CIPRO. THE OTHER...OTHER WHITE MEAT.

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UPDATE: Hopefully surgery on Friday. If not, I commence to perform surgery myself. Ok. I have to go lie down in the corner of the office now.

OOOOooooooooo...........

AHHHHH.............
Check out Cole's ride. Tammy's son and his friend are working on it for us. I'm so excited. I went last night to see it and it's almost done!! We pick it up on Monday. I hope Cole likes it. If not, he can just walk and I'll ride in it. We didn't fix anything or paint inside the trailer because Cole will tear it up anyway. When I get it back...everyone in the College/Career group can come over and I'll drive you around.

Sleepy Monday

Didn't get much sleep last night. Aari decided that she wanted to go down in history as my very first colic case. Not that I haven't had to deal with colic before. I've been around horses for a long time. But, this is my first,"on the family farm" case. Have you ever tried to keep a 1,000 pound animal on it's feet? Didn't think so. Well, I have. I finally surrendered and let her stay in a heap on the ground until the vet arrived. Apparantly, Aari is very dramatic. While she was acting like she was dying, she wasn't as bad off as we all thought she was. A little muscle relaxer, pain killer, and a big tube down the snout with mineral oil and she was ready to stand in the corner and be left alone. As everyone already knows, colic cases can be very bad. So, we alternated keeping an eye on her all night. Well, not so much all night. Just once every few hours. This morning she was dragging me out of the stall and running for the grass. I'm guessing she's recovered. Now all I have to do is go out in the freezing rain to check her tonight. Hmm...I procrastinate a few more minutes.

Point to ponder: If you buy a horse. Have money in a savings account. Your horse will never get sick at a convenient time. It will always be on the weekend, in the middle of the night, or on a holiday. Therefore, afterhours bills will apply. And, your horse knows that.

Head Above Water

www.ellipse.3d.free.fr/Docs/whale.html

The next person who gets me sick will have to answer to...uh...well, me. I'm weary with sorrow and much coughing. Oh, and anyone who wants to be on the SBS calling list (not so much "on" the list as help call people who are "on" the list) it would be much appreciated. If I get no volunteers, then I will tie Cedar in your front yard until you volunteer. I haven't heard any news from Cole yet. I don't know if that's good or bad. I'm going up April 1st to see him and I don't think I can wait that long. It's like sending Afty off and not being able to see him for an extremely long time. Only, it's not Afty, it's my horse. Which, is just as bad. Ok, bad analogy. I must still be sick. Oh, and I'm going to go pick up 100 bales of hay today. The sign up sheet to help is in the waiting area here at the office. There will be free mini Moonpies for whoever shows up. Well, until we run out.


p.s.- Joy and uh...Mr. I trim better than everybody came over and used their new degrees to trim Aari's feet yesterday. So, anybody know a good vet? Kidding!!! It went great. It's gonna be nice not having to pay $25 a horse now. Wahoo!!

Diggin' to China

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Cole leaves Monday. I'm sad. I don't want him to leave. Eventhough he'll be back in a month it still makes me sad. Maybe I can use that month to raid someone's wallet and buy another horse of my dreams. Speaking of spending money on horses, Joy and I are going to a horse shoe course this weekend. Wish us luck. I know how to pull shoes but that's about it. I hope there's a good vet nearby when I drive my first nail. Poor horse is gonna' need it. I might get kicked in the esophagus. Maybe they won't use real horses. Just little fake plastic ones...like My Little Ponies. I think Kimberly said I could use her's. Stealing a line from Jesse, I would feel "like Bozo the idiot circus clown with my shiny new pet" if I didn't have to pay to have shoes put on my horses every 6 weeks. I'm a little nervous about shoeing Major however. Nothing like laming your sisters 22 year old race horse with a famous great-great-grandpa. I'll just practice on Cedar first.

