Lost and Found

I couldn't find Cole this morning. Lilly was standing patiently waiting for her hay. She kept looking over her shoulder trying to find him. I freaked out and prepared myself for the long walk up the hill to find poor Cole lying there because of some horrible accident. Just as I was about to unlock the gate he came thundering up from parts unknown (or the part of the fenceline I can't see) mad because I hadn't called ahead to let him know breakfast would be waiting. It reminded me of why I love horses so much. I may have posted this before but here goes anyway:

When you are tense, let me teach you that there are dragons in the forest, and we need to leave NOW.

When you are short tempered, let me teach you how to slog around the pasture for an hour before you can catch me.

When you are short sighted, let me teach you to figure out where, exactly, in the 40 acres I am hiding.

When you are quick to react let me teach you that herbivore's kick MUCH faster than omnivores.

When you are angry, let me teach you how well I can stand on my hind feet, because I don't FEEL like cantering on my right lead today, that's why.

When you are worried, let me entertain you with my mystery lameness, GI complaint, and skin disease.

When you feel superior, let me teach you that, mostly, you are the maid service.

When you are self-absorbed let me teach you to PAY ATTENTION. I TOLD you about those dragons in the forest.

When you are arrogant, let me teach you what 1200lbs of a YAHOO-let's-go horse can do when suitably inspired.

When you are lonely, let me be your companion.

Let's do lunch. Also, breakfast and dinner.

When you are tired, don't forget the 600lbs of grain that needs to be unloaded.

When you are feeling financially secure, let me teach you the meaning of "Veterinary Services, additional".

When you need to learn, hang around, bud. I'll learn ya.

-Mary Green

To Blave...

I suppose it's time for a new post. I hope everyone survived deep frying their turkeys last weekend. We ceartainly did. It was eating ALL of it later that finished me off. I'm glad there's a month break between now and Christmas. I need to recover. One last horse show this weekend will end my, well, uneventful show year. That'll make a total of hmmm....2 shows for the year. Then, we settle in for a cold winter and a lot of riding to get ready for next year. Dump hasn't been home since last week. I'm starting to worry especially since a fox tried to eat Martha's cats 2 days ago. If anyone sees him please let him know I'm very upset that he hasn't even emailed and that's no way to treat your mama.

Quote of the Day: "A politician will do anything to keep his job-- even become a patriot." -William Randolph Hearst

Seeing Spots

Lilly took a nose dive with me when I rode her on Monday. I didn't fall off but came really close. I gave her a vacation day yesterday because I know she was sore. Today I'm going to attempt the Spanish Walk with her. I read an article about it and since we all know if you read an article you become an expert. I think I'm in for a challenge especially since she stops when I kick her to go faster. I think she has some wires crossed. Maybe I should start with Cole. He has just a little more smart than she does. I need a helper. You can sign up online.

Famous Last Words: "I'll drink the bottle marked POISON on the off-chance that it's the extra-healing potion."

Brrrr

It finally feels like winter. I don't like how it gets dark at 1:00 in the afternoon. It cuts back on my riding time. Cole doesn't have the greatest night vision and I'm sure Lilly would get hurt if I tried to ride her after dark. I made little cat beds on the porch for all of my children. Tully even tried to get in this morning. She thinks she's better than the others. She sits at the cat food and smacks each cat as they walk by. Obviously she has forgotten that she came to us because she fell out from under a van in front of Bojangles.

The Veterans Day video is finally finished (in record time). Thanks to all who helped and put up with my whiney self during editing process (john). I hope everyone likes it.

love,
Rach

Famous Last Words: "Maybe the Iranians do need nuclear reactors for energy..."

Wow

I'm covered in grunge and animal hair. I'm feeding dogs and horses (and now fish) for a neighbor of mine for the next week. He has a fantastic house way off the road full of antiques but dogs everywhere. And they bark and bark and bark. I don't feed all of the dogs. Some of them live in stalls in the horse barn and are really aggressive. If I ever don't show up for work come look for me. I probably accidentally opened one of those stalls. This morning my mom was standing inside the house and heard a thumping sound on the window. She looked outside and nothing was there. Now she's afraid to go back inside. GREAT. Just in time for Halloween.

Quote of the Day: "Employee of the month is a good example of how somebody can be both a winner and a loser at the same time." -Demetri Martin

Sleepy Owner

http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=1322921&fr=&cache=1


Miranda sent me this video link. If you have or have ever had a cat you will most ceartainly understand. Claude did this to me every morning before he got tossed out of the house.

I Had A Bad Day.

Yesterday I had a meltdown. I'm not 100% sure why. I was telling my mom a story and I started to cry...and cry...and cry. It was aweful. I don't know if it was because it was almost Monday and I hate Mondays. Or maybe I was just due a really good emotional fallout. Martha brought me cotton candy from the fair and I recovered. All I want to do today is curl up on the couch and watch my favorite Christmas movie.

Quote of the Day: "I like work: it fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours."-Jerome K Jerome

Midnight Posting

This picture is what happens when you post in the middle of the night, you're tired, you just ate too much ruining your diet, and you just had to kick Lottie out of the house. I just got back from helping sort clothes at a thrift store for low income people. It took 2 hours out of my life. It should take more. I'm planning to go back very soon. I'm now on my 987th day of poison ivy. Predasone didn't work....it's now worse. A reward is being offered to anyone who can cure me.

Quote of the Day: :"You can lead a man to Congress, but you can't make him think." -Milton Berle

Floater

My goldfish died last night. I think I killed him by accident. We've been putting Martha's water in our well for the last few months because we have no water. I'm pretty sure he didn't like the taste of it. My dad has to get him out of the tank tonight unless we have any volunteers. I am seriously afraid of him. He weighs about 400 pounds. He should have died 2 weeks ago during the camp out and Miles could have eaten him. I'm sad he's gone but he was about 4 years old.


Quote of the Day: "They say such nice things about people at their funerals that it makes me sad that I'm going to miss mine by just a few days."
-Garrison Keilor

Waiting...and waiting...and waiting....and wai

What do you get when you have fishing line, a bobber, bait, and a creek....nothing. I don't think fish exist in our part of the country. I should have dumped my goldfish in just to make things exciting. I came home from the camping trip with a massive case of poison ivy. I guess not missing the first 7 weeks of survival class would have prepared me better for the shelter building, fish hunting, poisonous plant survival. I'm going to the doctor.

Quote of the Day: " If you're being chased by a police dog, try not to go through a tunnel, then on to a little seesaw, then jump through a hoop of fire. They're trained for that!"
-Milton Jones

Pale Horse

CHECK OUT THIS HORSE! He is my dream horse. My Aunt Janie it trying to give him away to a good home along with her other ones. I can't wait until Lilly is ready to me a momma!

Today started off wierd and has gradually gotten much worse. Who wants to go on vacation with me? Requirements for the vacation would be no phones, no contact with the outside world, somewhere far far away (preferably where they don't speak english), and you have to pay. Who's up for it?

Quote of the Day: "Ever wonder if illiterate people get the full effect of alphabet soup?"
-John Mendosa

Major Crisis Averted!

Dump had been missing since Monday. We had been playing it cool but by last night we were all pretty worried. So, me...Freda...Mommy...and Jimmy (with the help of Claude and Lottie) launched a recovery mission. Everybody knows when a cat has been gone more than 2 days rescue becomes recovery. No luck. We looked everywhere including the sides of the road. I spent a great part of this morning calling local vets giving notice of a tough bowlegged black cat. I even called some questionable mafia connections for any sighting whatsoever with no luck. Well, my mom just called me and Dump is hungry/scraggly/and sitting on my porch. It's a good thing because we were drawing straws as to who was going to call John F. and tell him his cat was awol.

Not me!

Quote of the Day: "The sun rose slowly, like a fiery furball coughed up uneasily onto a sky-blue carpet by a giant unseen cat." -Michael McGarel

Evening Run

So, Jimmy and I ran last night. This morning I can't walk. My goal is to excercise at least every other day...when I'm not hasseling Cole and Lilly. I'm currently in the market for a horse trailer driver for my show in December. If you would like to apply for the job let me know and I'll have you drive the cones. Cole is precious cargo. How about this cold weather? It's almost worth the tornado storm that brought it. Lilly is getting fuzzy and the cats are trying to sneak in the house...sure signs that Fall is comming.

I'm going to marry the guy who created the McGriddle.


Quote of the Day: "Never pick a fight with an ugly person, they've got nothing to lose."- Robin Williams

Coooooool

I'm ready for Christmas. Did I just say that? This morning I walked outside and was hit by a wall of cold air. Fall is my all time favorite time of the year.

I rode Lilly and Cole...I'll spare you the comments. They did fine. I hate that I won't be showing at the fair this year. I'm just not there mentally and Cole isn't there physically. He has a pretty massive grass gut. I saw our new neighbor riding her horse yesterday. She had head phones stuck in her ears and she paid more attention to them than the oncomming traffic. I hope she doesn't get run over.


Rachael's Christmas list: (I'm on a list kick)

1. Lottie spayed.
2. Cutback saddle. (A rich person will have to buy me this because the one I want is $500+)
3. A girlfriend for my widowed goldfish.
4. A diet for Cole.
5. Claude to not be a nut job.

Famous Last Words: "For my next trick I will escape from this flaming coffin while wearing a straight jacket and singing Eye Of The Tiger."

Underwater Basket Weaving

Points of interest (at least to me):

1. Ladies, get your dresses on...the reenactment approaches. And bring $20 to weave a basket. This is not an option. If I have to, so do you.

2. Noah crammed 14 pounds of dirt in his mouth today.

3. Claude took a ride in the back of the truck all the way to John's house on Tuesday. He is now grounded.

4. For Christmas Cole will be getting a #3 plantation shoe. In the words of JJ; "He was dragging in his right rear and was off in the front so we put a set of trailers and dropped a six on him and he was knockin' it down, Bo." Ahhh, I need a life.

5. I just ate so much Greek food I now have duel citizenship.

Quote of the day: "I am a deeply superficial person." (Andy Warhol)

Bye Bye Boo

This morning Boo was run over. We are all very sad and he will be missed terribly. Cedar will also be sad because her runnin' buddy is now gone. Boo came to live with us after some heartless moron threw him out of a car when he was a tiny kitten. He was approximately 10 years old. We will remember Boo by the most favorite things he loved to do:

1. Beat up Claude
2. Beat up Afton
3. Beat up Cedar
4. Beat up Mama Kitty
5. Beat up stray cats

We will miss you our little yard thug!

Golden Opportunity

With John about to open his shiny new barn in the next few weeks (not a boarding barn so don't even ask. It's most definitely a private barn for his own horses...and 18 more) I just couldn't pass up the chance to repost one of my favorite all time photos. Carroll and I are in the process of decorating his office and we're sorting through bagillions of photos to find that perfect 10x15 to frame for his office. I'm voting for this one. If you get a chance ask him what happens when you crosstie a half broken Arabian in a wash pit and turn on the water. Or, when you get on a 2 year old colt in the middle of a pasture without a saddle or bridle.

Good luck to Frank who has his boy surgery in the a.m. Lottie will be thinking about him. She might send him can of squishy cat food as a get well present.


Quote of the day: "Hermits have no peer pressure." -Steven Wright

The Epitome of Fun

So, at the beach Justin dug this huge hole...for like 2 hours. Then, he crawled out and left. The kids next to us practically fell over each other to play in the fox hole Justin created. We don't know why he did it. Probably don't want to know. But at least we have this entertaining photo to use as blackmail for the rest of his life.

I miss the beach, or was it just sitting around doing nothing I miss the most.


Quote of the day: "Ethernet (n): something used to catch the etherbunny."

Unsolved Mysteries

These strange tracks were found all over Martha's yard. We're pretty sure a deer or a cat didn't make them. A fox dragging a chicken could have made them but all of her chickens were acounted for. What could possible make such strange marks in Martha's yard?






Oh yeah, nevermind.



Rachael's Quote of the Day: " I think the worst time to have a heart attack is during a game of charades...or a game of fake heart attack."
--Demetir Martin

Back to the Grind

I would post a beautiful beach picture but I don't have one. I cried yesterday at work. Not because it was hard. But, just because my desk looked messy. I need a holiday.

Top ten things learned at the beach:

10) Don't let ANYONE put suntan lotion on you (you will get mocked publically).

9) If you are drowning make sure Hannah is wearing her red suit...otherwise she can't save you.

8) Never let anyone who's name ends in "achael" see you fall out of a chair.

7) Don't have children...have nephews. That way 3am feedings are someone elses problem.

6) Floats are fun in the water and are not to be slept on.

5) Cranium causes church splits.

4) If you wrestle with Rachael she'll put you on the ground.

3) If you wrestle with Hannah you'll rebreak her arm.

The last two are up to ya'll because I'm too tired to care.


aaaaaand a good time was had by most.