Sunless Sunday

This is how Bob spent the afternoon. He helped our neighbor Shannon halter break her 17h mule. It was a sight. The mule got drug, threw tantrums but at the end of the hour he was walking along. He is really young - 2/3 I think. I did not ride. It was just too damp and foggy and I spent the day just piddling around. Cleaned my kitchen stove etc.

I am going to post here something by Baxter Black that I found in the November Horse Previews. It is a little long but worth reading.

Perspective

Robin's uncle gave her 2 dozen tamales. "That's too many" she protest.

"No, I've got plenty," he said "I bought 14 dozen from my neighbor's wife. Her husband's out of work"

Let's put our economic breakdown in perspective. Out of generosity and/or greed on both ends, we created the perfect tsunami of debt that has now come due. The tsunami tide is now going out and taking much of our accumulated wealth with it. It is rapidly becoming clear that the president and Congress cannot solve the problem. Therefore it is up to us to save ourselves. How? By taking responsibility for our own well-being and our own actions

Step one is to avoid spending another self-destructive though trying to point fingers and cast blame. At this point it doesn't matter to anyone except politicians and commentators.

Step two, turn off the television news.

Step three, reach out.

Together we need to find a new level of economic stability. At a personnel level, as a family, as a business, as a community, as a country. Some will be starting at the bottom, others further up the line. Reach out as an individual, as a family member, a neighbor, an employee, an employer or as a friend. Start each conversation with "How's it going? How can I help?"

For your own sanity, if you're in the limbo of loss, home, money, job.....go mow a neighbor's lawn, wash his car, fix her screen door. Keep your hands and heart and mind busy. Make your time beneficial to others. You won't be surprised to find how healing it is to brighten someones day.

Be part of something good. Start going to church again, help coach kid's sports, join the Lion's Club or Rotarian's. Babysit for someone, tutor a hard luck child.

Be thrifty but invest in your local economy as you are able. Buy Girl Scout cookies, don't abandon your contributions to missionaries, helping the downtrodden, don't discontinue funding needed scholarships, buying 4H pigs or helping the Red Cross. Keep tipping the waitress. Pass it along.

And while you are doing all that, fine tune your business big or little, feed store or farm, boss of maintenance man. Put in more hours. Work more efficiently. Get your mind right. Pull your share of the load. Put your fear in God's hands and pick up a shovel. The confidence we have lost in our politicians must be reinvested in ourselves.

Because we, you and I and Robin's uncle ARE America. We are expected to do the right thing, at home and abroad. Which is why, even in spite of our calamity, hundreds of thousands of immigrants, legal and illegal, continue to flood our borders seeking a better life. They have faith in our future. I have no doubt we will live up to it.

"Faith is the substance of things hoped for and evidence of things not seen" Hebrews 11:1. Or....... in a nutshell, think positive.

This just struck my heart. Baxter Black usually is funny.

I did the chores this evening while Bob was our helping an older lady from church with a problem with a drain line. She is Grandma Jean to everyone. She sent a bag of peanut butter cookies to me. Now I HAVE to go eat them.

I am sad

Today being the foggy grey, drizzly day that it was, Bob said lets go down to the horse sale to see how things are on that front. Like the silly about horses that I am, I said sure. So we -meaning he Tyler and I went to Davenport about one or one thirty. Got there just as it started. There were a few really nice riding horses that went for around the 800.00 mark. Some in the 500.00 and down. There was a Shetland/draft pony I would have loved. He was a pinto and big enough that I could have ridden him. And he seemed to have a sweet disposition. The only other horse I really would have liked was a 2 year old palomino filly who hurt herself in the trailer coming - all superficial and would have healed but was so scared and bloody. I think she went for 150.00. THEN came the loose horses and they went for 10.00 to 150.00. I had to leave because the buyers were buying them and some had papers, most were young. None were thin or abused looking, I just knew who was buying them. I went out to the car and read the Horse Previews that was laying there. Just could not sit there or I would have embarrassed myself sobbing.

