July 2014 ......

ELLEN, you're RICH!!!  What a great break………

ANNIE, great photos…………I'll bet you both had fun doing that.  Hee.  Hee.  You're in the $, too!

ARK, it looks like your house is going to take shape pretty well now that you have DONNIE & BUCK
construction co. at hand………We're all anxious to see the new window.  Holy cow, can't imagine a truck driving right in……………I will say, it looks like a lovely day.

We're having a monsoon windstorm right now……..dust, blowing branches, no rain……..some areas are supposed to get rain but not us right now……………..famous last words of the man that is paid to be wrong……………

Everyone have a good evening………..God bless.

ELLEN:
 Wow! That's quite a windfall!    Got any special plans for unexpected funds?  


GRAYMARE:
 The hole in the wall is looking better.  They got out all the raggedy concrete which made the hole about 14 feet wide, then replaced the concrete in the bottom row of blocks with new concrete.  That is setting up and tomorrow, Friday, Buck will be back and they will frame in the new wall.  It won't be a concrete wall, it will be a foot thick frame wall.  Donnie has been scouting out windows and I think he has come up with one we both like.  If he doesn't change his mind, it will be a bow window with four identical casement windows in it, about seven feet wide.  There will be a window seat below it and a closet on either side of it when all is said and done.  Figuring out a new heating system is the next big thing.  We both want the propane tank and heater away from the house.  Replacing it with a heatpump system is the plan right now.  

My sister, Annie, has had an exceptional week!  She got Best in Show at the photography contest earlier in the week and last night she and Trinket won a trophy at the New River Valley Fair pet show.   Trinket was so good all day yesterday.  We  gave her a thorough bath, kept her from her friends all day, painted spots all over her, trailered her to the fairgrounds, then kept her standing around for a couple of hours during the pet show.  She was very patient.   We came in on the wrong side of the fairgrounds and had to walk Trinket and Annie in their costumes across the entire carnival part of the fair.  They got lots of ooohs and awwws   . Annie ate it up, Trinket took it in stride.  They walked out of the pet show with a trophy and three ribbons.  Annie has had a good week.   



I rode in the trailer on the way to the fairgrounds with Trinket.  I have a whole new respect for what horses put up with while being trailered!  It was only about 5 miles away, and our trailer is quiet, but I did not enjoy it.  I was keeping Trinket from leaning on the walls so she wouldn't smear her still damp paint job, while hanging onto the center rail for dear life!  She didn't get to lean on anything and did great.  It is amazing a horse will even get onto a trailer after riding in one once..... I rode in the truck on the way home. Trinket was on her own.

Way to go, Annie!!!

Ark, I'm sure glad to see that you are about to have a new wall in place soon. A bow window will be perfect. I love window seats.

My cousin and his wife are going to Lake Placid in September so he can teach bird carving classes. So, another cousin and I will tag along to see the sights. I haven't been there in about 25 years, so I know there will be a lot of changes. It's beautiful country, and lots to see, and lots of great shopping. With a little bit of luck, some of our top skaters will be there training for the fall and winter competitions, and would be fun to watch.
So, some of the windfall will be used for that trip.

I LIVE in this moment ... a permanent resident  

We need a Daisy report………….

RICK, I lost 2 Christmas gifts last year………SO, ha, I found them in a drawer in my tack room when Eli was born………………..SO, I already have 2 gifts for this year and 2 less worries for what do I do to get organized for Christmas………..Yes, it's a good day.  

Graymare, it's a long time until Christmas. Are you sure you'll remember that you have them, or where they are when Christmas comes?   

  ELLEN ... You beat me to it about Graymare's situation!!     

YES, it's high risk…………now RICK & ELLEN are in charge of reminding me where to look………….
LOL

But Graymare...we DON'T know where to tell you to look. You FORGOT to tell us where you stored them away after you found them.

I don't know about my gal pal Miss Ellen, but I seriously have trouble remembering the day of the week, etc. so I'm really not a good candidate to help you remember.  

Heck, I'll be doing well to remember what I'm doing for people for Christmas. That's why I have an icon on my computer desktop that has the list in it.
I know. I'll add Graymare's reminder to that list.   

