New Workout Routine

After doing the evaluation on the Wii and then one 15 minute workout, I have inconveniently discovered how completely out of shape I am. My calves are killing me and I can really fell the pushups I did. I'm trying to decide if I should take off today or do another 15 minutes with the workout coach. I know it will get better as I get stronger and that the first couple weeks are the hardest.

Photos from the Six O ride

Here are some photos from the Six O CTR. I'm buying several of these b/c I like them so much. The photographer is Jim Edmondson and the website is

Optical Harmonics

Love Cleaning house? Not so much

We are in the midst of our annual rearrange and cleaning today. Every year we try to figure out how to better use our 1400 square feet to best use the house to it's max potential. This year, the room I had set aside as a music room/massage room is getting made over into Peter's man cave. He is going to take his models and his hobby materials in there which will make less clutter in the office that we spend the most time in. It will mean I don't have a room to give massages in, but I think I have done 2 all year at the house, as I really prefer to do housecalls. So, we are shifting, cleaning and moving stuff around. The end result will be good, but right now we've kicked up a lot of dust.

On the positive front, we heard from a restaurant worker at a place closeby (across the street from the new stadium) that the stadium people had been in to buy up their place. They have already bought one restaurant and torn it down, and another has been purchased. The word was they want to take out the whole section. Boy, I hope so...my biggest fear is that the stadium and parking lot will be in our backyard. The first block only has 2 occupied houses. We are just waiting for them to move onto us.

New wii Workout

Peter got me the Wii Fitness coach and we set up our fitness profile. Mine, was pitiful...well, actually, it said I was in pretty good shape, aside from being overweight. So newly armed with a goal of 175 and 15 minutes 5 times per week I guess I'm starting to whittle away at this thing.

Maggie has been having trouble with her heel and I may be getting her some insoles for her shoes soon. What a drag for a kid to have trouble with their feet.

Marley and me

Maggie and I went to see Marley and me today and it was great. Of course, it had a sad ending, but it was a cute movie up to that point. I saw in the opening credits that Kathleen Turner was in it and didn't realize what her part was until it was over. I never would have recognized her from the Kathleen Turner of the 80's. Sigh...I guess we all get older.

The movie was especially poignant because Willie, our old dachshund, is coming to his end. He is 14.5 years old and has begun to have trouble climbing up the little bed stairs we bought for him in the summer. He fell off the other night while climbing up. He has trouble remembering where he is supposed to go to the bathroom and he has developed a funny lump, that I am afraid is a tumor on his back. I have an appointment to take him to the vet tomorrow (if they can work me in) but the lump has grown in the last week from being barely noticeable through palpation to being fully visible. I'm just so sad at the thought of losing him, but also know that eventually all pets are left behind and I'm prepared to take care of him properly.

Tonight we have created fitness profiles in our new Wii fit game. It's called Wii Personal coach and it has developed a fitness program for each of us based on our profile. It has me starting with 15 minutes 5 times per week. I will do that, but I am also going to start adding some classes at the Y with Maggie as well as going into work out. Frankly, I just have to increase my exercise time. I'm obviously only capable of controlling my eating just so far, so I have to work out more. I am just so tired of being large. I don't want to go another year this size, even if it means that I give up foods I love and have to exercise (which I don't love so much) I'm going to be doing a 50 on Liberty in a year or two...but not at this weight.

Day after Christmas

I got to sleep late again today. That was so nice! I will have to cut it out next week though. I have so much to do while we're not working. I have stuff to clean and I want to not be whipped when I have to go back to work.

I am oddly not missing work...well, I would miss the money, but I'm not missing going out each day. I'm trying to change my Monday schedule b/c Shawn's schedule has changed and there isn't anyone to get Maggie each Monday afternoon. I would like to still do an afternoon group, but if I went in later and did an early afternoon group I could still pick up Maggie from school and they would have the group. My work is so opposed to change though...I'm not sure I can talk them into it. Of course, picking up my daughter is so much more important than 4 hours at the nursing home. Yes, I could probably find someone to pick her up, take her to the Y, etc. And, if I have to, I will, but I'm a little frustrated by the lack of communication when I have made such an important request. Oh well, it's the holidays, so I guess no one checks their emails.

Maggie and I are going to see Marley and Me in a little while, and we hope to go ride this afternoon if it's not raining. Then I will hope to come home this evening and finish sewing Peter's chef's pants.

A Wonderful Christmas

This has been a great holiday. We started our Christmas late this am. We had gone to church at midnight so we didn't get to bed till really late, hence no early morning for us. We looked in our stockings, which contained items my mom sent us (Santa Grandma) and my dad sent us a few things. I started playing with Maggie's flip video camera and recorded most of our present opening, however, when I unloaded the videos to the computer, I evidently forgot to save them properly, so all our tributes to Santa Grandma got lost. sigh. Peter did take a lot of photos, so I will have them later and I will video Maggie trying on all the cool clothes she was sent.

My best gift today was the video here of Peter riding with me and Maggie! We had such a great time. Then we ate Chinese food. Then we came home and Maggie played with her new Wii game, Wii cheer, and we watched her. I also got a Wii game called Wii Fitness Coach, that will make me a workout to do each day. Since I am trying so hard to get more movement into every day, it's one more part to my arsenal. Now we're watching White Christmas, which is something I have done almost every year since I was 12. While watching White Christmas I looked around on Itunes to see if I could buy the soundtrack to it because I love the songs so much, but it evidently was never released due to the contracts of the stars at the time. You can get a CD which has some of the original artists singing the songs from the movie, but it's not an actual soundtrack album. This was disappointing, but at least now I will quit looking for it.

I had it easy this year for shopping. We made the conscious decision earlier this fall not to buy (or receive) a bunch of presents, so our holiday has been a lot more mellow than usual. There has been no frantic shopping, which I have really enjoyed. I did decided to sew a few items for Peter and Maggie...mostly that didn't get finished but through the whole process I managed not to get worked up about it. As a result, Peter got his cool chef's hat, but not his pants, though they are in progress and the chances are pretty good he'll get them soon. Maggie was going to get a purse made out of brightly colored fat quarters, but that didn't happen either. And I was going to make Maggie a shirt, but no such luck. Lucky for me, I have a very understanding family, and for the most part, they would rather I not flip out trying to get so much stuff done.

We had Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve with Shawn and Alexa at his house. He made a standing rib roast which was very good, roasted veggies, mashed potatoes and I made 7 layer salad. Peter made Creme Brulee for dessert...all tasty stuff. Then we went to church, Shawn included, and Peter and I played music for the preludes section of the service, 30 minutes before the service began. Pastor Cathy evidently really enjoyed our music and has asked us to play something for Epiphany sunday in a couple weeks. So, we will have to get practicing.

Tomorrow, maggie and I are are going to see Marley and Me at the Movie Tavern and I will trim the horses's feet if it's not raining all day. I'm taking Fiera to my friend Teresa's house for a couple months to get her weaned and give her more room to run, and I need to do her feet before I leave her there. Liberty's feet area also pretty long, but I'm hoping after I ride him at Teresa's I can rasp them a little and not have to work at it so hard...also since it's supposed to rain, it will soften everyone up. I will need to buy a new knife and rasp soon. The rasp is getting old and the knife was never all that good. Then Sunday Maggie and I will head over to Teresa's to spend the night and ride. I have to work on Tuesday this week, but that's the only day. If the weather will hold, I hope to ride to the park at some point in the next week.

I never seem to find time...

To blog these days. I feel inspired to write at odd times but not when I sit down at the computer to write. The weather has been yucky so I don't have anything horsey to post about.

My horse has decided to run away from me whenever I bring out a halter. He thinks it's great fun. Me, not so much. I think we are getting along well enough. He just seems to have fun running.

So that I don't let this become old news I will post now. More to come when life calms down.

Family Christmas

We went to dinner with Peter's parents tonight. They are in town visiting for Christmas, and Stacy, my sister in law thought it would be fun if we went out and did something together instead of just hanging out in the house. It was great fun and the food was fabulous. We went to the Gaylord Texan riverwalk Cafe which was a bistro buffet style and it was really, really good. It was expensive, but tasty. We also looked around at the lights and Peter took a lot of photos. I ate too much, so I'm sitting up waiting for my food to digest before laying down for the night. After dinner, because the Gaylord was so crazy busy, we went to Starbucks to open presents. My MIL made most gorgeous quilt. I will post a photo. It matches Maggie's room perfectly. It turned out so nice. and Peter's dad made her a box to keep all her ribbons and photos in of her horse adventures with Dixie.

I got a great leatherman tool coupled with a sharp knife which will really come in handy and a polar fleece horse throw. Peter got a really neat quilt his mom made him as well.

I had a longer post started, but didn't finish about the CTR (and it's been a long time since I've had time to post) I didn't get to post about this, but last weekend Maggie and I went to the CTR and she got 1st on her horse and I got 2nd on mine. I also placed 2nd in horsemanship and she placed fourth in horsemanship as well. I'm taking Maggie to a bunch of rides this year...she might even win the division on this horse.

