In Which I Drive a Lawnmower with a Dog on My Lap

I recently returned from a last-minute trip back to South Carolina. Carson stayed behind, while I spent seven days with family and friends. On my first day back, I planned on sleeping in (I'd worked at 6 the previous morning, then flown home that night at 10pm. I was tired and being home equals sleeping in to me... but not to my father. 

Dad came into the room I was staying in and shook the end of the bed, then had Oscar bite my feet (oh yes, the dog slept with me. It was just like old times.) so I was up earlier and in a more rude manner than planned. Once up, I sort of helped with some yard work. I was given the job of picking sticks out of the piles of pine straw that Dad raked, which I think means "You're useless, but here's a job" in a nice way. I'm kidding of course.

Speaking of kidding, we took a break to visit the goats (get it? KIDding? Goats?) 

We let them out to go munch on grass in the yard next door, but they headed for the plants in the front yard. Goats are seriously fast eaters!

They didn't respond to verbal commands, so they had to be physically removed from the yard.

Daisy enjoyed the satisfaction of having them out of the yard.

Then we got to work hauling pinestraw. Oscar is the constant helper/follower/lawn-mower rider.

This bridge was SCARY to drive over. 

This was after I crossed it. Lovely. Oscar's face doesn't look too sure either. His little paws were digging into my legs, which were already covered in poison oak, so it really just added to the discomfort of the situation. 

When he wasn't sitting on the lawnmower, he was looking up like this. Big baby.

I love Daisy's judging face here.

Oscar decided about this time that it was time to play. He ran over to his soccer ball in the backyard and waited expectantly, and sure enough, Dad was willing. 

I almost edited out the soccer ball just because it would be funny, but then it might not be funny anymore.

He looks like he's rabid here. 

Tired puppy.

Over here is where we got married. Now there's a swing (I think it was actually there pre-wedding, but was taken down for that event)

And when we went over to look at the goats, I took this picture. It's not my parents' barn; it goes to the property next door, but the goats get to eat the grass over here somewhere.