Smoke, fire and no gas... oh my!!

This weekend was an interesting one. I was supposed to go to the beach to see everyone and be with RR but financially it didn't make sense, so I ended up staying in Bend.

I miss RR, but it was nice to be able to ride all weekend too.

On Saturday, Flash and I got out early for a ride. For the first hour or so, it was great. Then the wind picked up and the smoke from the Northwest rolled in. Instead of beautiful mountain views to enjoy, we saw this...

Somehow it's just not the same...

And it only got worse as the day went on. After a few hours, Flash and I headed home rather than try to breath the smoke in.

Later that day, another thunderstorm rolled in and it started to rain. 

Seems like a good time to stay inside and watch movies...

On Sunday morning, I woke up to more burning smells... only this time it wasn't coming from outside. I looked down at the floor and saw this...

Um, I'm pretty sure that's not how my laptop cord is supposed to look...

It ended up scorching the floor a little where it melted through the coating. I'm lucky it didn't burn down the house during the middle of the night. Needless to say, I was a little freaked out. Dying by fire is my worst fear.

After that, I loaded up Storm and headed over to Mags place for a ride out there. It was good ride except for two things... 1. Dusty decided to strike out at Storm while I was holding them both and hit me in the elbow instead (ouch) and 2. My horse didn't want to come home...

I have finally figured out my new mare. She wants to go... and keep on going. She was a perfect angle when we were heading away from the trailer. As soon as we made the turn for home she became a pill to ride. Away, good. Home, bad. I guess I should be grateful... maybe I've found my next endurance horse.

When we got back, it was hot so Mags and I headed down to the river to cool off. It was beautiful... until the next thunderstorm rolled in...

At that point we decided it was probably best not to be that close (or in) the water. But at least the wind and rain cleared out the smoke for a while. We could actually see the mountains again. Yay!!

Today, however, has totally been a Monday. I got up late. I made it out to the road before I remembered that my phone and breakfast weren't with me. The second time, I made it all the way into town and to the gas station before I realized that my purse wasn't with me. Oh crap, I left it in Mags car...

I quickly called her and told her to meet me at a Texaco half-way between us. With purse in hand now, I pulled up to the gas pump only to be told that their computers were down and they couldn't pump gas... and my tank was definitely on empty. I headed for the next closest station, which was 7 miles away. And made it... barely. 

So, instead of getting to work at 8am, I got here at 8:45am. Definitely not the best start to the week...

But it's bound to get better. RR gets here on Thursday and Bff (with kids in tow) will be here Saturday. It should be a fun Labor Day weekend!!

Moving is expensive...

Just in case any of you were thinking about moving let me just remind you that it's EXPENSIVE. Oh, I'll be fine financially come next week, but until then things are a tad lean.

I was planning on heading back to the coast to visit but that plan is scrapped... not just because of finances but also because I need to keep an eye on the new acquisition. He seems pretty happy to just stuff his face 24/7 with grass. I think I'll start him on a bit of grain and such too.

I'll be hauling Flash in to have his teeth done and when I do, I think I'll take Goodwin in and just have them give him the once-over to make sure there's nothing I'm missing before winter settles in here.

Slightly off-topic, but I'm curious what some of you think...

If a horse starves to death, is it the caretakers fault or the owner? Or both?

IMO, the owner is mostly at fault. But who can watch a horse starve to death and die of thirst and not do anything? The second the owner started being an asshat I would call ASPCA and have the situation monitored. If I couldn't afford to feed them myself, I would see who would be able to help out. And I would hold that owner responsible. Same if the caretaker is just taking your money (as an owner) and not giving your horse the care you're paying for. I think with the economic times and the droughts going on in different parts of the country, we'll be seeing more horrible starvation cases.

Goodwin had best remember how lucky he got and not be a pain in my butt. Just sayin'... :)

Goodwin McSpotty it is...

The new equine has a name. Whinnington was too much of a mouthful. And Winston just doesn't quite fit. So it's Goodwin (for the fact that he is a very good boy and is a winner now that I have him) and McSpotty because he has 1 very small star on his forehead.

I went and picked him up last night. And even though he is barely halter broke, he led very nicely and stepped right into the trailer (the alfalfa in the manger probably helped with that a little). Once we got back home, he very nicely stood in the trailer and didn't call out once even though Flash and Storm were screaming their heads off.

Once I got in the trailer to offload him, he waited patiently while I got him turned around and then kinda fell off the trailer (guess he didn't see the step down). The stumble got the dogs going which frightened him but he was very respectful of my space and didn't try to jerk the rope out of my hands. He just trotted around me a couple of times while trying to keep an eye on the dogs.