Cell Phones and Peach and Quiet

I have a dilemma about cell phones. I feel safer having one, but it's also a curse when I have one and choose not to have it with me. Take tonight for example: I was to pick up Jena around 5pm. I was doing heavy horse tasks, (moving hay, grain) and couldn't wear my phone, so I put it in the car. Evidently she called and texted from 5:15, when I got back to the car where I could hear my phone. I sort of miss the days when i could be off riding and not be reached by anyone. If I was late...well, then I was late. Of course this meant pissed off husbands, but hey, they weren't mad at me or pestering me till i got home, so what did I care?

Of course, the flip side is safety. It's good to be safe and have contact with your fellow man, but sometimes, I wish I had a little lesson contact.

We're going to the Texas Renaissance Faire this weekend in Houston. We had planned to go to Great Wolf Lodge for 2 nights, but it was going to cost over $800 just for the hotel. This will cost us less than half of that and we'll probably have just as much fun. Peter will have his camera. Cat is making me a court gown. I'm very excited about it.

I will miss the horses though. I love riding over the holidays. I have been severely cut back in my riding lately. Jena is with us alot and she rides some, but not always and I end up having to change up my tentative plan. maggie doesn't always want to ride with Jena and vice versa. It's not her fault...it just is easy to blow off riding, or feel like I can't get away when I have extra company. It's totally me letting other things get it in my way. I also don't ride as much now that I trim, feed, etc. I'm working to change that though. I now have a standing Thursday date with Dana, which will help for one time per week. Maggie and I usually ride on Fridays and then one day on Saturday...I hope to pick up Monday mornings since I can take her to school and not have to be at work till 11, but I'm not really sure I will have time for that...work takes up so much time from the things I'd really rather be doing.

Giving in, going to doctor

I changed my work schedule tomorrow to take myself to the doctor. I am STILL sick...I was feeling better, but now I feel like I Have a new bug. I'm running a fever and yet, I still have to go to the nursing home for an inservice when I really could just sleep all day. So, tomorrow, no springtown (will make it up after Thanksgiving) and I will be at the doctor's brigh and early. I think I have pneumonia.

As I reflect on still being ill...

Reprinted from Yahoo.

The 10 Germiest Jobs in America: Is yours on the list?

by Sarah Jio, Vitamin G, Glamour Magazine, on Wed Oct 29, 2008 8:00am PDT
We're getting over the stomach flu in my house (NOT fun), so believe me, I've been thinking about germs this week--specifically how to avoid them. So a recent headline caught my eye: The 10 Germiest Jobs in America. Of course, I had to click and learn more. Here's the scoop ...
Dr. Charles Gerba, a microbiologist at the University of Arizona, whose nickname is "Dr. Germ," spoke to ABC News recently, about the germiest professions in America:

1. Teacher/day-care worker (which is closest to what I do!)

2. Cashier, bank employee

3. Tech support/computer repair

4. Doctor or nurse

5. Lab scientist

6. Police officer

7. Animal control officer

8. Janitor or plumber

9. Sanitation worker (AKA garbage man/woman)

10. Meat packer

I think I'd add pest control workers to the list. Just think of those poor guys (and gals) crawling around in dark basements in search of rats. Ewww.
Do you have a germy profession that you'd add to the list? A friend of mine is a librarian at a public library and she Purells her hands all day long. (Is Purell the best way to kill germs?)
And, a quick side note about Purell, and all other alcohol-based hand sanitizers folks: These don't "breed" bacteria as many people fear (I've been seeing some comments to this extent on the blog, so I thought I'd speak up). It's easy to come to this conclusion given all the warnings from health experts about superbugs and how bacteria are becoming resistant to antibiotics, yada, yada, yada--but rest assured, hand sanitizing gels aren't the reason. These are alcohol based and don't contain any "antimicrobial" properties (most don't, anyway). It's antibacterial soaps and wipes that have some health experts worrying. The thought is that bacteria are becoming stronger and bolder as a result of our love-affair with antibacterial everything. So, Purel away--it just kills the bugs and doesn't make them grow bigger and stronger. And maybe read up on antibacterial soaps and products before using--just FYI.

To make this horse related...I need to throw hay to the horses but can't breathe so they are scrounging in the field. I will get it done tonight, but I'm ready to feel better!

Another day of sickness

I am so tired of feeling crummy. My nose is still a fountain and I have no voice. Try singing to the children with no voice recorded music. It doesn't hold their attention at all.

I think being sick might be worth it though. Liberty ended up in 4th overall for the season and except for the spooking which threatened to dislodge me, he performed very well. It's really hard to believe that a year ago he couldn't walk down a hill.

I am really proud of Maggie and Dixie who continue to show steady improvement. They had good scores and their partnership is growing. They make a nice team.

My next goal for Liberty is to work on his resistance to the bridle and continue obstacle work. Our next ride is a trail trial @ Teresa's on November 22 and I plan to concentrate on obstacle work until then. I would really like to make my english saddle work for us but I may have to just give in and go western for now, until I can afford the right english saddle. The wintec may have too much rocker to ever work.

I am having a bad

I am having a bad day. I have a terrible cold and now it's starting to drain. Tomorrow I am supposed to go camping so I can compete on Sat. in the last of four STC rides with Maggie. Liberty and I are in fourth place overall...not b/c we have great scores but because we have gone to all the rides and done "ok" in all the rides. I haven't had a cold in a long time...wish it had waited a little longer.

Then I was dismissed by one of my favorite clients for unreliability. She is partially correct, though we have been equally unreliable. The last couple months have been hit and miss at best, BUT it's not entirely my fault. She's been traveling, she stood me up three times. She went on vacation three times. But I had to change my times a couple times (actually in an effort to accomodate her schedule) and then we had illness...It just really bothers me that I thought she and I were on the same page and we were fine. They actually met last week and decided to discontinue massage (possibly altogether--not just me) and she made 2 other appointments with me which I was then stood up from. I guess I should be angry instead of hurt, but I liked her so much that I am bummed.

I know that I have not been taking my work seriously enough. I feel swamped all the time, but yet I don't work hard enough, I don't put in enough hours. I just can't seem to get my workload up to earn the money I am potentially able to earn. Maybe I just am not a good mom, worker, etc. Maybe I need to accept that there is only so many hours I have in me and take care of my family first. It's why I became a massage therapist in the first place. I'm upset because I gave up one of the nursing homes because I had so many contract hours and then some of them have dropped off. I have lost one more hour at springtown because of how the kids are recombined and i have lost a contract hour. Of course, I'm making more money than I did working full time for a number of years, so I guess it's not all bad. Maybe this is a blessing? I just hate being let go.

And now I have a cold

I have a miserable horrible cold! I thought maybe it was just the wind blowing in allergies the other day, but no, it's a miserable, horrible cold. I can't breathe, my nose is like a fawcett and I wish I were in bed...but I'm not. I'm at Northgate for one last day cleaning up some paperwork and helping the new music therapist go over the paperwork since each facility does things a little differently. Then I see Dottie and then I pack up to go camping. Camping with a cold doesnt' sound fun...but I do have mucinex so hopefully I will be draining soon.

Homecoming at baylor

My dad is here visiting and we have found ourselves at the Mizzou vs. Baylor game and it also happens to be homecoming. I haven't been back to Homecoming since the year after I graduated and broke up with Gary Owens. I ran into two people I had known from marching band and found out that one girl lives close to us in Arlington. I don't expect Baylor to win but it's still fun to be here. Sure is hot though for November. My back is sweating. It's going to be 80 today.

Fall CTR schedule

I thought I should post this separate because it's going to be long and horsey related...

Maggie and I competed in 2 NATRC rides this fall. I hadn't planned to do any since we hadn't really competed much this year, but I found out that if the horse was in three rides and the rider was in three rides that they would have points that added up for them even though they only did 2 rides together and weren't eligible for a team score. I had previously thought they had to have three rides together to qualify for any awards at all.

Maggie and I completed the Benefit ride the beginning of October. We had a great time and Maggie received a 2nd in Horse and 3rd in Horsemanship and Liberty and I both got fourth. He did really well and only lost 4 points...mostly due to me changing bits and making him uncomfortable.

Two weeks later (last weekend) we went to Horsemasters where Dixie won in Horse and Maggie got second in Horsemanship. Liberty and I did not place, but we had good scores and I was mostly pleased...considering he tossed my butt before we timed out and almost lost me again later. The weather was perfect and Peter took lots of great photos. , which he is still going through. One of Liberty and me is below.