First time for Kid Cameron to be actually driving a tractor.  Note that even though this is a small tractor ... it is a tractor and NOT just a 'riding lawn mower.  Cameron did a good job on his first time.  Unfortunately, he only lasted about 30 minutes due to heat and "bugs"   !






RICK

That is a big moment for kids, to be on a tractor by themselves. Kid Cameron looks very serious about his job.
10 year old Alex started mowing with the lawn tractor last summer, and of course, loves it. He mows Grandpa's yard while Grandpa does the trimming. Grandpa says this kid is the best help he's ever had.

Cute photos of Cameron, RICK! I can't believe that baby is driving a tractor already!   

GRAYMARE:
I just gave my sister, Vicki, a present I bought two years ago for her birthday and immediately forgot about it and lost.    She didn't know it and liked it this year!

Daisy report:
She is really doing well! She is not limping at all, is out of her leg wraps and nearly off any medications. She is still wearing her Soft Ride boots and probably will until her next trim and hoof check. She is walking loose limbed and reaching out easily. She still has a little bit of fetlock swelling, but it is nearly gone. For someone so lame, she has recovered pretty fast. She does hate her diet, but she has to lose some weight. I don't know anyone who enjoys a diet.

Last Thursday we had a horsey incident involving Ivan, Areion and me. They were a bit spooky, probably from lack of recent exercise, and the wind was blowing hard off and on. It was threatening rain, so I brought a piece of light plastic to cover the saddles if it started raining (my stupid mistake). After my lesson was almost over with Ivan, the wind picked up suddenly, lifted the plastic in the back of the lawn tractor's wagon where it was just as Ivan and I passed by. He spooked. We were close to where Areion was tied up and dozing and when Ivan spooked, Areion spooked because she thought he must know when there was a reason to spook. So she reached the end of her lead rope, freaked out, and broke off a 6 inch thick round pressure treated fence post and the rails attached to it. The post was still attached to her because Lori had tied her rather well to keep her from pulling away (her mistake). The post was chasing Areion around, but luckily she was careful to drag it to the side and not trip over it. In the meantime, when Areion pulled down the fence, Ivan spooked BIGGER, twirled around to see what was eating Areion, and threw me over his shoulder onto the ground. I didn't have time to moan and groan because just as I landed, I spotted Areion freaking out over the post chasing her around and I leaped up to help Lori catch her. I caught her and released the lead rope from the post. Areion was scared and shaking, but okay. She didn't get hurt at all. I got a little bruising from my abrupt landing, but am okay, too. Ivan stood there and watched the entire show. He is just fine. Lesson learned: let the saddles get wet next time.  


Yesterday Donnie and I discovered a vicious bumblebee type bee stinging Cactus Jack on the ear and chasing him around. I killed it, but then Donnie discovered a whole nest of the things in the barn wall next to the ponies. He sprayed an entire can of wasp spray into it, which sort of made the survivors mad. He got stung and went up to the house to get some Benedril. While he was gone, a survivor didn't appreciate my presence and started trying to sting me. It chased me half way to the house and got me two or three times before Donnie got back to me and distracted it. Then it went after Areion, who took off bucking and running. One bumblebee was enough to create a tremendous amount of havoc and a fair amount of pain. We never did catch it, but this morning we didn't see any of his friends, so hope they went to bed in their toxic nest and ascended to bumblebee heaven....or descended to someplace warmer.....

It has been a strange month.

 all I can say is wow what a day you all had, glad you didn't get hurt or Aerion or Ivan, and that bee attack, glad neither of you are allergic never herd of aggressive bumble bees hope you got them all especially the queen, so every glad Daisy is doing so well and pain free I bet Donnie is relieved
I hope all are doing well and staying busy

ARK.....Maybe you should wrap yourself, Donnie, all the critters, your house and vehicles in bubblewrap for a few weeks.  At least until this run of crazy luck runs it's course.  Just saying..........  

Going to Amelia Island Friday to attend my best friends wedding Saturday evening on the beach.  Need a break from this place and attending Karen's wedding makes it even sweeter.

