Doublecatbatik Blog

Curiosity Killed the Cat but Domesticated the Pony

2012-01-22T15:42:00.000-08:00

Yndi is doing well. I'm pretty happy to be able to say that. She had a visit with a veterinarian who limits his practice to equine dentistry. She had some major things going on in there. Poor Yndi! It's fixed now and she is finding life less overwhelming and less painful.

Today was an informal photo shoot. And then she got loose. Oops. We were in the ring, so I closed the gate. Good first step. Step two was not successful, nor step three. The weather was not very good, so nobody was there to help. I was on my own.

I went to the fence and looked over, entranced by nothing. In only a few minutes, Yndi came over to see what was so interesting, and I had her.

Today, I have cried.

2012-01-11T17:35:00.000-08:00

Yes.
Today I have cried, first for Natha who is not getting better and for Dustin who is trying to provide what she needs. For Orlando, who was finished with this world before Michelle and Fiona were ready and who would have stayed to save them the pain, if he could have.
The hardest for Janow, who Natha and Lando reminded me of. Sometimes the last nice thing we do for them is let them go. He went quietly, with his pain managed as much as possible. I promised I would make the pain stop, and I did.
For Maggie, who went faster than I was ready for and in terrible agony that I could not stop. I still feel guilt.

Good Times, Finally

2011-12-31T04:18:00.000-08:00

After my birthday epiphany, I have understood myself better and allowed myself to feel how I feel. Actions are voluntary, feelings happen. Contrary to the way I was raised, feelings cannot be inappropriate or disgraceful, only what you do about them. Some people find solace in denial. I am not one of those.

Accepting Yndi as she is, telling Roger that she can stay at his place longer than 30 days if she needs to, has taken the pressure of him and off Yndi.

Yndi's weakest link is her confidence. Therefore, much of her training has been focused on that. Doing what she can do easily. Schmoozing with people, a little Reiki treatment. She is really a nice pony. I am proud to own her but not attached. Yet.

She has a fantastic trot!

I am listening to Grave Peril, by Jim Butcher, read by James Marsters. Buffy the Vampire fans will know James Marsters as Spike.

Here is a summary I sent to Diana yesterday on FB PM:
I have a cold. Otherwise OK. Silver was very active this morning, it was fun. Mon-Tuesday we went to Mt Hamilton. I thought of you and thought you would like the quiet, with moss and lichen hanging from the trees. Wednesday I took Hubby to IKEA for recreational shopping. We don't do that often, but IKEA is a good place for it,with a snack bar and a cafeteria eatery inside. We had Swedish potato chips. Yesterday I took him out to Knightsen to meet Yndi and Roger. It was a good day. Then I spent the rest of the day drinking tea and watching Fringe on DVD. Today I go to see Yndi by myself. Whoo! It takes 80 minutes to get there! I have a lecture series on US history in my ipod and I am trying to learn all the words to Lydia The Tattooed Lady

8..(

2011-12-19T07:48:00.001-08:00

Roger,

Yesterday was hard, but it become clear, in the end, why it was so. Dave wanted to get me the perfect birthday gift but I couldn't tell him what I wanted because I didn't want anything. He said "We'll go online tonight, that carriage driving place, and you can pick out something for Yndi."

So, all day, what do I want. I just miss Maggie, Janow's loss is not far away yet. I took Lydia Dog for a 2nd walk at Indian Hill Ranch, seeking sunlight to lift my spirits. My friends were there. We cried for Maggie.

Dave was ready for cyber-shopping so we sit down and I look at the screen. "I don't want to buy something for Yndi, I want to buy something for Maggie." I ask for a rain check.

Now I understand why I have been so distressed by Yndi's behavior. When I watch you work with her, it is amazing. I know that having her with you is the best I could do for her. My anxiety and uncertainty is my grief for Maggie in disguise. Now that I realize this, I can see that Yndi gets mad, but not mean. She resists, but is not aggressive. These things are huge and important. I have tremendous faith in you, more each time I watch you. I need to have patience with Yndi and with myself. Yndi deserves nothing less.

She could benefit from some Reiki. Can you please ask Rose Marie to see her? I will bring my checkbook next time I come.

Cara

Here are the Pictures of the Morning

2011-12-16T07:29:00.001-08:00

Silver cleans herself under the chair.

Lydia guards my lap from cats and rabbits.

Silver returns to the BUNker.

Wiskers watches from afar

Mary Shelley watches from nearer.

"You guys are so boring."

There used to be a lap here.

Whiskers comes closer.

Mary Shelley wants something. Don't guess wrong. Or else.

No New Pictures, Just Stupid Thoughts

2011-12-16T04:24:00.000-08:00

That's it. No pictures, again. I should take pictures of Silver or Lydia.......

I hope Yndi becomes a nice driving pony.

This whole thing started three years ago. Lessons, training......getting the trailer fixed....That took way too long. Then, new horses. Two in a year. I could not keep them alive. Now Yndi, who is very attractive with great gaits.......and a pistol.

Roger believes she will be a nice driving pony. Consistent work and patience.

Watching Roger work with her is absorbing and amazing. I have more confidence in him than I can put into words. Having Yndi sent directly to his care and training instead of going to Indian Hill....good decision.

But still, I am not driving around. Not with Janow, not with Maggie, not with Yndi.

Joseph is having a terrible time. When your child is having a rough time, you are too. His rough times are tougher than most. Other people don't believe me, they think I am being dramatic. All teens have terrible times, Josephs are worse.

I need to try to contact the police and find out what parents rights are. as far as I can determine, the law provides rights for minors to protect them from adults. If those are the only legal rights in place, then parents cannot make a child do anything they don't want to do...like eat the dinner I prepare and not something else in the freezer. Like turn off the Xbox and go to bed. Like do your homework.

The yelling ruins whole evenings, whole days. This is domestic abuse. He is bigger and stronger than I am, I cannot make him do anything.

I want, with all my heart, to take his Christmas gifts back to the stores.

The guy that Dave got to draw up the house plans for submission to the county for a building permit, is taking too long for Dave. He is very anxious. I am finding it hard to maintain interest with the other stuff going on.

I am back in physical therapy. My right hip has frozen and I have sciatica in the left leg. I need to find an acupuncturist to help with the chronic inflammation and the migraine headaches.

This time I spend, on the floor, with my animals, is my favorite time of day. I have taken pictures, I will upload them later. Right now. I do not want to get up and find the chord.

Progress

2011-12-15T04:32:00.000-08:00

Yndi has proven to be very tricky. I am having to step up my game. She can be pretty resistant. She can barge into you, step on your feet, whop you with her head, and rear. Marion helped me a lot, showing me how to lead her. I've been leading horses since 1973, but it seems I had more to learn.

Roger has been incredible, waiting for her to get over her hysterics and then getting her to go on. The training is under there, he says, but from what I have heard on the grapevine, it may not have been the kindest training. Roger says that explains a lot of her behavior, but he thinks she can get over it. She is getting kind training now, and makes tremendous progress in very short times.