Frankie is still here

Well, an amazing thing happened today...We had to go out to the Flint Fall Festival and I hated to leave him locked in a tiny crate in the house all day long. So, I had the bright idea to take the portable kennel outside and leave him in it in the backyard since it had four sides and he wouldn't be able to escape...

well, he did escape...only he didn't leave. Frankie dug a whole in the yard and got out through the smallish square at the bottom of the crate, but he didn't leave our yard. He didn't jump over the short fence where he could have, and he didn't dig out of the back yard when he normally would. I was amazed! He is currently curled up at my feet. Of course, this means I still don't have a reliable way to contain him, unless I put the crate in the garage, but it's nice to know he really does want to be here with us!

I took Dixie over to the Flint Fall Festival today. It was the most popular event with the longest line...I'm very tired. I made endless circles. My feet are killing me. I think Frankie and I will have to get in shape together.

Frankie's return

I got Frankie picked up at the shelter and he acted just like he knew I'd come. He was very subdued at home last night. I figure he's just happy not to be in the pound anymore. I'm going to keep him on a short leash (literally) for awhile. He slept with maggie and seems to be taking his confinement well.

The Return of Frankie

I never thought I'd really think about Frankie again. I thought he was long and gone. I figured when he went to the pound last winter that he hadn't been adopted and that was the end...only, the last few weeks I have been having dreams about Frankie. I dreamed he was looking for me. I dreamed he was in the backyard with a fence full of holes and he didn't run away. I dreamed that he was Lacie but then he turned into Frankie. I dreamed that he was sitting at my feet.

I found out today that he wasn't put down. I found he had been adopted and then given away and then ran away and is back in the shelter. Tomorrow I will go back and get him out of the shelter and bring him home again. My only fear is that he will be put down before I get there tomorrow afternoon.

I have no idea how I'm going to make it work with Frankie back home, but I confess I have really missed him.

Long week of illness

Maggie was still home sick today and I joined her To make matters worse, my dsl modem quit so I have had no internet today. I was only able to post this from my cell phone email account.

Sick kid

This am when I went to get Maggie up for school with a puke filled room. She had thrown up on the floor and comforter and herself. I revised my work schedule for the day and she stayed home. Peter then came home early to be with her. She's currently better but not well. Poor kid.

Luis Miguel concert

Tonight I had the opportunity to work a concert venue for massage therapy. I discovered that I need to use way more pressure than any of my regular clients as for. I also discovered there is probably a future in learning massage techniques that benefit musicians. It also made me think some more about a followup survey/article to my thesis where I find out out what musicians/music therapists are doing to get relief from pain and injury. The tour was really nice and I even got a tshirt. Hopefully I will have made a good impression and get asked back.

Weird Day/quick update

It's been an odd day of running and running and not accomplishing much. I took Maggie and Jena over to Alexa's this am to help her paint and they ended up staying there all day. Tomorrow I will head over with clothes and we'll all go to church.

I had planned to ride, but trimmed feet instead and reorganized my stuff for next weekend.

I helped Cat sell her trailer, for which I earned $100. I hated to take her money but she insisted and I know I can use it...it will help pay for the ride next weekend and I can send another $100 to Maggie's saddle. It looked really empty to have her trailer gone and the tack trailer is now really crowded. I have to get a shed of some kind.

Friday Dr. Lampe came and did all the yearly stuff. Fiera has her own coggins now. She was awful for him! Deli is on some stuff that is Legend and Adequan combined and I have to give her an IV shot for the next four weeks, but it might help her ringbone.

Last weekend we placed really well in a large class. i was shocked. I got fourth and he got fourth. I knew he had been a good boy, but I never dreamed. I would have done better I think but I cost us points with changing his bit. Maggie got third and Dixie placed second, so she was pleased too. We have lots to practice...

Off to the ride

Today will be a busy day. It's 8am and my truck is packed (reminds me of a song...all my bags are packed, I'm ready to go) Maggie is still sleeping, as is Peter (he has been sick) and I'm sitting here drinking coffee and thinking about cooking breakfast. I have a job interview down the street at 9:30 and I have to see Dr. Flint at 11. I also am seeing Jackie to pick up her Orthoflex Saddle. She is selling it for a great price and Maggie loves this saddle...so I'm going to give it to her. Ok, well, I love it too and I can probably ride in it occasionally also. I wish I could buy her daughter's instead as it has a 16 inch seat, but that one is locked inside Natalie's trailer, so the 15 will have to do.

I stand corrected...Peter is not asleep. He is up and dressed for the day.

Then we will leave for the CTR at the grasslands. I wasn't going to go. I resisted going all week. Not even so much for money reasons as just that we have been so busy, it really sounded like a great weekend to be home. The lure of nice weather talked me into going (unfortunately, they now say it's going to be in the 90's for the weekend, GRRR) and we signed up. I also found out that Maggie's points from her other two rides place her in 5th in the novice jr. division and Dixie's one ride for 1st place with Jena garnished her another 16 points, so if Maggie does 2 rides on Dixie she could place for horse and if she does 1 more ride minimum for herself she might place in horsemanship. So, I figured, what the heck.

For myself, there are so many people in my division, I'm just along for the joy ride. I Hope not to get pulled or held and beyond that I will just have a good time!

Netflix, no horses today

I didn't get to see my ponies today. Maggie fed this evening and will feed again tomorrow evening. She didn't have cheer leading tomorrow and I thought she might like to go riding, but she's going to have her dad pick up Jena and they are going to come back to the house. She has been so busy with cheer leading and other stuff ever day after school that she says it will be nice to have a day at home. I told her no TV though because it seems that Jena hasn't been doing her homework and she needs to. We seem to have mislaid her orange binder. It's not in the car or the house...not a clue where it went.

So, Maggie is at her dad's and I'm here watching a movie from Netflix. I almost never pick out a movie to watch on my own but I decided to pick out one that someone had recommended to me...can't remember who. It's called Mrs. Henderson Presents...

I want to share my movie lists with my friends so I'm going to post this link so any of my friends can be my online netflix friends.

http://www.netflix.com/BeMyFriend/PcZ0DxHtWQmqvgF0T7iT

A Parelli Convert!

Since I have been taking lessons with Jennifer at Iron Star Farm in Aledo, I have slowly become a convert to the training ways of Pat and Linda Parelli. I used to think this was the dumbest horse training method known to man until I started seeing that the real heart was in the relationship. Over the last couple lessons, all the bits and pieces Jennifer has given me have begun to make sense and fall into place.

This weekend the Parelli's were in FT. Worth for part of their 2008 tour. While I agree that their merchandise is extraordinarily expensive, I do also think the quality is very high. I'm salivating over the new Parelli Patterns to give me stuff to practice at home when I can't get out to work. They demonstrated how every exercise is a pattern that builds on an old pattern and works with the personality of the horse.

I experimented with some of my learning on Liberty this evening. Linda has a horse who is very left brained extrovert. He runs and plays and runs and runs and isn't ready to be ridden every time. She joked about him being bipolar, which I often feel with Liberty. He also isn't as touchy feely as her other horse and isn't as eager to hang out with her. This is how Liberty is with me. I feel a standoffishness from him, but a desire to be up close and personal...but only if it's really all about him. I think I do some damage early on when I "made" him "behave" I don't think it's irreversible, but I do think that he is less trusting of me in some ways than he used to be. So, I'm trying to speak his language.

Linda said a couple things today that made me think. She said that horses often become a tool and the relationship gets lost (this is definitely a possibility for me) and that you need to place the relationship first. In my lesson last week, we realized that you couldn't draw him in very easily. Tonight, when I turned him loose to work out the kinks, he turned away from me some, but also was way more willing to turn toward me than in the past. I think that I have lowered my energy and he feels more comfortable standing with me now. While I couldn't draw him in completely at Liberty, once he quit moving he wasn't reactive and trying to run away as usual. I noticed his breathing and sweating a lot, even though we hadn't worked very hard and I started to notice the release of adrenaline and the licking and chewing which indicated thinking.

I then had time to play the first four games with him and we had a great time. He did the friendly game, but still flinches on the first sounds/contact of the string, the porcupine game--better on the right than the left, the yoyo game (he's getting good at this) and the circle game. Tonight was the first night I ever got him to circle without always stopping behind me. Oh, he stopped behind me a few times, but then figured out that if he just kept trotting he would be praised and given many treats. He didn't work too hard and when I left I was feeding supper...since their supper consists of low starch feed and timothy cubes, I figured he was "too" hot.

I noticed that he had a lot of trouble ignoring the horses outside the pen tonight. Especially Toots! He was really working with me and focusing and acting like a left brained introvert until I started moving him a little and then he just exploded into a fireball of energy. Toots was running around and he was running around. They were both highly amusing!

Busy week, good riding

I had some brief but powerful horsey moments this week. Jena and Maggie rode in the field on the girls and I worked with Liberty in the round pen. I rode in a rope halter, in the round pen. I thought that I was going to work on backing through the round pen gate, but I soon realized that I needed to work on simply getting Liberty's attention on me. I had the girls on their horses distract him a bit and then I sent them off to ride and worked on just stopping and standing. It took a little while...in fact, it got dark on me...but I finally was able to tell him whoa, with no rein contact, stand without him pulling on me or the other way around, and to stand. The ultimate test was when I walked toward the girls in the field and was able to whoa him in the field and have him wait for instructions. I got off a proud mama.