We got home and Tyler went to town to his brothers. Probably won't be back tonight because it is so foggy. Bob and I did the chores. Dixie, Ditto, and Pepper get put in. They stand at the gate telling us to hurry up. I had to pet and kiss them and get a good hug on them. Bob has been changing some fences and added on to the shed he and Tyler built this summer. I might ride Pepper tomorrow. Dixie is so full of vim and vigor I think I might just let her be.

Katie didn't come again today. That's OK. She is an inexperienced driver and I worry about her. She would take exception to that but you remember when you were 17 and driving for a year. You knew it all. Well she is no different.

Just listened to the Cougars lose their first basketball game. :(. Gonzaga plays tomorrow. I can curl up and watch it after I ride when we get home from church.

Let it Snow

Well, not really. However this little guy, the newest addition to our household thinks it snowed just for him. He belongs to Tyler and weighs all of 2 1/2 pounds. His name is Bolt. He is entertaining.

I woke up with a ghastly headache. Got up ate and took Tylenol and crawled back in. Slept a while and got up and have been just hunky dory. However I stayed in the house until this evening when we had to go to the store. I would not have gone shopping for anything this morning. Nothing I needed that bad. That would have been the case even if I had awoken with no headache.

A very lazy day otherwise. I should have got the sewing back out but that will have to come tomorrow. I watched Gonzaga play Maryland and win today and then turned on the WSU game and listened to the last 3 minutes. They won too. So sports wise, it was a successful day.

I should have taken a picture of the snow but didn't, and they say it will rain tomorrow.

Thanksgiving

Before carving. No leftovers though of anything. I wanted turkey sandwiches tomorrow. May have enough for one sandwhich. I guessed too close I guess. Tom and Chrissy bought the pies and there are some of them left. Guess I will just have to eat them.

Our son Tom and his three children came = Ryan, Seth, and Sheya. Our daughter Christyn came with her partner Wendy and her three children Nikki, Skyelor and Jadeyn. Our son Steve came too. Daughters in law Debbie and Christy had to work. They both work for AT&T in Customer Service. Debbie works from 4 AM to noon and Christy works from midnight to 10. Both are ghastly hours but for now they are thankful for their jobs. Steve has not worked since April or May and then broke his leg in a serious break on Fathers Day and just now can look again and Tom is the only one working on his shift. Just him and the boss. So both girls put up with it. Christy has a degree in accounting and she graduated with a 3.9 gpa and could not find a job in her field.

Our first snow today. Not much, just a skiff but enough to know we had snow. It was kind of fun to look out the dining room window with the snowflakes gently falling. Tyler went into his brothers this evening. Told him to drive careful and he said he always does. He is better than some and he drove all last winter. I just worry about him.

Thanksgiving Eve

Happy Thanksgiving

May your barns be filled with good horses

You homes blessed with peace job and abundance from the Lord above

May our Lord bless you with His good gifts throughout the year.

Cooked the sweet potatoes to candy in the morning and made sure the sacks of stuff were out of the turkey and washed it and got it ready to stuff in the morning. I just remembered I don't have celery. Quandary - do I go to the store now or pretend and don't use it. Oh well, I will have to think on that one. I made the other batch of cranberry/orange dressing and got that in the frig. I got the mess cleaned up in the dining room mostly. Before I go to bed will sweep the floor again to make sure I did not miss a glob of something and put the table cloth on. I put all the Christmas stuff away and I will throttle a grandchild (or child) that goes snooping.

That was the sum and total of my day. Katie came out but she is still peeved at me. She will need to get over it. I don't think she rode though. And she did help Bob with the chores. For that I was glad. He and Tyler built fence today. They are moving things around so the horses are out of the mud. I don't think he did much with Rusty today. Tyler did work with Liberty today though. She would like him to believe that she has forgotten all she knew. I don't believe her.

The grand kids will want to ride tomorrow so I hope its a nice day. Sheya in particular.

I would like to tell you the little intro was mine but it came today from the Mustang Heritage Foundation. All who read this, have a wonderful day with families and friends. What would we do without either of them.

Tuesday

No picture today. I am tuckered plumb out and I don't think I went outside at all today. I spent the day cleaning up my sewing mess in the dining room so we can get back to using it for a dining table. I put things away carefully because it will have to come back out on Friday. I am not finished yet.

