Socks, worms, and clowns

     This is turning out to be a typical week.  As I type this there is a pair of socks on the computer table next to me.  My husband's?  My son's?  Hard to tell these days.  I am guessing they are my husband's and he put them down while making an early morning call to a second vet, trying to find Banamine,  an anti-inflammatory drug to give to our llama.  We are out of luck. Apparently it is on back order with the drug companies, so NO ONE has it. And we need it.       This is our second llama to be stricken with meningeal worms.  Our farm is wet, so we breed lots of snails which carry the larva and are ingested as the llama grazes.  We lost a llama about a year and a half ago to this same worm.  We need the drug to reduce the swelling in the spine so he can stop listing to starboard, leaning on walls to stay upright.  But no go.  So today I got several bottles of aspirin (remember aspirin?) so we can grind up ten to twelve at a time and feed it to the llama.  I have molasses to try to cover the taste, and if that doesn't work, we have a medicine syringe, and we can squirt it down his throat.  That should help the swelling, and hopefully the large doses of fenbendzadole will help kill any worms that have not already crossed the blood-brain barrier.  Fingers crossed.  
       With this in the background of our day, we also got news from one of our students that she was offered a contract to be a clown with Ringling Brothers.  She is over the moon with joy, as she has wanted this, and worked for this for years.  Her excitement is infectious, and the entire theatre department is thrilled for her.  It feels good to see our students achieve their dreams!
     Now, the evening meal will be eaten on tray tables in the living room as I have taken over the dining room table with my grading.  I have papers and projects covering the entire surface.  This weekend I will reward myself by starting to decorate for Christmas.  Hoping your week is as interesting and filled with wonderful news, and joyful surprises.  Oh, and no worms!