Once I got him out to the pasture, he waited patiently (again) while I took the halter off even though Flash and Storm (again) were being idiots and running around like chickens with their heads cut off. He was still very foot sore, but once he figured out how soft the grass was he took off after them when I turned him loose. He has a very lovely trot and canter. And when I went out later he came up to the gate to get some love. I think he's going to be very easy to break out...

This morning when I went to check on him, he gave me a little neigh and came up to the fence to say hi. He looks much brighter today than he did a few days ago. I can't wait to see what he looks like when he starts to fill out...

Oh yes, I did...

I told you yesterday about the sad little gelding I saw for free. Last night I went to go check on him and let the owner know I'd be picking him up today. The owner was so proud of himself. He had put him in a stall, cleaned him up and trimmed his feet... so short that he is now dead lame on all 4 feet.

*sigh*

Poor guy. He could barely move to get over to his hay (what little there was). I'm hoping to pick him up today, but if he can barely walk getting him into the trailer might be problematic. If I can get him, I'll be putting him out in the pasture with Flash. He needs some nice, squishy grass to walk around on for a while. Storm, in the meantime, will go out to Mags place. That way I have a riding horse there if I want to run over and join her for a ride in the evening or on the weekend. This new critter (not sure what I want to call him) I think will break out pretty easily once he's fed up and has a few pounds on his frame...

I mean, look at how skinny this poor guy is...

 He makes Flash look fat...

But what a sweet face...

He just wants someone to take care of him...

Here are the other 2 horses I was talking about. There is a solid gray mare and a slightly flea-bitten gray. They are sweet horses as well.

  

Anyone want another project? Hutch, I'm talking to you...

I hate it when I'm flat...

Let me just say, it was hot this weekend. A much different experience than the coast, to be sure. And I loved every minute of it...

On Saturday, I got the whole house unpacked. Every single box got unloaded and put away. Are you impressed? Because I was. My little bunkhouse actually looks like a *gasp* home. Shocking, I know...

Also, on Saturday I discovered this...

What the...? How am I supposed to haul a horse now?

Thank goodness my landlord had a portable air compressor... I'm going to be taking the truck down to the tire place tonight to have it looked at. It is holding air, but I don't want to rely on a tire that can be that flat in just a few hours...

So, instead of being able to haul out to Mags place and ride there, she came out to my place on Sunday and we took Storm and Flash for a ride. And what a beautiful day it was for a ride, too...

Flash: She's digging a treat out for me, right?

No?

Fine, I'll just get my own treat then...

Storm did great. She was a pleasure to ride right up until the very end. As we got back onto the property she decided that she wanted to turn and go the pasture and I decided that we should go back to the trailer to unsaddle... she didn't like that and hit reverse. I countered by backing her into a tree and making her go forward. Next time she tries that little trick I will put her back end into the canal. That ought to fix that problem pretty quickly. But if that's her idea of having a hissy fit, I'll take it. Way better than what Elmo used to do, with the rearing and bucking and all. Although now he is a saint :)

So, after the ride Mags and I decided to get some lunch in town. On the way back to my place we saw a sign indicating a tent sale. Never one to pass up a good deal we decided to head down and take a look. But before we saw the tent we saw a round pen of 3 horses with a free sign. Oh crap... 

The 2 arab mares in the pen were in good shape. The Saddlebred/Arab/Thoroughbred mix looked like he hadn't seen a meal in a while. And when he turned to look at me I saw Flash's face looking back. Oh crap...

Mags and I looked at each other and made a decision. She has the room and I have the hay. I'm picking him up tomorrow night. He's an unbroke, unregistered 5 or 6 year old gelding who is apparently going to be my next project. Mags is fabulous at groundwork, so I'll let her get a good foundation on him and then I'll take him over and back him to get his basic riding skills going. With some groceries he looks like he could be a nice horse.

I know, I know. I need another horse like I need a hole in the head... but his temperament and looks just spoke to me.

(for those of you who have rescued in the past, you know of what I speak. I can't save them all, but I can save this one...)

I'm working on finding the nice arab mares a home too. Ones I know they will thrive in. I'll let you know when I have them placed as well... 

Oh, and I'll post pictures of the new equine soon. He needs a name although I'm leaning towards Winston. We'll see what you think when you see him...

Somedays it is worth getting out of bed...

Especially when you get to wake up to this...

Man I love the mountains here...

Flash and I went for another ride last night. I knew he really wanted to get out an go because as soon as I pulled up to the house he was at the gate talking to me. And as soon as my butt hit the saddle he was off at a trot. 