Then I made cranberry/orange relish so it could sit in the fridge until Thursday. It smells so good. And I made dinner roles today too. I hope there are still some left on Thursday. They smelled so good when I took them from the oven. Tyler ambled into the kitchen to see what smelled so good.

Steve was here by 8:30 to take all the measurements he needs for our new front porch. It is not what I wanted at all but he and Bob agree on it. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR. I told him if it was ugly I would tear it down. That wasn't nice was it.

So besides the usual things like dishes and such that was my day. Tomorrow should be better.

Its Monday and Tyler appeared

This is my Mississippi pig. I want really really bad to go to Grenada, Mississippi in the early summer and Bob told me we could not afford it and if I wanted to go I would have to find the money. I dug around and found this pig and put him on the kitchen counter. I expect everyone to put their loose change in. LOL. I think I have 75 cents in it as of today. Bob suggested I hitch Rosie to my four wheel cart and drive her there. I said I did not think so. Then he suggested I ride Dixie. Noooooooooooooo I don't think I want to do that either. I will have to find a way to make some money. I want to drive.

Katie left mad today and I am sorry but she needs to learn to take criticism. Abby was naughty but she is a good enough rider to have done a one reign stop and gotten control instead of bailing off. She wants to ride Pepper and I tell her no she has a horse of her own. Usually. She was not going to get back on but Bob did insist that she do just that. I get so tired of her whining about her. She is the one who wanted that horse. She is the most timid rider. She wants a well broke horse than never wobbles but she doesn't want to do the work to get her there. She has Bob wrapped around her little finger but I just won't give in to her. She won't learn any other way.

He thinks I am too hard on her. LOL (as I grit my teeth)

My young friend Anita had her fourth boy over the weekend. Eli Graceson is welcomed by his brothers Ian, Lee, and Dru. Welcome Eli.

Tyler pulled in here this afternoon with his little black furball Bolt. He is a cutie. Skeeter wants to play but he wants Tyler to hold him. He spent last night at his brothers in Spokane - Joel. He brought some things to them. We are glad to have him back.

Steve is coming out tomorrow to start on our new front porch. We will see how that goes. I have my ideas on paper for some time and we will see what Steven says. For those that don't know, Steven is our oldest son. He will be 50 in February and that makes me feel exceedingly OLD.

If he is done by noon we will go back over and see Jenn and Riley and see if we can do any more to help her. If not it will be next week. She does have a trainer coming on Wednesday that the BLM called for her. I don't think she has done much since we were there. I don't know if she is afraid or is about to give up. Makes me wonder. I talked to her today.

Bob went and got our trailer today. I we can find a frig for about 400 dollars cheaper than they wanted for one. Its still a little over a thousand but that is better than 1500. We will order it next week I think. We did not need that expense now. Oh well such is life. My pig won't get very full very fast at that rate.

Sunday and a sore throat

I spent most of the day sleeping, resting, reading. I did go to church this morning but came home and dove back into my bed. My throat is sore like a sinus drainage thing. Whatever, I don't like it. By later this afternoon I was bored with it and got up and we had taco's for supper. Bob is now snoozing in his chair and here I am.

Yesterday we just worked around here and went to a Back Country Horse meeting. We belong to the Panhandle Back Country group. It is a very long story how we met those folks but we have belonged for about 15 years and they are good friends. We have ridden places with them that we would never have known nor places we would not have ever thought to go. Some of our favorite places are a couple of different places on Craig Mt. south of Lewiston, Hoodoo Pass between Montana and Idaho. And Clearwater Crossing in Montana. Besides of course several places in the Bob Marshall Wilderness. There is Escure Ranch south of Sprague, WA and another place I can't remember then name south of the rest stop west of Davenport. All good places. Escure Ranch is good to ride late in the year and early. Summer is not so good because of the abundance of rattlesnakes. Kind of like Fishtrap.

Today Bob went riding with Katie, her dad Doug and our neighbor Shannon. I really would have loved to have gone but am trying to get rid of this "thing" so thought perhaps I should not go out in the cold. Sunny and bright though.

