Slip some, slide some and falling off the roof

This morning I woke up to it snowing again but I did not whine and moan. I told myself, I did not have to like it but if I believed God was in control then shut up about it. So I am. Then it started to rain. Snow began sliding off the roof, it is scarey when it happens but its a good thing. I am glad all is shoveled that would be in danger.

I shoveled out my car this morning. I thought to myself how ridiculous it was. I have driven all over the place every winter. I have not this winter and now that Bob is working for a while, I am stuck here. So out came the car. I had a little trouble driving out of our place onto Christensen Rd. There is just a little rise in the road and the snow is so deep its hard to see and just as I hit the road I had to stop. Then I was stuck but with rocking the car and working at it, I got unstuck and went to buy groceries. Old Mother Hubbards Cupboard was getting low. I needed to have some fresh veggies and salad. Bob would live on hot dogs or eggs but I needed more. Don't do hotdogs anyway. I was quite proud of myself actually.

THEN, I got home and was carrying in the first 2 bags and wham, a big piece came off of the roof, hit me in the side of my head and my shoulder. It hurt. Then I could not get the storm door clear open nor closed. So I stayed inside until it was time to do the chores and sqeezed out. Bob shoveled it the rest of the way for me. The walkway between the garage and the deck is hip deep with slide off the garage. I do have a knot on my head but no permanent damage. Just scared me for a few.

When I went to put the horses out this morning Pepper decided it was his turn to get loved on. I hugged and kissed him and brushed him before he went outside. Dixie didn't care today, she wanted out and Ditto always just wants out. During the snow/rain all the horses stayed out in their pasture except Yuma the donkey. He was in the shed. He looked at me like, they are stupid, its dry in here.

Bob carried the rest of the groceries in and put them up for me as I was getting dinner. Good fellow. He likes his little job. He is working for the census bureau.

I went meaning on the BLM site where they have the horses posted that are going to be on the internet adoption starting next week. My favorite is #1653. A gorgeous grey 2 year old. He is sure nice. I think he is at the Ridgecrest facility. From Pauls valley I especially like #1041. She is from the same place as Sierra was and looks enough like her to be her sister. She was such an easy baby to work with. If we had the time, money ect. I would not hesitate to put in a bid on her. Pauls Valley is in OK> though and that is a little far to go get her. I can daydream though can't I.

Go Away

I refuse to post another snow picture for a week. You all know I am sick of it. SICK of it. And we have anotheer 8 inches last night.

Bob started a job today that will last about 3 months for the census bureau. So I will be putting the horses out to the pasture and the evening chores. I am glad because that forces me to get outside and to make a connection with the horses. When I went to put them out this morning the first thing I noticed was a grey kitten eating in Yangs dish. Yang is a very large barn kitty. Bob has been telling me she is there, I would guess shes a she and also a black one that is a little larger. I didn't see the black one though.

I put Pepper out first. He was glad to get out. When I went to let Dixie out she did not want to go. She wanted me to love on her and pet her and talk to her so I did for a while. She gets a really strange looking face in the winter. She gets alot of black around her eyes and on down to her muzzle. Since having her teeth done this fall she is getting her nice figure back. In fact, she is kind of chubby which I am thrilled to see because she got so thin over the summer. It worried me. Finally she wanted to go out with me. She walked with her head against me. I was so irritated with myself that I had let the snow keep me away from her. Ditto was her usual self, just take me out please so I can roll in the snow. She does that every day.

Liberty was looking for some attention too. I know she misses Tyler. He usually found time to pet her and talk to her most days. She is a sweet girl too. When she came a year and a half ago and had never been touched at 9 years old she was a spooky lucy. Did not want us around her. Tyler won her confidence. He never had the nerve to get completely on her but he could have. He was soft and calm with her.

Abby misses Katie but her dad and mom won't let her drive in this nasty weather. I don't blame them but she misses Abby and Abby misses her. Abby would get in your lap if she could.

Don't forget to sign on and comment to win a chance at the book Hope Rising. So far there are seven entries. The more often you comment, the more chances you have. Good luck.

It started out sunny -

Our grandaughter wanted to cut her grandpa's hair today when he said he needed to have it done. He said he didn't care. Actually all she had to do was shave it all off with the clippers. She did a good job and was quite pleased with herself. She just turned 15 on Dec. 30th. She was born and named Nicolette Elizabeth, has always been Nikki (Little Nikki to the family) but she has decided she doesn't like her name and goes by Neddie. Oh Well, what goes on in the mind of an adolesent? I don't know for sure. She was named for her aunt Nikki.

We had a calm rest of the day. Our daughter Christyn came out with her partner Wendy and Chrissy's 3 kids. We had burgers and chips and had a wonderful day with them. They got a puppy from their father for Christmas. And live in an apartment. She asked him not too but he did anyway. He is a cute little bugger but is going to be huge. Skeeter didn't like him so much. He tried to play with him but the pup would grab his ear and swing on it. Skeeter didn't like that so much.

The snow was so beautiful this morning. Acres of diamonds shining. The sky was so blue. It was wonderful. I did not sleep well last night. I woke up feeling lethargic but after looking out at the feelings how could I not have my spirits lifted.

Don't forget to leave a comment for a chance at the book Hope Rising. If you like short essays that will inspire you and if you are not a real horse person you will perhaps understand why we love them so.

It Came

The beautiful rose pink shawl arrived today. It is so beautiful. I have worn it off and on all afternoon. Thank you so much Barbara.

The other picture is our shoveling crew came today to ease Bob's burden of shoveling such deep heavy snow. Our son Tom, our grandson Joel, Katie and her dad Doug came and got the barn clear. That was worrying Bob and he has been getting more tired every day. Thank you so much and I hope you are all blessed for doing this.

We had an interesting late afternoon. After everyone left and we were relaxing and wishing the crew lots of good things for taking their Saturday afternoon to help us and Bob went to make a pot of coffee. He looked out the kitchen window and there were horses everywhere - ours of course. By the time we got boots on and coats and gloves grabbed I dashed out the front door and he the back door and by that time all eight of them were milling around in the middle of the road. I dashed out there (and I don't dash so good at 70 when it is 5 degrees) and waved a car to stop and got behind the herd. They all went and started down our driveway EXCEPT Pepper, he decided to kick Ditto and run her off, she trotted back to me and I had to rope or anything and she tried to go off thru the yard and got stuck in the ditch that has probably 8 or so feet of snow in it. She was thrashing around but got turned around and back on the road. She went down and back down the driveway into the barn and into her stall. In the meantime Sequoia decided to have a go at running away. I got out to the road and asked another car to stop with my frantic waving. when he saw the car he started off the the ditch over there but he got thru and made it back to the others. By that time Bob had gotten Dixie in and after some language that might make a sailor blush he got Pepper to go to his stall. He got the gate open and one by one they ambled back in. They had broken a panel loose and had almost let Rusty out too. That would have been a real hair curler. Keeps life interesting. I guess.

I am finished with the book Hope Rising by Kim Reeder. It is a wonderful book of short essays about rescued horses and rescued children. The fly leaf says " Where Wounded Spirits Run Free. Follow a horse where no one else can tread through the minefield of pain that surrounds a broken child's soul. From a mistreated horse to an emotionally starved child and back again, a torren of love revives their barren places. Come vist a place where the impossible flourishes, where dreams survie the inferno of reality - a place where hope rises." From now until the 15th. of January everyone that comments will be put in a drawing for the book. I have tried to think of some infinately new way to do it, but my mind is in its winter relaps. You might tell your other blogger friends to come over and visit.

Today is Tracey's Darling's 15th. birthday. When I talked to Tracey earlier today, she was about to make them burgers as to D's request. Happy Birthday Darling Daughter.

Now I will see if this publishes. I have started 2 times previously and something (probably me) messed up. So happy Saturday to you all.

Happy Birthday Bryant

Our back yard. We went to town today to get some grain, cat food ect., go to the Used Book Store and the stuff you just have to do once in a while. I was getting cabin fever and so I jumped at the chance to get out for a while. However, we had never seen traffic in Spokane like that, the roads are awful, the drivers were rude and drove like idiots. 3 lane roads are barely 2. It was horrid so we came home the back way out Seven Mile Rd. to Coulee Heights Rd. up Brooks to Christensen and home. The roads needed plowing in places but with a 4x4 it was good and NO traffic or people trying to cross 4 lanes of traffic out of a parking lot. Grrrrrrrr. There, that is off my chest.

Happy Birthday Bryant. I love you and can not believe you are 18 already. I hope we get to see you soon. Your card will be in the mail tomorrow. Grandma is late as usual.

Didn't clean saddles today, opted to go to town. Probably wouldn't have a head ache if I had stayed home and done that.

New Years Day

What a way to start the year. This picture was taken out my dining room window - I opened the window and leaned out to take the picture. I know its a little lop sided but I was holding the camera, grabbing Skeeter and the wanted to go out of the window and try to not get agitated at Trouble the cat for trying too. But you can see the mess slipping off the roof.

Thank you Barbara for drawing my name - The Serenity Room -. When the scarf gets here I will have Bob take a picture of me and the scarf. I have found what I want to give away at a drawing here. But I want to finish it first. It is a series of short little stories about a ranch somewhere near Bend, Oregon that rescues horses and children and pairs them up and they help each other heal. I remember buying it several years ago and put it up and promptly forgot about it. I was going thru the bookshelf today and there it was. When I started it, I knew that was what I wanted to give. There is that big but though, I want to finish it and figure out how I am going to do it. It is called Hope Rising by Kim Meeder.

I just laid around today not doing much at all. Andrea gave me a wonderful idea on her blog - Mustang Saga - clean, recondition and polish my saddle and bridle. Maybe then when I finish those I will start on the others. I love my saddle though. It needs to go in to have some work done on it but I don't know now when it will get there. It is still very useable, just needs some upkeep before riding season really gets here. That will give me something to do. It does not sound like the weather is going to improve all that much.

A second Walmart had to close abruptly today because of the snow on the roof, if you live around here you know Roseaurs (large grocery store) roof collapased on Francis and the one ways, 2 buildings at the fair have caved in. Our cow shelter would be down by morning had Bob not shoveled it today. The south side of our barn needs it too but Bob came in just exhausted and could not do that. I worry about him shoveling so much. It had better be standing in the
morning. I think it will, just has slid off the high part of the barn on to the lower part and its pretty deep.

I lit all the candles sitting around today. Love candles. They brighten my spirits.

Happy New Year

Out my dirty kitchen window this morning. As a good excuse for it being dirty, its above the sink and the only way I can wash it is to use my tall step stool, sit on the edge of the sink to get to the window. I keep suggesting Tyler do it but he hasn't gotten the hint yet. He is tall. I am short.

Happy New Year to you all. When the ball drops, I will asleep and dreaming good thoughts I hope. This has been a year of challenges for us and some fun times too. In our Christmas letter I called it the Good, The Bad and The Ugly. But this one thing I am sure of, I am thankful that I went all year with no hospital visits, our health and activity level is good and despite the ugly we are here and happy and rejoicing.