Yesterday he switched her bit to Maggie's French link. Her mouth measures 4", but Maggie's bit is four and a half. the shape of her head seems to make the four inch bit too small. She was better after the switch.

Yndi is a very pretty girl, with a fantastic trot, though not muscled at all. Maggie was a funky looking pony, though I thought she was beautiful. Maggie's trot was not so good, but regular and even. She didn't canter. Maggie was SO reliable, so steady. Yndi is not reliable at all. At least not now.

At this time, I have no attachment.

Good Day

2011-12-10T06:15:00.001-08:00

This is Yndi. Pronounced Yindy, rhymes with Mindy, no Mork.
She is my new pony.
Yndi is a 16 year old Gotland mare. She has been a broodmare all her life, but, the economy is bad, breeders are breeding fewer foals because they can't sell them. In Yndi's case, the breeder is getting out of pony breeding and investing her resources in something else.

I think Yndi got lucky. I know I got lucky. Now she gets to be somebody's personal pony and get all the attention.
She is trained to drive, but very rusty. She will be at Roger's for training, to brush up on what she knows and get me up to the challenge of driving her myself. I might have been able to do it myself, but why take the risk? Roger will make sure we are OK.
On the other hand, sales have been bad. Marketing costs have equalled gross. That means they are more than net, and that means I am in the red.

So: This pad and others, and some really cool sweatshirts can be seen and purchased in my etsy shop.
Click here for Etsy. From my store, you can search other stores and see a wide variety of very cool one-of-a-kind items. Perfect when you want to give something nice that they couldn't just go the the nearest box store and buy.

Yesterday

2011-12-09T07:27:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a big day!
First: the auto parts store for truck parts.
Then: the post office to pack and ship gifts. We packed it all in fixed rate boxes in the parking lot.
And then: Milpitas High School for the Junior Naval ROTC promotions.
Then......To Knightsen to receive Yndi!

Down

2011-12-04T08:54:00.000-08:00

This is a down pillow. When I said "down," this isn't quite what I had in mind.

Whatever.

Wind

2011-12-01T08:42:00.000-08:00

It did this at our house. Lydia saw the fence come down out the sliding door. The was pretty upset. "Yap yap yap yap!"

It broke a valve on the auto watering system. Lots of water, but Dave saw it fast and stopped the water.

My friends living up in the hills have worse problems.

Yesterday Was Bizarre

2011-11-30T06:38:00.000-08:00

It Really was.

I woke up at 1:00am with a migraine beginning. I got up and took a pill and made coffee. Lydia got up too. I watched four episodes of Lie To Me and drank four big sups of coffee.

The headache didn't go away completely, I woke up too late for that, but it became manageable. Lydia really liked sleep-most-of-the-night-on-a-lap. She tolerated my trips back to the kitchen for more coffee.

I got the 3 minute video of Yndi on FaceBook, and, after watching it many times, called and made an offer. My offer was accepted and now we are doing details of Coggin's testing and Health Certificate and delivery.

The seller seemed pretty pleased with my offer, and I think I am getting a real good deal.

She will go to Roger's for a while first. She is not solid enough for me to drive solo. Could be rusty, could be that she had little experience years ago when she was driven.

She had never been trained under saddle.

Mostly, she has had foals.

So, last night, after the stress of horse buying, migraine, and up since 1:00am, I slept through most of an episode of Star Trek OS, I went to bed without any rabbit petting.

I am getting a new Pony Girl.

On My Mind

2011-11-28T08:58:00.001-08:00

I have a lot on my mind......

Fire!

2011-11-27T06:38:00.000-08:00

Dave bought a used fire hydrant on ebay.

He is cleaning the old yellow paint off. In the kitchen.
I did not complain. I cooked Thanksgiving dinner around it. He noticed.

Are You Scrooge?

2011-11-17T11:59:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is almost here, kicking off the Holiday Shopping Season. Receiving gifts from Target and Wal*Mart thousands of miles away, exactly like the stuff you can get at Target and Wal*Mart in your town. You can save a few steps by picking up a Target Gift card while you are picking up your prescription for anxiety medication.

You can just go giftless. Be sure, in our culture, that you will cause yourself a lot of grief.

----OR-----

Buy One-of-a-Kind hand crafted in the USA art! Something they CAN'T just go get on the way to something else.

I have a website for Wearable Art Sweatshirts and Art Saddle Pads here DOUBLECATBATIK.COM

or
ebay
and some other things on ETSY

Etsy is a great place to find all kinds of unique gifts. You don't have to look for yourself, but I'm just sayin'......

Am I relieved?

2011-11-13T10:14:00.001-08:00

Someone said how relieved I must be not to have to go to the barn every day and take care of something.

I didn't know what to say, so I just said "No. I'm not."

Squirrelinators

2011-11-11T08:57:00.000-08:00

From Karen Hebert, who, maybe, got it from somebody else.

The Stable Scoop

2011-11-11T07:25:00.000-08:00

The Stable Scoop is a podcast "radio talk show" that you can listen to on your computer or download to an MP3. I listen to it while I walk Lydia.

Click on the picture, it's a link. You can also hear or download lots of old episodes, and it's FREE! Free is good, it means you can spend more money on your horses.

Other Stuff: Someone is trying to scam me for my cart ad in BAEN, Bay Area Equestrian Network.

Carp.
I mean crap.

Also, the whole dang post is a link. I am not going to fix it. I wasted most of yesterday with a migraine. More carp.

Carriage House

2011-11-10T08:40:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I worked on the cover for the carraige house. When I began this project, it was going to house Janow's cart. The last time I worked on it, it was going to house Maggie's cart. You can see the inexpensive cart I got to use while I was waiting for Maggie's custom Sprint cart to be completed. It is still not completed, but I have commitment to Todd Frey so I will honor it.

I don't know if working on this is part of moving on, or what. It feels weird. But....when I get it done, the Pfaff can be put to use on saddle pads.

This cart is for sale. I am emailing with someone who responded to my craigs list ad.
Yesterday was my most productive day in a long time.

On the lighter side, Paula waiting for bread, with Lydia waiting to steal Paula's bread.

Lots of Saddle pads listed on ebay this week.

Tomorrow Joseph has a day off school. I would take him somewhere fun, but at 15, "fun" and "mom" do not happen together.

She Was So Beautiful

2011-11-02T08:46:00.000-07:00

Breathing In and Out

2011-10-28T10:44:00.000-07:00

"Well, I'm gonna get out of bed every morning... breathe in and out all day long."
--Sam Baldwin, Sleepless in Seattle

That's pretty much how I feel. Things are not going according to plan. The support I have received would be heartening, but I feel like my heart is in a box somewhere, I forget where. I spent all day Tuesday in bed with a migraine that was so bad I didn't think I would live. I hoped I wouldn't.