Darn baby

I got up early to mix grain and antibiotic for my foal to eat before work. The little stinker won't eat it. I even coated it in maple syrup and it's a complete no go. I am wondering if i let deli eat it if the antibiotic would go through her milk? I thought about leaving her locked up for the day but I think she's stubborn enough not to eat it even then.

Fiera seems better today

This am Fiera was gimping along in her bandage but did seem to feel better. She ate some of her antibiotic, but not all...she's a little picky about having anything added to her food. This evening Maggie couldn't get her to eat any antibiotic, so she and her dad gave her some of what was in the tube. I had pre-dialed it to the correct level in case she wouldn't eat the powder. I had Maggie set the feed in the trailer and I'm going to go armed with maple syrup to pour on the feed tomorrow. I may have to leave her in the round pen tomorrow to eat her food. I hate to leave her away from her mom all day, but I also hate for her not to get her medicine. I have 2 more doses in the tube and if she continues to refuse to eat it, she will be finding herself with a syringe full of applesauce, maple syrup and antibiotic. I don't blame her not wanting it, but she has to have it. Thursday am I will take off the bandage and if it's not significantly better we will be making the drive to Decatur to the buddy of Dr. Whiting to have the joint cleansed. I don't even want to think about what that will cost, but worse, I don't want to think about my baby being lame before she's 6 months old. She did still have a slight fever this evening...it was 101, but it's down a degree from Sunday.

Baby Horses are out to kill themselves!

Fiera has had her first official vet bill. Sometime last week she injured her leg. I saw it on Thursday and it looked like a scrape and I didn't think it was a big deal. After all, she wasn't limping, she was eating and drinking and running around and didn't mind me handling it. Unfortunately, now it's 3 times it's normal size and the vet had to come and she's loaded up on antibiotics. The vet was talking about me needing to take her into the racetrack clinic to have it flushed and cultured and I was pretty nervous. He just didn't want to waste my money coming out only to have to haul her to the vet. But, once he got there he was reasonably confident that we can get this under control.

I'm usually pretty quick to call the vet on stuff like this...In fact, I did call one of the vets I use yesterday evening and she said that it didn't sound like an emergency to her and to call her this am if the baby had a fever over 102.5. She didn't have a fever this am and was moving better, but then this evening she had a temp of 101.8 and when I called the same vet again she told me to call my other vet because she couldn't come out till Thursday at the earliest. Since I have to work the next two days, I wanted to get it seen so I didn't miss work so that Marisa didn't fuss at me for missing work, like I did two weeks ago when Merlin died. I just got the feeling that she didn't want to come out. I had that same feeling in April when Freeley colicked, but I just chalked it up to a lot of colics, busy Saturday...now I'm not so sure. It may just have been that she had plans and she's off tomorrow. Maybe she doesn't really do emergency calls? I'm not sure, but I think I will be sticking with the larger practice I have used in the future.

Poor Fiera is wrapped from hoof to knee but she was feeling better already from the banamine by the time I left. I have antibiotics to give her 2 times a day and banamine for the next 3 days. I'm sure my bill will be pricey with the after hours call, but I don't care since I don't plan to raise another baby and she is something really special. If she's not better on Thursday I am to get a referral to take her to one of the equine hospitals to get the wound cultured and flushed, which will be expensive!

Extreme mustang makeover

So far the makeover is lame. It started an hour ago and they have done a lot of talking and very little horse showing. We got in here with no cash and there are no atms in sight. So no lovely beverages for us.

In other news: Maggie and I rode the white trail at the grasslands today and had a nice time with Yvonne, who I met at the last supreme trail challenge. Liberty was very chargy and hard to settle and rate. It's a new problem that he's developed when he has to go behind someone. Instead of adjusting his speed to suit the horse in front he puts his head up and acts very pushy. He will walk fine behind anyone but pick up the pace he's in a hurry.

I found this post in my phone this am. I forgot to send it Saturday when things finally got going.

Great lesson today

Peter came with us to Jennifer’s house and brought his camera. He took over 400 photos and ended up with 50 he liked really well. Here is the link:

http://picasaweb.google.com/pyovich/LessonDaySeptember2008#

Unfortunately, when I see photos of myself riding all I think is “oh, gosh, I didn’t feel fat till I saw the pictures” So, I have to take a deep breath and remind myself that we just have more work to do and then not beat myself up.

Today Maggie spent time playing with one of Jennifer’s horses while Jennifer worked with Dixie on the ground. Dixie proved to be really good at tuning Jennifer (and Maggie) out and Jennifer spent a lot of time smacking her with the carrot stick and rope. Jennifer hates smacking horses, but she had to get her attention and keep it! For now we have decided to take more lessons and spend less time competing…For Maggie that translates to no time competing. No fall NATRC rides for her or me. We want to wait till Maggie is really good and can be competitive and can have nice comments written on her card. Her next attempt will be the trail challenge at Teresa’s the end of November.

My lesson was another passenger lesson. IT started out by Jennifer showing me some tips for teaching Liberty not to crowd the next horse only it morphed into something completely different. She discovered his draw was broken. HE has never been “drawable” in the round pen and always does outside turns. He never just comes in. So, I rode and she directed. I rode with no bridle at all and when things got fast I was instructed to sit deep and tight in the saddle. It was pretty exciting at times and I felt like I was being whipped right and left, but I stayed on and we had so much fun. She showed me how to actually move him sideways on the ground, which is something that so many people say (teach the sidepass on the ground first) but no one has ever actually shown me how to do that before today. I have pretty light hands (according to past dressage instructors) but every time I go without a bridle, I see how much I’m really pulling. I started teaching him how to backup without reins today and I learned a lot about how to steer him without a bridle too…he wasn’t very good at some of it, and it made me aware again how much I resort to using my bit and reins. I think if I’m practicing this alone, I will have to have a bridle on him because I need the ability to steer if he doesn’t do as I ask but I now have a ton of things to practice.

The practice comes at a good time. Next weekend is the Parelli Tour so I won’t be trailering anywhere, but just riding at home for the next week. The following week is the Benefit ride, but it looks like I won’t be going to that either…I don’t think. I’m torn about taking myself to it and competing, but I know that Maggie would be sad if I went without her.

I don’t think we’ll stay off Dixie altoegher, but I think that we’ll spend more time on the ground trying to get her softer and lighter.

Cat's boy

Just to make sure that everyone reading about Merlin knows, he was Cat's horse. She bought him as an 18 month old and he was just now five, old enough to start doing some work. He had a nervous disposition and had trouble keeping his fear under control, but he was going to be OK. That's what makes this even worse. Cat was getting braver, Jena was riding him...he was going to be OK and then he died. Cat is better today too. We both feel like we were hit by a massive Percheron cross right in the heart. I went to the field this morning and it was hard not to see him there and to smell the odor of DMSO on the breeze. I was glad they had picked him up. I can't stand to think of him like he was at the end.

Merlin on Sunday

Peter was taking photos on Sunday and took this one of Merlin. It's a beautiful picture and really shows his soft expression.

It's so hard to realize that he is gone.

The vet came this morning at 9am and Merlin crossed into Rainbow Bridge.

Merlin

It doesn't look like Merlin is going to make it. He had some bad reflux before but the vet was hopeful. We left him at 2am and Cat called at 4:30 to say he was thrasing. She gave him one of the pain killers and called the vet who said to give him the second one and wait a bit. The vet had originally said if she had to use them both that he probably needed to be put down. This whole time I have wanted to be hopeful but now I am running out of hope I upset Cat by talking about calling the cemetary to come pick him up. Practical me just thought about how a horse carcass in the city heat was a bad idea...

Colic update: Liberty great, Merlin not so hot

I came out to check on Merlin for Cat because I said I'd take the first shift since I live closer. I got here to find 'erlin laying down not feeling so good and Liberty up looking bright eyed looking for his next handout. The vet was called again and he said we hadn't given Merlin enough banamine. I had some oral and gave him another 1000 pounds worth per doctor's orders. He is still trying to lay down...and he really didn't appreciate the taste of banamine. I told Cat if he were my horse I would call the vet. She is on her way.

Colic

Tonight after Maggie and I fed, Merlin began to colic. He cleaned up his entire supper and then started to circle and got up and down repeatedly. I called Cat because it appeared to be colic. I left to go pick up Jena and by the time I got back Liberty was doing it too, only he thrashed and rolled and appeared worse off than Merlin. Merlin would lay down and not move, but Liberty was violent. It began to rain so the girls and I took the horses into the shed. Dixie came in to hang out with Liberty (very cute).

A couple doses of banamine (vet recommended) later, they look better, but I am heading back over to check on them. Cat will follow up in a couple more hours and so on till we're sure they're out of the woods. We can't figure out why this happened. The girls look fine. Everyone has the same feed, hay and water they have always had. No change in the routine whatsoever. Weird.