Onion Volcanos

I have a funny ginger taste in my mouth. Does that stuff get in your blood stream? I think I'm gonna be full for about a year. Good luck to all ya'll who had Kanki food left over from last night. I think Martha wins the biggest doggie bag contest. It was a fun time though. I seriously need a nap. By the way, this picture was taken from a horse show last weekend. Yes, I have a good reason for not wearing my little man outfit. It was a fun show. We didn't even take his tail out of the braid until he'd won his first blue ribbon. Wow, I thought I would have somthing to say but I really don't. So, I'm gonna go. But, not without a giant HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO CARROLL ANN!! (as I convert my cd cases into a pillow and put the phones on hold.)

Dragon Storm/Take 2

What can I say about this weekend? I was tired...but not real tired. Hungry...but not too hungry. Cold...actually freezing to death by Sunday. I had a wonderful weekend. A big THANK YOU to Carroll for letting me wear the blue dress. It's my favorite. Just to shut Martha up I have to inform you that yes, indeed, she did take these photos of all of us. She also wanted me to let Tommy know that his drum whamming didn't hurt little Neil Earl's ears. Maybe when he grows ears it could cause a bit of a problem. I think my favorite part of the weekend was when the movie director told us to be in the movie and stand there (for 3 hours) and then ask us why we were standing there. I learned my lesson. I guess my photo won't go on imdb.com just yet. It's all about timing.

Sick...as a dog

Hope everybody had a great Valentine's Day. I celebrated my Single's Awareness day on the couch with a stomach virus. The only thing I could eat and not get really, really, extremely, unbeliveably sick were Cadbury eggs my dad got me. It's a tough world. I caught the last few minutes of American Idolatry. The little guy with the grey hair got through. I'm so excited. I hope he wins...even though he won't cause the isn't "pop" enough. Oh, just in case I didn't tell everyone...Cole got a clean report from the vet. He's fine to go off to training in a week. So now I can get all sad again. But, knowing him his head will fall off and then another vet bill to have to deal with and another few weeks out of training. But, I'll let you know when that happens so you can console me.

Never...Ever Sift

I was sifting through some old horse show photos trying to find the perfect one of Cole to post. You know, where he's nice and shiny and picking his feet up high. Well, in my sincere search for a fantastic photo I found these. Just rock hard proof that watching stupid movies that no one else checks out because everyone else in the world knows they're stupid will make you learn really dumb things that will come out of you when you least expect it. But, I have also learned good things from our movie nights. For example: I can build an entire dragon killing spear flinger that won't jam every time you try to use it forcing you to cut the string...again. I have learned awesome facial expressions that are sure to get me to Hollywood and win that Oscar I have so longed for. I've learned how to dance (especially theatrical dance which is my personal favorite at the moment. For and example of this ask Hannah. She's the best at it). So, what useful tools have you learned from your favorite stupid movies?

False Alarm

Everybody sit back, relax, and take a breather. Cole isn't leaving until March. I haven't told him yet but I'm sure he'll be relieved. I have a funny taste in my mouth. It might be because I ate a mozerella sticks followed by a Jamoca shake. It might also be why my stomach hurts. The office got a bill today for $.01 from a company we had already paid. So, I taped a penny to the bill and sent it back. My question to you is...how do you pay a $.01 bill. Do you write a check? Do you send cash? Do you call them and say get real and go dig around on the floor of your car until you find a penny and pay it yourself (tempting but not very nice). Well, I have a few phone calls to make so I'll make this short. Plus, I have to go drink some water to get this taste out of my mouth.

Sparkly Things

About 2 days ago I met a local "starving artist". He came into the office for something completely unrelated and ended up telling us his life story and trials. Well, we will soon be the owner of one of his paintings. He should be back into the office in a few hours to present it to us. Not for free of course...but nevertheless we shall soon be the proud owner of a wren painting. Side note: I will be saying farewell to Cole who is going off to training. I'm sad and already going through withdrawals. I shall gaze upunst his empty stall in the morning and think, "Ha! Today I don't have to clean you. I don't have to add shavings to you or level you out and bank the sides to Cole can roll and not get cast against your walls. I do not have to haul heavy water buckets to you and empty and rinse them every night. I do not have to air you out and put lime on you so my horse can smell snuggle fresh. I am free from the bonds of keeping a stall!!" Wow, I feel better about sending Cole off already. Mabe I'll send him tomorrow.