I watched her through the day. By 2:00pm, I knew she was dying. The vet was coming, I would have her put down. She got worse, the vet was not here, she got worse, the vet was stuck in bay area traffic. She got worse. She started to stagger and get down, then up, then down. She was hunched in pain, up, down, up, down. She hurt. I said:
"Just stay down and stop breathing." Up, down, up down, staggering, falling, up, down, up, down.
"Maggie, please, just lay down and die." Up, down. Finally, she did.

Beautiful Maggie, with the golden nose and soft hair. Maggie, who whinnied at me to come out of the outhouse. Maggie, who would just come up to me in her paddock and lean her neck on my hip. Maggie, who would leave her food to knicker at me not to leave yet. Her illness and hospitalization bonded us so closely. She brought out the best in me.

Then the nightmares. Horses flipping over onto their heads and dying, huge bodies crashing to the ground, bones shattering. One horse, then two, then five. Dying in agony all around me. I was helpless, and then I woke up and could not catch my breath. I went back to sleep and dreamed it all again.

I went back to the ranch to clean up. So many cards, so many people came. One person had become hysterical on Tuesday and had to be driven home by another boarder. It was someone I don't even know very well.

When she was dying, I breathed in, trying to hold her scent forever. But I had to breathe out.

Maggie

2011-10-26T05:47:00.000-07:00

Maggie colicked again on Sunday Night. She died on Monday night.

Recent Visit

2011-10-14T15:32:00.000-07:00

Maggie is appears to be squinting. She's not. She blinks a lot. She is blinking in many of her photos. I think she is getting a new hat. Maybe that will help the blinking.

Not Happy with that!

2011-10-06T09:08:00.000-07:00

You can't publish with the new Explorer, you must have Google Chrome. Does it make sense? Blogspot is Google. Ida no.

Very Little

2011-10-04T07:51:00.001-07:00

I am having a difficult time posting this. I click PUBLISH POST and nothing happens. It's been days now. And there are some really cute Lydia photos.....

Still trying, might have to get Google Chrome. Stupid Explorer 9.

Not much. Not much of any importance anyway. Everything is going like it ought to be, or about as good as we could hope under the circumstances.

National Geographic has a good article on teenage brains.

Time has a good piece on parental favoritism.

I could say I have been busy, that Maggie is a lot of work, that the teen is a lot of work, that the house and winterizing are a lot of work. These things could be true, but not really explain.

The real explanation is stupid, but it's the real one. Playdom City of Wonder. I'm trying to cut down. It's not working. I might have to check in to a rehab facility, one with no wifi.

Ask Maggie

2011-09-23T07:20:00.000-07:00

Dear Maggie,
My owner got me one of those new fangled Slow Feed hay bags. It makes it very difficult to eat my hay. I have to pull it out of the teeny holes one blade at a time. How can I convince her to get rid of the bag and just put my hay in a manger?
Thanks, Tubby

Dear Tubby,
Getting people to change their minds is a very difficult process, usually not worth the effort. You just need a good Work Around. Here is what you do with the hay bag: Thrust your muzzle deep into the mesh, chomp up and down rapidly with your incisors, like a rodent. This will break up the hay so that large amounts will simply fall out of the holes and into your mouth.
Maggie

IfThenNot

2011-09-18T06:35:00.000-07:00

If your nose gets itchy,

don't rub it with your sleeve.

Not Invited

2011-09-17T06:39:00.000-07:00

If you take photos of people while they are eating, they will stop inviting you to lunch.

Janow's Blankets

2011-09-16T11:32:00.000-07:00

I sold some of Janow's blankets. I'm not sure how I feel about that.

I loved Janow, not his blankets.

I guess it makes Janow a more distant past than he was when I still had these blankets. So for that, I am sad. Very sad.

This is Jazzie. She will be wearing the blankets.

ROTC, Bannana Chips and Sharing

2011-09-14T14:22:00.000-07:00

Milpitas High School Junior Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps has new uniforms this year, in a new color. This year brings Drill Team With Arms and Arms Master.

Silver had to share her banana chips with Lydia.

Lydia believes dogs need banana chips too.

Paula is glad nobody is making her eat banana chips. (Have you ever tried to make a chicken eat anything? I didn't think so!)

Uncle Jimmy's Hangin Ball

2011-09-10T06:52:00.001-07:00

These come in many flavors, like apple and carrot, I ordered the reduced sugar one for Maggie, who is bored and hungry. She can't start work until November.

Camp was not Fishy Enough

2011-09-09T07:26:00.000-07:00

The first day of school was last week. I am posting this picture a little bit late. The HS had a suicide. Nobody we knew. We don't know anybody who knew this person. We are still sad.

BS troop went to camp last weekend. Lots of fishing but failed to catch that last fish needed for the fishing merit badge. It was a great try, anyway.

Silver is relieved that she does not have to go to school or to camp or eat fish.

Maggie Improves--A Little Too Much

2011-09-08T08:12:00.001-07:00

I took some pictures to show how Maggie's hair is growing back in all the spot where she was shaved for surgery. She is shedding her summer hair like crazy. Yesterday, it seemed like if I put her in the dryer, 20% of the pony would get stuck in the lint trap.

She's also gaining weight. She lost a lot during her hospitalization, but she lost muscle as well as fat. She is only getting the fat back. I can't start working her until November. I have had her hay reduced even more, and I have ordered a couple of those hay feeders with the little bitty holes, so it will take her longer to eat. I am thinking about getting an Uncle Jimmy's Hangin Ball, sugar free, to help distract her from the lack of food.

You can see how much muscle she has lost in her topline. It's kind of sad, but she lives!

I have ground driven her in harness a couple of times. She thinks that is much more interesting than just plain hand walking. I think she is really bored.

The infection in her incision finally cleared up.

and then....

2011-08-26T15:37:00.000-07:00

Maggi es discharge appears to have stopped. Silver is still eating and still loves me, or at least loves petting. The '99 Ford Contour passed smog check the second time around, after spending a day at the mechanic. Then it had it's tires rotated. Lydia got a bath. A bunch of Maggie's mane and tail fell out, but she still has lots left. I think it is probably stress related. Lydia put another notch on the NylaBone. I cleaned Joseph's dresser and got all his clothes sorted. He went ripping through, looking for a particular shirt. I went in and picked up the heap and started them in the wash. The ones that didn't fit in that load are in the hamper with damp towels. I hope(snicker snicker) that he doesn't need any of those things soon.....School starts Monday.

2011-08-23T10:27:00.000-07:00

Here are my friends, riding around the ranch without me because I am hand walking a sick horse, again. There is still discharge from Maggie's incision, but it is less. She won't let me touch it anymore.

Lydia has a new chew toy.

Silver sits here when the door is open to get air.

Silver Eats!

2011-08-21T05:58:00.000-07:00

After two colicks, a ponneh and a bunneh, eating a pooping is the best!

Why?

2011-08-18T14:55:00.001-07:00

Why did I do it? I thought that colick surgery was too much to put a horse through, too hard, too scary. And I did it. Why?

Well, if you recall, Saturday morning before the whole thing began, I was driving up to Clay Station Horse Park for the driving play day to ride shotgun with Maureen who would be driving Spunky the school pony, solo. Traffic was bad on route 99 and I turned around and came home to find Maggie is distress.