We found a really great trail last night. We rode out for about an hour and a half and still saw no sign of it ending... now that's my kind of trail. When I have more time (and daylight) Flash and I will be seeing where that trail ends up.

But for now, happy Friday all. Enjoy the weekend. I know I will...

More company than I was hoping for...

I am so glad to be back living in the country. It's quiet. It's dark at night. I don't have to listen to my crazy neighbors doing stupid things...

However, there is one thing about living way out yonder that I hate... and that's the daily visitors to my shower. I don't know why it is that I can't take a shower in peace without some 8-legged arachnid deciding they need to see what I'm up to.

My shower is very small. There's barely enough room for me and my shampoo bottle. And, as you know, I like to maintain at least a 2 foot minimum distance from all spiders and creepy-crawlies. So far that 2 foot minimum distance has been violated with every shower I've taken in my new abode.

Not cool.

Not cool at all.

It really gets my morning off to a rough start when I jump out of the shower and run around the house dripping wet screaming like a little girl...

I have arrived...

For those of you who didn't get the memo... I moved this weekend. It was crazy. It was tough. It was dirty...

But, it's done!!

Thanks to RR, FixIt, the Parentals and their good friends. There is no way I could have done that move without them. Of course, now I can't find a damn thing, but that's another blog...

So, after a rough weekend I decided it was time to get out and ride last night. Flash came running when I called and was very excited to be out. We trotted the first two miles very fast. He wanted to canter but I kept him at a trot and let him extend out a bit. The dogs had a hard time keeping up...

And it was a gorgeous ride...

Once we got back, the pups didn't want to move. They were tired!!

No way, no how are we moving...

The nice thing is that once I am back at the house, it's still gorgeous.

You're jealous, aren't you? I would be too...

My own personal WMD...

I have, at my disposal, my own personal WMD... more commonly known as the Woof of Mass Digestion.

Nothing is safe... vegetable, mineral or animal. Everything is fair game to the WMD...

Just put everything here...

Sometimes this is a good thing, like when I spill something on the floor. I never have to worry about mopping... the WMD takes care of it for me with one swipe of her tongue.  Well, actually it's many swipes...

However, there are times when I don't want the WMD activated. She doesn't seem to care about that. No unlocked garbage can is safe. Or something sitting on the counter (like my muffin). Or the dog food bin that didn't get locked back up all the way...

If it's available and somewhat edible, the WMD eats it. Just ask that poor slug...

One last ride on the beach...

At least, it will be for a while. I've got to build the coffers back up before I bring the horses back over, but I'm hoping to be able to do so in October and November. There's a gaming show going on then too, so it'll be duel purpose... right? Right.

In the meantime, it was good to get RR, Lab and the horses out for a ride a few weekends ago. The weather wasn't very cooperative but we still had fun. Well, all of us except for Storm. It was her first foray onto the beach and she wasn't that thrilled...

I am not thrilled...

Really not thrilled...

What is it with the water trying to get me?

But the rest of us had a good time...

Flash: zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Yeah, yeah... I'm moving now. Just tell the guy on board to hang on...

We're really moving now. At the speed of walk...

Storm: Now you want me to just stand here and let the water get me?

Forget it, lady... 

I'm hoping it won't be too long before we can do it again...

If I can just make it through this month...

Then my financial future is really looking up.

But the deposits (first, last + pets) and the cost of moving (not even going into that expense after tires, repairs and such for the 2 vehicles) is putting me in the poor house... and RR too.

This is when a "savings" account would be handy. Unfortunately, mine has $10 in it. I don't really think that's going to be much of an asset come this weekend.

*sigh*

I'm ready but so not ready...

I'm ready to be moved. But I am so not ready to actually do the move.

*sigh*

This is one of those times when I wish I could just hire a mover. I kinda have some... if you count RR and the Parentals. Thank goodness that they have agreed to move me, yet again. I have the best parents...

And RR is a trooper too. After all, he had to help me move and clean the old place just last December.

Oh well. I'm sure it will all come together. Right? Right.

And I'm sure that Mags wants her spare bedroom back.

It was a quick weekend this past weekend. I drove back to the coast to finish packing and then drove back to Bend on Sunday night... after sushi, of course.

At least when I was headed back to the coast on Friday I was treated to a lovely sunset.

Other than seeing RR, Lab, Chase and the pups, the rest of the weekend pretty much sucked. Did I mention that I hate packing?

*sigh*

Ready to be at the new place and settled...

Everyone thinks they have the answer...

