Saturday, January 29, 2011

My Tractor is SEXY!!

My attire is for warmth (even the bath towel on my lap) and comfort but my tractor is SEXY!!









Just a little boring too...

While I moved the poo, Mike and Matt burned leaves and tumbleweeds.


Saturday, January 22, 2011

Schlubbin'

Mike came out with the camera and told me to go in the house and change my clothes. When I asked "Why", he said "I want to get some pictures of you and you look like a schlub." Well, I was WORKING and yes, I look like a schlub. And I don't give a crap!








SCHMEXY!!

The Escapee!

Yeah... that's Momma's spooky little moose!

Get back in your bed!

Texas Chili - helping


Friday, January 21, 2011

Morning Chores - DONE!

The stalls needed, no NEEDED to be cleaned and I felt good enough so I gave it a go. I worked slow and methodically, thinking through every move and every step so I didn't risk hurting myself.

I got two stalls done and decided I had better quit while I was ahead!









Sunday, January 16, 2011

WHAT HIT MY BARN???











I think it was Hurricane Mike!

I should let him out to play in the barn alone more often!

Finding my way...

I ended up driving to Salem, OR by myself. My son bailed on the trip, and Mike was sick. I caught up with my brother on the road just east of Portland and we made it to the chapel an hour early.

There was a lot of scripture read that supported my gramma's beliefs, but I would have rather heard stories about gramma from others' perspective. I spent several hours with family, which was nice, though I would have loved it to have been under better circumstances.

Gramma is survived by 2 sons, 5 grand-children, 4 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great grandchildren. Before grampa died, we were able to get a picture of the 5 generations. All I have to do now if figure out who has the picture and get a print made.

It started raining... no POURING, just east of Portland and it rained the whole way down and back. That's fine because it suited my mood... grey and gloomy. My brother rode back with me and helped to keep me awake. I was exhausted by the time I got back, so I just went to bed.

This morning, Mya was laying down when I went out to feed and hadn't touched her hay from last night. She nickered at me, but didn't want to get up. Once I did get her up, she started pacing, and rolling, and turning her lip up. My first thought was that she was colicing. I finished feeding and called the vet - this mare has had colic surgery in the past.

The vet came out and watched her for a few minutes. She did a rectal exam on her and pulled some poo out. It was REALLY dark - which led the vet to think that perhaps Mya has colonic ulcers that are bleeding. But her gut sounds were normal, and the vet didn't feel any impaction. There was very little sand in the poo, which was a good sign. Mya got some banamine, and oil and water pumped into her stomach, and I get to spend the day watching her.

Right now, she is standing quietly and looking miserable, but hasn't rolled or looked around at her tummy in an hour. We'll assume that everything is ok unless I repost on that subject.

The wind is howling now and I had to feed Foxy and Chili in feed bags. Chili has figured it out, but Foxy is completely baffled by the whole hay in a bag thing. She chewed me out when I hung the bag and walked away without throwing hay on the ground. I had to giggle at her... she is such a sweet mare!

Bullwinkle is growing...AGAIN! He was standing with his front feet on the mat, and his back feet on the dirt, which was two inches lower than the mat, and his back was perfectly level. That tells me that he is butt-high and that means he is growing, again. I will already need a ladder to get on him! He can stop any time!

Tuesday night, I was shoveling sand out of the back of the truck and caught my toe on the cable that connects to the tailgate. I executed an exquisite half-gainer with a twist! Unfortunately, I didn't nail the landing. I bounced off the barn door and landed on my back. I am walking better now, but there are times when I need to lay down and relax my back. So stalls stay dirty for a while, until I feel up to cleaning them.

The horses are all muddy and mucking and looking like fat little mud monkeys. I figure eventually, they'll be clean again. With the wind, the mud is thick, but is drying out. It is January 16th and it's 60 degrees out there. Grey, overcast, blustery, and 60 degrees! I'm ok with that. Perfect for a nap!

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Saying goodbye -

As you may know, my gramma passed away in December.

This Saturday, we travel to Salem, OR to attend her memorial service.

Boy... I just don't know what else to say about this. So much going through my head and my heart.

I guess I'll just leave it at that and I'll see you again on Sunday.

Friday, January 7, 2011

Happy New Year!

It's whole new year and things have gotten really weird around here. Perhaps I'm having a mid-life crisis...

Anyway, this time last year, Mike said that I didn't spend any quality time with him. So I put my hobbies on hold and we spent time together... watching TV and gaining weight. Now I see that 2011 finds me 25 heavier than I would like and lazy.

NO MORE! I started a diet/exercise program on January 3rd. By this morning, I have lost 8 pounds. Actually, I lost 10, but I splurged on Mexican food last night and gained 2 back.

My resolutions for myself:

I WILL RIDE MY HORSES! This includes Angel, Millie (After she goes to Tara for a tune-up), Jazzy, Mya, Kaci (if he's not rearing any more), and Bullwinkle (after he is started early summer).

I WILL SPEND QUALITY GIRL-TIME WITH MY FRIENDS! No longer will I wait until they come to a local barrel race to leave the house to go see them. I will seek them out, set up dates, and get reacquainted with my friends!

I WILL TAKE CARE OF ME! I will walk, ride, and eat healthier.

I WILL TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR MY OWN HAPPINESS! I will be 44 years old this year and I AM still beautiful, strong, and sexy; and I will dress and act like it, rather than dressing like a slob because I'm not out to impress anyone. I AM out to impress someone, and they will say "WOW" when I walk into the room.

I WILL NO LONGER ACCEPT COMMENTS THAT HURT! I am NOT a "doughy bride". I am NOT puffy. I am NOT old. "Granny" does NOT describe me.

MY AGE WILL NOT DICTATE HOW I BEHAVE! I will act how I feel. I am young and beautiful and if you have a problem with that, TOUGH!

I DESERVE TO BE HAPPY IN ALL THINGS IN MY LIFE! I have come to the conclusion that life is too short to be anything other than happy and I will no longer tolerate anything less!

I HAVE AWAKENED FROM MY SLUMBER AND AM READY TO ACTUALLY LIVE!! I feel that as I have passed through this life, I have put feelings aside, put off pleasure, and work toward a hazy goal that doesn't really exist. My eyes are completely open now and I see that time has flown and I have missed out on so much. I want to feel intense emotion, I want to experience the rush of a 19 second barrel run (cuz my horse is slow on a big pattern), I want to love deeply and recklessly, I want passion and fire, I want the exquisite pain of failure and loss because I took the chance. I will laugh without reservation. I will cry without shame. I will hold my friends close and love them with all I have. I will not have enemies.

I am finally here in the NOW and I am feeling once again. Are you ready for me? I hope so, cuz you are coming with me!





Pics of the New Years' Project - Mike(aka Cooker Bitch) and Matt built a deck from the hot tub to the steps outside out bedroom. You can see just how much Matt actually "helped". Also, the picture where Mike is using the saw - you can see just how tall Matt is. (Here's a hint - Mike is 6 ft)