As I drove t Clay Station, I was listening to the podcast of. The Driving Radio Show, new from Horse Radio Network. Episode 1 was introductory and the host Glenn The Geek was telling about his first driving pony, a mare that drove until she was 35 and lived to be 41. Maggie is nine. I would have many years with Maggie. Maggie would be my last horse. A lifetime companion.

Then the colick began.

As I drove her the 85 miles to the vet clinic on the following day, I thought about the years I thought I had, and the loss of Janow, and how, just the day before, I realized I as attached enough to Maggie to be upset if she colicked. How could I lose two horses in three months? I decided then.

Today....she was very happy to see me, but I was bringing food. Of course, she was happy to see the food. After the food was eaten, we went for a walk, a new route that took us down a steep hill. My balance is bad so I grabbed mane. Maggie misunderstood and moved into me. I pushed her away, she sped up. I slowed her down. She was figuring it out. Fast. Pace yourself to the person, hold them up. Stop if they let go, wait 'til they grab mane again to continue.

Totally amazing.

I put her away and hung over the door, watching. She nickered to me. She went around looking for food and came back and nickered and hung out and talked and talked, so softly, sometime just a flutter. When I turned to leave, she whinnied. I went back and we talked a little more.

This is the pony I saved.
No regrets.

Drip, Hop, Poop

2011-08-17T19:31:00.000-07:00

This stall was designed for horses. They moved Maggie into the Show Barn right after this. She was next in line for power washing and painting. Her stall, that is. She finished her antibiotics but still has ooze coming out of her incision so Dr. Novick came out again today and gave me more. Antibiotics, not ooze. He took a video to email to Dr. Adams at the hospital. her temp is normal and she is eating and pooping.

Silver started showing the signs of colick this morning at 5am. After calling 5 places, I found a rabbit vet who could see her. Her own vet was booked for the day, but his office helped me find a place. It was way the heck over in San Jose 40 minutes away. Good thing I just bought a GPS. She got a shot of pain killer, a motility drug and a special diet that mixes with water to put in a syringe and force feed. She started eating hay when she got home. She is doing better but still not normal.

Lydia pooped in the back seat. Again. This time she was spied doing it so we could tell her "No." Now she knows not to do it. Will that make a difference? I picked the poop up and neglected to tell Joseph that she pooped in his helmet. He thinks he knows everything, but he is wrong.

Drip Two

2011-08-15T06:18:00.000-07:00

Maggie continues to be well. She had a second lesion, near the first, swell and open, draining more discharge. She didn't move away when I poked it, so it doesn't hurt. It's probably just more stuff from an infection that's beaten. Antibiotics continue.

I need to take another picture today. I am out there three times a day to walk her. There should be lots of opportunity. Sometimes, when we are walking, she just touches her nostril to my arm. Very sweet. Janow used to give me nose bumps that almost knocked me down!

Lydia is also well. Dave is frequently amazed that I can tell her to do stuff and she does.

Milpitas High School registration packets can be picked up this week. This has a very ominous feel to it if you are a student, but not if you are a parent!

Slow Drip

2011-08-12T08:43:00.000-07:00

Maggie's discharge is decreasing. Today is the third day of antibiotic. Tricky part has been getting her to eat it.

The first time I gave it, I moistened her Equine Senior and sprinkled the powder on. It's about one and a half tablespoons, and I added it to one and a half pounds of Senior. She ate it. The next time, she ate about half, then said "Blech."

I added rice bran: "Blech."
More Senior: "Blech."
Gatorade: "Blech."

Hmmm. Thinking.....she likes hay better than Senior.....Sprinkled water on some hay--guessed how much antibiotic she had not eaten, sprinkled it on the hay, pushed it into the stall. She ate it. She continues to eat it that way.

Lydia pooped in the back seat of the car on the way to the barn. Joseph said:
"I smell poo."
yup.

Then I left the car window open while I was taking care of Maggie. A bird flew in and pooped in the car. Can I get a new car out of this? Probably not.

But- a big plus this morning. Lydia stood in the middle of the room, looking at the back door and wagging her tail. I opened the door and she went out and pooped. Big step, asking to go out to poop. Yay Lydia!

Infection

2011-08-11T06:31:00.000-07:00

Maggie had a slow drip of clear yellow stuff that was forming a stalactite on her incision. After a few phone calls with Pioneer Hospital, it was decided that I should have a vet see it. If I could not do that, one of the Pioneer vets would drive down to take care of it! They don't make ranch calls, especially 85 mile ones!
Scary.

Dr. Novick, my regular vet, came out yesterday and started her on antibiotics.

Her stall on The Lane is due for painting soon, like, today, I think. The other horses have gone into the Mare Motel pipe barn while their stalls were painted, but I have arranged for her to go in a box in the Show Barn. It should be done in a day or two.

She remains happy and in good spirits.

waiting, again

2011-08-09T06:53:00.000-07:00

Maggie is in good spirits, bright and curious, wining during the afternoon and picking up again at dusk.

She has begun a slow leak of blood serum from one spot on her incision. I called and reported it to the vet at the hospital. Dr. Adams. She is not sure if it is important and was going to confur with Dr McDonald. It is clear, not cloudy, not bloody. If I wipe it, I get a small smear of fresh blood that comes form the site, not from inside.

Without cell phone signal at the stable, I wait at home.

Still Good

2011-08-08T09:39:00.000-07:00

Maggie is still doing well. She is pooping with good appitite. Bright, interested in her surroundings and happy. She would be happier with more food..... that is increasing slowly. Today is the last day of Cisipride 2xs daily, tomorrow she goes to 1x daily.

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity Jig

2011-08-07T06:52:00.000-07:00

Maggie has returned home on Friday. The vets were tentative at sending her home, but admitted that they would be tentative unless she was eating normally and it would take awhile for that. So I am attending to her and feeding her the small prescribed amounts of food 4 times per day.

Diana of The Qi Paperswas an incredible help. She(Maggie, not Diana) stepped out of the trailer and perked right up. Her appetite was voracious. She is on stall rest with hand walking for a long time and has restricted feed.

Saturday morning she was very hungry for breakfast, then squeaked and banged her stall door to come out. After trying to run me down while I was putting on her halter, she tossed her head and jigged, then had to be corrected two times for body slamming.

She became more sedate as the day wore on, but still good and alert to her surroundings. Some of this afternoon slow down may be the way she always is. I have not had her for very long and always see her in the morning.Quite possibly, her natural best time of day may be morning, just like mine.

Maggie Has Rallied

2011-08-03T08:40:00.000-07:00

Maggie was perky and hungry at 6am this morning. No more stomach reflux. She gets to try food again today.

Not so Good

2011-08-03T06:52:00.000-07:00

Maggie had a bad day yesterday. A major setback in gut motility may be temporary, or it may be the end. I will know more within hours.

My fear and my grief are overwhelming, especially following so closely on my loss of Janow.