On our way to church this morning up on the other side of Deep Creek hill, there was a huge coyote ambling across the hay stubble. He was very good and in very good condition. I took a picture but it turned out too dark so some reason. I need Nikki to come over and show me what she learned in her photoshop class she took just before she got sick. AND, I need to put my camera in for a cleaning and going over. I want a longer lens but the long one I have won't work on auto focus and I am really a dunce w/out it.

We are waiting for Tyler to get home. He has been over at his parents for a couple of weeks. He went for a wedding but was there to help his mom when felt so rotten. We have missed him. He is bringing home a puppy. Just what I need but he will take good care of him. I think it is part Chihuahua and Ihasa apso . I know I did not spell those right but you get the idea. He should be an itty bitty dog and I know my Skeeter will love him.

Maybe I will have a picture tomorrow. My cousin Joy lost her Aunt Elaine this past week, Joy our prayers are with you. AND my precious grandniece that calls me Grammy turned 16. What a good girl. Also my dear little grandnephew Jimmy had his 5Th. birthday this week. Jimmy is a wonderful little boy who happens to have CP. Everything physically is difficult for him but he is so funny and so smart. That is a week in the life of the Williams family.

continued from below

I don't know what happened, it just would not add anything else. So read the one before this before you read this addition.

2. Build a log house
3. Buy the property across the road
4. Purchase homes for each of our children
5. Actively support some of the causes dear to my heart.

5 places I have lived

all in Washington

l. Kirkland
2. Auburn
3. Tacoma
4. Roy
5. Puyallup Then Spokane and then here

5 jobs I have had

l. Secretary
2. Office Manager
3. Cleaned Airplanes
4. Stay at home mo
5. Riding instructor

5 People I am tagging

l. anyone who wants
2. Nikki

Friday and I am cold

This is Jenn's Riley. He is not too tall but is built like a tank. He certainly looks drafty to me. Not drafty and leaking air when the wind blows but like a draft horse genetics in there someplace. He really respects Jenn on the lunge line. He turns in and he whoa's. But he has a space he wants no one in. Partly, maybe the, reason in our opinions is when she tries he throws a real tantrum. I mean a REAL tantrum. Bob did touch him but it made him mad and he broke the rope. By that time he was stressed to the limit. So, we gave her some ideas and we will go back on Tuesday. He needs a halter on. If he had not broken the rope he would have one on tonight. It was a good lariat but he is a strong sucker. Jenn has done everything right except let him be done when he has these awful tantrums. She doesn't have much assistance but is doing her best. She is knowledgeable about horses and has done a good job. She also needs a smaller pen to work him in. A 60' round pen is too large. She is a very nice young lady and I was glad to meet her off the Yahoo site.

It was cold today. I did not wear as warm a coat or gloves that I should have and was shivering by the time we left. Usually my heavy hoodie with a fleece vest is enough. Not today. I was glad our car heats up quickly. When we got home just ahead of dark Katie was here and had done the feeding for us. Thank you Katie.

Barbara from The Serenity Room was tagged and passed it on to get to know us better.

5 Things I was doing 5 Years ago.

1. Getting over the loss of our son

2. Getting over the loss of Bob's mom

3. Regaining my health after cardiac surgery

4. Learning that life was going to continue

5. Renewing my acquaintance with my horses.

(not a good year)

5 Things on my to do list:

(only 5?)

1. Take the turkey out of the frig

2. Finish my Christmas sewing so I can clean the dining room

3. Answer Peggy's letter before she thinks I have died

4. Get back to my routine of walking

5. Clip Skeeters face

5 things I like to snack on

1. chips and salsa(mild)

2. anything sweet

3. apples

4. little carrots and ranch dip

5. crackers

5 Thinks I would do if I was a millionaire

1. Adopt more mustangs

A Dismal Thursday

Guess I don't have to tell you a 3rd. day in a row we are going to Jenns tomorrow. Guess I should read what I wrote the day before. Sorry.

I still am working on Christmas sewing. It is proceeding pretty nicely. I have a big miss in my dining room though. Still not sure what we are doing for Thanksgiving. If the kids all have other plans I guess we will go out to eat. Us and Tyler. He is coming home Saturday. Have missed the young man.

