All About Horses

My husband can be a bit trying at times.  People really close to me, know exactly how kindly I am phrasing that.  But I have been sitting here watching him out my window, as he works with Dixie in the round pen. He has a way with animals.  At least with dogs & horses.  I don't approve of all of his 'methods', but he is pretty good.
He's been standing in the middle, and has her running the perimeter.  He will point and say 'turn' and she stops and heads in the opposite direction.  He'll sit on the milk can in the middle of the ring and say 'stop, Dixie' and she does.  'Come Dixie' and she walks to him.  'Kiss' and her nose is in his face.  It amazes me how well he has trained her.  How well he works with her, and she's almost as dedicated to him as Gus is!  In reality, I think the part he likes best is pointing his finger at her and having her respond.  We learned 2 things about each other early on.  I know not to slap him in the face (only happened once) and he knows not to point his finger at me for any reason!

 Anyway, here is Dixie when we first got her. (March '09) She was 19 months old at the time.  We had already bought her Mama, Susie, a year prior.  When our friend decided he also wanted to sell Susie's 'kid', we jumped on it!  I promptly registered her as Sweet Sue's Little Dixie, ( as Susie's registered name is Jack's Sweet Sue and Susie's mama had Dixie in her name, so I liked the combo).  Dixie had been running free with J's other horses most of her life, and no one had ever worked with her much at all.  There was much to be done, as she was a wild, crazy little sh**!

 This is Dixie last fall, getting trained on pulling the buggy.  She took to it right away, pretty much like everything else Chuck has tried to teach her.  She will pretty much do anything for him.  Totally unlike Susie, who was 17 when we got her and extremely set in her ways!!  I was worried about how they'd get along when we reunited them.  Wondered if they'd remember each other.  It was amazing!  If horses could hug, they'd have been hugging for days!  Sadly, they are now inseparable, which can be a BIG problem at times!  But that's another story.

Chuck is working with Dixie to get her ready to go on a Cattle Round-up in Wyoming.  He was at the ranch last year with our BIL for a hunting trip and became good friends with the owner of the ranch.  He's been invited back to participate in their Spring Cattle Round-up for branding season.  It will be a dream come true for this old cowboy.  I sure wish he could have done it while I could still ride.  How I would love to go with him and spend a couple weeks at the ranch, riding Susie on all the trails on that beautiful ranch of theirs!   Anyway, he's been working with her everyday, to get her 'exercised up' and in shape, as well as training her on 'herding'.  That means that they have been herding Susie around the pasture and she doesn't like that one little bit!!  Susie is usually the one that is herding Dixie around!  It's hysterical and I must get a video to share!

So, I will return from Alaska on May 23rd and he will load up the horses and head out on May 26th.  Uggg.....the thought of returning home after that long flight and having to jump right into getting his laundry done and getting him packed and ready in 2 days blows my mind right now, but once he's gone, I can kick back for 2 weeks and prepare for my surgery.  He'll return on June 8th or 9th and I go under the knife on June 11th.  It all sounded good when we planned it, but now that it's getting close, it seems like we could have/should have done something different, but it'll all work out.

I ordered my Nextbook on Sunday and chose free shipping to save a few bucks.  That usually takes awhile and they did give me a delivery date of April 5th.  I knew it would show up before then, but didn't expect it as soon as yesterday!  Needless to say, I stashed the box until Chuck went to bed and then spent 3 hours trying to make sense of it and downloading Apps.  The 1st App???  Why, Angry Birds, of course! I can see several things:

• Gonna take awhile to get used to it
• I haven't fallen totally in love with it yet (this isn't a good thing. meh)
• I need a screen protector
• I really need a case, but can only find black for this new model and I really want red! Or green, like my Nook
• Not sure about the Android OS, although it shouldn't matter
• I'm bummed that although I could install Firefox as my browser, I can't use my Yahoo  toolbar. which has all my bookmarks and I've used it for EONS.  I'm sure I can move them.

I'm not convinced that it's a keeper.  Maybe I jumped into it too soon without checking more models,  but it was hard to resist it when the Sug retail was $475 and HSN had it for $199.00.  I found it on eBay for both prices and everything in between, so I'm comfortable with the price.  I just need Poolie, or a handful of my grands to show me the wonders of it all.  If I didn't already have my beloved Nook, I would be much more enamored of it.  Geez......I sound like an old Geezer trying to make sense of modern technology!!  AGHHHH!!!  Just shoot me now!

Speaking of old geezers, this afternoon I get to go for a vascular screening of my feet.  How funny is that?  Because of my "toe issue" (which I'm not sure I ever blogged about, but wrote about on FB) the foot Dr wants to make sure that the circulation in my legs, feet and toes is okay before she confirms my problem to be from many years of frozen Alaska toes.  I sure hope that's all it is, but it could be directly related to all the damn cigarettes that I have, will and do smoke.  F*&%ing cigarettes, anyway!

I have to say that while I was in San Diego and my smoking was extremely limited, I felt a whole lot better.  But I'm not smart enough to cut back when I don't have to.  If I could just make myself go outside to smoke and not sit here at my computer puffing away, it would be such a big help.  And every night when I go to bed I say to myself, "Margaret!  Tomorrow is the day!  You will NOT smoke in the house anymore!!"  But that stupid Margaret won't listen.  I told my friend, D, the other day that I'll quit after my surgery and I get all healed up.  Then I won't have all the extra frustrations (the pain and limitations, blah blah, yada yada) to deal with.  Should be easier, right?  Yeah....right.  I doesn't matter what the circumstances are.  Smoking doesn't make it better at all, but it sure is comforting to reach for that pack of cigarettes and light one up.  Oh, well.  It won't be today cuz I just bought a carton yesterday.  Can't waste $48 now can I?????  Doh!

I must take my camera with me today and try to get some good shots of Spring Things in BFA.  There are pretty things blooming everywhere, and I need to take some pictures before it gets too damn hot for me to give a crap.

My beautiful girls are losing their winter hair and will soon be gorgeous and shiny equine beauties!  I wish I could be out there brushing them each day, but I can't.  Chuck does a little each night when he gets home, but I miss being able to do it.  Next year!  I'll be back at it next year! And the grass is growing nicely in their pasture, so that Susie is munching happily while Dixie looks longingly over the fence, watching her Mama eat fresh green yummies.  Dixie is on a diet again.  Poor horse is forever on a diet.  They need extra food in the winter to help keep up their body heat and Susie never gains, but Dixie blows up like a balloon.  She's on her annual spring time diet of hay and water....no grass, no grain, no treats......other than her morning carrots.   

There is a baby update, of sorts. Jin's contractions are too sporadic to amount to anything other than being annoying, so her Dr told her she could work if she wanted to.  That was her plan for today.  We'll see how long she lasts.  I'm making pretty good progress on the blanket.  I'm using a different pattern than I was originally and I like working on it much better.  That will make a difference!  Why?  Cuz that's how I roll!  LOL 

For now, I feel a wee cleaning spree coming on and shall knit a bit each time I need to sit down for a few.  Catch ya later!

