Saturday Adventures

      Every Saturday during the summer break, I have been going on an adventure to the Picture Butte Auction Mart. It is an early start to the morning, we have to be in Picture Butte before 10:00am - the small animals and poultry sell first in an outside ring and shortly after the small animals start selling, the indoor ring starts up as well, with the larger offerings of pigs, cows, goats and the occasional surprise. Peyton has enjoyed coming to the auction with us and she wants to buy everything!! I am SO glad that the auctioneer has turned a blind eye to her frantic waving of our bidding card - she has tried to buy a baby calf, sheep, a miniature goat... she wants ALL THE ANIMALS!!

      Last Saturday, Megan, Peyton and I headed off extra early, snacks and strong black coffee in hand. (I still can not believe that Megan came with me when I invited her!) We were at the sale almost 45 minutes ahead of the start. I had noticed that Jersey calves were being brought in for this day and I wanted to have a little look around before the circus began. For a regular Saturday sale, they had lots of "smalls" consigned - Peyton pretty much stood on her head to peer into the boxes! It was not long before she spotted several boxes of baby muscovy ducks and she was DETERMINED that she was going to bid on them.

     Peyton was also convinced that we needed to buy two little bummer lambs that we noticed inside one of the stalls. I have never seen her as excited as when we told her that she could wave her card "for real" and buy the box of chickens that she wanted and the baby ducks that she had fallen in love with. The auctioneer didn't take her bid at first, but once we made him aware that she was really bidding, he acknowledged her, until she owned three ducklings and six assorted-breed chickens! Peyton could hardly contain herself! Then, some tears were shed when she realized that while we were loading the ducklings into the back of the truck, her little lambs had been sold to someone else.

   In the end, we came come without a baby Jersey calf or the miniature lambs - but there is always next Saturday!!! And guess what? Megan had so much fun that she wants to go back to the auction next week - she really enjoyed herself and was upset that we missed the little lambs. The ducklings cost us a whole $12.50 - not a bad price for a day's entertainment and a summer's worth of fun for one little girl!

   Poor Mike, he does not know what is coming home next! Soon we will have a petting zoo!