Not anything in particular today. I did my usual hide out in the house when the butcher truck comes. I can eat the meat and enjoy it but can't stand to see them be butchered and all that goes with it.

Wednesday

I think I could have slept all day. Don't know why. I was lazy all day. I am so glad that Bob understands that I have days like this once in a while and lets me be lazy.

I did sew on the Christmas gifts for our grand kids. At least the younger ones. It doesn't take long but it does take me to sit down and do it. Not telling what because at least one mama reads this and I want everyone to be surprised. I am making all I can this year.

Poor Rusty still does not like the surcingle. She tolerates it on but does not want a saddle pad. Bob did not push it today, just the surcingle. No bucking, just looking like "I don't like it" We just will have to keep working with her. She still does like me too much.

Friday we are going to Rathdrum to help Jenn with her mustang Riley. She has had him for 6 months and can not touch him. I am a little discouraged with the amount of people telling her to give up and send him back. Bob and I will give her some help and be honest with her. I just hate people telling her to give up without ever seeing her or her mustang or how they communicate together.

My lazy day is catching up with me. It will be early to bed for me. Maybe a cup of hot cider and a good good for a while too.

Tuesday the l8th.

Another big buck out at the hospital. Not the same one, he was larger than this one. It is the height of rut and he didn't have time to stop and wonder what we were doing. Didn't so much as wiggle an ear at us. We drove thru there after we took our recycling to Medical Lake. It was such a nice day.

Bob messed with Rusty some and put the surcingle back on her. She though "Oh well" and just stood there. He did not try the saddle pad with it today like he thought he might. That is reserved for tomorrow I guess.

Friday, noonish, Bob and I are going over to Rathdrum and help Jenn with her mustang Riley. So many on the Yahoo site have given her a lot of information but she needs some hands on help. We certainly are not experts but we do have a lot of experience. Have never met her except on the i/net but she needs help and we are close. As in closer than Kansas or California. Actually its about 35 or 40 miles and will do that happily. So we will go with our boots for the mud, gloves, a flag and a 30' rope.

I am glad the horses got a reprieve but will feel better when I know where this lady is going to put 30 plus thousand horses. I am trying to respond with reason and not emotion but its tough when you love them all so much.

Monday, November 17

Rusty and her crow hop at the cinching up of the surcingle. She objected but just crow hopped about 3 jumps and then stood there. Bob worked her a while and then she just stood there. He pulled on it, tightened it up a little and she just stood there. He took the long line off and chased her around a few laps each way and then on the line for a while and then put her away with the surcingle still on. He left it on for a while. tomorrow he will put a saddle pad under it. We will see how she does then. Much better than yesterday.

Just a day of cleaning house and unpacking etc. Maybe tomorrow I will be able to get out and do somethings. Bob went to the stockyards today to see how prices were. No selling our steers yet anyway. We do so much better selling them butchered as meat. We have 2 going to freezer camp this week sometime.

Sunday and I am home

My pictures of the convention would not be too pertinent to the blog except we passed step 2 of getting the mustangs added to the breed roles at Washington State Horsemen, I had to present the proposal and the Friday, Horse show Division meeting. the proposal had to include our purpose, eligibility, a list of supporters of the proposition, who would provide the year end award and who would be the division director(I nominated myself because I was the only one there). They accepted it and then I had to present it to the general membership this morning. they accepted it. Now the 3rd. step is in January when the executive board totally ratifies it. It sounds like a long process but worth it.

My sisters son in law's brother committed suicide today. He was very close to the family too and they are all shaken. It is so sad when someone lets one moment in a life cause a person to do something so devastating to everyone left behind. He leaves behind a VERY devastated brother besides his two daughters who he raised by himself and two small grandchildren who now won't have the opportunity to have a Papa. Its a sad sad story.