Wanna Give Someone the Finger!

The first thing I want to talk about today is my ring finger on my right hand.  Or, should I say, my 'Former' ring finger....since I can no longer wear any of my dozens of rings on it!  The knuckle on this finger has taken on a life of it's own, and I really, REALLY don't like it!  Today it hurts.  A lot! So I'm gonna share.  About a year ago I noticed that my knuckle was swelling and it was becoming hard to get my rings on and off.  I figured, okay.  I've got arthritis in various parts of my body, including both thumbs, so it stands to reason that my fingers will eventually be affected. Problem is, it just kept getting bigger and was hurting quite a bit.  I mean, I already take meds for my arthritis (which doesn't take care of all of the associated pain and/or discomfort, but helps a great deal) so why was it hurting so much?  I went to see my Doc so he could determine if mayhaps it was a cyst or a chipped bone or something, and he deemed it good old arthritis. Crap.  So, deal with it.  It was about that time that I took the 1st picture here, back in September.

It quit bothering me and didn't seem to be metamorphosing, so I decided to have some of my favorite rings resized.  At the going price of gold and silver, it is a little pricey these days to go up 2 full ring sizes, but Chuck agreed that it was fine so I did about 8 or 9 rings.  Now, my ring finger WAS a size 9, but this knuckle now required a size 11 for clearance. My middle finger is size 11, so I figured that if my ring finger decided to have another growth spurt, I could always wear these rings on my middle finger.

This second picture was taken this AM, and you can see that it has, in fact, started metamorphosing again. This AM the whole thing is just throbbing and hurts the entire length of it, not just the knuckle. Guess that's what prompted me to finally write about it.That had been my intention when I took the 1st picture, but I never got around to it.  That's just a really big change in 5 months time. I think maybe I'll let Dr. H take another look and see if I can inspire him to snap a little x-ray of it....just for peace of mind....or something. 

The sad thing is, that I have a massive jewelry collection.  Well over 100 rings.  Seriously.  All gold and silver and gemstone.  A lot of them can't be resized 2 sizes, because of their settings.  And the only finger they will fit on is my left ring finger, which houses my wedding ring.  Lots of $$ tied up and just sitting there, but worst of all is the fact  that I dearly love most of those abandoned rings and it gives me a huge sad to not be able to wear them.  Ah, hell...enough sniveling.

Yesterday I went for my 'annual' eye exam.  It's been 2 years :-).  When we 1st moved here I went to Fayetteville Mall, to Sears Optical cuz they had a great sale on glasses happening.  What I found was an awesome eye Doctor!  She's amazing and SO thorough and just plain adorable.  So I continue to go there.  Yesterday, glasses were 50% off and because I am a repeat customer, I got an extra 10%.....sooooo.....when I was having trouble deciding between the purple or the cranberry, I decided to get both :).  I'm really sick of my current glasses (except when I want to read something) so it'll be fun to have 2 new and cool ones to wear.  (life's simple pleasures). 

But, I do have to snivel a wee bit more.  The trek from the parking lot, through half of Sears, to get to the Optical shop, just about did me in.  And the trek BACK to the parking lot DID do me in.  Holy Crap!  I sat in the truck thinking, what the hell do I think I'm doing???  Going to San Diego in 3 weeks.  Going to Alaska in 7 1/2 weeks.  I should be doing these things after my surgery!  Well.....I WILL be doing them then, too. But still.....I need to see my friends.  I can't wait to be together with Poolie and Terri T again!  And God knows, I desperately NEED to see Terri and Riley and Maggie and Emily and Timmy and Xander and....yes, even my SIL, Michael :-).  I just SO hate to be an inconvenience or imposition because of my freaking limitations.  I feel like such a wuss.  But the reality is, not one of them will make me feel that way.  In fact, ALL of them will make me feel like I'm the same old Yankee Chick and the same old Mom and the same old Grammy and it'll all be good!  Damn good!! So what the hell am I whining about?!?!?  It's just been over 3 years of this shit and I'm so sick of it!!! 

It's been exactly 3 years this month since I last rode my Susie, so I guess that makes it 3 1/2 years.  I first went to see the Doc about my severe hip pain whilst riding  back in September of '08. (but I wasn't giving up on riding yet!)  Holy cow!  Holy Moly!  Holy Crap!!! 

Now I want to write about Susie and I want to write about my antique booth, but this is long enough!  Hopefully I will get my butt back here and write about that stuff tomorrow!  In case anyone decides to come and read. :-)

Wild Horses.....

Great start to this day!  Sitting here, still in my jammies, drinking coffee, playing around online......and suddenly crazy horse activity catches my eye, out the window.  Dixie had managed to get out and was running the fence line.  Susie couldn't get out and was having an absolute horsey conniption fit! Mass chaos ensues!  Well, if one person can actually create mass chaos, that is.  I rushed upstairs to get dressed, got my shoes on, grabbed my phone and a bag of carrots and off I went!

OMG, was Dixie ever having fun!  By the time I got out the door, she was tearing thru the neighbors yard, kicking and bucking, having a grand time of it.  Sadly, since it snowed the other day, everything is very wet, so when I say she was "tearing" thru the neighbors yard, I mean that quite literally.  There is now a multitude of hoof prints and skid marks in their lawn.  Personally, I say we're even for the fact that their German Sheppard takes a big old dump in our yard everyday, but I'm thinking they won't agree with that.  LOL

Anyway, I gimped and limped as quickly as I could and was just about to come out from behind the barn and around the corner when I heard her galloping, hell bent for leather, right in my direction.  Luckily, she skidded to a stop when she saw me as opposed to running over top of me (which was very possible and highly likely!).  We were right by the back gate, from which she had made her escape.  I waved the bag of carrots in her face, pointed to the barnyard and told her to get her big ass in there, NOW!!  Thankfully, she did just that!  It was part good luck and part good training and a whole lot of influence from a bag of carrots!  If Susie had been out.......no way in hell could I have gotten her back until she was damn good and ready.  But Dixie will do anything for food.....ANYthing!  I made her wait tho', until I walked back around the barn so that I could get to Susie and give HER some carrots as well.  After all, she was the one that was all worked up in a lather (literally) and needed some attention.  Not the bad kid! 

It's fortunate for me that Dixie is on a diet again, which means she spends her time in the barnyard and Susie is out in the pasture.  Ya have to feed them more in the winter, when it's cold, to help keep their body heat up.  Well, Susie will still lose a little weight but not Dixie!  She has gained again.  Horses are just like people.  Dixie can and will eat anything edible, but also gains weight just looking at food! 

I have no idea how the gate got open.  We had company last night  and they were all out there, so I suspect Chuck was distracted and it got left unchained.  Dixie is pretty darn good at opening a variety of latches and closures, but I don't think she could have gotten this one by herself.

