Thank you, Laura! I do love that picture.

Just return in one piece by suppertime, all I ask.

So ...no curry then?

You know, we could have a big holiday party here, and people could bring goats. My neighbours throw enough infuriating noisy parties to where they wouldn't have any right to bitch to the cops.

thrubbing

whimper

Just checked with Nic, and he doesn't remember it being heifer.org; he thinks it was another organisation.

There are a bunch of places that do this sort of thing. Mercy Corps does a goat kit (I really wanted to get a Soccer Kit for my brother -- imagine, funding a soccer team on the other side of the world! -- but it's $250). Also maybe Mother Earth Catalog? Something like that. I wish I could remember the name -- they had packages where you'd give a family a bunch of goats, and then you'd get a round of goat cheese once a year, so there was actually a little kickback from the goats, but they'd get to sell all the rest of what they made.

Mercy Corps

That's ringing a definite bell. Damn. Don't want to hunt through old tax records, nononono.....

I remember that photo they sent us very vividly indeed. The kid - a little boy, maybe eight - clearly happy as hell, grinning his head off, posing for the camera, with a seriously piss-off looking bundle of feathers in his arms. The kid was blissed; the bird was more "Put me down. Put me down now.

I would love a kickback from a goat. Mmmmm, chevre....

Plus, Deb, if you had a goat, you could rent it out to the CHP as part of their non-native plant control project.

Sparky! you are too deliciously generous. I adore the NZ themed box and the honey stuff was divine when I used it in NZ. I can't wait to open the wine and snuggle in.

And thank you for the gift certificate. You're quite the best Secret Buffista!

You're welcome!

I can't wait to open the wine and snuggle in.

Send a little thanks Perkins' way -- she told me what color wine to send.

I feel well Santa-d today. My seekrit one (thank you, Ouise!) sent me an absolutely lovely hanging ornament made with blown glass pieces. It's already up in the window where I can look at it, all red and gold and sparkly. Also, Belgian chocolates that are sinfully smooth and nummy to the tummy. I scarfed two down before I remembered I had to open Anne W.'s fruitcake. Which I promptly did and cut myself a piece. Oooh, that was good. I'm contemplating making the fruitcake my dinner. I've decided I'm going to let myself splurge as much as I want until Christmas and then I'll go back to paying attention to portion size and fat content. So, for now, cake and chocolate, babee! It's all I need.

If I had a herd of goats, I could be a friendly fire control shepherdess, roaming the roadways and hillsides, fireproofing and fertilizing everything in my path. I'd probably need a dog and a couple of robots for the heavy lifting and running around parts. That's OK. I'll be the manager and direct from the back flank.

Thank you for the loverly bookmark Deena. You are very thoughtful and generous. Joy and happiness in the New Year to you and yours.

There was no name on the card, so I don't know who to thank.

It's either Buffista-given, or I'm being stalked. I'm gonna go with the happy answer.

Thank you so much for the flowers. Couldn't have been better timed -- my physical therapist just finished sapping my will to live even more than I thought him capable.

And no, they do not smell, thank you for the attention to detail. The do, however, look, and are pleasing to the eye.

Plus, many buds, so it looks like they'll be pretty for a while.

Again, thank you so much. They're beautiful.