It was just too dang hot, literally 100 in the shade, Sunday for my lesson. I think Casper and I have reached an understanding! He willingly does for others what he won't do for me which tells me he doesn't respect me. Being older my legs just aren't as strong as they once were so I  put on my little English blunt spurs.  Little nudges didn't make much difference. Finally he got one good, take your foot out of the stirrup kind of punch. Wow, it's has sure made a difference. Now, it's just a slight twist of my foot and he remembers to do what I'm asking. Typical male.   

Guess I should go do some of what they pay me for!  Y'all have a great day.

Yep tallpam, sometimes those guys we have, 2 and 4 legged needs a nudge now and then! when I rode my appy stallion years ago I always wore my spurs and only had to jiggle it on his side and his whole demeanor was different! wish husbands would respond as well! lol

We made a quick trip to missouri to check on my brother. we left friday and got back last night. saw a semi wrecked, he slid on the ice. e had inches and inches of it! his tractor was jacknifed and sticking straight up and the trailer twisted in half....looked bada$$.

Brother doing good after his heart attack, he had four new stents put in replacing 4 he had done 14 years ago. he is walking much more now without getting winded.

We also looked at some places for sale near him....niceeeeeee places, cheap, hayis cheap and so r taxes..who knows..

CB, glad to hear your brother is doing better. Missouri sure has some pretty country.

And we come home to this news....jessi is pregnant and we r going to be grandparents! very excited!

YIPPEE!!! We love babies!

TALLYPAM:
Yep, bubblewrap would be good around here. Luckily the month is nearly over and I expect a great August! If we can make it through tomorrow, we are home free!  

If I nudged Ivan with spurs, they would be scraping me off the ground shortly thereafter. I barely touch him with my heels and we are off to the races! He is a sensative kind of guy.

CB:
Congratulations on the new baby coming! When is it expected? I am glad  your brother is feeling better.   


I had a very calm and relaxing ride with Ivan today. We decided to step back a little and do things that Ivan and Areion already knew to let them have a pleasant time. Both horses did much better and we ended on a good note. Buck, the carpenter, replaced the fence post and rails, so we no longer have a 16 foot hole in the arena.

The siding is up on the house, although the new window won't be installed for a few weeks. I painted the wall, so except for the window space, the outside of the house is back to normal. Wiring the wall comes next.

Teehee...baby due april fools day! if you remember, I had my tubes tied that day and along came jessi jan 22.......lol. guess its a family date.

103 today....can ya say hot tamale!


We r having squash from my brothers garden...yum

Hi guys...busy busy busy in the garden. We have 32 jars of pickles made and tried our hand at sweet relish the other day. It came out better than we expected. This canning stuff is much easier than we thought.

I've been sick with bronchitis. Who gets sick in the summertime? I don't have time to be sick now...had to cancel my dentist, hair and colonoscopy appointments. Not that I minded canceling 2 of them. LOL Didn't think it was a good idea to have people poking around in or on my body with sharp items while I am hacking away.

CB: A big congrats on Jessie having a baby. I know you are just so excited to be a grammy again.

ARK: Oh my gosh girl...one thing after another. It must be your turn in the barrel of bad luck. At least you and Annie are having some good things to off set the bad ones. Congrats on the big wins..  

RICK: WOW kid Cameron sure has grown up quickly, it seems like yesterday he was born, now he is driving the tractor. They grow up to fast.

GRAYMARE: I find Christmas gifts long after Christmas too, those really good hiding places turn out to be really good hiding places from ourselves. This CRS stuff is not fun. Good thing we can laugh at ourselves when we do crazy things.

ELLEN: Congrats on the electric bill windfall. Spend that money on something you really want. Splurge.

Today is Ace's happy birthday, he turns 5. Where did 5 years go?

Off to Sam's Club to buy stuff for the Purple Heart picnic.

Love & prayers for all.

Happy birthday Ace, well, we have pretty much decided to move to Oregon, we will be close to Idaho, Washington, the mountains the coast for fishing, we need to get a travel trailer for temporary until we get established, then we can use it to camp, while we both still can, Kent is getting better just not going to be as good as he once was to much damage from the ketoacidosis, the stroke and broken hip as ling as he can still fish he will be happy
Hope everyone is having a great week,

A car with built-in extra padding: