Dear Curiosity Journal,
It took two cycles through the wash, but the sheep coats came out shockingly white. They were due for a good scrubbing and the flock was ready for an upgrade in suit sizes, as their bodies and fleeces have expanded since the post-lambing coating session. Annie and I carefully wrangled and wrestled each sheep into their new jacket, which always reminds me of attempting to dress a toddler. Sometimes you get just their head in before they take off half clad. However, it seems both the sheep and the farmers are becoming accustomed to the coating routine, and it goes a little more smoothly each time. Yesterday I noticed Junebug was limping a little and her condition seemed worse today, so I called the vet out to examine her. She didn’t have any obvious injury or sickness, and the vet hypothesized that she either got into a fight or tangled up in the fence, causing a minor soft tissue injury to her right shoulder. He gave her an injection of painkiller and told me to keep an eye on her, make sure she’s drinking water, and observe any fighting to see if it may be necessary to separate the aggressors. She perked up once the painkillers kicked in and rejoined the flock. She almost gave me a heart attack when I checked on her the second time because she was lying flat on her side, not moving, but jumped up at the last second, probably high on banamine. “Juny! You scared the shit out of me!” She stared back at me in a daze, probably thinking the same thing. Her condition has continued to improve, so I believe she is on the mend. I’m still patrolling the pasture to arrest any perps.
~Joy