Okay, so now I can get undressed, take my shower and get on with the days activities!  Hopefully that was my 'excitement' for the day :-)

Priorities

I can never seem to get my priorities straight.   Why is it so hard for me to keep up with this whole blogging concept when it really is important to me?  I have a bad memory for details, like dates and timelines of particular events and I've counted on being able to refer to my blog for the bits missing from my wee little brain.  I think about things that I wanna blog about every day, but they don't materialize.  And yes, I make notes and jot things down and they get lost in the shuffle of grocery lists and reminders for other things and eventually just get purged from the clutter.  Then, of course, is the realization that I FaceBook with most of the few readers I have, so what I write is redundant. But I can't refer back to FB now can I?  So I need to do this for ME.  Heh.  There are a lot of things I need to do for me. So, I am just going to go forth with some photos and highlights and see what I can accomplish before my darling spouse demands something.  LOL

First. My adorable eldest grand-daughter and our Roller Derby team, the Midnight Sun Roller Girlz, had their 1st big Scrimmage against an opposing team, The Denali Destroyer Dolls, on Sept 24th.
Prior to the scrimmage, they had a photo shoot at a car dealership that is one of their sponsors.  Believe it or not, this is my little "Muffin Girl", aka Riley who is now know as "Boom-Dot Saint".  Boom for short.

Isn't she something?!?  A local Vintage clothing store let them pick outfits to use and she sure did good!

Here's a good shot of her during the scrimmage, slipping by the blocker (in the white shirt, that should have stopped her. heh)and helping to clear the path for the Jammer of the moment.  The MSRG won the scrimmage by an astronomical score of 149-15!  The team has been working SO hard and OMG, did it ever pay off!!  So proud of all of them!  Best part?  No serious injuries.

Next up is the news that I have rented a booth in a local antique shop, called Betty's Attic.  I have so much Depression Glass and other collectables that I really need to get rid of and what better way?  I rented the booth a week ago or so, but it won't be available until Oct 25, so that gives me lots of time for pricing and gathering my stuff.  I have no place to properly display my treasures and many of them are still packed away in boxes under the house.  I will keep my family treasures and a few other things and sell the rest. I'm starting with a fairly small booth and can always move up if need be.  If it goes well, i will buy more stuff to resell.  If not, no big deal.  This is my soon to be area (not my stuff in it, obviously)

I can paint, put up shelves (which I must do) add tables, etc.  Chuck is in charge of that, of course :)

And speaking of Chuck, he bought a buggy and has been training Dixie to pull it. She's a fast learner and eager to please.  Mission accomplished.

 The one above is them returning from about a 3 hour trip around the back roads yesterday.  She was a very good girl!

This, however, is how my Sweet Susie acted up  the whole time they were gone!  Actually she just paced and whinnied the whole time, only rearing up when they finally got back.  So anxious when her kid is out of her sight!!  And so excited to have her back :).  Dang horses are worse than kids. Well, actually, she acts like a typical mother!  What am I thinking?  LOL


Let's see, what else.  About a month ago I had a perm.  Bound and determined to have curly hair again.  It's been a couple years that I have been doing the straight thing after many years of spiral and piggy-back perms.  It came out good.  My wonderful Hairstylist did a great job. But.....I hated it.  It's just not "me" anymore.  SO.....last week she tried a new straightening process on me!  I had to leave it in for 72 hours.  Could not wash my hair for 3 days, which is bad enough on it's own, but the stuff she used was kinda icky.  My hair felt like it had been over moussed and gelled.  Dry and stiff and icky.  But now that I can wash it, which I did 3 times Friday pm, at the exact moment that the clock struck the 72 hour mark (6:58 PM) it is fairly straight and best of all....silky and shiny again!!  Yay!!  I love my Becky, like Poolie loves her Joannie.  She's a terrific gal and an awesome stylist and colorist.  We have a lot of fun with my hair and I trust her with my beloved locks!

As I was typing this, I was thinking that I wish I could get my s&%t together and chronicle everything via photos (with details) on Flickr.....like our lovely Karyl does.  I SO need to organize what pictures I have and need to be taking lots more!  One of my biggest problems is that I am not working and also that some days I am able to do more than other days, depending on my pain level.  I used to have such 'structured days' and I deffo function better that way.  I just can't seem to get a grip on this new way of life and make the best use of my time and resources.  I hate the intrusion of having to schedule anything, and yet I find I can't accomplish what I want unless I do!  Ah, well.....as one of my former blog buddies used to say (and probably still does!) "It'll all work out in the end. It always does!".  LOL

Hot & Crispy

Wow.  It was 102 here yesterday and they are calling for 104 today. Ugh.....  That is just wrong! So, I shall light a candle and say a prayer for the man that invented Air Conditioning and stay inside and let my Bionic Hip heal, while the electric meter spins in a wild frenzy to keep me cooool............I think some knitting might be in order today.

Chuck rounded up a couple of strays young men in the neighborhood to help him get hay for "The Girls".  The guy we buy it from grows the most awesome weed free Bermuda and he was baling

yesterday, so Chuck headed over for a couple of loads.  208 bales of fresher than fresh, yummy hay for our babies.  They were sure happy last night to get that treat, since their pasture is all dry and depleted.  We need rain SOOOO bad!  It's been weeks upon weeks since we've had anything significant.  But what a miserable day to have to get the hay at 102 degrees!  With hay, it's all about the timing and ya can't take a chance and wait, so that hard working man of mine was hard at it yesterday!

Between the heat and the Japanese Beetles, my poor rose garden is looking pretty sad.  I do believe that Chuck finally got the Beetles under control and with plenty of watering, the roses finally seem to be making a come-back.  I'll be so glad when I am able to get out in the yard and take care of some of this stuff.  All of my flower beds and plants need a lot more TLC than poor Chuck is able to give them when he gets home at night.  Hopefully, it won't be long and I can get out and do more. {and hopefully, it will be cooler by then too, so this Yankee doesn't melt!}

Today is the half-way mark to being able to get back to doing some normal daily activities.  It's been 3 weeks today since my surgery and there are so many things that I can't do for "6 weeks".  My follow-up appt with the surgeon is the 28th and I can't wait!  The incision has healed 'nicely' and I'm finally able to leave it un-bandaged and I'm past the point of any risk for infection, so that's a plus.  They actually "glued" the incision, so I haven't had to deal with those nasty staples, like I did for my back (all 24 of them. yuck).  There has been so much improvement the past week or so, I am finally able to get a feel for how much better off I am going to be. I am feeling better in general, but also gaining in strength and stability each day.  The Physical Therapy is rather rigorous, but so very beneficial.  I have gone from my walker, to using only a cane and half the time, I walk off and forget that.  Chuck is paranoid that I'll fall and 'disrupt my ball joint" as he puts it.  LOL  Actually, as time goes by it IS getting harder to keep from doing the things I'm not supposed to do.  This last 3 weeks might be tougher than the 1st 3 weeks.  Still can't bend over (but I 'can') still cant get my leg past that 90 degree point, still can't sit in chairs too low, still can't 'twist & shout', but......Boy Howdy, can I walk!!  Not for miles and miles, yet, but a hellovalot further than I was able to!  Still can't drive, tho'.  Some surgeons say 2 weeks, mine is all about waiting 6 weeks.  I could understand that while I was dependent on Percocet to keep me pain free, but I'm down to Vicodin now and much less often.  Anyway, I'll be a good girl and wait for his okay, but I am sure antsy to DRIVE!!!!!!!!!!!  Places to go. Things to do. People to see.  Primarily......lunch with Victoria!!!!!

