Building a house the way ours was built certainly led to some chaos. Not everything could be under control.
Some of the things that happened were very funny and remained family stories.
Some how or other,we came into possession of a little billy goat. In 1947 our grandparents had retired into the little village. In those days there weren't coolers or freezers and you couldn't buy milk. Some of the villagers had a cows and sometimes you could buy milk from them. Some how or other, Grandpa came into possession of a nanny goat that he thought would give him enough milk. Surprise , surprise , the nanny promptly had 3 kids. Just what grandpa wanted! But wait . Grandpa had three sons so each son got a little goat. Grandpa thought his grandchildren would like a goat for a pet. We did.
Our goat was Billy. Billy thought he was a little kid ...I mean a little human kid. Billy played with us all day. Billy was smarter than all four of us put together. Billy got his way. Billy was a nuisance
We moved into the house as soon as it was closed in but not finished. There was a plank ramp up into the kitchen. Some how or other Mom was distracted and had left all the breakfast dishes on the table and was out in the yard. The kitchen door had not been closed. From a distance someone noticed billy going up the ramp. No one was in the house. By the time we got in the house Billy was on top of the breakfast table. Billy had already cleaned out the butter dish! We were surprised.
Shortly after that Billy disappeared. Dad had had enough of poor Billy. I think Billy was passed on to someone who needed some meat. That's one thing Dad never ever told us.
I think you are probably right about Billy;s fate but at least he has been remembered in your thoughts for a long time which is more than you can say about most goats I would guess.
ReplyDeleteOur family certainly remembers Billy. It was probably the first goat we had ever seen.
DeleteSo cruel to bring him away, so sad for you and your brothers...
ReplyDeleteBilly was the author of his own fate . we spoiled him so he kept getting into trouble.
DeleteObviously the title to this piece might have been "Billy and the Butter Dish!"
ReplyDeleteSounds good to me!
DeleteIn recent times I have lost a few blocks of butter to our opportunistic dogs but I wouldn't have expected a goat to take it, being herbivores.
ReplyDeletePoor old Billy
Goats eat anything. We caught him several times eating nails.
Delete...somethings are best unsaid.
ReplyDeleteOh, wow. The stories you tell. I love them.
ReplyDeleteI think everybody has stories. We were happy and energetic.
DeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteCute story on your pet Billy the goat. Enjoy your day, wishing you a happy weekend!
Billy was a character. He knew how to get what he wanted.
DeleteOh my! What a story about Billy. I do hope he tasted good, with all that butter in him. A sad story in some ways, but just part of life I guess. :-)
ReplyDeleteIt gave us some experience with goats.
DeleteYou have some interesting stories to tell! I'm glad Billy had an opportunity to have fun with you and your brothers.
ReplyDeleteWe had an adventurous life on the farm.
DeleteA funny story with a sad ending. At least Billy had some fun with you before he was given away.
ReplyDeleteI don't think we had ever seen a goat before except in pictures.
DeleteOh my! What an interesting story. I wonder what really happened to Billy. I know my aunt told me the story of starving during the war years and how her pet rabbit had to be eaten. She became a vegetarian after that.
ReplyDeleteAt the time there were many immigrants to Canada from Europe. Dad found somebody who was used to eating goat meat.
DeletePoor Billy.
ReplyDeleteBilly was the author of his own fate.
DeleteAw, poor Billy, and sad that you lost your pet.
ReplyDeleteWell, if Billy had behaved himself , he may have had a longer life.
DeleteThat is what The Micro Manager will say of you...one day.
DeleteEeeeek! Billy goat chops! . . . Goats really are mischievous but they are clever and persistent, too. And really cute.
ReplyDeleteGoats are cute when they're small but they do get big and problematic!
ReplyDeleteAround that time do you by any chance remember having a nice stew that tasted like a lamb stew?
ReplyDeleteGreat anecdote. I don't love the ending, but that is reality.
ReplyDeleteThere was a young goat that we used to see on one of our walks. We named him Billy, of course, and I would gather tall grasses to feed to him. One day we noticed he wasn't in his fenced yard, and we never saw him again.
ReplyDeleteI had a goat one summer...I loved him:)
ReplyDeleteI wondered if Billy's fate would not have been sealed if he had not climbed onto the kitchen table and eaten the butter?
ReplyDeleteOh poor Billy !!!!
ReplyDeletei absolutely LOVED this story dear Red ,actually i would love to hear more from your childhood :)
when i was in second grade probably ,my maternal grandpa gifted us a baby goat ,we both sisters loved her but we were not allowed to take her for grazing ,mom would brought grass for her at home ,and we were not happy to miss the fun of taking her for outing ,in short once we tried to do so secretly and next day she was back to nan's house :(