Friday 11-20-09

Can hardly believe November is almost over. My goodness gracious. I have hardly started my Christmas shopping. I am making some things.

Today our son Steve came out with the deer he got the other day. A nice 4point. He cut it up today. Its a nice rack and I know he is proud of it. When Bob got a big one, I remember how excited he was. I took some pictures but I know some are offended by dead animal pictures so I won't post them.

I have been working on our Christmas letter today. Its not real long and I am including a bunch of pictures. Can't find a picture of Joel though. I need to put in another flash drive and see if I can find a small one.

Not much else going on around here. Bob trimmed Cody's feet today for Bonnie. He stood very well. She said he would be I am not sure he believed her. Tomorrow Wrangler is in line and I will be the one holding him. I must clean stalls too. I thought Katie was coming today but she stayed up half the night watching the vampire movie and had a math test early. She probably is recovering. None the less, the stalls are in dire need of cleaning.

Thinking Thursday - my reminiscing

Having raised five children - Steve, Scott, Nikki, Christyn, and Tom - been an office manager and a lot of stress in my life plus approaching an age that I felt was life as I knew it was over - 50 - Wasn't that silly. I had a breakdown of sorts. Could not make a decision even to live for the life of me. Bob asked what he could do to help me get my bearings back. Guess what. It was a horse. Tikki was a red roan appaloosa. She was just what I needed. We rode many miles up hills and down. On a ride along a trail, I found barrels set up in a little field. I started out to trot then barrels. At least I started at a trot when she took off like a rocket. She knew the pattern. I got it, she had been a barrel horse.

I had a dream about having a horse to show and because Tikki had been a gaming horse and did not want to go slow around the arena, just fast around the barrels, I sold her to a young woman who needed a friend. Then.....along came Ditto whose registered name is Cuttin Loose. She was the most beautiful paint horse. I did start to show. She and I accomplished wonderful things. She was high point paint horse in Washington State Horsemen several times. She is still out in our pasture and is 28 years old. The is grey around her muzzle but still full of energy unless she thinks you are going to ride her and then she drags around. Funny girl.

There were several horses I had after I retired Ditto. Mel - Mellow Gold - who was a palomino appy with a blanket, Sunny - can't remember her registered name - who was a red dun quarter horse., Dun in Glory -Glory- who was a minimal white paint. They all came and went because they could not meet Ditto's standard. Rosie - Wild Rose- came for our grandkids. I drove her in a cart. She is an awesome 13 hand pony. Bob has used her to pack in the back country, pull logs around, she totes around grandkids and just loves to be loved on. She is a bay and white pinto with half her face white and half dark. "She will also live out her life here. I think she is about 19.

The how we came to have primarily mustangs and Peppers story will be for another day.

2 Great thing I forgot to mention

#1 thing is the greatest ever. Tom got called back to work starting tomorrow morning. We are so happy for him. Christy has been working part time at a Day Care too. Isn't that wonderful.

#2 thing is that Christyn's biological mother was found OK. She was at a friends home in Wenatchee. Without going into the ins and outs of that family, it was a good thing that she was found OK because it could just have easily been something else. Its a terribly disfunctional family. Christyn thanks us on a regular basis for taking her away. The week she turned 18 her bio sister called her. Thats another untold story here.l

OK, Now me and my body are going to curl up under the covers with a good book. See you tomorrow.

Windy Wednesday

This is Leehorselogger.com. The pictures are loaded backwards. I went ahead of him and pulled off on a side road and waited for him to get there. He was in our newspaper The Spokesman Review a couple of weeks ago and has been ambling thru our part of the county. I caught up with him just west of Reardan. He did not stop and talk to me but that was OK. It was fun to watch him go. I hope he got to Davenport before dark. These are Suffolk drafts. No too many around. The one being led just plodded along. The horses are barefoot and have pulled that wagon from Montana to Massachusettes and back. His destination at the moment is SanFrancisco. I hope he can get over the passes without snow. Not Washington passes. They are getting hit. My camera ran out of battery. I may take a run to Davenport in the morning to take more pictures. It was fun.

Went to pick up my prescriptions today. This four all come due at once. One is on its own cycle. I about passed out when she told me what it would cost. I am in what they call the doughnut hole and Medicare does not pay until January l. I wanted to have hysterics but just cried. The poor pharmacist. Not his fault. Its not like I take them because I want to. Grrrrrrrr. He gave me a phone number and I will call it before I try to get December pills again. I don't want another stroke but thought I might drive myself to one today. Then I got a hold of myself and went to see the horses and wagon.

My story will continue tomorrow...........................................

Its Tuesday

It sounds like I am doing a yahoo for my kids. Guess I am but they deserve it. Today we had ANOTHER leak outside the pump. Tom had plans for the day but instead he came out and dug open the spot. It was a nasty day and I know it was hard for him but he did it and today I am thankful for a son who would come and help us. Tom, we love you.

When I did the chores this evening and fed the barn kitties. They have grown to 6. Well out of the hay came four little ones. I had no idea they were in there. They did not stay long and I don't know where mama is. She is not one of the 6 we have been feeding. Not a mouse or a rodent in the barn. I wish I could find a home for Fancy. She is so friendly and cute I know at least she would make a good pet.

There was a peculiar sky this evening. I was doing chores and the rain felt like ice chips hitting my cheeks. The SE sky, the S sky and the SW sky were the most awesome pink for about 5 minutes. I am used to beautiful sunsets off to the west here but this was different. Very odd.

Its Monday

I get tired of saying I don't feel good today so I won't. I just want to crawl in a hole.

Blessings go today to our youngest daughter Christyn who called me and asked me what was the matter. I told her some reason whatever and in an hour she was here and went thru my house - well the kitchen, dining and living rooms for me. All I could do was cry. I complain to those close to me about her but not today. She is an adopted child and in contact with her biological family even if she doesn't like them much. Today she got a call from Lucy, her bio sister that their mother has been gone two weeks and no one has heard from her. Please pray that she is found. Tomorrow a missing persons will be filed. Christyn is worried because she is diabetic and does not care too much for herself.

So, today I am thankful for my daughter Christyn and her thoughfulness.

Sunday

Our place since Friday evening. I guess I can't deny winter being upon us any longer.

I have been at a Washington State Horsemen convention since Friday morning. It was in the Spokane Valley so did not have to travel although it is easier to stay in the hotel. You can rest in between meetings ect. However, I survived as usual. Washington State Horsemen in the largest multi use horse organization in the United States. We have four main divisions and multiple lesser groups, we have a person in Olympia. It is a family organization. Something for the entire family. Lots of fun for everyone.

Then as soon as the convention our zone had their awards banquet. I was very tired but now its all done for another year. I have some responsibilities in the zone, horse show division. Bob who does not like horse shows at all went with me today and that was so nice. Most of us will be going our own ways from now until the first of the year. I do miss my horse show friends. I am thinking about trying a little gaming next year. Can you see fat Pepper ambling around barrels. Makes me laugh. They assure me no one would laugh but I would.

Today I am thankful for a year of success with WSH and for all the people who give their all for our horses and however we choose to use them.