It All Started With A Cow's Nose...

(The bolt is keeping the gate permanently shut, but the wire is for good measure)

Well, to say that I had one heck of a day yesterday might be slightly understated.  And to also say that it all started with a cow nose, might seem a little crazy, but it is the truth.  I was doing my usual morning routine and opened up the first of my kitchen windows, and what!  Why are the sheep in the other pasture?  I knew they couldn't get over there through the fence, but Flora as you know is very talented, so I just thought she found a loop hole.  Then I open the second window and WHAT!!  There are my two cows eating grass in our front yard.  I almost stopped breathing at this point.  What was going on?  Needless to say I immediately got my jacket on and told my son to stay inside for a few minutes and I'd explain in a minute.  I hurriedly rushed out the door, slipped on my tennis shoes and got a bucket of grain.  I proceeded to try to bait the cows back into the field, but grain isn't their language...grass is.  My neighbor was already on her way to help, so she and I herded the boisterous steer and playful heifer back into the field.  Gus thought it was a game and was having fun bucking the whole time.  At least one of us was enjoying themselves right?  So I got the cows back in and was puzzled as to how the gate was opened and I still couldn't figure out the sheep situation.  I knew I had to get them back into the back pasture so I did what I do and baited, coaxed, and coerced the sheep to go where they really didn't want to be. 

Once that was finished, I hurried and checked on Jude and he was being such a good boy and was laying on his pillow pet on the floor waiting for me.  So sweet!  I told him to wait a few more minutes and I needed to wire the gates shut.  So the next step was to get wire and wire the latches shut, I had to bolt the main one.  When I was finally heading into the house the phone was ringing and it was my neighbor saying that the sheep were out earlier and her daughter put them in the field for me.  Sooo, that's how they got there!  The mystery was solved and I am very grateful for such good neighbors.  As soon as I hung up the phone, I heard my daughter waking up.  My very thought was, "Thank you Lord that You made this morning sooo much easier than it could have been!!!"

***Turns out, after some investigation, I suspect that one of the cows opened the gate with a flick of their nose and got out first. (since you know what the latch looks like, it wouldn't be very hard)  However, they were at the end of my house which my neighbor's daughter would not be able to see them (found cow pies back there).  She saw the sheep because they were in the front yard and so did her mighty nice deed.  The cows a little later, found their way to the front yard, which is where I found the curious creatures eating my wannabe lawn.  And can you believe that two cows and four sheep all walked past our dog and he never barked?  Unbelievable.

Think that was all the craziness that happened in my day?  Nope!  After running a few errands in town the kids and I got home and headed straight to their room for a nap.  I wasn't in the house for more than 30 second and I heard this loud CRASH!  My mind just started to race.  I have a pantry that is open and the whole top shelf is full of wine glasses.  I just knew that the shelf must have broken and there are now millions of tiny shards of glass all over my office floor.  Slowly and dreadfully I walked to the office (which is right next to the kitchen and was once a laundry room and also is home to our pantry) and peered in...nothing.  Nothing was broken and the floor was clean of any glass.  So now another mystery to solve.  I looked in the garage, looked out the back porch, I even looked to see if a branch had fallen and hit my car.  Nothing.  So as I walked through the kitchen I saw what it was.  My sink (which is an under mount) had fallen off and was laying underneath my counter full of dirty dishes and water.  Ugh!  I was relieved to figure out what happened, but wasn't looking forward to cleaning up the mess.

We re-glued the sink to the counter top. The wire is connected to the drain and the large piece of wood and then the little piece of wood is twisted to tighten the sink to the counter - once glued.  Make sense? 

To sum things up.  My hubby and I were up till 11 last night re-installing the sink.  I had to hand wash the dishes in my teeny bathroom sink and hand dry them so the kids wouldn't play with them this morning.  I am now writing this with no usable kitchen sink or dishwasher for that matter and I am hoping to get the plumbing fixed tonight.  It could have been worse.  I am actually glad that it was the sink and not the wine glasses.  There are few things I hate to clean up more than broken glass. 

Lord willing, today with be a much calmer and less eventful day.  We are spending a full day home and it will be nice.  The weather has been gloriously sunny and warm and I look forward to playing with my little ones in some sunshine.

Have you recently had a day like mine?  For your sake, I hope not.    :)