Elijah's Elation

I accidently deleted a post about this great horse who is for sale. HIs photo is also on my side bar. He is 11 years old and belongs to my friend Karen Haile who used to own Liberty. I really like this horse. He's about 14.2 hh and has beautiful gaits. His temperament is amazing. In the Parelli Horseanlity scale he is a Right Brained Introvert. Dixie is a Left Brained Introvert, which is more Maggie's speed, so they didn't click, but she enjoyed riding him. He has really big gaits for a little horse. I wish I needed him! I'm not sure what she's asking for him, but I'm sure the good home is most important. He is located in Joshua, TX.

Wine tasting event and horses of course

Ok this isn't a mostly horse related post but they are involved inadvertantly...

This evening Peter and I were going to a wine and food paring session at a wine store in Denton called wine sqared, which is a little wine shop on the sqare in Denton, Tx. When I signed up for the tasting I thought it was going to be wine and food together but it ended up being wine paired with imaginary food. We will be emailed the recipes and wine pairings so I can replicate it at home. Peter and I have been wanting to entertain, we just don't have the dining space. I think perhaps we have been inspired to do a vertical meal (which as it was explained is a several course meal paired with wine)

We then went to eat some really fantastic sushi. I actually am full!

To make this horse related, before we could get there I had to take care of horsey fencing business and that got complictaed. Fiera has decided that the fence doesn't mean anything to her. This has precipitated early weaning as I don't want to keep Deli locked up with her nonstop in the round pen. So she has begun to spend a few hours alone in the round pen, but I let Deli inwith her at night. I spent the morning adding a third strand to my 2 wire hot fence and I plan to buy aother charger to make a stronger charge all the way around. That littke stinker found all the places she could slip in between wires and testing it to see where it was hot. In the end she was back in the round pen for the evening because she can't be trusted. I am heading over now to let Deli in with her for the night for both of their comfort levels. I will work up to keeping them separated for 12 hours over he next month with full weaning accomplished over next six weeks. I also will have to change my poly wire for tape. I have a plug in charger to try out until I find a solar charger I am fond of.

Cute foals rock!

Today the farmer came to mow our field. He was here earlier than I expected so my day started with a bang. I rerouted my fence (lost my leatherman in the process) and took my trailer in for a new handle/latch with a lock and to have the roof repaired. They also said they would give us the once over to make sure it's road worthy.

I had planned to trim tonight but forgot to remove my tools so no trimming.

This is photo of Fiera laying down in the hay while she ate at the same time. She is almost four months old. Hard to believe.

My baby is 11

I haven't talked to Maggie, but I had pizza sent over to her at school today. I hope she liked it. I'm going to see her at dinner and we're going to have Hibachi '97 with Maggie and Shawn. She likes to eat there on her birthday b/c it was the same year she was born.



I have lots of other stuff to blog about...but the silly site ate the rest of my post. It will have to keep b/c I need to get busy.

Busy as usual

As usual I have more to post than time to write the post. We went to Ikea today and bought some new furniture that we'd been saving up for. Peter put it together and tonight I will be sleeping in a new king sized bed.

Maggie turns 11 tomorrow. She was born on a Tuesday 11 years ago. Eleven years ago tomorrow they also buried Princess Diana...I watched the funeral on Good Morning America while in early labor (and then later All My Children) It's hard to believe that many years have passed.

Lazy Sunday

I love Sundays at home. We are watching TV off the DVR and just chilling out. Maggie, Jena and I had lessons with Jennifer yesterday. Jena rode Merlin and it went very well. Cat has decided not to buy a new horse since Jena can ride Merlin. Cat can ride Deli when/if she decides to ride. I got some video of the lessons. I'm going to piece it together and then post it here.

I had what they call a passenger lesson...it was really interesting. I was supposed to just hang on and let Liberty do what he wanted. It was really strange to just ride and hang on that way.

Maggie rode a 17+ hh horse. I was really proud of her.

I'm buying the rest of my round pen tomorrow and I am pretty excited. We should have 60 feet across so we can actually ride in it. The beginning of Sept. we will begin to wean Toots and it will give us a bigger area to put her in. I will have to reroute the electric fence around it though since Merlin still likes to lean on the panels.

Always playing Catch up

I didn't realize so many days had gone by since I had posted something. Sometimes I find time to post little snippets from email throughout the week, but these last couple weeks I haven't had time to write anything it seems. I also didn't have time to call my mom and I was properly chastised...Of course, I still haven't had time to call her so I need to get that done in the next couple days.

We had a great weekend around here, up to the point when I realized that Maggie's room was a terrible mess and that it needed to be cleaned. Sunday while she and Jena were at the pool, she called to tell me that she had forgotten her clothes and could I get them from her room. I couldn't find any clothes in her room, so I lost it! If Jena hadn't been here, waiting to go to a lesson today, she would have been grounded for the next week. As it was, I found some clothes and took them to her, but I'm still pretty furious.

Today we were supposed to have a lesson and take Jena to have her lesson, but it is raining. We need the rain, so I'm not complaining too much...other than for the fact that I rearranged my schedule for the week so we could have lessons today and it looks like I will have to re-rearrange them back to today so I can take them on Thursday. Jena starts school next week, so I really wanted to get them to Jennifer before school starts. I plan to take Maggie to the water park Friday (if she gets her room clean) so Jena can come with us and do that as well.

This weekend, my friend Teresa Musgrave, invited several of us to her place to ride. It was Maggie and myself, Karen and her kids, Rachel and Travis, a friend of Rachel's and her mom, and two other ladies who also ride Paso Finos. Liberty was a nervous wreck the whole time we were there. I don't know what it is about going to Teresa's house that makes him so nuts. It could be the riding in a large group because I make a huge effort to NEVER ride in a big group. I like to ride on my own terms under my own agenda. Yes, it's selfish, but I'm comfortable being in front, being in charge and not having to wait around. It's good for me to step outside this box, but since it's not the way I typically do things, it's rough on my horse (and me) to change our way of going.

I did find a sore spot on one of his legs. He looks like he might have scratches. I have been treating it but he was a little gimpy b/c of it the other night. Poor fellow.

Beyond frustrated

My week is not going well.

I got thrown from my horse on Sunday, stood up by the new farrier on Monday, found out that Peter's 'new' car needs a new radiator on Tuesday (and my a/c fan broke in my suburban, which I shouldn't have been driving anyway except that Peter's carpool buddy had to drive separately and he took my car). I also found out on Tuesday that the friend who had begged me to go to the Supreme Trail Challenge with her isn't going to go and I can't afford to go alone. ON Monday I also found out that Dr. Chlapek had died, and I'm still very emotional sad about that. Today I woke up an emotional mess and not feeling well (read in the bathroom and throwing up). But instead of being able to stay home and get my equilibrium I have to work anyway because state is at the nursing home. I also found out today that my car (which I have $2000 on in the last 2 months) needs a tune up. There goes another $500 on top of the $500 I'm going to have to spend on Peter's car for the new radiator. It means that in the last 3 months I have spent more on car repairs than I paid for the car. Each time it breaks down, I say I won't fix it again, but I don't have the cash for a new car (because I can't save any money to buy a newer car since I'm putting so much money into the old car and I don't believe in having a car payment on top of all the other debt we have) I'm working my tail off this summer (when I was going to spend one last summer hanging out with my kid before I really had to work FT, which makes me sad) and I can't get any traction. Next week we're supposed to get our gas lease check and I was going to pay off one of the Credit card bills...only, no, now I get to pay the mechanic for the car repairs. Maggie is getting her new horse...I will have a little left for debt reduction, but not as much as I'd planned. IT was my plan to pay one of the cards completely off so I could get some traction on my snowball...one less bill to pay and all that. It makes me so sad that I can't get ahead no matter how hard I work...And with all the car repairs it makes me wonder if I shouldn't have just bought a new car...but now I'm in the car for the repairs and can't afford to give it up.

To quote the Weepies "This is not Your Year" (or rather my year)

Sad News on an otherwise good day

I found out an old family friend, Dr. Ben Chlapek, had died last week. His oldest children used to babysit me and I used to sit for his younger children. They moved to TX when I was still in High School, though some of their older children remained my hometown of Liberty, MO so I always had Chlapeks in my life. Then, when I moved to Waco, near Temple, where they lived, I saw them on breaks from school. They were just really great folks and I'm sad that Dr. Chlapek is no longer with us. If I had known he died last week, I would have been at the funeral, but I just found out today.

Maggie had a lesson with Jennifer today. She took Karen's horse Elijah and Dixie. Jennifer pronounces Dixie the winner of our personality (or rather horsenality) contest. So, tomorrow evening I'm going to take Elijah home and I guess we're buying Dixie from Cat. Maggie is happy.

Choosing a new horse

I have an incredible dilemma regarding choosing a new horse for Maggie. Freeley has been retired and Maggie needs a horse to ride. Cat and Jena started talking about selling Dixie and Maggie decided that she might really like this horse. She's 14.1 hh, 8 years old, non-specific breeding, but pleasant and unflappable. She doesn't have a ton of training, but is very good natured and Maggie rode her happily at camp for a week. She is $800. Her gaits are smooth, and she really seems to like Maggie.

We have looked at a couple Quarter Horses who have really good bloodlines, though the actual riding just went so-so. I have been encouraged to go back and look at them again before making up our minds (no photos of them unfortunately) They are asking $2500 but will entertain offers. Maggie loved their smooth gaits, but the gelding, age 10, bucked when she cantered b/c he didn't want to leave the barn and his friends. Maggie looked fantastic on him though and handled the situation beautifully.

We currently have a really nice Arab as well. His name is Elijah's Elation, known as Elijah. He is 11 and he is sweepstakes nominated. His father was a really great dressage horse and he's well trained and athletic. Maggie enjoyed riding him enough to bring him home to keep riding him, but she thinks she's still stuck on Dixie.

Tomorrow she is going to Jennifer's to work and ride. I'm going to take one or both of them (unless we decide it's too hot) to evaluate them for rideability, relationship and temperament for Maggie to have the very best horse.

On another note: Liberty lost me yesterday for the first time. He was a fuss budget all day yesterday and was just a naughty boy in general. I know that, in retrospect, I was pushing him too hard and riding him differently than I would normally ride him. I have been trying to take more contact, instead of letting him go on his looser rein and only picking up the reins when I need to cue him. He really resents the contact and was fussing with his head all day. It seems like he is less spooking on a looser rein b/c he feels like he can look at stuff better. Add to that, everyone else was picking a really slow tempo/pace, and Liberty gets tired of all the incessant walking. Since Karen was riding a green horse, we had all agreed to stay together and not run off. I figured it was good for him to learn just to stand still. I was riding him in a bosal, which had worked great in Arkansas, but I was also riding with 2 reins and I was just generally in his face. When I got off of him for a few minutes and then remounted, he was better, but I generally had the feeling he was really uncomfortable. I've known for a long time that my western saddle shouldn't work on him at all, but I have been wondering if he's started being uncomfortable and has had enough...unfortunately, I couldn't use my English saddle on him b/c Maggie has stolen it from me recently :-( OF course, it was 105 or some such nonsense and he may just not have been in the mood. Anyway, we hit the dirt and now I have a headache and sore ribs. My hands also really hurt, I guess from hanging on to the extra reins so tight yesterday.

Tomorrow will be a sore day too. I'm trying to find out if I'm going to the STC at the end of week (if I feel like it now) and if so if I will be going alone or not.

Vacation at Bar 50

Maggie attended camp at Bar Fifty Ranch last week in Bismarck, Ar and with gas prices so high I decided to give up a week of work and stay here and ride rather than being burdened with driving back and forth twice. (What a hardship!) Liberty has never really traveled alone so it was a bit of a shock to arrive in a mostly empty campground and find himself alone. He called a little but settled down pretty quick and we had a short ride around camp on Sunday. I have never been much for bareback riding but have discovered that my recent weight loss and strength training on our wii fit has really helped my balance and I was more comfortable without a saddle than I have been in the past.

Monday morning I rode out with a nice family from LA and their grandchildren. We rode for about 3.5 hours and Liberty never got tired or footsore. He was super sure footed and did everything I asked, including not running down the hills after the other riders. He still fusses with his head when I would rather he give a little a little more but he is really coming along.

The trails are rocky and technical and i am looking forward to riding again tomorrow. He isn't used to all these hills but is doing great!

I haven't seen Maggie to know if she's having fun but I'm sure she is. Another NATRC person fom OK brought her daughter to camp too. Gail Kimery, who I met at Indian Territory in 2003, brought her daughter, who is just a few months younger than Maggie. Chris was having a great time, but apparently drinks lots of caffeinated sodas...which makes her a little hyper.

On Tuesday, I rode Liberty today and Kim Harrison came and rode Lissa. Yesterday he was tearing up and down the hills and today he was tired. Toward the end of the ride he wanted to go down the hills sideways and almost ran me into a few trees. He's reining great, but when I tried to move him over with my leg he was annoyed. He gives nicely to pressure from he ground. He's better on his left side than right. I think that he needs the chiro out again, but I won't know for sure until next month.

I gave him Wednesday off to give him a rest. Peter and I ran into Hot springs, walked around, read historial land marks, got a massage, ate good food...basically did very little. I was looking for new boots for Liberty, but couldn't find any that fit (I did buy some but had to return them the next day). When I got back on Wednesday Liberty was bored and rested. I got him out and grazed him. I had switched his pen to a slightly larger one b/c it rained over night both Tuesday and Wednesday so I felt like he could use some more space and a dry base to stand in.

Thursday, my agenda was to ride alone. I used to ride alone when I had my first horse, 20 years ago. However, after my shoulder injury, I got nervous of being out alone and I just haven't ridden alone. Kate Love is always encouraging me to get over it so I have been working up to it. At the stc we did our last 7 miles alone and made it but there were other horses around so we weren't alone alone. Today it was just us. I rode down the road out of camp with no problem, but at the first fork in the road he fought with me. I waited, we went on. At the next fork, same thing. We circled a bit,and we backed, and he went on down the hill. Then half way down the rocky hill out of camp he threw a major hissy and before I could get him straightened out he got part way up the hill. So we waited some more. He went the rest of the way down with no more trouble! He wasn't concerned about the footing, he just didn't want to go out of camp all alone.

Our next bit of trauma were all the puddles left from the storms. This horse loves creeks and lakes, but those puddles were going to eat him! I finally found a puddle in a safe place and worked him through it for 15 or 20 minutes till he would go through it straight both directions. We then went down a stretch of trail that reminded me of the bogs at davy crockett and he was really good! Until we got to one that must have had deep erosion on the bottom b/c all of a sudden I'm ankle deep in muddy water. He handled it fine, went straight and later went on through more of those that were not so deep.

We rode about two hours only but it was productive and he really began to listen to me. We came back in as Maggie's group was going up the mountain. He stood quietly for the others to pass him. I was very proud.

I also finally had a chance to play with the heart monitor I bought from Linda Stanford a couple years ago. He recovered pretty quick on all the climbs but continues to run a little high-12-13 after 10 min. He has a resting heart rate of 39. His breathing continues to be quick. What are the best exercises to work on breathing? Some say more canter and others more trot.

The only thing wrong with my time here is not having more NATRC friends here too.

On barefoot horses

I am wishing I had broken my no shoeing rule for riding this week. Liberty is handling it well but Dixie got tender on the rocks the first day. I have a farrier coming to shoe her tomorrow. Had I known that she would be tender (or Liberty too for that matter) I would have made a bigger effort to try boots before leaving home. But I didn't and it seems so unfair to make her work over these rocks she's not used to. I have boots for Liberty but they are too big. I understand why barefoot is best but right now I just want to ride without them being in pain.

Maggie and Dixie are doing great. Maggie wants to buy her.

The Never Ending Very Bad Day

Today didn't start out looking like a very bad day...but it sure ended up that way. Today was supposed to be the day that the holistic vet looked at Deli so we could figure out what was "really going on" with her so I could see if we were going to be able to fix it.

I had breakfast with Cat and we moved the round pen so we could put electric fence around it (so that Merlin would quit pushing on it) We waited for the vet and the girls rode bareback in the field. At 10:22 I called the vet who was supposed to have been there at 10am and got no answer. He did finally call back around 11 and this is where the day began to go downhill.

The vet was a vet I had not used before, but one who came very highly recommended for Holistic Medicine. He was coming from Pilot Point, which is a little ways away and he had gotten hung up with other clients and was late. That wasn't a problem at all. He had directions. Over one and a half hours later he called to tell me he was in North Richland Hills which was close so I headed over to the field after dropping Maggie and her friend Jena at the pool. I called him again and he was in Irving...he had missed the turn through NRH and had gone on 121/183 instead of staying on 820 and was heading north again toward home. Not only was he lost, he was mad about being lost...and it was somehow my fault. He said he was on the George Bush going north and he would pull over and get his bearings and call me back for new directions...and then I never heard from him again. So, I set aside this day for him to come and I had high hopes of him seeing my horse and he never showed up and never called me again...and then it was MY FAULT that he couldn't read the directions. HE said it was my fault b/c I gave him different directions than the ones Mapquest gave him. I gave him really good directions, which he read back to me, and he still got lost. I checked Mapquest and I got the way I said to come if he'd had the address right...but I'm thinking that he only had mapquested from Pilot Point to Arlington. I felt terrible that he got lost, especially because I knew exactly where it happened, but then he wouldn't let me help him fix it and gave me "it must be your fault" attitude. And then in the end, he didn't show up nor did he call me again. I can completely understand his frustration. I just can't get over how unprofessional he was.

