Maybe Baby

I got the most wonderful email yesterday from the lady who, 2 years ago now, had purchased Maybe, Eddie's 2006 filly out of Triples Paintd Chick, a mare I lost when Maybe was only 6 weeks old. Pictured above is Maybe, all grown up. My friend adopted Maybe out to a good friend of hers so she could go on to bigger and better things. She is currently being started under saddle and has been given a new name: "Treasure." Looks like Treasure has certainly been treasured both by her former and present owner. She looks fantastic and it is heartwarming to see that a "little" orphaned filly out of a 14.2H mare (if that) can grow up to be such a big, gorgeous mare. I am very proud of Treasure--her balanced frame, good legs and feet. Most of all, though, it is so nice knowing that a horse I bred is out there being enjoyed, well cared for and loved. Thanks so much to Stephanie and Lucy for taking such good care of Treasure!

With a little help from my friends....

Earlier last year I traded Bambi's dam, Cilla for a gorgeous 21 year old ROM producing broodmare named Crazy (who is now owned and being spoiled rotten by my good friend Vicki Morgan). I also sold Seeker, my deaf splash overo mare whom I've had seemingly forever, to the same wonderful people--Gary and Linda Cole. Well, during the whole chaotic mess with me getting divorced and moved to Texas, someone picked up the wrong horse and Linda thankfully worked it out to get Seeker back. However, when she did get Seeker, she had a huge abscess that eventually took off her entire back hoof! We have no idea where or how this happened, but Linda performed a miracle and brought Seeker through it all! Of course with Seeker in considerable pain she did consider euthanizing her, but when Seeker was checked in foal and evaluated, the decision was made that there was a chance they could save two lives here. In order to pay for all the expensive treatments Seeker needed at K-state Linda was forced to sell Cilla. It was not her fault at all what happened to her and Bambi. I actually knew the person they were sold to and hoping to give her the benefit of the doubt that she would properly care for them I said nothing to Linda. Linda has done nothing but taken amazing care of my girls and I will be forever in her debt for saving not only Seeker's life, but the life of her foal, who, pictured above, is clearly quite a save!! :)

Seeker now has both her back hooves, and is sound thanks to Linda's dedication and hard work! Ever since she sent me pictures of Fabian (Seeker's colt) I just haven't been able to get him out of my mind (much like when I first saw Eddie). I have been pathetically in love with him! Well, Santa came early this year and Fabian will now be mine if I can work everything out! Angela Rhodes has graciously offered to help with setting up a temporary place for him. I truly cannot wait to start fitting both him and JJ for halter and lungeline!! They will be quite a team.

I just can't thank all my friends enough for all their help and keeping my horses all safe. Linda, Darlene, Vicki, Kim, Kristi--all of you have done so much for me, more than I know I deserve! :) I am so honored to call you all friends, and so grateful to you for always doing the right thing for all my "kids."

My Girls are Home

The Latest Adventures of Sopha Dog

Well, until the horses arrive there's not much to mention about what's happening at the ranch other than the antics of the other animals present. I probably have mentioned Sophie too much already, but just had to share a few things she's been up to.

Some of you already know that I've been having some bad back issues here lately, and needless to say moving didn't help that at all. The sciatica has been the worst of it, and my refusal to lie around with an ice pack on my back and leg have only made matters worse. I HAVE been trying the last couple of weeks, though, to sit in bed, ice my back and in order to force myself to sit still I've taken up crocheting. Not sure how sad this will sound, but my newest project is crocheting sweaters for Sophie. She's got short hair and definitely wants let back into the house much faster now that it's gotten colder out. I looked for some jackets for her but they were both ridiculous looking and expensive, especially considering she's a farm dog and will surely tear up any non-utilitarian garment she would be wearing. I know a crocheted sweater probably won't be exactly durable, but it will be cheap and easy to make, washable, and a lot less ridiculous looking than outfits with frills and lace and glitter.