There has been distress at my decreased availablity, both emotionally and physically. I want to die.

The Maggie Report

2011-08-01T08:17:00.000-07:00

Vet report this morning is that Maggie is doing well, pooping a little but regularly, apatite improving but not quite normal. Off IV fluids, increasing feed slowly. Some inflammation around the IV site that is being treated with hot packs. Bright and curious. If things continue, she can come home on Wednesday.

BTW---Ponies are NOT stubborn, they are TENACIOUS!

Maggie on Saturday and Sunday

2011-07-31T08:51:00.000-07:00

I visited Maggie Saturday for a short time. Visiting hours were over at noon, none on Sunday.

Saturday morning update from the vet: Maggie has pooped! She is brighter today. She will come off antibiotics and reduce Banamine to once per day. She will get increased graze and drinks of water. If she continues as well through the day, she will come off IV fluids.

When I went to see her, she was truly there. It was Maggie. I got to walk her and graze her for two minutes. She walked fast and ate voraciously. I groomed her and she begged for treats and was herself.

Sunday morning report is that Maggie is still doing well. She is off lidocain and Banamine. She will be off IV fluids when the current bags are empty. She nickered to the vet, but was not as interested in the hay offered as they expected. Dr. McDonald says that pony behavior is not always what you would expect. I reminded him that she has eaten grass most of her life. He clarified that I meant pasture, not just grass hay. Yup, pasture in KY where they have green grass without irrigating. Remember, around here, we only get green for a few months in late winter, then dry brown most of spring and all summer, fall and winter until late January.

Thursday and Friday with Mag

2011-07-30T05:06:00.000-07:00

Maggie had a good day Thursday.

I sponged her with water throughout the warmer part of the afternoon and that helped her stay comfortable. The Sicipride motility agent that was ordered yesterday finally came at 4pm. She was producing gut sounds within half an hour. Gastric reflux decreased throughout the day, but she still had the stomach tube when I left. They were talking about taking it out, and that the sponging to keep her cool had been important. Most significantly, by the end of the day, when I looked in her eye, there was somebody there.

I went home feeling very positive.

Friday
The vet's morning phone report was not so good. She didn't look as good as she had the day before. She had taken her tube out herself sometime in the early morning. I guess she felt good enough to be irritated with it.

When I arrived there, I could see that she didn't look as good. She still had gut sounds and had been grazing for 2 minutes every two hours with a small drink of water, She was urinating, so the fluid that was being produced in the small intestines was moving and being absorbed instead of backing up into the stomach and causing discomfort.

There was nobody home behind her eyes.

I resumed the sponging and took her grazing when it was time. By about 2pm, the look in her eye that someone was there had returned. By 5pm she had passed gas, shown interest in me and Lydia, displayed grumpiness, drank Lydia's water twice, and begun to beg for treats. She was doing well without the stomach tube. Still on the Sicipride, she was the best every since Saturday.

Still not out of the woods, but more hope.

Thanks Everyone

2011-07-28T06:07:00.000-07:00

Thanks everyone for wishing Maggie well.

Yesterday's visit was scary. She was uncomfortable because she has fluid building up in her stomach and they had to put the tube back in. The vet told me on the phone that 2-4pm was the hardest time and he hoped I made it before then. I got there at about 1pm.

I watched them drain two buckets of fluid out of her stomach. She felt better after that, but still needed an extra dose of pain med.

She tried to eat some stray hay that was accidentally in reach, but she could not get it through the holes in the muzzle that was holding the stomach tube in place. Showing some apatite is good.

I haven't had this morning's update from the vet yet.

I am going back today. I feel so bad.

Maggie is Still Up

2011-07-27T08:45:00.000-07:00

Maggie is doing a little better. She passed a small amount of manure last night and her stomach does not keep filling up with fluid. Still on IV fluids, lidocain and banamine. They will offer her graze today, hoping to encourage full motility. I am still worried about the intestinal inflamation that caused the colic in the first place. She could still go either way. I am going to see her today.

More Maggie

2011-07-26T09:45:00.000-07:00

Update this morning from the vet by phone. Maggie is looking better, but they are needing to syphon fluid from her stomach periodically because there is still no motility. The vet feels positive, but because she has enteritis that caused the torsion, it is more complicated. It could still go either way.

More Maggie

2011-07-25T07:28:00.000-07:00

Thanks, everyone, for wishing Maggie well.

Maggie continued to get worse through the day on SUnday. I ended up trailering her to Pioneer Equine Hosptital, 85 miles away. She had colic surgery that revealed a torsion with a lot of gas that was probably due to an infection. The cut her intestine to let out the gas. She came out of surgery fine but is not out of the woods yet.

I feel very, very old.

Fate

2011-07-24T07:19:00.000-07:00

I was supposed to go up to Clay Station to ride with Maureen when she drove Spunks at the play day. Traffic turned me back home at Stockotn. Good thing. I got back to maggie with a case of colic. Banamine did not resolve it. The vet came and tubed her and gave her pain meds. This morning she has passed a small amount of the mineral oil and seems subdued but not in great distress. Not out of the woods yet.

There and Back

2011-07-21T14:25:00.000-07:00

We have been there and back. There is Derry, NH. I didn't say anything because you are not supposed to make internet announcements about not being home. We had a housesitter anyway.

I went for a walk. Dave said:
"Take lots of pictures." So I did.

Power and phone lines are all above ground.

Japanese invasion.
DIY
Woods everywhere. If you don't pull up saplings all the time, you get woods.

Rocks grow here too. You have to keep piling them up. The fire hydrants are red. Until I saw these, I didn't even realize that ours are not.

The Library
The Post Office and the Derry Store minimart.

In Progress

2011-07-17T03:39:00.000-07:00

My saddle doesn't fit Maggie too well. She is very flat from wither to croup, Janow had a little curve in his back.
My plan is to use the Kingston cart until the Sprint cart arrives, then sell the Kingston and use that money to get a saddle that fits better.
In the meantime, I am making this half-pad to add a little to the pommel and cantle and improve fit. Right now I just have some shims in my old Matte pad.

A Fun Day With Maggie

2011-07-12T05:39:00.000-07:00

Dave come out too the barn with me on Sunday. He took these pictures. He actually got on for a few minutes and walked around. He said he felt "really high up."
My saddle doesn't fit her very well. I adjusted the shims in the matte pad so it's better. We are waiting for the reinforcements to be welded onto the Kingston cart. Sandro, the welder, went on vacation.

After feeling how hot black metal cart get in the sun, I am leaning more toward a sandy yellow for my Sprint cart. I think it will complement Maggie's color better too.

Red or Yellow? Help me decide!

2011-07-06T07:09:00.000-07:00

I accidently clicked "Publish" instead of "Save," so this post is double for some. OOPS!

A lot is happening. Tons of stuff.

I need to order my Sprint cart today or tomorrow. I wanted it red.....Todd has several shades of red, which one? But really, Yellow would look good too. Dark colors can get so hot in the sun. What do you think?