P.S.-Martha took these "manatee" pictures at the zoo last weekend. We're going to have a sit-down with her and a National Geographic and explain to her the difference between manatees and seals.

High Flight

Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth and danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings, sunward I've climbed and joined the tumbling mirth of sunsplit clouds and done a hundred things you have not dreamed of -wheeled and soared and swung high in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there, I've chased the shouting wind along and flung my eager craft through footless halls of air, up, up the long delirious burning blue I've topped the wind-swept heights with ease grace, where never lark nor even eagle flew, and, with silent, lifting mind I've trod the high untrespassed sanctity of space, put out my hand and touched the face of God.

-John G. Magee, Jr.(poem)
-Dru Blair(image)

What Could Have Been

I've been sitting here in front of the computer for the past 45 minutes trying to think of a good post. I could tell all of you that I'm now the secretary of the SBS. Or, I could discuss how the Carolina Panthers got stomped last night and Tommy was so sad that he wouldn't even squeeze the rubber chicken. Hmm, what about talking about taking the Promiseland squad (about 600 kids) rollerskating and how, in my attempt to teach the younger ones how to skate, I ran into them...tripped them...and caused massive pile-ups (sad but true). I could talk about all of these things...but...I won't. I'll just sit here basking in the glow of the lap top with the fam and surf through Star Trek, Cops, and America's Funniest Home Videos. Because, after all, what are Mondays for anyway?

hugs and kisses.

What is a Brown Recluse?

What I learned in school yesterday:
1) There is no such thing as a brown recluse
2) Brown recluses do not exist
3) There has never been a brown recluse ever on the planet
4) It's not a brown recluse bite...it's a pizza
5) If you find a brown recluse...first...it probably isn't one...second...if it is you have to be living somewhere other than here.
6) Sitting in class all day will make you crave tacos.

Cole's Job Just Got Harder

So, this is the banquet. Since the chocolate cake is still on the table this is probably when we first got there. We had a good time. The awards part lasted about 4 months but other than that the only reportable event that happend was a horse trainer who tried to dance with us. I said no...so did Joy....he didn't care. Joy had a death grip on her chair while he was trying to pull her up to the dance floor. Um, I think he finally got the point. We went running to find Tammy at the other end of the room just to nail our point down. Well, the next banquet is a year away. I'll take that time to actually get points on my horse so we might win something next year.


Why we do what we do..............................................................................................

Happy 100th Post!

www.tourismgraysharbor.com

Today I will celebrate my 100th post by having a rotten case of poison ivy on my face. My lips will be swollen and the large red blotches on my cheeks will itch uncontrollably. I will beg others for medication and take Benadryl like candy. I will procrastinate and not go to the doctor until my head falls off or until I can no longer stand how weird I look. So, the banquet on Saturday is looking really great right now. I'm so excited about dressing up with a swollen head and eating with people I hardly know. Maybe Joy and I will hit Taco Bell when we get home.

p.s.-Peri goes to the vet today. We think he might have to get x-rays. I can't wait to see how the vet gets him out of the pet carrier. He hasn't been to the vet since he was little and he hates other people. I'll keep you updated. You might read about it in the paper first though.

Rachael's Quote of the Day: "It is bad to supress laughter. It goes back down and spreads your hips." -(Fred Allen: Family Circle)

Exposed to a Higher Standard

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I officially had the best time ever last night. Despite the fact that I was forced to re-dress after getting into my comfortable stay at home clothes and go out to the scary movie theater with the girls. I know that most people don't like "chick flicks" and normally I'm one of them. But, this is one of the most all time romantic movies I have ever seen in my entire life. It was absolutely pure in every way and completely entertaining. I found myself curled up in my seat unable to stand the suspense. Yeah, I know. Not many people get really excited that somebody is going to get proposed to but, last night, I did. I want to see this movie again. And after that I'd like to see it again...
So, for those guys who think this is stupid and no one is really like this I think that you should know...If you don't act like the men in this movie, however stupid you think it may be, we won't marry you.

