Holiday Bustle

Life, it seems, has me by the short hairs and is making me dance.

At least ... it's playing a tune. I'm dancing as well as I can.

There have been so many changes in my life recently, good, very good, for the most part, and some hard, but it's the juggling and trying to fit everything into it's new place keeps me worn out.

We did have a wonderful Thanksgiving and are looking forward to a good Christmas as well. I've been excited to have lots of prezzies under the tree this year and have been buying like mad, but after chasing from store to store, I still ended up buying the majority of what I wanted online and am now tapping my toe madly waiting for the UPS truck.

I long ago gave up many of the special Christmas traditions of my childhood and through the years of marriage and kids have worked out new schedules and expectations. This year, we're playing fast and loose with tradition and planning simply to celebrate.

What are your special holiday traditions that are generational, or what have you changed and made your own with your families over the years?

*argh*

maintenance & apologies:

photobucket has apparently changed some of their account rules, guidelines and restrictions. I apparently was stupid enough not to keep up with them. The linked photos that are giving the errors are in an old account and I'm working on getting access back to that account to get it all fixed.

In the meantime - apologies for the mess.


*update: I think I've at least managed to get rid of the errors. I have to admit that I'm unlikely to continue using photobucket after this.

** final update: Photobuckets customer service responded promptly and restored my service with no fuss no muss. But I'd already deleted the custom background and borders I had here. I guess I should be forgiving, they've been a good service for years and did respond promptly --- but I still wonder why they felt the need to screw with me in the first place. ...jury is still out.

"Well, I'm back."

I'm back -- echoing Samwise Gamgee's famous final words -- and as for him, things are forever changed here. Loss of things and people, but gains of freedom and opportunity and looking forward to a better future in spite of the struggles.

Of course, a divorce is nothing compared to saving the world so perhaps (most certainly) I'm being overly dramatic. But in many ways, I feel that I've saved my little corner of the world, this new world I'm trying to face bravely.

Yesterday was the perfect time reflect: I have my home and land, my horses, and my kids and life goes on. My decisions are my own now. I live with my own mistakes now. And that's all good.

I have a lot in my life to be thankful for, since this is the season to be listing such things; I have my health and a lot of love and true friendship in my life. I have my sons, and my son's friends (my friends as well) that live with us, and their friends (my friends as well) who are often here. They offer not just friendship, but a lot of support in helping around the place, and there is a lot that needs do'n even on as small a farm as we have here. I have family, parents, brother and sister, and I have close friends both locally and over the distance of phone and internet.

We had waaaaay too much to eat yesterday and today are stuffing ourselves with all that's left. The sun is shining, the mares are munching hay and the goats are napping in the sun.

Life is good.

Good reports keep rolling in...

Yes, yes, I know. In order to continually breed horses, I have to sell the babies.

Honestly, it's not that hard for me to let them go, not as hard as it is for some people, I know, because I see it in two ways. One) that they're growing up and taking their place in the world and two) that they're spreading the good word and promoting their lines. and three) that for each one that sells, I have budget and space for another little replacement. The numbers in this group are low enough that every single one is important.

Certainly the more horses under more riders doing more stuff is going to do more good in the long run than a bunch of rare-blooded horses standing in my pasture eating. I remind myself of that every time one drives out the gate. But it's never easy.

It's still hard to let them go, no matter what. You worry about them. If they're going to be good, or if they'll show their 'ass' one time too many and be a "bad advertisement" rather than a good one. (If they're going to embarrass you rather than make you proud). If you judged the individual well enough that you've managed to get them in a good home. But still knowing that even the best of circumstances can change.

So you do all that you can do to get them out in the world - and then you hold your breath. You hold your breath until you pass out, hit your head on the floor, finally wake up and stumble to the kitchen for a bag of ice. And then you wait some more.

Finally the reports start coming in, and eventually the photos.

From the young gelding a few posts ago, to GLAMDRING (top photo) who has a good start in his endurance career, LANDROVAL who is just getting started, to Eowyn, who finished Tevis in fine form this year -- the reports are looking pretty good.

(so you see my little ANDE has a lot to live up to!!)

One step forward....

Step #hundred-n-something out of how many thousand...?



The electric guys came out yesterday and put up the pole for service to the new house. Does this mean I'll have two electric bills for the duration? .. um. yeah. *head desk*. But, hopefully (am I being overly optimistic?) the bill on the new house will be minimal until we get moved it. The wires and plugs are run on the inside, for the most part, but a few loose ends need to be tied up. At any rate, we've been running extension cords to get the work done and now we'll be able just to plug in, so it should all be just as well.

The Chiva

I tried to think of something witty to say, but frankly, I'm at a loss. I don't have any idea what she though she was doing and I'm having trouble even making something up. ... anyone else have any ideas?

First Week

Little ANDRETH is a week old today.

Here is she with my mom who's President of my Fillies Fan Club. Thank goodness for moms who will come out and gush over each new colt and filly, no matter how many we've had over the years.

Andreth has proven herself to be sweet, sane and sassy, all in the same package and we're delighted with her. She's friendly and curious and loves being scratched.

I like to get the babies turned out on pasture as soon as I can, but even with a good sensible filly like Andreth, it's always a little scary to let them out into the big, wide world.


Of course, she did fine with it.

I turned them into the small pasture and they snorted and bucked around before taking off to the Wild Blue.

They had a nice run-around and tucked back into the comfort zone in their pen, took a longish nappy, and went exploring again.

Andreth will likely be my 'next' endurance horse, her dad and Beri may be ready to slow down by the time she's ready to go, so this is an excellent start for her.