I have taken Maggie two times to Roger's to drive. She is fantastic, just put to and go. I have had to borrow a cart from Roger. I have not been able to drive her at home.

In the meantime, I have a new Wintec open face bridle and a very small Equilizer girth so I can ride Maggie. My saddle is not the best fit. I am making a pad that should help. Finding a saddle that fits would be best, but how much time and moeyu should I spend when I don't plan on riding her that much?

Roger sold the KG road cart for me. I ordered a Kingston cart, really inexpensive and not well made. It arrived in a box and needed assembly. Those carts can break due to metal fatigue ion a certain place, so you have to have reinforcements welded on. Sandro at Indian Hill is going to do it for me. When he gets back from vacation.

Dave wants to go to New Hamsphire sometime this summer, so I have to figure out what to do with the animals. I want to find a place Lydia can go, she is young and very active, as well as not confirmed in house training, so she can't stay here alone, especially not with Silver.

I am trying to get Blog to Book, but the site I have been using is really bad. I can order it today, but I want to check out other sites.

I need to finish the tart cover for the carriage house, but I am not sure how fast I need to do it. If I can store the Kingston in Maggie's stall, that would be OK. I measured the door opening, but the cart is in the welding shop.

I have a lot of saddle pads on eBay right now. That is just one more thing to keep track of. But I can use the money that comes form any sales. eBay has never been my best venue. In Person has always been best. When people actually SEE them......

Jim

2011-06-24T14:49:00.000-07:00

"Jim, his brain is gone! It's been removed surgically!"

New Toy

2011-06-23T13:21:00.000-07:00

Lydia is NOT sharing her sheepsy!

The excitment goes on

2011-06-07T06:51:00.000-07:00

There was a problem. With the washer. The front loading washer. It has a door gasket in the front. The gasket keeps the water from coming out as long as you don't get clothing caught between the door and the gasket.

So now I have a shirt without a sleeve and a sleeve without a shirt. The water went into the box underneath where the dirty laundry soaked it up. The wet laundry went onto the floor in the search for any water that missed the box.

There was dirty underwear in the pile. Lydia loves dirty underwear, so the underwear didn't stay in the pile for long. Every body's dirty underwear was distributed around the house.

I ordered new gasket on line and went to the Laundromat(ew) taking Lydia with me instead of leaving The Urinator home alone in a crate. She had separation anxiety every time I went in to check the washers. It was a cool over-cast day and I left the windows open and she jumped out and almost hung herself. That was a big stupid mistake on my part. I decided not to dry the laundry there, but brought it home to dry here. Wet laundry is heavy.

The new gasket came and Dave put it in and we think we found all the underwear hidden all over the house.

It's Crazy

2011-06-04T13:33:00.000-07:00

Mary Shelley the cat wants to go from the garage, across the kitchen, dining area and family room, out the sliding door to the backyard. She does not want to go out the garage side door to the side yard.

Lydia the dog is in the kitchen. Mary Shelley does not want to go past Lydia.

I open the sliding door so Mary Shelley can see a clear path to her objective. Not enough.

I pick up Lydia the dog and carry her out of sight. Mary Shelley cannot see Lydia and so cannot not be sure she is still restrained.

I move into visible postion. Mary Shelley is still uncertain. I put Lydia down to pick up Mary Shelley and carry her out the sliding door. Lydia finds this exciting. Mary Shelley finds this stressful, so do I.

In the meantime Paula the chicken has wandered into the family room through the open door. Now I have to get Mary Shelley out AND Paula out without Lydia getting too excited.

Mary Shelley is out and I turn to Paula, who is easy but who has just pooped a gooey chicken poop on the rug. Now I have to get Paula out and get the poop cleaned up before Lydia finds the poop and begins eating it. I fail.

My life is not a reality show. I know this because I would either get a prize or get eliminated for my performance. Intstead, I have to keep playing but I don't get a prize.

Jr Naval ROTC

2011-05-30T07:29:00.000-07:00

Joseph got awards for Aptitude and for Conduct and Bearing.

Boy Scout Camping on Mt Hamilton

2011-05-26T14:22:00.000-07:00

People of Wal*Mart

2011-05-25T12:47:00.000-07:00

EMBED-People Of Walmart Song - Watch more free videos

Finally Settling

2011-05-24T07:12:00.001-07:00

After two days of frantic pacing, Maggie is finally settling down. She is eating and resting. I tried walking her but she was too stressed and kept walking into me. I tried Janow's harness on her for fit. It's too big. Getting it on was tricky because she was antsy and pawed the whole time.

It was hard for her, coming from a large herd in pasture to being all alone. Horses are herd animals and being alone is hard for them.

I only tried it on because someone in SoCal on carriage driving list had a Smuckers synthetic small pony for sale at a great price. I needed to find out if I should pursue this one. Turns out that not only is the cob too big for Maggie, but the woman with the small pony harness actually needs a cob size. I'm sending her the Zilco, we are trading straight up.

Maggie is here

2011-05-21T17:58:00.000-07:00

She's here, in one piece, in quarentine. I don't know for how long. Different vets have different recomendations and they are changing.

More rumor than fact

2011-05-20T07:49:00.000-07:00

There were more rumors than facts last night and I panicked. It didn't help that search engines are stupid and that some idiot spammed equine herpes virus-1 with a photo of their horse.

Lots of people said "You shouldnt have gone any where." I didn't, she left Monday, hours before the news went out on the west coast.

Someone else said: "Just don't let anyone come on your property." Great, I board. There are 196 horses there. I don't have control.

And somebody else said: "You probably need a Coggins test." Duh.

So, she will cross into CA this am at about 11:00. Due to arrive in Milpitas for 14 day quarrentine that is more important for everybody's comfort than actual disease control.

And Now for some Lydia:

Rumors

2011-05-19T19:09:00.000-07:00

Now there are rumors that the California borders may be closing, but I can't find any specific up-to-date info. Maggie is supposed to cross into CA at about 11am tomorrow.

Quarentine!!!

2011-05-19T14:25:00.000-07:00

Maggie is on the way.

But.....

There is always a butt.

She will arrive in Milpitas on Saturday. Indian Hill is not allowing horses to come onto the ranch. Even if they live there and just went for a trail ride down the road.

Maggie got on the truck Monday, when the virus was rumors, far away, and reining horses only(or cutting horses?)

There is good news. The owner of Indian Hill owns other property up the road. Maggie will stay there and be the only horse for 14 days of quarantine. I will have access.

This will give us time alone to bond. No house warming or nosy people.

And then...........

Dave said he wanted a dog, so we went to the shelter and looked at pit bulls and Chihuahuas. Then we went to a different shelter and saw more pit bulls and Chihuahuas.

We selected Lydia, labeled as a one year old Chihuahua Pekingese mix. She is now taking over our house. We think she is Doxie, not Chihuahua. Her body is too long, she is too interested in smells and her eyes aren't bulgy enough. She is a peek-a-dox.

Joseph was ecstatic. He asked Dad why we got a dog. Dave said:
"Mom wanted one."

