The waterworks...or the water *works*

Good news! The water gun seems to be doing the trick w/ those crazy goats!!! Two nights ago right before I went to bed they were up on the porch. I gave them a squirt and down they ran. I didn't hear them all night long! Sweet!!! Yesterday they came up once during the day...squirt. And this morning at 4:00 am I heard the dreaded snort. I hoped they would quit so I could not have to get out of bed, but alas, they kept on. I got up, got the gun and headed out the door. When I turned on the front porch light, they ran down the steps. Hmmm, learning something already!! I was sure that they wouldn't learn that fast! I mean, if Pavlov had used goats, we would never know who Pavlov was! Well, I stand corrected...learn they do, and it didn't take as long as I thought! I still squirted them on their way down, just for good measure. We haven't seen them on the porch at all today. Yippee!!

The next thing is going to be the chickens. Unlike our last batch, these chickens feel very much at home walking on the back porch near the door, hanging out in the garage, and leaving "evidence" behind. Michael tonight gave the boys permission to squirt the chickens with the water gun if they are seen on the deck. Cheers all around!

The water worked again when this guy showed up AGAIN last night...
Yep, he came back. I went out to bring Jackson in for the night and he had Mr. Nasty IN HIS MOUTH!! Yuck! I told (read yelled at him w/ disgust in my voice) him to put it down. He did, eventually. I didn't have shoes on, so I wasn't about to go out in yard barefooted to get that silly dog, so I had to wait until Michael came out. Which wasn't long! I'm sure he was wondering what on Earth was going on! He came out "shoed" which he always does, just about the time I was getting Jackson. We stood there together and looked at that disgusting thing. Well, I was looking...Michael was thinking. Wondering actually. Wondering what it would take to get that possum up and running. He tried throwing a rock at it. He hit the thing right on target...thud...right in the gut! The rock just bounced off. Mr. Nasty didn't move at all. Then, Michael surprised me by walking to the water hose. I saw what was coming next, and took about 10 steps backward!! I didn't want Mr. N to have a sudden return to life and start breaking land speed records in MY direction!! While I was watching from the protection of the post on the deck, Michael went over to the hose, turned it on and sprayed the possum. Guess what??!! It immediately jumped up and ran off (thankfully NOT in my direction!!) back toward the woods. Now we know what makes a possum STOP playing dead!

My next question is....what bad habits can a water gun stop in boys?????