So I'm sitting in bed the other night, watching TV, icing my back and crocheting, and the remote falls on the floor beside the bed. My back is screaming this day and getting up means trying to save my stitch, get out, get the remote, and try to resituate my pillows, blankets, and ice pack. I noticed that Sophie (who lays beside me in bed) saw the remote drop and she's still looking in that direction. So I tell her, mostly as a joke, "Go get it, Sophie. Get the remote!" She looks at me and then looks towards the fallen remote again, so I ask her again to get it for me. What does she do? SHE JUMPS DOWN, GRABS THE REMOTE AND BRINGS IT BACK UP ONTO THE BED TO ME!!! I couldn't believe it! She's really incredibly smart--her main problem is she has the attention span of a fruit fly. At that moment she was slightly sleepy so she was much more focused than she usually is. It was really cool, though. I hope as she gets older I can teach her to do many more fun things.

She does love to play keep-away. She'll pick up a toy and egg me on to run after her. Of course she's a lot faster than I am so she will stop, put down the toy, and the minute that I'm almost about to get she picks it back up and runs off again. She also knows what "Go get your toy" means. We were sitting on the bed last night and I tell her to "get your toy" and she looks around, spots her blue chewy, jumps down, grabs it, and brings it back up on the bed so we can play. She'd be brilliant if she could just stay focused for more than .5 seconds!! LOL.

Another Request

Recently a few of my friends (I won't invade their privacy by mentioning names) have had health problems. These people have been very good friends to me. They are good people who only deserve the best, yet it seems that most of the time good people are the ones that are put to the test the most. Whatever you do, whether it be pray, send well wishes, transfer good karma--please keep these people in mind and value your friends. If you have the opportunity to do something good then do it, pay it forward, and do your part to make life easier for those around you. I know times are tough, but in the end all we really have is each other. To my dear friends, I pray that your good health returns to you tenfold. You've all shown what it means to be a true friend and one day I hope to repay your kindnesses. Until then, I'll pray.

Updates

Well, I've finally gotten moved in. I love the place, but it is a bit spooky being out there by myself, then to have Sophie sit on the couch and growl out the dark windows! The girl is freaking me out! I am considering asking my landlord if I can bring out my 87-year old grandmother's Great Pyrenees. She is getting where she can't take very good care of Dutchess, the 140 lb wonder dog. Last I saw her she had hairballs all over and she is still young and so big, my grandma just can't teach her very good manners. It's tough to ignore a dog like that when she wants to play! We'll see...I don't need the food bill but the security would be nice. She'd never harm a soul, but she's intimdating enough to keep anyone meaning harm to the place to find out!

I did want to mention that in the next few months, in an effort to avoid additional costs, I will have no internet service at home, so I apologize in advance if there is a delay in my response. Work has been incredibly busy as well. I love my job, so no worries, but my love for my work certainly doesn't create any extra time--in fact, I think it may be just the opposite!

That's it for the updates. As far as what's on my mind, it's probably the same as what's on everyone elses--money. I've been thinking hard of what I can do to cut costs or make a little extra on the side. Let's hear it--leave a comment and let everyone know what you're doing to save/make money in these tough times. Here's what I'm doing:

--Stop eating out--even for one person it can add up. Along the same lines, renew your love for Ramen--try differnet flavors, you never know :) Other cheap meals include grilled cheese sandwich with tomato soup, chili, burritos, and peanut butter.

--Only drive when you absolutely have to. Look up "hypermiling:" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypermiling

--Watch your consumption with everything! Conservation in every aspect cuts costs.

--Learn what you can live without. Mine is TV. While cable is nice, it's something I can definitely live without.

--Cut out the waste. If something goes bad in the fridge, don't buy any more for at least 6 weeks. If you didn't use it up then don't keep buying it. It sounds simple, but if you think about it, repurchasing spoiled items is something we tend to do a lot of, just because we get comfortable in buying certain things all the time.

I'd love to hear what everyone else has to say!