Baby Steps

Yesterday Lester and I spent a rainy day grooming each other. Well I did most of the grooming and he sunk his teeth into my back every once in a while (not to be confused with biting). It was nice to just spend time alone with him in the barn, rain coming down and no one else was around. Less was mad at me on Thursday he even ignored me. But I can't blame him, I had some bad thoughts the last time I had been out to see him- feeling like I just didn't want to be a horse owner anymore and having to do all this work with no play (no riding). I'm usually OK with this situation, but some days I really want out of this. So Thursday was the first time I had been out to see him in 3 days and he wasn't too impressed. Laura's sister was turning them out when I got there and Less acted like he didn't even see or hear me.

So yesterday I put his saddle on- first I checked his pad for no spiders since it hadn't been touched since July. I used a girth fuzzy because I didn't know how "girthy" he would act. I have to say I was pleased with his reaction or lack there of. He didn't mind it at all and even when I walked him off he didn't do his one step pause, another step pause- it reminds me of the wedding march. I want to just put his saddle on a few times and walk and trot him out before I even think about hopping on him. I wonder if he will lose his hindend with just the saddle on? Though he still strides out short on his right front when he's at play in the arena, I never see him lose his hindend like he does/ did undersaddle. As always we will take it very slow.

Happy Thanksgiving

Hope you all had a great one!

"Go Potty"...

They both say...now I have 2 brindles to follow me and watch me go.... (yeah I brought the camera in the bathroom with me yesterday, I thought it would be a good photo opp-see I was right)

We've dog sat alot before so we're used to it and plus our home was the first one Abby ever lived in so it's cool. She's pretty settled. But Limo's little world has been rocked! She doesn't get why there are now 2 brindles in her house...she's been doing alot of "time out" and crating.... I think she can only handle one brindle at a time;-)

Check out the Limo-Peanut-Abby Cam - username: limo, PW: garbage --VERY boring stuff;-)

Limo and PeaNutSo get along really well though. They play and play and run.

I haven't taken LimLim to the vet to access her "bum problem" yet... because the smell comes and goes, so when it goes I forget to make an appointment to take her. I also think the prob may have been from the recent kong ingredients- peanut butter and more mushy stuff. So I've been putting more of her Evo dogfood in it now instead of mushy stuff. I also had an idea, course I haven't asked yet cuz I keep forgetting to, but I was maybe gonna see if Lester vet, Dr. Matt could perhaps preform the procedure- but I still have to ask and see...

3's a Crowd...

That's what Limo thinks anyways. We have greyhound company this week, remember our 3rd foster Kadabra nka "Abby"? NutSo's twin. We are "sitting" her while her family is away for Thanksgiving festivities...They are the sweetest family... One of their daughters got us these ornaments...Aren't they cute!- Thank you Savanah!

How did it become Thanksgiving?

Welcome Home John!

Like I mentioned before Lester and I played a part in John and Laura's wedding 5 years ago...and what home coming is complete without a picture with me in it? John has ALWAYs teased me about having too many pics of myself ever since he visited my apartment one time and saw a whole table full of framed pics of me and my animals, mostly Lester and I at horse shows Thank you very much! Anyways, ever since that and me sleeping in the back of his suburban after a greyhound field trip (everyone else was smashed in the vehicle) all stretched out he's called me the "Princess". He says I'm high maintenance and the worst kind, that I don't think I am.... well John is pretty HM himself:-)
But I'm very HAPPY to report that John is home! He came home this afternoon and I got to chat with him some. He was laying down on the sofa with his cat in his lap... He said he stumped his surgeon with the question of "what breed of cow did my heart valve come from", that's John for you!

What's that smell?

Limo's got that funky dog butt smell thing... Last week I was eating my dinner on the couch and caught a wiff and first thought it was my food that it was rotten...then I thought it was me-I had been to the barn, then I thought it was Matt's feet....I then realized it was Limo:-x It's been constant butt licking around here....Gag, she just smells...I guess I'm going to have to make an appt with the vet to have her butt glands expressed... she's going to love that- NOT...
So I have no idea what any of you have been up to because I haven't had anytime to check blogs, read email or do anything, but work. We decided this week would be a good one to disconnect over 800 nonpaying customers, while we're a man short in dispatch. I don't mind the busy work, but I'm VERY behind on my other work. I've also been working till 8pm.

John is doing better and better! He's in a private room (I think I read that today/ I haven't talked to Laura yet), they have made him get up and sit in a chair a few times a day, Laura was able to bring him some outside food- a smoothie, and some soup!

The ponies are tucked in tight with their blankies tonight, it's going to be in the low 20's by morning! :-o

Huge Update!