Well, me thinks I shall go check on some blogs, check in with FB and tend to my knitting!  See ya'.

DOUBLE DAMN THE GEEK SQUAD

The continuing saga with my PC is not pretty. I took it back in to the Geek Squad on Tuesday. They plugged it in, got one of their techs to come out and look at it. He fiddled around for a few seconds and it was up and running! So, I loaded it up and brought it home, got it all set up and turned it on. Of course I was expecting to have to reinstall all of my software and restore my backed up stuff, but strangely enough, it was all there! I was confused. How could they have gotten rid of my Corrupted OS without doing a complete system restore?! I proceeded to tend to the things that had been changed, and got online and so forth. I was rolling merrily along when after about 2 hours.....it froze. I waited. and waited. and waited. After about 1/2 an hour it took off again only to freeze up about 15 minutes later. Needless to say, I was not happy....AT all!

Wednesday I was back on the phone to the Ol' Geeks to find out WTF was up. This time I was told that, yes my paperwork said that my OS was corrupted and that they had called me and I had given the approval to do a system restore. It did not indicate that it was actually done, however. BUT....if I brought it right back in, they would put me at the front of the line and it would get taken care of right away. I was NOT at all pleased at the thought of once again unhooking everything and lugging this big old thing in a 3rd time! So I stewed on it for the rest of the day and decided that I would just go ahead and do the damn restore myself! And I did and I'm still working on getting things reinstalled and all that jazz, but it's coming along nicely. I sure as hell didn't need them to do that! I've done it a few times through the years and it's easy enough to do.....just a lot of work afterward, but hey! I got nothing but time.

I do believe I will be writing a letter to the Head Geek, however, and letting them know how much I appreciate their great service. (insert severe sarcastic tone)

We did get a nice little storm, starting our with a base coat of freezing rain, covered shortly thereafter with 4-5 inches of snow. Schools and many, many businesses closed yesterday and today, but I'm sure all will be back to quasi normal tomorrow.

My sweet Susie had her 21st birthday yesterday. Extra carrots and oats for everyone!! She's one amazing horse for her age :)

And that's all for tonight. Bitching one last time about the Geeks has tired me all out so I'm gonna drag my sorry butt to bed. TTFN

MY GIRL'S ARE LOOKIN' GOOD!

Well, here's a "Horse Post" for a change.  It's been all about Murphy for awhile and no talk about my girls.  So unfair!  Chuck had some trouble with his van yesterday and we had to drop it off at the shop.  When I picked him up and brought him home, he decided to let Dixie into the outer pasture to play with her Mama, Susie.

If you recall, Dixie has Laminitis in her hooves and the poor thing has been 'quarantined' in the barn yard, on a diet of only hay and water {and her morning carrots} since July.  Partly so her hooves could heal and partly so she could lose a few hundred pounds.  We figure she's lost about 200-250 lbs and she sure is looking good!

I showed this picture to Chuck and he said that Susie was "giving me the tail"! How funny!! LOL

The did have a great time running and playing and I got a few more shots of them with my trusty iPhone before I headed to town.

 It's actually quite nice to have some pictures of them with the barn and OUR house in the background!  Usually I'm snapping shots from the yard near the house and our neighbor's house/trailers/dead vehicles, etc are the backdrop.  Ewww.  This is much better :)

It doesn't look like Chuck's X-Mas gift is going to make it in time for the big day and I'll have to wrap a picture of it for him, instead.  He won't mind, but I'd rather have it get here in time.  Mayhaps it will.  I ordered him a horse weathervane for the barn and he'll love it!   Anything to do with the horses and he's good to go. I used to dazzle him with new tools or guns, but at this age...he's pretty much got everything in those departments!  As for ME, there are no strange gifts under the tree with my name on them, but I do know that he and Deb have had their heads together a couple times the past couple weeks.  Although she and I have never had a "what do you want for X-Mas conversation", it'll be interesting to see what they came up with.  Hee hee.  We're giving Deb {Casino} money and getting her lovable Redneck Hubby a carton of smokes and a case of beer.  Neither one of them would like anything better! 

And we are also giving them a night off, so to speak.  Their boys (grandsons that they are raising) Corbin and Noah are going to spend the night with us tomorrow night.  Corbin (9) is looking forward to baking X-Mas cookies with me and Noah just wants to "hang out" with Chuckie (as the 5 year old calls him :) ) and watch westerns.  It'll be interesting.  I adore them both and Corbin often comes down to help me do stuff or to just hang out.....just the 2 of us.  He thrives on the one on one time and the attention.  Poor Deb works long hours and their time is limited.  HOWEVER....when the 2 of them are together, they are a force to reckon with, so I repeat.  It will be interesting......sigh......

Equine Escape Artist

Guided by the light of the full moon, Dixie and Susie had quite a night for themselves last night.  At least if the hoof prints and 'skid marks' in the lawn are any clue as to their activities!

The 'naughty one' has learned to open the latch on one of the gates.  In fact she escaped several days ago as Puss Puss and I were sitting out back reading.  THIS story goes, that Puss Puss wanted to go out with me and as was her habit of the last couple of weeks, she liked to wander far away from the house.  As weak as she was, off she would go.  It has been suggested to me that she was looking for a 'special place' for her last days {or day}, but I won't get into that right now.  She had made it about half way down the path to the barn, but there was some interesting noises coming from the barn, so she stopped and lay down.  Chuck, for some reason had left the front door to the barn {that leads down the hall to Dixie's stall, and also to the back door} open.  There is a dual gate that serves as the door to Dixie's stall, but when opened up the other way, it blocks the way out the back door of the barn.  Without this story getting too complicated, I will simply say that Dixie managed to injure an ankle bad enough a couple days previous, so that Chuck had to apply liniment and wrap her leg and she was walking pretty stiff legged.  When I heard all the noise and rattling around coming from the barn, I was afraid that she had lain down and couldn't get up.  By the time I went into the house and got my 'barn sneakers', I came out to find her outside, behind the barn eating grass!  {and Puss Puss was no where in sight}.  Since poor Dixie is still on her diet of Hay and Water, she didn't move from the grass she was eating, as I approached, and I was able to lead her back through the barn to the barn yard.  That was when I had discovered that she had "picked the lock", so to speak and unlatched the gate. 

Chuck didn't seem to think it would be an issue, since he seldom leaves the front barn door open anyway, so he didn't change the latch.  Sooooo, last night when he let them out after their evening meal, he decided to leave them both in the barn yard, rather than turning Susie out to the outer pasture, as we were having a big old thunder storm.  He also left the front barn doors open  so that they could get into their stalls out of the weather if they wanted. 

Well, at some point during the night, Dixie unlatched the gate and she and her Mama escaped and spent the night munching the fresh green grass of the lawn.  When Chuck and Gus went out the back door this AM to give them their carrots on their way to get the morning paper, they sorta met him at the back door!  LOL I think it is just hysterical that they were roaming the neighborhood in the middle of the night.  Now we just have to hope that Dixie doesn't get sick from eating grass all night.  Not a good thing, after having only hay to eat for several weeks.  She's a bit subdued, but so far seems fine.  Little sneak!

As for the whereabouts of Puss Puss the other day, when she disappeared while I captured Dixie.....for the second time in a few days, she had gone over to the neighbors place and was hiding out in his work shop.  These darling critters are always up to something....especially the 'naughty one'.  Hee hee.

Grasshopper Delight

As I reported yesterday, Puss Puss was having a 'good' day. She wanted to be outside a lot and that's a good thing.

At one point yesterday afternoon, shortly after Chuck got home from riding Susie, he decided to let Dixie out into the pasture with Susie and let her have some play time with Mom.

Yes~Dixie is still in solitary confinement in the barn yard.
Yes~Dixie is still on her crash diet.
Yes~It is working and we estimate that she has lost about 300 lbs :).
Yes~Her laminitous is improving and she ran and played with her Mama yesterday in an almost "normal" manner!

The even better part of that scenario was when I had come back in the house and plopped at my computer for a bit, only to look out the window and see Puss Puss making a mad dash for the horse pasture. Here she was, crouched down low to the ground, moving as fast as her little paws would carry her, in hot pursuit of some unseen object. My first thought was that she was about to be trampled by a thundering hoof, but I barely had time to complete that thought when I saw her fly up into the air and twirl around swiping at a still unseen object, both paws just a flailing!! She hit the ground and took off in hot pursuit again, only to stop short and dart off in another direction and leap into the air again! She looked like a ballerina kitty!

I surely wish someone had been shooting video, because it was a rather chaotic few moments. The horses were tearing up the turf, Gus was running along side of the horses barking his fool head off, the cat was doing pirouettes in the midst of it all and Chuck & I were both running to save the cat!! As we got closer, we realized that the pasture was FULL of grasshoppers and the horses had certainly stirred them up and Puss Puss was trying to catch every one of them!

She was having a ball! I felt like I was watching my poor sick, dying kitty having her last 'hurrah' or something! Where in God's name she found that little burst of energy is beyond me, but it was quite delightful to see! I think we all forgot, for a few moments at least, that she was so ill and so fragile. There was no sign of that for a little while, anyway.

Last night and so far today, she is not so inspired. Not by her Valium or a bowl of milk or the Nutri-Cal. She wants only cuddles and lots of sleep. And so I wait.....

Think Positive

Allll righty then........this AM I shall write a more positive post, because I really can't expect you to come here and read negative stuff, time after time after time.........How dreary of me of to only post about the bad shit.  I must dig deeper and pull some more upbeat shit out of my ass hat!

My rose garden is going {growing} great!  They survived the transplant and are thriving and blooming.  All 9 plants have lots of new growth and they all are in bloom and/or loaded with buds!  I'm pretty sure I owe it all to Martha Stewart and her Epsom Salts tip.  Plus I've been watering, spraying and fertilizing right on schedule, like a good little rose gardener.

Here's a yellow one that Chuck picked for me this AM



Isn't my vase cute?? I collect Wymsiclay Cats for my mantle and have a couple of vases that are like the kitties. Too cute!

Chuck is getting ready to go riding with a friend. ARG!! I wanna go SOOOOO bad. It's a beautiful sunny 61 degrees. Perfect for most anything, but particularly for riding my Sweet Susie. Fall riding is the best and I am so tempted to try, but that would be a huge mistake. I might not be real smart, but I am smarter than that. It's already been over 2 years. I guess another 6 months won't kill me.

In Puss Puss news, she finally took some more Nutri-Cal this AM {actually, Chuck forced a finger full into her wee little mouth} and shortly there-after she drank some milk. Awhile later, I found her IN the kitchen sink drinking water out of a rinsed out bowl I had set in there. Very strange, but all good. I weighed her yesterday and she is down to 4.8 lbs, from 5.4 eight days ago. She has been a steady 8 lbs all of her adult life, so you can imagine what a little skeleton kitty she is under all that hair. And this is a lousy picture, but it is her in her 'new favorite spot'.

She used to like to lay on my printer tray, which is beside me and between me and a window. That way she could keep tabs on everything. LOL I just gotta keep lovin' her while I can and keep her purring and comfortable.

A Video and Some Photos~Horse Stuff, Of Course!

Dixie Drinking Video
Originally uploaded by YankeeChick
Dixie just loves drinking from the hose {following a good shower from it, of course!}. Here's a short little video I took with my phone :)

She also is an "itchy" girl and you can find her scratching various body parts on the fence or tree or whatever else is handy.  I REALLY need to get one of her scratching her butt on the fence.  It's hysterical!


And I wouldn't wanna leave Puss Puss out (AKA Princess Esmerelda)She seldom gets published!

I Need A Pep Talk

I really do, but I don't suppose any of you can help me. 

Today I am feeling extremely negative about a multitude of things.  Mainly involving my defective body.  I'm tired.  Tired of feeling like a mere shadow of my former self.  The self that used to always be so physically active; riding my King Quad 4-wheeler across the tundra, up mountains, down mountains, thru mud flats for hours on end.  The self that helped pour concrete, build trusses, hang sheet rock and whatever else it took to help build houses.  The self that used to run and play with her grandchildren, swinging them thru the air, piggy back rides, riding bikes, running thru the rain.  The self that was just getting comfortable enough with her sweet Susie to ride across a field with wild abandon, giving Susie her head and letting my own head be blown free of all thoughts except the delightful freedom one can only experience with a trusted and loyal friend such as she.

Some days I sit here and wish I had never had my surgery.  Other days, I write how glad I am that I did and today I look back on that entry and wonder WTF was I thinking that day.  Days like today, I want my freakin life back!  I do not feel grateful for anything.  It has been almost 6 months and just when things seem to be getting better and just when I realize that I can do something that I haven't been able to do for a long time, something 'new' develops that just throws me for a loop.

I started out pretty good today.  At least I was up until about an hour ago.  We had just had a serious rain shower, which we are in desperate need of.  It had about stopped when I went to the kitchen to get a cup of coffee.  I had just finished scrubbing one of the bathrooms, fresh and clean with just me and my bucket of bleach water.  I was feeling pleased that I had accomplished that for the first time in eons.  I scrubbed the tile floor, the door, the tile on the walls (it runs half way up and there is wall paper on the top half) and the vanity.  The muscles in my back protested a bit, but I'm okay with that.  THAT is to be expected, especially because I'm still not supposed to be doing things quite so exuberantly. So.....while getting my coffee, I looked out the kitchen window and saw the most hysterical sight!  It was Dixie's butt, up in the air.  She was on her knees, in the fresh mud, stretching her neck under the fence trying to get to some weeds on the other side.  I grabbed my camera and away I went.  She heard me, and of course got up.  Didn't matter.  Halfway to the fence, my left leg suddenly went out from under me and down I went.  Thankfully, I kept the Nikon tucked safely under my arm and it didn't go flying thru the mud and grass!  Well, I landed on my knees....cursed myself for not staying focused on my walking and got back up.  Stood there for a minute and looked at Dixie as she peered sheepishly at me over the fence.  OMG!  Her whole face, from her ears to down under her chin, was covered with mud!  As were her legs from her knees down.  Lucky me, I took a couple steps before pulling my camera out from the safety of my underarm, because down I went again.  Then I was pissed.  Came back in the house, wiped myself off and here I am.

