy barking so I peeked out the window to see what she was excited about. A white station wagon was slowly crawling up the driveway with a neatly dressed couple inside. Only Jehovah Witnesses dress in their Sunday best on a weekday and come calling at your house uninvited. I had just made up my mind to pretend not to be home when I saw the car come to a halt. Daisy was standing in the middle of the driveway barking her head off and wouldn't move. The car sat there undecidedly for a few minutes before slowly backing up and turning around. Daisy was triumphant and I was relieved.

Our victory was short-lived however. A few days later I heard Daisy barking again and this time a large flatbed truck was trundling up the drive. The JW's were back, and this time they'd sent the ranch division. These guys weren't nervous about barking farm dogs. The truck pulled up to the house and a big man with a cowboy hat stepped out of the driver's seat while a smaller man in a suit and tie with a Bible under his arm stepped out of the other. They had already seen me before they got to the house so it was no use hiding.

I went out to greet the two men on the porch and they started giving me their spiel. I wasn't really listening because I was watching the scene unfold behind their backs. A strange truck in the driveway had not gone unnoticed by my five goats who had been grazing in the field moments before. They all came up to inspect the unfamiliar vehicle and add a few nose prints and hoof marks. And when Mr. Cowboy asked me if I believed in Jesus, my response was, "Did you know there's a goat in your truck?"

The guy whipped around to see Pac-Man crawling around in the cab of his truck with Nubbin right behind him. He had left the driver door standing open and naturally it was the first thing the goats discovered. At first he acted like he didn't care. "Oh, it's a farm truck, they can't hurt it."

"Maybe not," I replied, "but are you sure you don't need the upholstery, because it'll be gone in five minutes. And you might not care to sit in whatever Pac-Man is leaving there on the seat."

With that statement, he bolted off the porch and with a little handy maneuvering he managed to get the goats out of the vehicle before any damage was done. He closed the door and tried to come back to the subject of my salvation, but the moment was lost and it wasn't long before the two fellows bowed out with as much dignity as they could still muster. They could tell I was having a hard time keeping a straight face. No one comes to our place and leaves a car door open. No one.

[deschutes dawn]

Haha, I love it! I've had a few of that religious order come by. The last time they came by I had my bow in hand getting ready to practice for hunting when I answered the door. Not sure what they thought but apparently a woman with a weapon in hand must have been unsettling. They haven't been back. I like the goat method though. Very subtle, but effective (and hilarious!).

[sydneyjd]

LOL, thats one way of handling them. Its hard to get rid of them when they are almost in your house.

[Nanno]

Tonight Phil and I participated in the Beulah parade of lights with Cuzco and Pac-Man. Phil dressed as Santa and drove Cuzco and the cart all decked out in lights!
   

I led Pac-Man, who wore a packsaddle for the first time tonight. He wasn't particularly pleased about it, but I think he was more upset about the lights and noises and strange people than anything else. He eventually settled down. This is the first time I've gotten to use my new Northwest packsaddle and Acid Rain panniers! I stuffed the main panniers with crumpled newspaper to make them look full, but the side pockets were filled with candy to throw. The goats enjoyed some chocolate before the parade.
   

Cuzco was full of fire tonight! I found a better driving bridle for him--one that sat lower on his nose--but nonetheless he nearly pulled Phil's arms out the whole time. He was adamant that he was supposed to LEAD the parade! We made him stay behind me and Pac-Man. There was a pretty steep hill at the beginning of the parade and Phil asked me if he should get out of the cart and walk.

I said "No! Stay in there and make that goat work off some steam!"

It didn't help. I think he'd have needed about three more people in the cart to make any difference. Because Phil was holding Cuzco back so strongly, he looked magnificent. He practically danced over the pavement. His feet barely appeared to touch the road he was so light on his feet as he pranced! Cuzco got a ton of compliments from the people as he went by, and afterwards Phil was told he and Cuzco were the highlight of the evening.

Pac-Man was awesome for his first time out. He never once balked or dragged at the lead even though he was clearly nervous about the flashing lights and noises. I fed him a lot of cookies to convince him that we were in a nice place. Not only did he eat a lot of cookies and some candy, he also helped himself to my Christmas lights! Just as we arrived back at the staging area after the parade my light string went out and I looked down to see if the switch had gotten bumped. Instead, I just saw a pathetic piece of wire about a foot long hanging out of my pocket. Pac-Man had chewed my string cleanly in two, the little stinker!

[nebs]

Ha ha! That's awesome! My kids have been looking at your pics of Cuzco pulling a cart, and really want to get one for Thor to pull when he gets older.