She has tattoos, by her spay scar. You can sing the song............

Maggie is comming!

2011-05-17T06:19:00.000-07:00

Maggie got on the horse transport yesterday.

Vineyard Classic CDE

2011-05-14T07:21:00.000-07:00

My son and I went to the Vineyard Classic Combined Driving Event in Woodland CA. We volunteered for two days and camped in a tent. It was fun. He gets the hours counted as community service. I don't think my body could hold up to competing in a CDE!

I didn't take pictures. boo hoo

Porder is as typo

2011-05-11T15:19:00.000-07:00

I meant to type 'order.' My typing is mostly typos. I have to go back and fix them. Sometimes I miss. The nerve impulses travel down my left arm and my right arm at different speeds. If I type with two hands, that means trouble.

I went to Kokovoko Farm in KY to shop for a pony. go here for Kokovoko Farm I had read/heard that the Gotland temperament was great, so I went to see for myself. You guys saw the pictures I took while I was there.

Maggie is the pony I chose. A 9 year old mare trained to drive singles and pairs and ride. Unflappable and attractive. She is 13.2, slightly larger than the average Gotland, she is a Gotland Sport Pony with a thorcheron mare somewhere in her pedigree. I am not very experienced at driving, so unflappable, trained, and with a few years on is a good thing.

Her fancy name is Kokovoko Magnolia.

She has a new departure date of May 17th. This is actually a good sign. When you are transporting horses across the country, things can happen that you did not plan on. If my pony is in the trailer, I would prefer you take the time to deal with things rather than push on as scheduled no matter what.

Eagerly Awaiting Maggie

2011-05-06T08:26:00.000-07:00

Maggie is due to arrive here between the 15th and 20th. It's a long trip from Kentucly to California, and the departure date depends on other trips the trailer is making.

I ordered some stuff for her, including a halter plate. I know Janow's bridle will not fit her. The pony ones at Kokovoko were mostly on the last holes, but Janow's is a horse size. The rest ofhis harness is cob size, so it may for Maggie, or at least parts of it will. I will porder the new parts I need when I order the bridle.

In the meantime I ordered a cob size Wintec bridle. My tack storage gets too hot in the summer to store leather, so synthetic is good.

Maggie is trained under saddle and Joseph has expressed an interest in riding her. I may ride her too. She is calm enough that there may not be a problem. Janow was never totally calm. He was laways prone to Lipizzan Leaps that were hard on my back, so I stopped riding him. Maggie doesnt do this.

Eagerly awaiting Maggie........

Pre-purchase Exam--"Pass"

2011-04-22T05:35:00.000-07:00

Leslie driving Maggie, Truman breaks trail.

Maggie's pre-purchase exam was very good. Now I have to arrange to have my new pony trailered from Kentucky to California.

Kokovoko Farm

2011-04-21T03:37:00.000-07:00

Bed and Breakfast near Corinth, KYFresh eggs and fresh homemade bread. Wool fiber in every stage from sheep to spinning lessons.
...and ponies for carriage driving lessons.

Kokovoko

2011-04-19T02:02:00.000-07:00

2011-03-24T12:17:00.001-07:00

I miss you so much.

Janow

2011-03-08T09:20:00.000-08:00

Janow
1989-2011
He was a good horse.

Monday Bunday

2010-11-22T08:14:00.000-08:00

"We Bunnies Three" watercolor is available on ESTY

"Run" print of charcoal portrait, avalable on ETSY

And finally:

Sock Bunny Kit to make your own, avalable on ETSY

Equibuns

2010-11-18T08:27:00.000-08:00

Janow was doing well yesterday. We went for a drive, Roger driving. He got his tongue over the bit two times and I had to jump out and head him while we fixed it. The noseband is now tighter and the bit is higher. Janow wanted to trot a lot, but we walked mostly.

Today I am not going, I get to rest.

Feeding horses is tricky. Add to that the fact that with boarding horses at a stable, you don't get ultimate power to choose, you have to go with what they feed everyone. Not every feed is available in every region and comparable prices. It's easier to get if you live where they grow it. If they have to truck it across three states....$$$$$

Rabbits and horses are very similar in both digestive anatomy and feed, and temperament. Both are prey animals. Both have functional cecums to digest roughage. Both practice copraphagy, though rabbits more than horses, and horse people try to limit it to control parasites.

Gastric stasis in rabbits and colic in horses are equally serious. Licking and chewing in horses is exactly like teeth purring in rabbits. A binky is a buck, only smaller. If you build their stall/hutch out of wood, they will eat their way out.

People who don't have horses have asked me if horses are like dogs or cats. People who don't have rabbits have asked me if rabbits are like dogs or cats. Actually, rabbits and horses are more like each other.

More Janow

2010-11-17T08:33:00.001-08:00

I am very tired.

Yesterday he ate more of his meds, but not all. I ran out of Isoxuprine but the new that I ordered isn't here yet.

Roger suggested rice bran to make him eat the meds. I did some research on it. It's hard to find good info without paying to subscribe the the vet journals. Most of what you find is stuff to help you realize you need to buy what they happen to have for sale, but no real data. Colorado State has THIS. (click here) It was tha best.

Here are some pictures. Janow's girlfriend is Sunbeam. She is also a carriage horse.

Janow

2010-11-16T08:14:00.000-08:00

Janow has been refusing to eat his meds and his feet have begun to bother him. I have spent the past two days camping in the car and walking hin every hour. I come home at night, but its not quite an hour and a half drive out to the stable where his is right now.

He is on isosxprine and Prevocox for a while. The discomfort is minor at this point, but by catching it early being diligent, I am hoping to keep it mild and make it short lived.

Part of the problem is not getting enough thyroid and pergolide, part of the problem seems to be the feeder person at the barn deciding he was too ribby and trying to fatten him up, part of the problem may even be not walking long enough to increase circulation in his feet before beginning trot.

It may be all three of these things working together. I do not need to know precisely, I just need to help him out.

I believe everything will be fine in the end.

San Jose Veteran's Day Parade

2010-11-11T18:14:00.000-08:00

Joseph's NJROTC was in it.

Can you find him without the red arrow?

Death by Llama

2010-11-10T14:20:00.001-08:00

Llamas live nearby to Roger. Janow had never seen one before.

Janow: "Can't go this way."
Roger: "Go on."
Janow: "Carriage horses never pass llamas."
Roger: "Yes, they do."
Janow: "No, they don't."
Roger: "Yes, they do."
Janow: "No, they don't."
Roger: "Yes, they do."
Janow: "No, they don't."
Roger: "Yes, they do."
Janow: "No, they don't."
Roger: "Yes, they do."
Janow: "No, they don't."
Roger: "Yes, they do."
Janow: "No, they don't."
Roger: "Yes, they do."
Janow: "No, they don't."
Roger: "Yes, they do."
Janow: "No, they don't."
Roger: "Yes, they do."
Janow: "No, they don't."
Roger: "Yes, they do."
Janow: "This is getting boring."
Roger: "Go past the llama."
Janow: "Sheeesh!"
Roger: "Go."
Janow: "OK"

Found

2010-11-09T08:18:00.000-08:00

I found these self portraits in the camera when I loaded pictures into the computer. Inspired, I think, by a new hat.