I find religion to be such an interesting subject. Other than politics, it is one of the most polarizing topics in conversation. I, myself, am a fairly neutral girl. I believe what I believe, try to live by the Golden Rule (do unto others as you would have them do unto you) and generally try not to be too judgmental towards others in my life.

But when the subject of who is going to heaven comes up, all bets are off. Every religion thinks they are the only one that has it right. Am I the only one that finds this so amusing? I'm pretty sure that when everyone arrives that there are going to be quite a few surprised people standing there. And quite a few missing who were sure they were going to make it...

It seems to me that those that preach the loudest and then turn around and abuse everything in site are going to be the first to go to hell. At least, I hope that's the case. Nothing pisses me off more than some idiot yelling at the top of his lungs what a "christian" he is to then see him turn around and starve and abuse his kids and animals and beat his wife. It is my sincerest hope that there is a special level of hell just for them...

And don't get me wrong, there are women out there just as bad... except they tend to be the hoarders. So what if the animal is starving? They just looooove them so much and can't possible give the poopsy-whoopsy up so it can have a decent life. That attitude makes me want to rip my hair out... and theirs too.

Mostly I just think that if people would stop talking about how good they are and just, you know, be good people then the world would be a much better place.

The name game...

OK, we're back to this issue once again. Only this time I'm going to do a full name change and move of the blog. In other words, the title of the blog will match the URL of the blog...

(I think I remember HillBill telling me there was a way to do this and not lose everything, so we're going for it)

So, now I am living in the heart of Oregon, in the high desert. I'm surrounded by mountains and lots and lots of juniper. If I go a bit south, the juniper turns to ponderosa.

I feature the pups quite a bit, so I was considering calling it "It's a Dog's Life" with a nod in the subhead to horses and humans. But, I don't know...

I'm totally up for suggestions... this means you, FixIt. Don't want to lose you as a reader :)

OK, off to work for day 3. Yesterday I was actually productive. Yay, me!!

I had no idea there was such a thing as a pee Nazi...

There are two things that I'm glad that I never got in to... drugs and smoking. And after yesterday, I'm even more grateful.

The first order of business on my first day of work was to go to the lab and pee in a cup for a drug test. Sure, no problem. I don't do drugs (unless you count Advil Cold & Sinus) and I never have. This will be a breeze...

Wrong!!

I get there and the first thing they do is make me empty out my pockets. Then they lock my purse (and all my pocket contents) into a vault on the wall in the bathroom. Then they hand me a cup that has a temperature gauge on it and tell me to fill past a line (which was way up there)... oh, and that I only have 4 minutes to do it.

I was thinking that the 4 minutes was just kind of a guideline. No. It's not. There is a timer outside the door that you can hear ticking and that emits a chime whenever a minute goes by.

Holy crap, people. I can't pee under this kind of pressure.

Luckily, I'm a master of the "forced pee" due to many years of riding long hours and not wanting to get off my horse while I'm out there.

So, I performed. And filled past the line.

Whew... talk about stress.

And then the pee Nazi asked me if I wanted to watch her fill the two sample cups from the main cup I had just delivered. Uh, no. I'm good. Thanks.

She then sealed them and made me initial them that those samples were, in fact, my pee. And then she sealed those in a bag and made me check the bag to see that it was, in fact, sealed. Sheesh...

I had no idea that peeing in a cup was so... well, technical. It makes me wonder how people (who do drugs) get around these things. I've heard it can happen, but after what I went through I'm not sure how. It was a definite eye-opener.

And after it was over, I was so nervous. Even though I know, for a fact, that I have done no drugs. Brutal...

Luckily for me, the day from that point forward got much easier. I have a very nice office (with a door, even) and from what I've seen so far, I'm really going to love my job.

Yay, me!!

It's so over...

The old job is done and over. And let me tell you that 2 weeks seemed like 2 years...

And today marks the beginning of the new job. I'm a little nervous, but really excited. I talked to the new boss last Friday and it sounds like they are ready to get me up to speed because they've been without someone for a while. And one of my best skills is jumping in with both feet. On a job, it's actually a good thing...

As for the old job...

When I left on Friday at 4:30pm there was still no plan for how they were going to get the production for the paper done. I'm feeling bad for the rest of the staff, because it's stressful as it is. But, not much I can do now. I gave 2 weeks...

The drive over to Bend last night was very nice. I was treated to a wonderful sunset with the mountains in the background. It was like coming home...

The only hard part was leaving RR, the pups and the horses behind at the coast (mostly RR). It was a little emotional, but it's definitely for the best. We both need to get out of that town and move on to something better.

So, here's to the first day of my new life...