Joys of Horse Ownership

As of yesterday Cole is now on 1 scoop of Bute powder 2 x a day and 30 tablets of Isoxsuprine 2 x a day. Yikes!

Because of some pretty obvious lameness I had the vet come out to give him a once over yesterday evening. He specializes in chiro work and acupuncture in horses. He was great. He almost immediately found the problem in Cole. Well, he did have to do a nerve block to pinpoint exactly where he is having issues. Both front feet are the problem. His tendons in his heels have been overstretched. The vet thinks that with corrective shoeing (yippy...more $$) and some drugs the pain should be more managable. I think that pretty much rules out him going to the trainer at the end of the month. So, if anyone wants to come by and visit him or give him a call he'll be the horse in the stall with the disgusted look on his face because his mom keeps giving him nasty pills in his food. I don't think the meds cure him from wanting to throw people into jeeps though.

gettyimages

And the actual retail price is......

I don't have much to say so I'll just do something I haven't done in awhile.

Rachael's Quote of the Day: "A good friend will always pick you up when you fall. A best friend will laugh and trip you again."
-Anon.

HAPPY 2006 **

Tonight marks the end of a really, really, extremely, unbelievebly long holiday. I celebrated by sleeping for most of the day. And when I say "most of the day" I'm being pretty literal. Last night's movie night was awesome. I hope everyone enjoyed the movie. I finally started the Narnia books. I'm already hooked. I guess now I have to put a hold on The Neverending Story, The Last Unicorn, and the Return of the King. I've been reading them for a few years anyway so I guess it won't matter.
Well, I haven't decided on a New Year's resolution for this year yet but mabe these will do for now:
1. Finish writing movie with Hannah.
2. Sell it.
3. Become famous.
I guess #4 would be to buy Joy a new back. Cole pretty much killed hers when he threw her into our jeep Saturday. Don't worry Joy. He's acting just fine now. I guess. Not really sure but you're welcome to come try him again.

I guess that calls for some comfort chocolate. I'll be back in a few minutes. Unless I get distracted or otherwise forget. Anyways.....HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!


photo:www.ed.wikipedia.org

Almost Friday

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Joy and I just finished a night ride on Aari and Cole. We had the best time ever. Nothing in the world is better than jumping on a horse in the dark and having to trust it completely not to get you killed. Well...I guess having the horses actually trained would be better....but, you get the point. We did manage to survive despite my "Hey, I have a good idea! Let's ride down the side of the road up on a huge embankment in the dark and dodge the weeds and...hey...what's that dark spot? I hope it isn't a hole. Well, I guess it isn't cause we're still vertical..." genius ideas.

I'll still be calling everybody about Saturday. Just, not yet.

Reach for the sky

I thought I'd show ya'll how cool we are. We went shooting at John and Carroll's house after Christmas to show everybody Mike's new gun. I was a little afraid. It's been awhile since I've shot anything. Something about the fractured shoulder and blown eardrums that just turned me off. This time I was introduced to ear plug things and guns that don't have that mule kick. Lots of fun. Oh, New Year party at my house Saturday night. I'll call everybody.

p.s.- Just ignore the girl in pink. I don't know who she is. She has no idea what she's doing.

While you were sleeping...Ellie jammed himself in the drawer.

I am writing this post to tell everyone that Ellie just crammed his fat self into the drawer of the computer table and (for several minutes) was unable to unwedge himself. I thought I was gonna have to call the fire department or start hacking the desk up. I'm surprised at how flexible that wad of fur is.

Oh, and Merry Christmas. Thanks for the party Carroll. I brought my mom's cake home and stood over it giving it a "taste test." Then I had to eat some M&M's to make sure they tasted ok too. I don't know why I can't fit into any of my clothes anymore. My dryer must be shrinking everything.

I hope everybody gets everything they want. I want a blue bow on my new horse. Make sure whoever is getting me the horse knows that.

