I live in a semi-rural area surrounded by vineyards and horses. The property I live on has two houses, the old rambling weatherboard house the girls live in, and the smaller but much newer brick house the cats and and I live in.
The girls look after rescued horses in the surrounding paddocks whereas I get all the freedom of the space without any of the responsibility.
The girls also have three ferrets, six dogs and a sheep they raised from a lamb called Gordon.
Gordon was raised with the dogs, came in every night and sleep with the dogs near the fire in winter and eats dog and cat kibble whenever he can get near it.
He also does an excellent job of keeping the girls' yard from needing mowing. Mine unfortunately was looking quite shabby as my gardener cannot visit any more.
So I had a chat to the girls and they asked if I would accept Gordon in to chew on my grass and I have such a think lush amount and, as it is coming into winter, there's not enough in their penned-in yard to keep him fully fed. I was happy so every few days the girls lead him out of his yard and into mine.
The first time they did, Abby was very wary and cautious of what this animal was and why was it in her yard .... she slunk down in the grass and slithered on her belly all around the sheep. Then ran back to me meowing querulously but wouldn't let me pick her up. She then slithered back around until she was right in front of Gordon and then leapt up about two foot in the air all paws a'waving doing the best Scrat impersonation I'd ever seen.
The girls and I doubled over in laughter. Gordon didn't even pause in his chewing. I ran inside for my camera, but could only get one shot in before another car pulled up and Abby ran off.
So now Gordon visits regularly and the girls and I make sure the door to the sleep-out is wired open just enough the cats to get through but not Gordon. Turns out we were wrong. Also turns out Gordon gets lonely.
He doesn't like being over here by himself, especially when he can see the dogs have been let into the paddocks with the horses without him. So whenever I'm home Gordon wants to be inside and that would be fine if he didn't piddle and poo everywhere.
Trubs is not happy about him being inside, it makes her very nervous, so we're keeping Gordon outside now. I can stand watching his big sad lonely sheep eyes more easily than I can stand watching Trubs being nervous and worried.
So there's the story of Gordon and Abby :)
