Mike the Goat has moved in next door...

[jenP_97]

Yes, yes, another update on the neighbors to the south... 
You know the ones...

My neighbors with the sewage problem and the stoned lawn-
mowing habits seem to have acquired a new family member: a 
baby goat.  Now while I can appreciate the merits of a goat 
(hi, Mike!), especially around this area where dry grass 
(and ALL the grass is dry in the summer) is a huge fire 
hazard, it's virtually unnecessary in the middle of town, 
where most people water their lawns/shrubs/plants.  It also 
seems a bit strange in the *middle* of town, where the lots 
are about 60' x 150' max, and half that space is taken up by 
a house and garage.  However, I can still make allowances 
for a more "natural" way of living... you know, the free 
fertilizer, the lack of fumes from the lawn mower, the 
companionship of a new pet... that kind of thing.  In fact, 
when we get a bigger yard (as in more than an acre of land), 
I fully plan on adopting some kind of grazing animal to 
help with the yard work.  

But my neighbors have locked this poor thing in the back 
yard, which they just *rototilled* a week ago.

So there are no plants back there for him to munch on.

They don't have to worry about mowing their lawn back there 
anymore... they don't have one.  They have maybe one bush back
there... and the rest is soft, "feet-sink-in-when-you-walk-
on-it" dirt.  The only thing I can think of that they're 
feeding that goat is either dog food or trash from the house 
(natural garbage disposal?), and that's not quite what I 
imagine is the high life for a goat.  Maybe Mike can prove 
me wrong, but I'll wait for his comment.

Of course, livestock is not allowed in our residential 
neighborhood per the zoning regulations, so I could always 
call them in... but it seems a little pointless, doesn't it?  
Maybe they're just "fattening him up" before a little old-
world supper, eh?

JenP, the mystified.