And in closing: Hannah gets Ellie, Carroll gets Peri, Joy gets Aftan, John gets Cedar, Martha gets Holly, and Jimmy gets my fish. If anyone feels left out just let me know. I still have Buzz and the rest of my horses to give away. Oh, Hannah can have Chase to keep Ellie company.

Off Topic.

Not to change the subject or anything...but, Mike went to McDonald's
today and got me a Mr. Tumnus in a Happymeal.
Now, aren't ya'll jealous that Mike isn't your brother-in-law.
How did he do it? I'll never know cause they're still giving out
the Lucy girl. And, today completed my Christmas shopping.
Whew! That was a tough one. I even bought my cats a new litter
box (shhh...don't tell Ellie. It's a surprise) and my fish new gravel
and filters. I'm taking fish bowl cleaner-outer volunteers.

Ok, end of random topic.



Photos: http://disney.wretch.cc/Narnia/movie/1_cast.htm
& www.livejournal.com

Thoughts

A melody flows from this heart of mine.
A song not of earth, but of glory divine.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Troubles may come
Like a storm upon the sea,
But He who stills the waves
Brings peace today to me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One Christmas night so long ago
Near Bethlehem, that little town.
That lovely night so long ago
From heaven's glory,
He came down.

-Dr. James T. Johnson

The Chicken Dance

Once upon a time there was a little red chicken. She lived in a pen at Martha's house with a whole bunch of other chickens. One night Martha forgot to shut her chicken pen which exposed the chickens to all sorts of horrible predators such as trolls, troggles, kerumudgens, and foxes. Well, one morning (very...very early) Martha was awoken by barking puppies. As she went outside to see if Santa Clause had come early she realized that her poor little red chicken was running straight for her. Close behind was a stupid, mean, ugly, probably rabid fox. In a mad panic Martha slammed the door and threw her body against it in an attmept to save herself. Oh, wait. I'm getting my stories crossed. Martha ran and got her husband Mike out of bed and said...and I quote..."Ahh! Hep! There is a fox a-runnin' at me. I'm a-gonna die!" Mike, being the manly man that he is ran to her rescue (not really but after much nagging he finally got up out of bed to take a look). In the end, the chicken was saved (we think cause she kind of ran off). The fox had stuff thrown at him and he decided not to push his luck. He would just wait until the next time the pen was left open. Which, will probably be tonight.

THE END

The Infamous Red Scarf

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Photos by Zdenek Vavra (www.sifi.com)

I thought I'd better get this up before Hannah does. Carroll, Hannah, and I went opening night to see "The Chronicles of Narnia". We also met Rich and Lydia. It is now one of my all time favorite movies and will be going to see it at least once more while it's in theaters. No, it isn't identical to "The Lord of the Rings" and the battles scene not quite as spectacular. Nevertheless, I was very impressed by the entire movie...especially the casting. My favorite character was definitely Mr. Tumnus (and he's not Hannah's favorite no matter what she says). The acting was great. Taco Bell after the movie was even better.

P.S-Carroll, you will never escape Children of Dune. Especially now that we know James Mcavoy is in Narnia also.

Pretzels and Mustard

www.kingdom-of-heaven-collection.com

If you haven't seen this movie...go rent it and watch it and then buy it for Rachael. I was seriously skeptical before watching it (yes, eventhough it's Orlando Bloom). Usually movies this size don't end up very well. I think Hannah and I learned from another un-named movie (involving a Trojan horse) that extreme closeups, valiant speeches, and dramatic deaths, absolutely do not make a good run-right-out-and-buy movie. I was completely surprised by this movie, however. Tommy brought it over a few weeks ago and we checked it out. I showed it to my mom later. She loved it too.

Now, it isn't perfect. I'm not ok with some of the scenes and parts could have been left out. The middle half of the movie could be edited out and still watchable. But, I have always wanted to visit the Holy Land and this makes it even harder to not jump a plane. I definitely think the music made the movie. Click here to check out one of the songs. Then click "play entire playlist." It's beautiful.

Well, that concludes my movie review. This is what happens when I'm left unattended at the office...with Twizlers.