So, I went to sam's, I gassed up my truck, got our snacks and clothing that we needed, went back to turn Deli out (I had locked her up pending the vet visit, GRRR) Picked up the kids from the pool and was heading home...

Then I remembered (it was 4:30 by this time) that I had forgotten to get copies of some paperwork for my trip to Arkansas and I frantically got on the phone with Dr. Lampe's office (one of my normal, real, good vets) to get my paperwork started. I ran home to have it faxed to me, since we are leaving for our trip on Sunday...to find my printer didn't work anymore. It was over, I just cried and cried...for the second time that day. I cried when the other vet wouldn't come see my horse and started giving me attitude too. So then I had to run out to get more ink and hope that the fax machine had saved the last document in it's memory...which, fortunately it had.

By this time I was just really, really tired and I ordered pizzas for Maggie and Jena, drank a cold beverage and called it a day...only I still had to pack for the trip. sigh...Most of my stuff is packed up, but I think I'm done.

No new car for peter

It's just not meant to be that Peter get this new car. We have been approved for several loans but all have some physical paper requirement of the sellers going physically to a bank. Or the interest rate was too high or terms too long. After spending a week trying to by the Elmore's gorgeous Buick we have accepted defeat. Peter will keep driving the Mustang and I will get the a/c fixed in my escort. We will start saving a car payment and the next time my escort breaks something major, we will junk it and I will get the Mustang and Peter will get something new then. Hopefully we will get some money saved up and wait a year befored this happens.

Misunderstandings

I hate it when I have a disagreement with my husband. He is a great guy, and a nice man and I really hate it when we email each other and then we get mad because we each misunderstood the other's intent. I hate it even worse when I realize my part and want to apologize and fix it and I can't reach him because of pesky work related timing.

Banks can be Crooked! Compass Especially

I'm so annoyed. I put the car money from our car sales in the bank on SAt. It was $2100 in cash. It went in the bank. I had to buy a new car battery on Sunday, Peter bought a new ink cartridge for the printer tonight. The bank says we are OD by $27 b/c they won't count the CASH I put in the bank till tonight at midnight (which isn't all that far off) I'm going to be really angry if I have to pay OD charges b/c they counted all the debits before they count my credit. I'm really steamed. Obviously, it's cash and the money is in there. It's enough to make me keep all my money in a mattress. Are there any good/honest banks anymore? They tell me they are perfectly within their right not to count a cash deposit of $2100 on Sat. until Tuesday. I totally take responsibility for not realizing I was on the edge of trouble...but since I had deposited all that cash I didn't think about it. Obviously I should have kept out $200 of it to pay for these things that have no overdrawn me.

Car Trouble AGAIN!

I think the little escort may be done...I thought we had all the cars situated, but I was wrong. We got the Ford truck sold last weekend, Peter's car on Monday. We ended up with $2400 in pocket, so it wasn't terrible...we drive our vehicles to death.

Three weeks ago the alternator belt on my car broke sending little pieces of metal into the engine. It already needed a break job. Total cost: $1100. I coughed up the cash, wrote a check and fixed my car. Drove it to pick up Maggie at the airport the next day and the a/c made a horrible noise and quit cooling. So, it went back to the shop, where a week later, it was pronounced that the a/c compressor was going out. Total Potential cost: $625. I said "NO!" at least till I had the money saved up. I figured i could just drive it without a/c for the time being. So, I drove it one day without a/c...it wasn't horrid, but I promptly came home and locked my keys in it. The next morning I couldn't find them anywhere in the house, but saw them hanging out of the ignition. No problem: I could just drive Peter's car with the spare keys...which I did...So, the next day, with my keys newly unlocked I went to drive my car...and it wouldn't start...nothing. We theorized that I Must have left the lights or key or something on, but can't tell that I did. Then we figured the battery was dead and we tried to jump start it but got nothing (This was over the Fourth of July, so it's been dragging on awhile) So today, I bought a new battery for it. Still nothing. NO lights, no sounds, nothing. Peter has determined through trial and error (and I would have to agree) that we must have an electrical problem. Which means I'm now going to have to have the car hauled back to Milt's and see if they can fix it or if it's just time to confess that it's all over!

I'm not sure what to do from there. We have had a car each and I had the truck for hauling. Now we have traded our cars out and Peter isn't so keen on his mustang. I love the mustang and would be really happy driving it. I have contemplated getting him a car and driving the mustang, keeping the truck for hauling. We have also contemplating just having 2 vehicles and putting the savings of insurance and extra maintenance into the car fund. Peter would really like a new car and I confess, I don't' care if I drive something that's new or old. Makes me no difference at all. I just can't bare the thought of having more debt.

Freeley's Last Ride

I haven't wanted to put off acknowledging that it was true, but I can't help it anymore...Freeley is done competing. He was pulled from the Firecracker STC and he hasn't been "himself" for months. Back in March, while he completed the Girl Scout Scamper, he was grade 2 or 3 lame...though a kind judge made it 2 so that Maggie didn't have to suffer through not placing and getting completion only. He has begun to resist loading. He's not happy. I have tried to talk to the folks who gave him to me about taking him back to IL, but I haven't had a response from them, so I have begun to look for a home for him. I think I have the perfect place for him to go too. Lyn Wood, brother of another friend, is going to take him to their ranch to be his wife and kids' horse. He will walk down trails 1-2 times per month and enjoy retirement. It's a good life for Freeley, but it's terribly hard on us. This week I will give him lots of love. Next week I will be on vacation and the week after, before the first of August, Freeley will go live in Bluff Dale.

He has been such a wonderful horse...there aren't words to express how special he is to us. This photo is after I have ridden off on Liberty and Maggie is stuck in camp with Freeley. He was looking after Liberty. She is pretty upset! Not so much about being pulled. She is upset that she knows her days with Freeley are possibly over. He's been lame on and off for a year.

I would give anything to have my own acreage to just turn him out and let him retire!

Of course, the "fun" part is that Maggie can begin to look for a horse of her own now...but really, she would rather just have Deli back and I'm going to see about making that happen. Deli is being checked out by a holistic vet on Friday. I'm crossing my fingers that we can find something concrete to make her whole again.

Snow Cone Flavors

I have a goal for my summer. It's to eat as many different kinds of snow cones as possible before summer is over. So far I have had the following flavors:

Blue Raspberry
Tangerine
Dream cicle
cherry cola
grape cola
pina colada
Jamaica me Crazy (a combination of Pina Colada and Raspberry)
Ocean Brisk (lime, coconut, pina colada)
Tiger's blood (strawberry, coconut)
Kiwi
Lime
Margarita
The Sour Special (Lime, Lemon, Margarita and pink Lemonade)
Sour Apple
Pickle Juice
Rootbeer
DR. Pepper

OK, well, I have not had a whole snow cones in all these flavors. These are all that I have eaten and all the things I have tried. It's been hot and snow cones are yummy. TO minimize the caloric impact of my snow cone adventure, I have been ordering small snow cones and ordering them with light syrup. A snow cone is such a nice way to finish the day.

So far, my two favorites are Kiwi and Cherry Cola. I think Cherry Cola is my favorite. Amazingly pickle juice was pretty yummy, but I couldn't eat an entire snow cone with pickle juice poured over it.

Speaking of weight...I'm down 5.3 pounds from when we bought our WII 36 days ago.

Deli is improved

Today Deli has improvement in one side of her face after the adjustment. She is now blinking her left eye in response to the stimulation of her whiskers. And, she was friendlier today. The chiro suggested that she may have had a colossal headache for a long time now. I stretched her a little, but she was very resistent. However, it is a start!

A note from the copy room

I am standing here waiting for 15 copies of our new spiritual song book to print. I haved learned a lot about the different areas of wellness since I started this job and creating a spiritual song book was part of it. Fortunately only one person between the two facilities isn't Chtistian but I still have to put in some Jewish or Old Testament songs for balance.

Just heard that Cat was whisked off to the ER b/c of heart trouble/chest pain. I had asked to go eiding with me tonight. I guess that will be a no...

Deli with the chiro

The chiroprator is demonstrating in this video how Deli's blink reflex is not activated by him rubbing the whiskers on her muzzle...something that should happen automatically.

Fiera 7.5 weeks

A new Chiropractor

today I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Ormstrum of Julibee Animal Chiropractic He is a vet and a chiropractor and has a huge inventory of tecniques. I called him b/c Freeley was lame in the STC a couple weeks ago and I have been feeling like it might be the end of the line for him. The chiro says he was out in the neck, poll and hind end, so I will have to wait and see how he looks and how our exercises develop to know what he is going to be able to do. I do have some people interested in either him, or possibly Deli and that would be ok...one less horse for me to take care of but he'd still be mine. Of course, if he's sound, I don't realy want to give him up, but with his history, I think he may be happier with an easier job.

I also found out that Deli had a huge problem in her poll that will probably require a couple more treatments to make right, but he says that everything that is wrong with her "might be" the result of her cranial nerves being frozen. He showed me a reflex point that would cause the lip to droop and cranial nerves to freeze her face. Once adjusted she was a lot better, but he says I have some rehab to do with her. It would be great if she can recover, but he says that depending on how long ago she did it, the nerves may never come back. He said she may have injured it pulling back or when she pulls back, it hurts causing her to pull back more. I'm supposed to give it a week and see how she looks and start doing exercises tomorrow. I'm hoping that she will be "fixed" and Maggie will have her horse back, but I'm afraid to hope.

Finally, a Free Moment

Since my last post life has been absolutely crazy. I have had a series of car repairs and work complications and life has been insane.

It started the Wednesday when I had to pick up Maggie from the airport. Originally, Shawn was going to get her, but his car was down and my attempt to loan him my truck failed when it wouldn't start right up for me to loan it out. So, I had to call off work to go get Maggie. I tried to make up those hours and failed to actually manage it. I have now given up...will just have to write it off :-( Good news is that Maggie made it home safe, but it took me a long time to get her off the plane.

On the way home, the car quit cooling us, and I had to roll down the window, which is something most people don't enjoy in TX in the summer. I then found out over the next few days that the compressor is gone. It means that I spent $1100 on my car just 2 weeks ago to fix the brakes and the alternator belt to have to spend another $$600+ to fix the ac. I wouldn't have fixed the first stuff is I had know that I would have to pay more to fix it now! I only gave $2300 for the car and it has 195K miles on it. So, I'm not fixing the a/c until I have the cash to do it--or until winter. For now I'm just going to drive the car with no a/c, or drive the suburban if it's really hot. Peter's mustang is available every other week since he commutes with another fellow. Eventually I will sell the escort and drive the burb every other week. Or find him a used car he likes and I will drive the mustang since I like it so much!

Since it's taken me all evening just to write this part of the update, I think I will sign off now and go to bed. There is more...we have been so busy.

Lazy Sunday/Successful Supreme Trail Challenge

It's after 4pm and I am happily enjoying a lazy Sunday. We haven't had a lazy day like this in ages. Peter's computer had an issue last week and we haven't had the cash to fix it, so we're sharing our laptops and watching TV. It's been a nice quiet day. He took care of us this am by going to the store (yikes that was expensive!) and we've been watching food network ever since.

Speaking of watching TV...Peter and I are close to dumping our dish. It's risen to $70/month. As much as I hate to do that, I think I would rather have free TV with an antenna and increase my netflix account to 4 at a time. There is very little I can't see that I want to see. I can buy DVD's on ebay...I just think about how much money it is every month and wonder if we really need to bother with it. I'm sure the answer is no. We can watch TV on our computer...

Speaking of which: I heard on Clark Howard the other night that some of the cable internet companies are starting to charge for people who watch TV on the internet since they are also cable TV providers adn they want to recoup their lost investment. That made me really, really mad! And with the advent of digital age, you have to buy a converter box to watch free TV...I don't want to have to have cable. I want it to be something I have b/c I want it.

Yesterday Maggie and I attended the 2nd Supreme Trail Challenge. We had a great time, though maggie had to pull b/c Freeley was lame at the 2nd P&R. Liberty was fantastic and did the last 7 miles alone. I was really proud of him.

Jerry Jones, Will You Buy My House? (Part deux)

Peter told me to do a search for Jerry Jones, buy my house...I did and found out my other blog post came to the top of the list. That was pretty cool to have my post about Jerry buying my house come to my attention that way.

As the stadium gets bigger, I hope more and more each day that Jerry, or some smart hotel person, will buy up this block and turn it into something other than our house...and we'll walk away, get completely out of debt and buy houses in the country. Are you listening?

Not much to report on this week. Maggie is gone to my mom's and they are having a great time. I didn't work out and gained 2.9 pounds...but I think some of it was water weight. I rode a nice trail on Monday, but haven't ridden since. I was supposed to ride tomorrow, but it didn't work out...I'm painting Maggie's room. OK, take a deep breathe...

Oh yeah...and I talked to the owner of Fiera's sire the other day. I told him I couldn't get over how beautiful my foal was...and he said he thought she was really ugly b/c her ears were too big. I thought he was kidding me, but he completely wasn't. He said the rest of her might be just fine, but all he saw when he looked at her were her mule ears. I was aghast. We love her ears. I think it's one of her best features.

Friday camp photos

These aren't by any means all the photos, but these are the ones I thought was best. When the girls are on the ground, they are playing the Circle Game. Sometimes it went well and sometimes it didn't. Mostly, I had fun taking pictures.

Then they had fun in the round pen, and then they rode bareback in the afternoon. I missed a ton of photos in between b/c I was supposed to go see clients, who then stood me up without a phone call, for the 2nd week in a row. I have called that agency and said I can't see that client anymore...it's 30 miles away for them to just not be there when they are supposed to be. I'm trying to consolidate to closer, and I missed a great day with my daughter.

The palomino my daughter is riding is named Doc. He was graciously loaned by a boarder of Jennifer's who is injured. I'm so grateful to her. Maggie just fell in love with him. He's so much like Deli in personality. They got along so well.

My next new Truck?

My mechanic knows that I have been looking for a 3/4 ton pickup to tow my trailer and he found this little jewel of a suburban which will actually fit the bill better. Maggie and I can camp in it and it's got a bigger engine for pulling my bigger trailer. It will mean no camper shell or gooseneck for awhile, but I wasn't going to afford that anyway. It shouldn't cost me much more than what I can sell my truck for and it's pretty to boot. Yes, it will get terrible gas mileage, but since I will only drive it for doing "truckey" things that won't be too bad.

Maggie swimming with Doc

Maggie has been attending camp in Aledo this week at Ironstar Farm. She has had so much fun. I heard Monday that they were going to have a surprise today, but since it was a surprise I didn't know about it ahead of time. Maggie has grown to really like all the Parelli games and is now wanting to get her Parelli level 1 certificate. I have never been a huge fan of Parelli, but I admit that his followers really seem to enjoy him, so I'm willing to give it a try.

Camp is keeping her busy every day and she is active. The other thing keeping us all active is the new Wii. I have lost 1.8 pounds since Sunday (could be normal fluctuation, so we'll see) and Maggie has lost 1 pound. Tomorrow am we're going to get up and do 15 minutes on the Wii and the treadmill and then switch so we get 30 minutes of exercise in first thing in the am. My abs and side muscles are so sore. One of the games at which I really stink is a hoola hoop game...I am just terrible. I can only spin about 30 times before I lose the hoops and they crash. Peter is currently the king at 303 spins. The other game that I keep practicing is a game where you have to keep good balance while a team of soccer players kicks balls at you. You have to head the balls and dodge the shoes and panda heads. You lose a point for every shoe that hits you and lose 3 points for every panda head. You gain a point for every ball you butt. It's hard b/c the panda heads look a lot like the balls as they come flying toward you. I've been surprised how little control I have over parts of my balance. I also am very sore in many of my deep muscles. There are also aerobic games and strength and yoga games. It's really so much fun. My goal is to log 30 minutes every day.

Maggie is looking forward to going to see my mom next week. She is going to go to Silver Dollar City and a couple water parks...I guess that means that Peter and I get the Wii all to ourselves.

New Job/no horses/fun Wii

I'm not sure what order to go in here, so I'll just start rambling...starting from the most recent to the oldest...This is like in a TV show when they show you a teaser and then say "24 hours earlier" only backwards.

Tonight we went back to the pub and played Irish music. I discovered that I could actually play between 30-50% of the notes if I closed my eyes and didn't try to pretend that I could read the notes off the page. Bless my piano teachers' hearts...I just never learned to play well by ear. But, a good time was had by all. I think we'll go back next week. Tuesday night IS date night for us.

Today I didn't get to check on my horses, but Cat and Maggie took care of them. I won't get out there tomorrow till late in the evening either. Work all day and then massages after.

Speaking of work...I love my new job. It's not too hard, the people are nice and I like being able to work in a slower paced, laid back atmosphere. One of my residents has now challenged me to find some songs I Never heard of before...downloading them now while I blog. Tomorrow I'm not sure what we'll do, but hopefully they will be well entertained. I am having to shift gears from kids to adults, but it keeps me going.

The Wii is just too cool. I got up this am and worked out for 20 minutes doing strength, balance and aerobic training. It weighs me and gives me a fitness test. I was a 46 for my Wii age the first time I did it. I think it was b/c I didn't really get the instructions. Today I was a 31, which means I got 15 years younger in just a day. I am amazed how it tracks my balance...I have always thought I was pretty balanced. People tell me I am balanced in the saddle all the time, but it's just not true. I stand on my right foot and I put my weight too far back. When Wii says that I am balanced I feel like I am leaning forward. I keep trying to play this game where you butt soccer balls with your head....I end up getting socked in the head with shoes and panda bears. It's really hard. It's supposed to work core muscles. I love it b/c if i skip a day (i missed yesterday) it scolds you.