Laura JUST called and said that John is off the ventilator, breathing on his own and asking all sorts of questions- what were the complications, what's this and that - that's John for ya! :-) She said he's a bit hard to understand what he's saying, but obviously they are able to make it out.
Laura sounded like she was on cloud nine when she called :-) Yeah I'm so happy for her, for all of us!

Still Jingling!

This is a pic of John and Lester the day we picked him up from Auburn Unv. after his colic surgery. If you've ever read below the posts and read why the blog was started you'd know what a huge help both John and Laura were during mine and Lester's time of need. They have always been a second family to me, my horse and dogs.
Though their surgeries were far different from one another, both are Miracles.


John is still stable and in the ICU. Over the last day and a half John has been under lighter sedation with positive results. He's responding to the people around him, turning his head in the direction he hears someone talking and opening his eyes.
The next step is taking him off the ventilator, but the doctors won't rush it and won't give a day/ time.

keep jingling! Thank you all!

Continued Jingles for John~

Thanks everyone for the well wishes and jingles...After the surgery was complete they encountered some bleeding difficulties that extended the procedure until about 11pm last night. (The surgery started around 7:30 that morning) At that time the surgeon told Laura he was stable but they want to keep him under heavy sedation and in ICU for a couple of days.
It was a LONG day for Laura and I'm kicking myself for not going and staying with her yesterday:-( She and I used to be roommates, along with 7 dogs :-) I knew if I had asked if she wanted me to come along she would have said no, so I should have just gone... but I went to the farm last night about 9pm to stay and be the night watchman- hay the horses one last time and let the dogs potty one last time before bed.

So more Jingles for John and hang in there Laura!

Jingles for John

The barn owner is having heart surgery today so I'm sending ~jingles~ for an uneventful and speedy recovery!

Lester and I played a part in John and Laura's wedding 5+ years ago...

There's no place that far...

I first want to apologize for the music that came on when you came here today...but it's in honor of Spooky. It was the first song I heard after Spooky died. She would have been 12 years old tomorrow, but Matt and I lost her in February. After we left the vet's that day I had to pick up a blanket for Lester- the tack shop was near the vet's and that was the plan (I didn't know I would be putting her to sleep that day). When I walked into the store this song, by Sara Evans was playing and was in it's main chorus, "If I had to run, if I had to crawl, If I had to swim a hundred rivers, just to climb a thousand walls,Always know that I will find a way, to get to where you are,Theres no place that far"


There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of her and wish she was still here. I long to feel her furry rested head on my shoulder at every red light I come to.

I have never loved a dog so much and don't plan to again, if I can help it. I'm weird like that.

I miss you, my one and only "Heart" dog.

Public Apology

"Sorry Stacker Dude, but you did get in my way"
We aren't positive that sweet lil' Peanut is the one that caused Stacker's injury , but it's probably a safe bet this was when he got hurt. Stacker is owned by my BIL-brother in law, Stephen. Between he and my sister, Jen, they have 6 greyhounds.

I'm sorry, I laugh every time:-) I couldn't add any bubbles to this one cuz I didn't upload it, so you guys can post in the comments what Stacker and Peanut would have said.

ETA:

It was brought to my attention that Stacker doesn't accept Peanut's apology , but thankfully my sister has determined that he doesn't make a great character witness himself... apparently he has a history of this sort of thing.

Lester's Political Reaction...

Presidential Prediction...

I have assured a win for McCain:-) This morning when I got to work I picked up the "Get the golf ball on the tee" globe and said "If I get this ball on here then McCain will win!" I started this at around 8 AM and then about 10:30 took off to go vote... stood in line for an hour and 10 minutes, not too bad.... can you believe our county closed schools for today's voting?! I did have to stand behind a mom with a crying, screaming child who grabbed my legs thinking I was his mommy...luckily I don't think he had snot on his hands *I hope*.

It was looking bleak pretty much most of the afternoon after I had made my prediction/ bet.... my boss would walk by to see if I had done it yet... he and another co-worker said that was my only job for the day :-) they saw alot of close calls, but it just wouldn't stay, I was sure this globe was an Obama supporter....When my wrists started to hurt I put the globe down and took a break and did some work...until voila about 3:40PM I did it! there it sits- of course I had to take a pic... now I have to be careful not to bump it! As you can see it's sitting very close to my keyboard....


Ah, nothing like a job well done.

Either way this election is living history...

Fall Photos 2008

My fall pictures aren't nearly as beautiful (stupid pine trees) as Grey Horse Matter's, but at least I didn't get ignored:-) just kidding.

Lessssterrrrrrrr!
Huh? Who's there?

Be right there Mom!
Yes, I broke down and had to give him a peppermint! How could I not?