Monday

Last fall while in Yokes grocery store, they had these pathetic little minerature rose plants for 45 cents. They were really sad little limp plants. I got one and Bob laughed at me and told me it was going to die and then I would just be throwing it out. Well, this lovely little white rose is now blooming on my kichen window sill. It has other buds on it too. It is a pretty bright spot in my kitchen.

Today was nasty and cold. Remembered I was out of laundry soap so had to go to the store. I also today made my massage appointment for Thursday afternoon. I can't wait.

The sun was shining when I put the horses out this morning so I put the fly mask on Pepper that act as sunglasses for him. He was really irritated with it though. He tried to get it off but he didn't and when I put them in this evening he still had it on. I took it off for the night. He will be upset when I put it back on in the morning. He'll get used to it though. He has for the past three years anyway.

Have a nice Tuesday.

HE IS RISEN - Easter

Me, this special day celebrating the resurrection of our Lord and Saviour. Bob would not let take a picture with me. Oh well, this is me

Our great grandaughter Arawyn. She will be 3 next week. She had little short pig tails and a pretty Easter dress.

Lilliana who is another great grandaughter. She was sucking on some purple and green candy. Her little pony tails don't show. She will be 2 on May 2nd. Both little girls are our oldest daughter Nikki and her husband Carmen's grand daughters. After having 6 boys and a step son, Nikki is reveling in have grand daughters.

Bob bless his heart, along with our daughter in law Debbie did the dinner dishes. I appreciated it so very much. Maybe because he was cranky with me earlier. Whatever reason, he scored big with me today. Debbie always pitches in and does more than her share. Christy usually helps too but she is on overload with some things right now and I excused her. Christyn and her gang cleaned up dessert.

Our granson Skyelor turned 13 yesterday. We had his birthday cake today. He is such a big boy. Almost an entire head taller than me. He is so talented and I wish he had the self esteem to go with it. The bigger girl in the picture is his sister Nikki who is 15 and his cousin Sheya who is 7. She is Tom's princess.

I think with everyone who was here today, we had 22 for dinner. That is counting the 2 little girls and a baby who was present with his mother also. All family, or extended family and we had a blast. We had a rainy day and the kids played in the barn. Cops and Robbers as I recall. I think we played that when we were kids. The only restictions we place on them is leave the tools alone.

That is what I did all day. The kids were disappointed they did not get to ride. Sheya especially. She is our cowgirl. Ryan will ride and Seth sometimes and Arawyns sister wanted to ride too. Maybe tomorrow I will get to have more to do with them.

We do have a different type of bedding that we are using. Bob's job shreds, I mean pellatizes paper - a couple of garbage sacks stuffed a day. Bob brings home about 2 a day. It seems to work well so far. And it is free. That is a good thing.

Have an absolutely great Monday.

Saturday

Today was the clinic where our horses got their coggins and health certificates. This is Dr. Krista Porter and a vet tech. drawing blood from Pepper. Bob is standing there observing. Pepper is an old hat at this and he just stood there.

This is Otis. Our friends the Bruces who live in Rathdrum, Idaho ride mules. Sharon rides Otis. He is a big mule. He had been tied outside in the round pen and it rained. When she went and got him, he got into the nice arena with a sandy footing and he dropped and rolled. It was funny. So did Gene's mule Milo. They make quite a pair.

This is Wrangler. He was born on our place. He was born about 3 weeks after we adopted his mother who was from the Paisley Desert area in Oregon. She was the same color as Wrangler. He is 16 hands and weighs about 1400 pounds. A really big boy. He can go all day and not be tired at all. We sold his mother. We sold Wrangler at about 5 months old to a friend and that did not work out and bought him back when he was 3. Bob broke him out and we sold him to our good friend Perry who lives in Post Falls. He loves him. It was good to see Wrangler today.

Besides doing those things I have the potatoe salad put together, Just the salad dressing when we get home from church. The strawberries are ready for shortcake, had to start over on the jello fruit salad. I put it in a colonder and drained it and started all over. Its jelloing now. I checked it a while ago. Just have the deviled egges to make tomorrow. The ham will go in just before we leave for church and the kids are bringing the rest of it. Everything is cleaned up waiting for tomorrow now.

So that was my day before Easter. Have a very blessed Easter Sunday.

Friday

Whew - I cleaned house today, made the jello salad but I think I got too much liquid, it is not jelloing. The most energy I have been able to pack into a day for a while. The sternum is still a little sore but I can function.