Bob cinched up the saddle on Rusty today before I got home. He said she can really buck. She got the saddle off and Bob will have some repair to do. Tomorrow he will put the surcingle on her to see if she does better. She had accepted it for a couple of times. NOT TODAY. He said it was really a rodeo. He hit the fence. I laughed and wished I had been here with a camera. He had been so proud of himself with her being so calm. LOL

It has been a long day. But a totally uneventful drive both ways. The roses are still blooming around the hotel and the view of the river was beautiful. Too bad I did not get a chance to experience it too much. Lots of meetings and visiting with friends you don't get to see often and drooling over the stuff the vendors had. I could have bought a new saddle, new saddle pads, new boots, all kinds of tack, jewelry, etc, etc. etc.

Windy Wednesday

What my hubby did all morning. He and Skeeter were enjoying a rainy, windy afternoon. All the while I was cleaning the kitchen. Oh well. He earned it though. He went down to work with Rusty in the drizzle and wind. I might have thrown in the towel. But he had a saddle on her today. He did not cinch it up but she just seemed to say Oh well, whatever. Now if I had gone in it would have been different but that is OK. Not a day to be doing too much with the horses.

We have having a terrific wind storm along with the incessant rain. It woke me in the middle of the night it blew so hard. So you see Andrea, its not any better here than there. I do get tired of the grey dismal days.

Yesterday morning our land line phone was not working. Bob messed with the line off and on all day. It still did not work this morning. I was sitting at the sewing machine and suddenly the phone rang. It was a salesman but I didn't care. That meant I could get my computer to work. No telephone land line, no computer. It has done this 2 or three times now. Maybe Bob will work on it while I am gone the rest of the week. I leave in the morning for the Washington State Horsemen convention in Richland. I will be home Sunday. If they have a computer in the lobby somewhere I may be able to write here but if not Sunday night is when you will hear from me again.

Oh yes, our daughter Nikki is home and doing better. She had to have blood but is doing better in her own home and her own bed. Thanks for your prayers.

No rain Whoopeeeeeeeeeeee

This is our sweet gentle Liberty. She is the 9 year old mare that the neighbor went to Wyoming and left with us. He did send some money for hay for her this winter. She is as gentle as can be but is not broke to ride. Tyler was on her once but that is all. She did nothing but stand there and I know she will do fine if anyone will be consistent with her. We haven't had time and Tyler does not seem to understand the necessity to follow up. He does love on her often and that is important too.

Our daughter had her surgery today and is doing well this evening. She expected it to be day surgery but not so. She is there for a day or two. Her husband has been faithful to call us periodically during the day. I hope to talk to her in the morning. I did get to talk to my sister this evening to tell her about Nikki. They have been on a little trip to Mississippi for their only granddaughters 16Th. birthday.

All the horses are fine. I hate the mud but what can you do. They have shelter to get under but they don't seem to use it much. We are not the only ones with the mud problem though. Even our friends who train at an expensive barn have mud.

Rain rain go away Sunday

I won't add a 3rd. verse to my song today, just the old one we used to sing as kids. Everything is mud around here. It is awful. We cleaned and moved and got ready for winter but to no avail. The 2 loads of sand into Rusty's pen under her shelter is helping with where she can lay down in relative comfort. Hate this kind of grey, dismal days.

I did not go outside today after we got home from church and stopping to buy groceries on the way home. When we came out from our church there was a regular deluge falling. Bob got the car so I did not have to walk in it. Wasn't that nice of him. By the time we got to Airway Heights it was pea soup fog. We have a theory. When they were planning on an airport for the fair city of Spokane they thought, Where is it the foggiest and that is where they put the airport. When Bob came home last night and down our country road his max speed was 5 to 10 mph. He could not see a thing. I don't like fog but hate it at night when there are no marks on the road.

Bob came in from feeding this evening and said "YOUR MARE" did her tricks in the barn again. running in and around and out and in when he is trying to get her into her stall. LOL. She does not like him. I keep telling him that. He needs to talk nice to Dixie and she will cooperate with him. He is not the most patient person in our little part of the world (or anyplace either for that matter).

Daughter Nikki has her first surgery tomorrow. If she has any trouble I will be in my car and speeding over there. Carmen has promised to call.

Rainy Days and Saturdays

The second verse of the same new song as yesterday.

I sewed most of the day. Then I made myself some potato soup. Then I found out I was out of crackers. Darn but it was good anyway. Bob went deer hunting up in the Colville area early this morning. He called about 2 hrs. ago and had gotten his deer. He said it would take him a while because it was very foggy up there. That's OK, just so I know he's OK and will be home tonight.

My eyeballs started crossing while I was sewing so decided it would have to sit there until tomorrow. I am also trying to get pictures out of the old albums onto the computer so I can get them on discs. Some of them are fading and they are important to me and will be by generations to come. Especially pictures of both my grandmothers and my father who died when I was 16.

Katie came out and rode today in the rain. She helped me feed and put the mares and Pepper in their stalls. I can do it just fine but it was nice to have the company. For all my bragging about Dixie, she was not good tonight. She could not remember anything until I really got after her. Then it was like Oh, you want me where? She is finally put some weight back on.

Katie helped me do some clipping on Skeeter. My dog clippers got hot so we had to quit but his face, belly and one leg and foot are done. She said she would help me tomorrow finish him. I gave him a bath this morning too.He does not mind that, he just lets me and then when I blow him dry he likes that.

So, that was my day. Not too exciting.

Rainy days and Fridays

I think I started to write a new song. I hate days like this. I could have stayed in bed and dozed and read all day. I did most of the afternoon. Not in bed but curled up in the afghan my daughter in law Debbie made me last Christmas. It felt good.

We burned some of the stuff that had been accumulating all summer. Branches, logs and yard waste. It looked like a day to do it. I watched it for the most part from my dining room window where I was sitting at the table sewing. I am working on Christmas gifts. Am trying to get Tyler's done before he gets home. Nikki or Anita don't tell him.

Had bad scare this morning. My son in law called and said they had taken Nikki to emergency in the night running a very high (104 plus) fever with chills and much pain. I sure wish they had called me last night. She has a raging kidney infection. She is having a fibroid tumor removed on Monday and when all the infection is gone and she has healed up, she will have a hysterectomy. I am worried about her. She does not want me to come on Monday but if it goes bad and they have to do it all she wants me there. I am so worried about her. She is home. I am glad that Tyler is there to help her with the little boys 10 and 4.

That has occupied my thoughts today. But I did go out and put my mares away. Bob said he did not want to mess with Dixie if she does so well with me. He was working in the barn though so I wondered what she would do. She went straight into her stall and then gave him a dirty look. It made me laugh. I put Pepper in his stall and he thought he was king. Of course we think he is too. He does not get grain like the girls, just the things for his eyes and vitamins. He is so fat. He breathes and gets fat. We can control the amount of hay he eats when he gets put in at night. The others get fed in the paddock. Rosie all by herself because the others are mean to her and she doesn't get to eat. Just grabs a bite here and there. So she gets a pile to herself.

A snowy Thursday

It snowed all morning until early afternoon then it rained and it left. That is OK. I did not really appreciate it so much. I had to go into Spokane this evening to a Northeast Zone Meeting. When I came home instead of raining it was pea soup foggy in Airway Heights. Ick I hate that more than anything.

The girls came in quickly this evening. And Dixie went right to her stall. Nothing like she does for Bob. I almost hate to tell him. He is going to call her a bad name. She just likes me best. Hahaha. I don't call Rusty bad names when she shuns me and she does. Oh wells. Ditto likes me best too. He knows that though. I have had her since she was 2 and she is 28 I think this year.

Wednesday

My girls coming in on the run along with Yuma because he knows he gets a treat when he is the only one that comes with the girls. You would think the others would catch on. They don't seem to though. They will come when Bob whistles but Yuma has already had his treat. He thinks he is pretty smart. Well he is actually.

Bob was in the barn when the mares went in. It does not both Ditto at all but Dixie does not think he belongs there and always does something silly like running out the other end of the barn and then coming around and going in the east end again. Tonight he shut the far door and closed the other one behind her. She stood there and just looked at us. I told her to get in where she belonged and she just gave me a stare. Bob popped her on the rear lightly with a piece of board and she whipped in where she should be and snorted. We both had to laugh.

I went to the dentist again today, have one more appointment and then I am done for now.

A cold rainy Tuesday

Not a day to take pictures of anything. Its the kind of a day that I would have liked to have stayed in bed with a good book with a cup of steaming hot cider to sip on. However, that is not what happened. Our davenport was in sad disrepair and though we loved it, I would rather have not had one than that any longer. Our budget just would not let us replace it. This morning a friend from our church called and asked if we would like a couch and love seat. It was in like new condition but they had not been using it and was in storage. Bob asked him why he had called us and he said the Lord told him to. I won't argue. Bob and Tyler went and got it so my day was spent getting the old couch and chair out of the way and other things too, cleaning the floor good. They look nice in the living room and I am so grateful for them. It changed the direction of decorating in my living room though. That is OK. It looks new and more comfy I
think.

Bob took care of the horses today. He and Tyler worked in the barn most of the day. Then he put in my "girls" and went to catch Pepper and put him in and he said no thanks, I won't go. So, he gets to stay out. Bob did not want to chase him to catch him in the rain. He (Pepper) is a spoiled brat sometimes. Ditto and Dixie are lounging in their dry stalls with the barn doors closed so its warm. They will laugh at him tomorrow.

Tyler is leaving for a week tomorrow. I made him promise to go in the daylight. I worry about him. He is anxious to see his parents and have a good visit with them and to go to a friends wedding on Sat. We will miss him. We have come to depend on him a lot.

Monday

Isn't he stunning? We went into Airway Heights this afternoon to Hicks Hardware and if you are in this area you know that Claude Hicks has everything and knows exactly where it is. After Bob got what he needed he said lets go over to the hospital in Medical Lake and look at the deer. If you are from this area you know the deer at the hospital are all over the place. This beautiful guy just laid there and looked at us. I don't have a long lens so I was this close to him. He wasn't too concerned. He is king of the Eastern State Hospital deer herd I think.

Bob and Tyler worked in the barn until after dark tonight. They are adding to the loft and putting more lights up. It will be great when they get it finished.

Dixie and Ditto were very funny. When I was out talking to the boys I heard horses trotting and my girls saw me and thought AHAAAAA. Its time to go eat. I made them wait a bit but then put in their grain and hay and watched them hurry fast to their respective stalls. They are so funny. Both of the nickering under their breath at me. Yuma and Rosie came with them but when I did not let them in they pouted all the way back out to the pasture. Yuma is so very funny. He stomps and pouts and gives dirty looks.

He appears

I can quit whining about Bob being gone. He arrived home this afternoon elk less but had a grand time and saw lots, and he took tons of pictures. So he considered it a good 9 days. Too bad I wasn't with him.

Rusty was glad to see him. I had worked hard and not been able to touch her but Bob walked right up to her and loved on her. She is definitely his horse. I would imagine he will be on her soon.

We figured our hours to turn in to Burns for volunteering. Way more than I thought. When we added up all our hours according to their list of what qualifies. I would love to be closer to Burns so we could do more but alas. Not possible. If we were younger I would not hesitate. I don't want to be so far from our kids, their kids etc.

I am rambling. Sorry. Am glad to have my hubby home.

A lonesome Saturday

Our horses this morning in the fog. Probably not a photo contest picture but I loved it.

Rusty has a very clean enlarged pen. Lena went home today and we moved a couple of the panels so Dixie can get to the water trough where the other horses drink. We fixed it when Sierra was here with a panel across the middle. Rusty immediately stuck her head clear down in it. I think she was glad to have something more than a large bucket to drink out of. She seemed to like the extra room. Tyler brought 3 tractor buckets full of sand to put in. So she has a nice clean extra big corral. She would not let me touch her though. I put her in the round pen when we were working on her pen and she snorted and bucked and ran.

I also cleaned Ditto and Dixie's stalls. Really stripped them bare and re bedded them. We need to get a new load of shavings. If Bob does not come home pretty soon I will call and order them myself. Had one bale of straw and Ditto got that. Have one more stall to clean and Tyler gets that. He won the drawing. I am going to make from scratch cinnamon roles tomorrow. So, he gets to do the last stall. Think that is only fair huh?

Not a word from the wayward hunter. If he was alone I would be scared. He is not. (alone)