MondaY Bunday

2010-11-08T08:16:00.001-08:00

Janow is a Carriage Horse

2010-11-06T09:30:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the first time Janow pulled a cart! Roger drove. Nothing happened. He wavered a little from side to side, then just went forward. He even trotted a little!

Legions of Troy

2010-11-05T17:11:00.001-07:00

Here are some pictures from the Legions of Troy Jr ROTC Drill Team Competition. It was held at Milpitas High School. Very easy for us to go since it is just down the street.

Jospeph led his squad here.

Then he marched with his platoon. The platoon won their division.

Janow is a Star

2010-11-04T16:20:00.000-07:00

My old horse is doing well in his training. He seems to miss being at home. OR He seems excited to be doing real work. He whinnies a lot and is antsier than a three year old sometimes. Then the work starts and he settles down.

Here he is getting longed and pulling the travois.
He is in love with Sunbeam next door. Maybe he misses Emmitt.

I've got to get a new laptop. I have pictures of the ROTC drill team competition that need editing. My computer is slow so it takes a long time. The battery life is about 25 seconds so I have to stay plugged in, and the WiFi is out so I have to stay plugged in to that too. Everywhere my wires reach is uncomfortable to sit at.

I have fallen behind on lots of blog news too. I miss it.

JNROTC

2010-11-03T16:30:00.000-07:00

Here he is in the winter uniform. They had to wear uniforms on Tuesday this week because Wednesday was teacher inservice. Of course, it got hot again, and there was drill practice. He lived.

Next week they are marching in the San Jose Veteran's Day Parade. Thursday, I think.

Life with the Oldest and Slowest Laptop on the Planet continues. The ports don't work so I can't plug everything in at once. The WiFi doesn't work so I am chained to the wall, but not at a desk. I have my laptop on a chair in the living room and I sit on the floor. My back gets tired of that fast. Good thing Christmas is near.

Monday Bunday

2010-11-01T09:39:00.001-07:00

A cute rabbit icanhascheeseburger would be fun, but Marshmallow needs help.

Marshmallow
Spayed - 2 years old
Intake#: N/A
Appropriate for families witih children over 9 years old, or an adult home. Is good with small, well-behaved dogs and friendly cats.

Marshmalllow was abandoned by a family that recently moved away. Instead of taking Miss Marshmallow to the shelter, they stuffed her (inside of her terribly dirty cage) into a trash dumpster and drove off.

Fortunately, neighbors were aware of what happened. They pulled Marshmallow from the dumpster. This sweet, sweet bunny is now in foster care.

Like most bunnies, Marshmallow is resilient and forgiving. She is incredibly sweet and loving, and we hope to find a wonderful home for her soon.

Marshmallow is currently at PETCO in Murrieta (24480 Village Walk Place, Murrieta, CA 92562, 951.691.5063). Please contact info@luckybunnyrabbitrescue.com if you would like to learn more, or call 951-790-BUNS (2867).

Houston, we have a problem.

2010-10-31T09:10:00.000-07:00

Our dishwasher broke. It's OK, we will live. The new one comes on Wednesday. Meanwhile we wash dishes by hand. "We?"

I plugged the drain and added hot water and soap. I washed. Dave asked: "Do you want me to dry these?"

"No, they need to be rinsed first, but I'm done washing, you can take over and rinse."

"OK.
"We have another problem.....the sink isn't draining."

"That's because I plugged it up to wash the dishes."

"I knew that."

Training

2010-10-29T11:31:00.000-07:00

Here is Janow in his first training session with Roger.
It was going to be a walking ground driving session in which Roger was going to test out the training that I had done and see how Janow's temperament would be to train. It progressed to trotting in circles and then to leg yielding along the rail in both directions.

Then the sled came out so Janow could see it being dragged while he worked.

Janow was doing well so far, so he actually got to pull the sled, which was no problem either.

A very successful day.

The Voyage

2010-10-28T07:41:00.000-07:00

Janow's Journey went just fine. He arrived in his temporary digs and formed and instant bond with a white pony mare whose name is Sunbeam, if I recall correctly. Lots to do and see, lots of screaming to be done. I will go out there this morning. Roger is going to ground drive him and test out the work I have done. I will take my camera.

Janow leaves today

2010-10-27T07:17:00.000-07:00

Janow leaves for Knightsen today. Maureen is taking him. I was hoping the trailer would be done before the winter rains set in, but they have set in. The rains I was originally concerned with were the rains of winter '09. He is going here for a month. It is about an hour and 20 minutes by car.

I have begun taking a new medication to prevent migraine headaches. I was very hopefully. Twenty five mg for 7 days,
50 mg for 7 days,
75 mg for 7 days,
finally 100 mg is the lowest effective dose and you have to take that for 2 months or so before it becomes effective.

By the time I got up to 100 mgs per day, I was in so much pain because all my joints became inflamed, and I was so tired I could hardly move, but my thought processes were so adversely effected that I was not really able to say "Hay, this medication is bad." Now I am going back down in the dose. I can't stop cold turkey without risking seizures. I may be a normal person again soon.

More New Pads

2010-10-20T08:20:00.000-07:00

Here are two more new pads. The carrot pads are going faster than I thought. Both dressage are gone, leaving only the two all purpose.
We didnt need to have the transmission rebuilt after all, or worse yet, buy a new car. It was just a bad sensor. Whew!

The weather is turning fast! The Crane Project is not done! Can I squeeze it in?
.

Interweb

2010-10-12T16:38:00.000-07:00

I am having trouble with my internet connection. It involves ports and cables and furniture and computers as well as interpersonal relationships and nueroses. Things were easier back in the day when fire and the wheel were hot.

There are two more of these:These are both dressage. They are 35.00 until October 31st. On November 1st, they go up to $45.00, if, that is, If get around to updating my website on that day. Pretty big "if," if you ask me!

Monday Bunday

2010-10-11T16:51:00.000-07:00

Short today because I am spending more of Monday Bunday with the Buncluse and less of it with my laptop.

She needs more petting.

Buntastic Carrots and Pumpkins

2010-10-09T16:51:00.000-07:00

These are some things I finished up this week. I made four of the Jack saddle pads, three sold already.

They are batik on cotton twill. It's a bit heavier than cotton broadcloth. The carrots are also batik on cotton twill. They are $35.00 until October 31, Then the carrots go up to $45.00. The Jack stays at $35 if still unsold, but he will probably hang around in inventory until next year. Shipping is $9.00 to US, Canada and US Armed Forces Overseas.

There are more carrots on the way.

This primitive sweatshirt is size XL, Fruit of the Loom Heavy Cotton. Hand dyed fabirc collage, the texture is fantastic and it will get comments everywhere you go! It's $53.00, $6.00 shipping. You'd pay twice that much at a whine and cheese festival. Really.