Tomorrow we are taking four horses to a clinic to get their coggins test done and a 6 month health certificate so we can travel across state lines with them. We will take Katies horse Abby, Pepper, Raven and Dixie. We cleaned out the horse trailer good tonight. Now it will need it again tomorrow. Bob is such a precrastinator.

They predicted rain for today BUT the sun shone and it was warm. I went to the store and did not even wear a sweater. That was so nice. I did a little in the yard today but not much. It is sooooooooooo good to be outside and to be warm.

Not much to write about - Have a great Saturday.

Thursday

These little guys were along side the road when I went into town today. It reminded me so much of Sharon and my trip to Key West, Florida a year ago last March. There are little roosters all over the place there. Roosters and cats. You can hear them cock a doodle dooing almost anytime of the day. We had the best vacation of my life there.

I am feeling better but my sternum is still sore. I told Bob if I choke again please whack me on the back, don't try to break me in half. We were both terrified but I am reminded of it every time I move. Oh well, I am alive.

Not much with the horses. Katie came and rode today with her dad. He is so pessimistic about her it makes me mad. Or maybe irritated would be better. She is doing so much better and gains more confidence every time she rides this spring. She did the chores for me again this evening.

Tomorrow I need to get the house ready for the onslot of kids, grandkids and great grandkids that will be here on Sunday. If everyone comes there will be - besides Bob and I - 8 adults and 16 children. lt will be fun. Wish Nikki and her family could be here too but her son Joel and his wife Heather and their Princess will be among our group. Hope I remember to take pictures.

I went to our Northeast Zone meeting this evening. The Medical Lake FFA Debate team came and did a presentation on the issue of Horse Slaughter. It was informative and interesting. We all have our personel opinions on that issue - at least those of us with horses - and it was fun to listen to the group of young people. They are our future.

Have a Fun Friday................

Wimpy Wednesday

This hangs inside my front door when anyone comes in. Memories are such good things.

I have not done much of anything today but lay around, rest and do little stuff. My ribs still hurt but not so bad. Tomorrow I will attack the day like nothing happened so they had better be well by then.

I put the barn horses out this morning, told the others good morning and came back to the house. Katie came and did ground work with Abby today and she did the evening chores for me. Bob was late getting home. He had to go to Grand Coulee today. I was greatful for Katies sweet spirit and offering to do the chores for me. She agrevates me sometimes but she is a very sweet girl.

Nothing much else. Just whining and I am determined no to do that. Have a good Thursday.

Thankful Tuesday

The ugly porch as it sits today. I hope we can go pick out the windows on Saturday. That should help some don't you think. That and the siding.

Well today is Thankful Tuesday. I intended to write about Christyn but I will do that next week. Today I am thankful for being alive. Tonight I was eating dinner and a piece of baked potatoe went into my windpipe like a plug. I felt it settle in and I started gasping. I could get no air. Bob said my lips were blue and my hands were turning blue when it was over and I was still gasping but getting a little air. Bob did the hymlick (however you spell it) thing. It did not pop out like I thought it was supposed to but dislodged it enough to get a little air. I was losing consiousness, I knew. I really thought I was going to die. Bob was frantic and I was fighting him, just trying to live I guess. It was awful. When I finally got a little air, he had me sit in a chair and lean foreward. I am still coughing and my ribs hurt like heck. I know now why you don't practice on a person.. Bob is so sorry for hurting me but he probably saved my life. So on this Tuesday evening I am thankful to be living.

Until I got dinner, I spent most of the day outside. Lots of stuff for the garbage and lots of stull in the burn pile. AND, Katie and I went for a little ride this afternoon. I rode Pepper because it was Abby's first trail ride with Katie riding and she is a timid rider. I wanted to be on a horse I could pony off of if I needed too. I never have ponied off Dixie. No need anyway, Katie and Abby did great and Pepper and I ambled along enjoying the warm day. We came back and worked a little in the arena. I wanted to get used to sitting a trot decently and to work over some of the poles. Katie followed me on Abby. She went over the logs and bridge and everything I knew that she would. Its Katie, not Abby but she is getting more relaxed.

I am going to try to get into bed and relax. Not a good evening. Bob went to Walla Walla today and he does not have to travel tomorrow. I am glad. Have a wonderful Wednesday. Don't choke on any potatoes.