This has been going on for.....oh, about 3 weeks or so.  Much leg pain in general, but also this crap of having one or both legs just go out from under me.  I will feel a sharp pain in the front of my leg, like someone stuck a big ass hat pin in the front of the joint and boom....the old leg wants to give out!  Sometimes it only happens once; sometimes it is only one leg; sometimes it is both and sometimes it just keeps on keeping on!  Since the first part of my Physical Therapy involved me learning how to walk properly again, I have been 'trained' to remain pretty well focused on every step I take, so I really haven't 'gone down' until today.  Before I started this entry, I Googled "leg problems post lumbar fusion".  During the past 6 months I have Googled many things relating to my surgery and each time it amazes me at what I find.  There is always good and bad.  And you all know how it is when you Google something.  One page leads to another and another, until you've actually covered several different issues different from, but still related to, your original Google.  Today I read a lot about 'nerves healing' and 'nerve damage'........again.  But I did find out that a lot of people have similar issues after this surgery.  I also found out that sometimes it is due to "failed" surgery and they have to have it redone.  It is also sometimes due to permanent nerve damage occurring at the time of surgery.  But, hey!  They have pills for that!  Fuck me.  Some people have it and as they continue to heal {which we must remember, boys and girls...this will take up to 12 months!} it does go away.  And on and on the possibilities go.......beCAUSE........everyone is different!!!! 

I don't wanna be different!  I don't wanna live with pain any more!!  I WANT TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FREELY ABOUT THE CABIN OF LIFE LIKE I USED TO!!!!!!!!!!

So many times I have started to write a post like this and either deleted it or just never started it.  I think of some of my friends that have gone through so much worse.  SO much worse!  Like our dear K-Lo and sweet Purple Chai.  I think of them and then I look at myself and wonder who the hell am I to complain about what trivial shit I am going through?!?!  But....today, I am complaining.  And I am in no way undermining what these brave and courageous, beautiful women have dealt (and are dealing) with.  I guess I just need to have my stinking pity party, once and for all.  I sit too long, and I hurt.  I walk too long, and I hurt.  I stand too long (like 30 seconds) and I hurt.  WTF??????  I will get up out of my chair after sitting here writing this and my back will hurt and I will have to walk probably 20 or 30 feet before I can straighten up....maybe.  Maybe not.  I never know.  I'm already getting achy from sitting this long, so I'll finish up and go put a load of laundry in the dryer and load the dishwasher and then I'll need to sit again....only in a different chair.

Good God! That is certainly quite enough whining for one day, what say?  All I can do is muddle along until the 29th when I finally have my 6 month check up with the Surgeon.  At that point I will know, most importantly, if the fusion has 'taken' and if all is healing properly.........or not. And if these leg problems will go away.....or not.  If not, just shoot me, because I will NOT have  another surgery!!!!  NEVER!! 

Camping Trip and Me, Me, Me,Me, Me

We took our motorhome out of moth balls and went on a camping trip with our neighbors and good buds, Roy & Debbie for the long holiday weekend.  We left Thursday afternoon and came home yesterday {Monday} early afternoon.  We only went about 30 mile from home, but it was a great campground on Table Rock River and our sites were right on the sandy 'beach' of the river.  Sweet!

Their 2 grandsons, Corbin and Noah were along {as they live with Roy and Deb} and Saturday was Corbin's 9th birthday so we had a party for him.  Their daughter & her hubby and youngest daughter {5} also came.  It really was lots of fun.

In my last post I was sounding off about how well I am doing post-surgery.  Well, that changed in a big-ass hurry.  After helping the farrier with the horses Wed. AM, I proceeded to spend the rest of the day gathering stuff up for the motorhome, doing laundry and shopping for the trip.  Thursday I spent the day cooking for the trip and trying to load stuff.  I made potato salad, brisket, salsa, birthday cake, beans, guacamole and other dips.  The motorhome has actually been at an RV place, as we have been trying to sell it, so it was EMPTY.  Not set up with all the basics like it always used to be, so gathering and loading was a major chore.  Needless to say, by Thursday PM I was wiped out and spent Friday and Saturday in quite a bit of pain.  Did I remember to take my meds for my leg spasms?  NO.  Did I remember my Tylenol PM so I could sleep at night even tho I couldn't get comfortable?? NO.  What an idiot.  Deb found some Tylenol PM, so that I did get some decent sleep Saturday PM.  I should have driven home for the other meds, but it {like everything else at that point} seemed like too much effort.  But that's enough bitching. 

Well, maybe not.  Wednesday PM, after having helped the farrier for about an hour and a half  that AM, Chuck and I pulled over 40 Seed Ticks off me. They were everywhere.  The big ticks don't bother me, but the Seed Tick bites itch and fester like fire ant bites and those have been driving me nuts.  We treat our yard, but in thinking back, the farrier set up his stuff off to the other side of the pasture, where no one ever really goes and apparently Chuck doesn't treat.  After he was done helping me "tick pick", he went right out and sprayed the horses.  If I got so many, imagine what they had going on!!!  Poor girls :(

Putting my 'discomfort' aside, it was a great weekend!  We're gonna go again a time or 2 before it gets to be too cold for these Southerners.  LOL  I'll just do things a bit different and be better prepared.  That, and leave more stuff for Chuck to do, like he told me to, to begin with.  Just gotta learn to listen!

Blogrolls, Happy Horses and Progress

So how do you feel about Blogrolls??  I have asked this before and many of you like them because it provides you with an easy link to other bloggers, as well as a means to discover some new reads.  I like them for that reason, as well.  Typically I will read someone's blog if I see them leave interesting comments and check them out via the comment.

But what if......someone has a blogroll and it is quite obvious that they keep it updated, because you see new names go up and others go off, rather frequently.........but you're not on it.  Maybe it's someone that you have been blog buds with since you began blogging and you have had your ups and downs with thru the years, but thought all was well.  How much time should pass before it really hurts your feelings?

I can be......okay, I AM a rather controversial person and I don't blame some folks for not reading me.  But then again, I don't write like I used to.  Subject manner has drastically changed, which no doubt turned some away, cuz they like dirt.  Sometimes, I really feel that because of past 'issues' and the fact that they were so verbal and public about it, they are literally ashamed to have "Yankee Chick" in their blogroll!  Some of these folks still read me and I them and comments are left by both.  So, I don't get it.

Personally, I took my blogroll down the other day.  I have always liked having one because I like for people to have access to some of the cool blogs I read and to see who our mutual reads might be, and so forth.  But, in light of a recent 'dust up' (a phrase I loathe, but seems appropriate since it wasn't really a 'flame war') I decided to take it down until I do some reorganizing.  There is no point in having blogs listed that you: 1) no longer read. 2) no longer want to refer your friends to or 3) have no desire to be connected to.
So, yeah.....I guess I will now be one of those that just might fall into the category of being ashamed to have people on my blogroll as I wouldn't care for some of my readers to stumble upon some of their postings.  (Cuz I'm so fu%&*ng perfect, dontchaknow!!)

In other news, the farrier was here this AM and fixed sweet little Dixie's feet up again.  He was very impressed with how well she is going and didn't expect her progress to be as far advanced as it it.  Since he hasn't seen her for 3 weeks, he could also see that she is, indeed, losing weight and said that whatever we are doing, keep it up cuz she's doing great!  Susie got a 'manicure' and new shoes today and she is all frisky and happy, too.  

Only problem is, I thought he was coming tonight, not this AM, so my freshly showered self is now covered with horse kiss slobber and sweat.  Gotta help catch them and hold them, ya know.  I'm just glad I was able to help. This is how I realize the progress I am making since my surgery....by realizing that I have just done something that I wasn't able to do a month ago or 6 months ago or even a year ago!  I love it.  Even 3 weeks ago, I wouldn't even have attempted to go out in the pasture and try to catch Susie, let alone put a lead on her and walk her out to his truck.  Yes....walking out and back and following her around hurt a bit, but certainly not enough to stop me!  And leading her with her lead rope, tugging on her resisting self, didn't seem to strain my back muscles.  It's all good.  Damn good!!

The Rose Garden and A Happy Horse

Well, the rose garden is officially finished and hopefully they will actually live and grow up to be somebody!

Chuck worked SO hard on such a hot day to lay this out and get the stone set just right! I love stone, always wanted a stone wall and he has given me the next best thing. He bought a huge truckload of these great stones back when we first bought the house and has made me several flower beds from them.  These pictures aren't the best, but you get the general idea.  Hopefully when the roses take off again and are bursting with green leaves and blossoms, I will get some better pictures to show off.  You can sure see how dry and 'crunchy' our lawn is from the lack of rain! We've even got a couple of tress that are dying... :(

I sound pretty optimistic for someone with 2 brown thumbs, don't I??  But I insist that I should be able to grow roses since it seems that everyone and their brother has roses growing in their yard.  The garden is in direct line of my view to the horse pasture from the window by my computer.  It will sure be pretty WHEN it takes off and they grow nice and pretty.  The lady we bought them from pruned them a LOT....almost like they need to be pruned back about in February, at least in this part of the country. Ah, well. Time will tell.  We got 9 bushes for $60, which is a great deal and not so expensive that we would be out a whole lot if they don't make it.

For my Dixie update, I am SO happy to report that she is doing quite a bit better already!  She seems to be losing some weight on her "crash diet", which helps and she is also getting back to being her frisky self, so we know she is feeling better!  Yesterday, we let her out into the pasture with Susie and they ran and played and Dixie even kicked up her heels a bit!  I was elated!! The farrier will be here again Wednesday to trim her hooves again, which is great cuz they are sure growing fast with no shoes on, as well as her limited exercise.  But she's up to getting a bit more of that, now, from the looks of it and that will aid in the weight loss tremendously!

Roses and Horses and Finches....Oh My!

My lovely daughter, Terri, has a faboo friend that is quite the gardener.  She has gotten Terri into it big time.  So much so that M constructed Terri a greenhouse and built wonderful garden beds for her!  Anyway, Shany {Terri's friend} created a rose garden as a memorial to her mother.  Shany lost her mother to cancer a few short years ago and seeing as how her mother loved roses she planted a lovely plot and even had a nice sign made.  That got me thinking.  My Mom loved roses.....yellow roses.  AND....roses seem to grow really well here in BF Arkansas.  Everyone seems to have thriving rose bushes, except me of course, because I always thought they would be terribly complicated and I would kill them for sure! Anyway, after seeing Shany's rose garden, I decided to give it a go.  I also had some influence from our dear Poolie, as she has some incredible roses under her care!

My plan was to have my Timmy help me build a rose garden while he and Riley were visiting.  He has really gotten into helping Terri and Shany with their gardens and we had a plan!!  Alas, time ran short and Chuck didn't have time to do HIS part in all of this, so Tim and I didn't get to build my rose garden together :(.  HOWEVER!  As luck would have it, the lady at the end of our road {who used to work for a nursery~and who's house was surrounded by gorgeous plants and flowers, including many roses} is moving!  Last night on his way home, Chuck stopped to see her and came home with 9 rose bushes and 2 HUGE SunPatiens plants (a form if Impatiens only HUGE)!  What a surprise!!

The plan is to build a big bed out of some rock we have that he made me a couple other flower beds out of.  And since the bed he made me for my Hydrangeas has taken off and done so well.....and since roses allegedly like the same conditions as Hydrangeas, he will make the bed for me in the same area of the yard.  Which, BTW, just happens to be near the pasture fence and in direct line of my view to said pasture, from my computer and sewing machine!  If they live, it will be prefect!!  She seriously pruned them, as you can see, but I suspect she knew what she was doing.  Her only advice was to water in the morning and again in the early afternoon and give them rose food once a week.  She said they don't like to "go to bed wet".  LOL  So....I think I can handle that.  I think I can, I think I can.......Of course I will be researching online and will greatly appreciate any and all input from any of you that are successful rose growers!!

And, in other news.......I was quite envious of Poolie's daily gathering of finches at her feeders!  I often see finches out on the fence and flitting by the window, but only after her influence did I finally decide to acquire some finch feeders.  Well, they went undetected for so long....5 or 6 days.....I was about to move them one morning, when lo and behold, I had a visitor!  That was about 2 weeks ago....and all this time I only ever saw just the one.  But 2 days ago, there were 3!  And this AM there were 5!  I am thrilled.  I love having birds around, just outside my windows and although I do miss my favorites in Alaska, there are so many down here that don't live up there!  The gold finches (only visit Alaska briefly), Cardinals, Indigo Buntings, Blue birds, House Finches, and I musn't forget the Hummingbirds!!  I'm still working on pictures.  For some reason, they seem to take flight when I quietly open the door, with camera in hand and a rambunctious Cocker Spaniel comes out of no where and goes bursting thru the door!  I just need to remember to camp out on the back deck, while Gus is at work with Chuck, and quietly wait for them!

And Dixie is doing a little better everyday.  Although I wish we had a horse size scale so we could weigh her and see if her "water and hay" diet is helping yet.  Can't see any difference yet, but with horses it does show fairly quickly.  She had to come over and investigate while I was watering the roses this AM.

Actually, her appetite hasn't been that great and she hasn't even finished all of her hay until yesterday.  Apparently it is improving, as she appears to be liking the taste of the fence......better keep an eye on her that she doesn't start eating it LOL  And I just noticed the ripples in the water trough!  Susie was taking a drink, just out of sight of the camera/phone.  :)

Dixie's Sad Story

Some of you already know about my poor sick horse, Dixie, as you have read about it on FaceBook, but my poor darling is still suffering and it it so heart wrenching to watch and be able to do so little!

She is 'Foundering", or in more current medical jargon, she has Laminitis. The bones above her front hooves have shifted position and it causes the bone to press down on the 'inside' of the hoof. This results in inflammation and much pain. Apparently she has had the condition for quite sometime, as it doesn't just happen overnight. However, we saw the 1st signs of a real problem last Sunday night and by Tuesday afternoon, it was apparent that she had a serious problem! Wed AM we were off to the vet with her and after much examination and some X-Rays, we got the bad news. This is not an fast or easy fix, but it can become manageable.

While researching her symptoms, I was afraid that she had West Nile Virus. They were about a month over due for their shots, because of Chuck's mother passing away and his trip to New York and then to Florida to deal with all of that.

As for her symptoms....she was walking very gingerly and it was apparent that something was hurting her, but we couldn't figure out what. We both checked her legs and hooves thoroughly and couldn't find anything. As the days progressed, it was becoming more and more difficult for her to walk, she wasn't eating and she would just stand in a corner hanging her head, or she would lie down on her side, panting heavily. On Tuesday afternoon, no amount of coaxing would get her to get up. I was in a panic! Called Chuck, he came right home and by that time she had managed to get up, but we had to help her to the barn. It was pretty scary. And Susie knew something was wrong with her youngin', cuz she would stand over her or right beside her, nickering the whole time.

Thankfully she trailered up okay, so that the vet didn't have to come to the house. When it was becoming clear to him what her problem was, he even showed us the area right above her front hooves was actually pulsating from the inflammation! I was in tears...and so wishing that she didn't weigh quite so much, so that I could take her in my lap and comfort her!

Pretty much all we could do for her was to get the farrier here and get her shoes off and get her hooves trimmed down as short as possible to give her some relief that way. We were starting out with a new farrier, so we were a bit concerned but this guy has done it for years and it's all he does. He was very familiar with the situation and was even more informative than the vet! Where the vet wasn't concerned about her weight so much, Rusty (new farrier) was. As I had pointed out a post or 2 ago, she is a bit plump and although not considered obese by horse standards, Rusty said that losing weight will be a big factor for her. So.....she is on a crash diet! No grain, no grass. She is gated up in the barnyard and on hay and water only. So far she doesn't mind. And although she is moving around a little better, she still is a far cry from 'being herself'.

Our other farrier always complained about her feet being so small that it was difficult to shoe her. Well, apparently 'bad shoeing' is a majorly contributing factor in her condition. Not a good thing for as much as she is ridden and the trail ride must have been very difficult for her! But, bless her heart, she is a 'pleaser' and will do anything for us and that includes keeping on going even when the going gets tough...with no complaints. The vet said she is one tough little girl! Anyway....the poor shoeing caused her to walk on her tip toes, so to speak, and after a time, caused the shifting of the bone. I can relate to that. It's like my back problems and pain for a couple years, made me walk to try to compensate, and gave me bad hip problems. As with me, 4 months post-surgery and I am still dealing with much hip pain, Dixie will take many months to heal as well. And the vet can't give her anything for the pain. He said that if he took the pain away, it would allow her to overdo it and she wouldn't heal. Makes sense, but breaks my heart!

 And now, for more info than you probably ever wanted, here is the X-Ray of one of Dixie's hooves {on the top, of course} and on the bottom is a picture of what it should look like, as well as one that shows how much worse hers could be!

And so, we hope for quick weight loss and we keep her hooves trimmed about every 2 weeks to keep the pressure off the front and we do what we can to make her comfortable.  I was quite concerned about her lethargy, but as the vet pointed out....between the high temps we've been having and the pain she is in, it's no wonder.  It's been over 100 for a couple weeks with the heat index up to 115 most days.  Since she loves to be hosed down, I have been going out and walking her over to the hose and trying to cool her down a couple times a day.  I sure hope it comforts her.  There's not much else we can do, except that she is loving all the petting and hugging and kisses.  She's such a baby girl!

And Susie has been amazing!  Talk about a good mother....she has stayed right by Dixie's side and when ever Dixie starts walking somewhere, Susie gets up behind her and sort of nudges her along.  Encouraging her and helping her.  Can you stand it???  I learn something new and amazing about these horses everyday.  For everything I hate about having to live in Arkansas, the blessing of having these horses in my life is something that I am grateful for.

I Have Totally Lost My MInd

But! Whilst looking for it, I came across these photos I would like to share.

 Jenny Craig for Horses, anyone??  LMAO  Granted the first picture {which is one of my ALL time favorite shots of the Girls} was taken May 12, 2007.  Granted, at that time Dixie {Blonde Butt} was only 2 years old and not yet full grown but almost as tall as her Mama, Susie.  However, as you can see in this photo shot a month ago, she not only is a bit taller (perhaps half a hand) BUTT she is much rounder!  Dixie has definately become one chunk of horse!!

The second photo was shot during the trail ride we went on while Riley and Timmy were here.  I never did get to blog about it, mostly because I spent an entire week driving from there to here and back to there and here again!  The scoop on that is.....every year there is this John Shaddox Memorial Wagon Train that starts out in Harrison, Arkansas a week before the Rodeo of the Ozarks which takes place in Springdale {just a few miles from us}.  It's a pretty neat adventure and there are about 200 participants.  Some ride horses, like Chuck and Riley did, while others drive wagons and buggies and such.  It's quite a big deal.

Anyway, it's about 83 miles from Harrison to Springdale and each day they would ride 12-16 miles or so.  The day would start at about 6:30 AM, at which time everyone would drive their horse trailers, campers, etc. to the campsite for that evening, and a shuttle would take them back to the camp from the previous night where the horses would be waiting.  They would then ride to the new camp site, wash, rinse, repeat.  There were some really nice campsites.   Farmers and ranchers along the trail would make a field available with plenty of grazing and there would always be a stream nearby.  It would have been a lot nicer if they did it at a cooler time of year, but then it wouldn't coincide with the rodeo, which was the original intent. It is, however, a long HOT ride.  For the riders and for the horses. 

Riley had a great time riding Dixie while Chuck rode Susie {once she got over her case of 'saddle butt'  LOL}  And Chuck was bust fending off all the young cowboys that had a tendency to meander over Riley's way.  Hee hee. 

My day consisted of driving the Tahoe pulling the horse trailer to the next camp site and then heading back home with Timmy and Chuck's sister to gather 'supplies' or do laundry, shower, tend the garden, etc.. Then late in the afternoon we would drive back to horse camp and all spend the night and the next AM, wash, rinse, repeat.  It was an interesting week!