STORIES FROM THE BARN

Written by Leona Nielsen
Published on February 2013

April is Volunteer Appreciation Month

I would like to take a few minutes to spotlight the women and the one man who give of their time each month to collect, edit, assemble, print and distribute the Uniacke Newsletter. Have you ever stopped to think of what happens from one month to the next until it hits the various businesses where we, as readers, pick up the finished product? It’s no small task. There are no magic wands, no elves, and no Samantha to wiggle her nose to see this job through. No, it is regular people in the community who hold full time jobs, attend community meetings or other meetings or who are retired but still do a lot of “yard†work around the house. Perhaps you may even know them.
My job, writing “The Stories from the Barnâ€, is so tiny in comparison to the work that is involved behind the scenes with the Newsletter. There have been many times the candle burned well into the night and wee hours of the morning (or the odd time that they stayed up 24 hours just to get the Newsletter out on time) and sometimes there are those unforeseen problems that pop up. No matter what, the Newsletter makes it to the stands.
On that note I would like to take my hat off to all the volunteers of the Uniacke Newsletter and a special thanks to Rosanne and Joyce for being at the helm. The work you all do does not go unnoticed. Thanks to all and a thank you to all the volunteers everywhere. Volunteers are important people to each community. Next time you see someone that you know gives of their time to make the community a better place to live say THANKS.

Now on with the story:

