Chores

Weird sky at 7AM. This is the sky of "impending doom". Necessitating some chores involving driving around the countryside and spending money. Lord knows that if you don't get your "stuff" before the storm comes you'll be in a whole heap of trouble. Now I'm not talking milk and bread here (did that on Thursday). I'm talking about a trip to the feed mill in Fivepointville.

Fivepointville is a little hamlet in the northern part of Lancaster County that doesn't have much to it. A tiny little town with (you guessed it) five roads that come together with stop signs at each. In the unlikely event that you meet another vehicle at the "points" (car or horse and buggy) politeness prevails and everyone waits patiently until it is their turn to cross over.

The winter weather has caused much havoc at the barn. Thirteen alpacas with nothing to do but eat and s&*t. And to make matters worse, there is nowhere for them to actually "go" except in the stall on the rubber stall mats creating a swill of bodily fluids that are difficult at best to manage. Enter an amazing product...wood bedding pellets. These little buggers suck up wee-wee like no tomorrow. They are a little pricey, $11.50 for 2 bags. We went through 40 pounds in a little over a week. Then the ice storm came and then the rain came. And the water poured into the barn making a sort of pond in one of the only areas the four male alpacas can hang out. Thirty minutes and a shop vac and we were able to get up the bulk of the water, put some pellets and straw down. A total mess. But the pellets are making things manageable and it is worth the expense for at least some semblance of sanitation.

Good's Feed Mill is one of those places that time forgot. A store that has many things all in one place. Besides providing a valuable service to local farmers for feed and medical supplies, it's one of those places that you can get a Coke across from the horse liniment and a Reese's peanut butter cup next to the bird suet. How can you go wrong with a shopping experience like this.

Across the parking lot is where the feed, wood shavings and pellets live. A Plain girl at the counter asks me if I told anyone outside what I wanted. I told her no. She rang me up and a strapping young man walked in for lunch and she asked him to get me two bags of pellets. "The van?" he asks. How did he know? Maybe I look like a soccer mom or maybe it was the straw peeking out from the hatch door. Either way, he hoisted 80 pounds into the back and shut the door. Where do you get service like that?

Right around the corner from the feed mill is the shopping Mecca of Fivepointville. Weaver's Store (also known as Weaver's Dry Goods... "Dry Goods" stores are dotted all over Lancaster County and are kind of like the old corner stores I remember as a kid). Here you can get anything. Muck Boots, shoes, flannel nighties, canning jars, underwear and window shades. Seeing that Valentine's day is coming up I got the Farmer some slippers. They're lined with real sheep fleece and he says they feel like a "fuzzy hug". That's love, baby.

Be sure to watch where you park...