SOMEONE NEW
Last time the owners had gone away for a break leaving a new lady to take care of the barn. A new day breaks………
The day before had been a bit nerve racking which caused everyone to take a few minutes more to sleep then suddenly……………
“Good morning everyone and how are you this morning?†DeAnne said as she switched on the lights.
“What the earth?†were the words out of Baby’s mouth. Annie stood up looking around as if she was in never-neverland.
“I know I have to be dreaming. It’s still dark outside. Someone pinch me.†Joseph muttered as he turned to face the wall.
“We never get up before the sun rises.â€
“I know, Annie, something has to be wrong. Maybe our owners gave her the wrong time†answered Baby
“Better yet, maybe she read her clock wrong.â€
“Maybe Joseph, but whatever the reason, we are still going to get fed.â€
“That part I don’t mind Baby. In fact, I have been pondering eating with my eyes shut.â€
“Leave it to you Joseph to come up with a solution.â€
“You got it Baby. Now I am going back to sleep.â€
Just then, DeAnne reappeared from the feed room…..
“Now it is time to feed the babies.â€
“BABIES !!!!!!!! Doesn’t she know we are LITTLE ONES!!!!!†Annie yelled in disgust.
“Annie, watch your manners. Maybe you should be like Bambi. We have to give her a chance.â€
“Who’s that?â€
“Well, Bambi used to say,†if you can’t say anything good then don’t say nothing at allâ€.â€
“Do we ever. She holds our meal ticket,†came the reply from the corner.
“Is this a donkey thing with the two of you? I know you donkeys don’t care for change much but changes happen, whether you like it or not. You don’t miss our owners any more than I do.â€
“I am not used to having someone I don’t really know look after me. Sorry, Baby, but I will give her a chance.â€
“Well, let’s see – who do I have here? Oh, , this is for Annie. Come and get your breakfast.â€
Annie took one look at the bag DeAnna was holding and stepped back.
“I am NOT eating out of a bag Baby, and that’s final!â€
“Annie, I don’t think she wants you to eat it out of the bag.â€
“Our owners don’t feed us like this!â€
“I think she is going to put it in your food bowl.â€
“THE BAG AND ALL!!!!!â€
“Oh Annie, I wish I had back-up right now to help me with this.â€
“You do Baby.â€
Baby turned around so fast that he smacked into TC.
“Oh TC and Havier. I am so glad to see you. I can’t get it through to Annie that she doesn’t have to eat out of the bag.â€
“Baby is right Annie, she will pour your breakfast into your feed bowl the same as she did with us.â€
“What! You have had your breakfast!! We always get fed first and now we are last. I am not liking this!â€
“Little Ones, everything is going to be alright. Our owners gave DeAnna a routine of the things that go on in the barn but she will start with what she feels comfortable with. There is nothing wrong with doing things in a little different order as long as it all gets done. Does that make sense now?â€
“I suppose so, but I still can‘t understand why we are up before sunrise.â€
“That, Annie, is easy to answer. We are the closest to her home so before she does her other barns she comes here first. That is why it is early to us.â€
“I guess that makes us special, getting fed first.â€
“I guess you could look at it that way.†Havier added.
“What was your breakfast TC?â€
“Same as we always have Annie.â€
“Come, Annie, here is your breakfast,â€
Annie looked at the others to make sure it was okay before she made her way to her feed bowl.
“Now Baby, it is your turn.â€
There was no hesitation with Baby. For some unknown reason breakfast tasted good. Then there was Joseph……..
“Now let’s get Joseph fed. Come Joseph. It’s your turn.â€
“I hope our owner told her that Joseph doesn’t do mornings.†Annie whispered to Baby.
“Oh, I hope so.â€
“Come Joseph. Your breakfast is ready.†DeAnna said as she walked closer to where Joseph was still facing the corner.
With the tips of her fingers she touched Joseph on the back and he stomped his foot.
Baby and Annie both started to laugh.
“There you go Joseph. You wanted someone to pinch you before to see if you were dreaming.†Baby replied
“Okay! I didn‘t meant it literally.â€
“Well, Joseph, I know most donkeys do things on their time not on others’ . Never met one before but there is always a first. I’ll just say, your breakfast is in your food bowl when you are ready. I have some work to do so I’ll check in on you later.†DeAnna stated as she left to do some chores.
By this time the daylight arrived. Mentally, Joseph wanted to sleep some more but his belly was saying, “feed meâ€. As Joseph made his way to his food, Baby and Annie decided to keep quiet until he was fully awake.
“What do you feel like doing Annie?â€
“I know there are a lot of things I would like to do Baby.â€
“Like what?â€
“I’ll show you. Want to come?â€
“I’m coming too. I might as well make the best out of being up so early.â€
“Up early! Joseph, who do you think you are talking to? A stranger? You rolled out of your bed at your normal time after you got another few more hours of sleep.†Baby answered.
“I was just resting my eyes, that’s all.â€
“So resting eyes snore do they? Then if you were just resting you heard what the lady said about donkeys, right?â€
“Annie, I used to like you better when you didn’t remember everything. Yes, I heard what she said. The best part was that she was right on the money because I wasn‘t going to get up until I was ready.â€
Joseph couldn’t help but laugh to himself. Inside, he was getting to like the lady as she seemed to know something about donkeys.
“By the way, where are we going?†asked Joseph.
“I thought we could check out the field now the snow has gone.â€
“Why would you want to do that Annie? The grass hasn’t started to grow yet.â€
“After that, we could make our way over to the big tree.â€
“Oh, I get it! You think because our owners are away that there are no pasture rules. You forgot one thing - TC rules the pasture whether our owners are home or not and TC is home!
“I can’t see any harm in checking out the pasture and we are allowed. Just not the big tree. That’s settled let’s do it.†Baby answered.
The afternoon melted away real fast as the Little Ones played in the pasture. They were having so much fun they didn’t realize they were drifting closer and closer towards the big tree. When suddenly………….
“Well, fancy meeting you here. I thought I would just check the fence out to make sure there were no holes to get through. Horses and donkeys are like children when their parents are away. They like to get into stuff they aren’t supposed to. And I do believe you aren’t allowed here.†DeAnna said as she looked them in the eye.
“I think we are busted!!!†Annie shouted.
“If she doesn’t know already she soon will by the looks on our faces.†Joseph replied.
“I just have one thing to say…let’s beat it for the barn. TC for sure will come looking for us.â€
“We could say that we came out here with the lady.â€
“Annie! TC was born at night but it wasn’t last night and my advice is, as I just said, let’s beat it out of here!†Baby yelled as he started back to the barn with the others following as fast as they could.
Back at the barn stood TC watching as the Little Ones approached.
“I was wondering where you might be, seeing where it has been awhile since I had seen you.â€
“We were seen by the lady, TC.â€
“I see that Annie.â€
“Are we in trouble?†asked Annie.
“Not this time. When you realized you were there, you made the right choice and left. Now, if you had stayed it would have been a different ending. I could see DeAnna talking to you all, so I figure she said enough for me too.â€
“TC, I would like to say that I was the smart one coming home but I have to tell you it was Baby this time. He made the decision to come home even when I said we could just tell you we had gone there with the lady.†Annie replied.
Everyone turned to look at Annie when she realized…
“Oh! Oh! I think I let too much information out.â€
TC had to turn her face before speaking as she could very well see Annie trying something like that.
“Annie, you would have been in trouble for sure.â€
“I know, TC. Sometimes my mouth opens before I have a chance to think about what I am saying.â€
“Now isn’t that the truth.†Joseph whispered to Baby.
Just then, DeAnna arrived back at the barn to feed the animals before going home. After an afternoon in the fresh air everyone was ready for supper.
“I was going to try getting some extra food but with our names on the bags it would be a lost cause.†Joseph muttered under his breath.
“I heard that Joseph.†Baby said as he smiled to himself, knowing full well that Joseph would try something like that.
“Good night everyone! Have a good night and before anyone asks why the doors are closed, that is so I won’t have to worry about you getting into trouble during the night.â€
“Do you think she can hear us Baby?’
“No, Annie. It is just the way people say things sometimes.â€
“Oh, that’s too bad. I was going to show her my intelligence.â€
“I think that bed is calling my name.†Joseph replied as he turned to the corner.
As the days passed, DeAnna bonded with everyone in the barn in different ways. Each evening as she was about to arrive, all eyes were watching the road. But this one day the sound of a car was heard that wasn’t DeAnna. It was the owners coming home. As they got out of their car, they were so excited to see them.
“Look! They are all at the fence waiting for us. †Remarked one of the owners.
Little be known to the owners they were waiting for DeAnna.
That evening they were fed and hugged by the owners.
“Good night TC and Havier. Sweet dreams Little Onesâ€
“That sounds so good having our owners back but I am going to miss the lady.†Annie said with a big yawn.
“I think we all are. She certainly cared for us.â€
“You think she will be back TC?â€
“I think so Annie.â€
Just then a voice was heard from the corner
“Nice to hear you all did well. I can’t complain either. I got my food, a few rubs and even sat next to her once. Guess I bonded too. Got to run and see the owners. See you tomorrow.â€
“Good night, Murphy.â€

Hi everyone. We hope you liked the ending to our story. We learned that it was alright to have someone else look after us, but we still have to follow the rules.
Until next time, stay safe.
Remember to say thank you to a volunteer.
Just think - communities have Fire Stations that are run mostly by volunteers. Our story next time
“Oh No! It’s Not Meâ€