hqueen's collection of Far From the Usual stuff.

[hqueen13]

Haha, that would be funny, Deb, I doubt he travels that far, but that would be hilarious.

E made me a long island ice tea last night, and that was niceeee.... slept like a baby all night long!

E has my truck today checking it out, its going to take about $250-300.00 worth of parts to get it in good enough condition to be able to have it inspected again. Its not terrible, but it is a chunk of change.

It was raining this morning (that was a surprise) but now it is sunny, I just hope its not so humid that it will be uncomfortable to work the horse, for his sake and mine! I've got to get another ride in before my lesson on Sunday morning. If I am really energized I will groom him to try to get more hair off of him on Saturday before I have to ride on Sunday. Poor guy is shedding like crazy. Its not supposed to be THAT warm this weekend, which is good for him to work in since he's still got so much of his winter coat on him. I'm glad I put off clipping him, but it is going to need to happen soon I suspect.

I did get to get out the other night and swing my Poi, which was a lot of fun. E put together a pair that had glow sticks on them, which were a lot of fun to swing. The only down side was that they were so much lighter than the regular Poi with Monkey's Knots at the bottom it made it more challenging to swing them. It took more effort to maintain the momentum on them. It sure did look cool in the dark, though! We couldn't get any pictures though, the camera's couldn't handle the low light, I'm going to have to get something different to actually get images. Now if I can just get my good friend H to come over and play with her hula hoops and we can light a fire and the tikis and chill outside on a nice balmy evening. Swinging the Poi is a good workout, thankfully I'm not sore today which means I just worked the muscles and didn't pull anything. The bruises, well, that's another matter!

 

[hqueen13]

Had a good weekend, got a reasonable amount done, though never as much as I want.
KN's flight got in really late on Friday due to the storms. I also found out that she decided not to stay at the house with us since E is in the bedroom, and we put her on the air mattress, and she wasn't comfortable. That disappoints me because I want people to be comfortable in my house. We decided to scout for another bed option that will be more comfortable. Come to find out later, the chinchillas bouncing around all night also bothered her (it would have bothered me a lot, too, so I can understand) so we're going to put them in the kitchen next time she's here.
Friday we brought the horses in right after I got home trying to stay ahead of the storm. We were able to get the trail marked that will be redone this weekend, so that was a good thing at least. The horses were in until about 9:30 when we went to run them all out, even though it was still raining the worst of the storms had passed. We got some thunder/lightening, but very little wind, which was a relief.
Saturday E and I ran a bunch of errands and tried to get caught up on some stuff. We ended up at Ikea to look at a fold up bed, but it turned out to not be worth it. Then we noticed that the same fold up bed that we have in E's room was only $10.00 more if we didn't buy the cover. Since E is always sleeping on the one in his room, the cover has just sat folded up in the storage box, so we could buy the bed, and not need to buy another cover since we could use that one, which meant we didn't have to spend as much. So we picked it up which was a good thing to get another nice sleeping option. It has to sit in front of the window, and it makes it a bit tight in the living room, but it is what it is. Its better than nothing I guess. And it won't stay that was for too long. When we get ready to move, we'll each be able to take one of the folding beds with us, which could be used as seating, or another sleeping option where ever we end up.
Got that put together and set up that night, but KN still stayed with N because all her stuff was over there anyway. Next month she'll be back in the house with us again.
Sunday morning it was really chilly, and Storm didn't want to be caught. That was disappointing, but I eventually got him and then got started grooming. I decided to use the vac because it was going to be too crazy to try to just brush him with the shedding hair. KN was looking at the vac because she was interested in getting one, and so they emptied the air filter bag, and lo and behold it vacuumed oh so much better! I got him all set up, and headed down to the arena to get started. I started out hand walking him to help get him connected to me and to get focused on better body movement myself. KN checked in with me, and I explained what I was doing, and she commented that I was moving better than I had been the last time she was here, there was less of a hitch in my step, so my joints were flexing better than they had been. I told her that it was probably easier when I was with the horses since I was nice and focused, but in walking up and down the hall at work, I often felt like the old pattern was stronger, probably from being distracted and not very present in my own skin while at the office. We worked on the ground for a while, and made some progress helping him shift his weight, and then I got up and rode for the last part of the lesson. I'm SO glad I didn't ride much longer than that because my legs were noodles when I actually got down. It felt really good, but both Storm and I were just friend, not to mention that N and Julius were fried as well! We all worked hard, even though it wasn't all that noticeable to anyone watching, especially someone who hadn't been trained to recognize these things.
We found out from L that there were some things amiss around the farm again, so E and I decided to take a walk after lunch to check things out. We've found lead ropes stashed in bushes and things, and since things are seeming to not end up back where they belong, we're trying to be a little more focused on making sure that we're aware. When E and I came up out of the woods at the back of the pasture, I noticed that Storm was lying down, so we hiked up that side of the pasture to go see him. I climbed through the fence and started scratching on him and rubbing on him. He was really happy to have scratches and was making faces and groaning. I commented to E that I had never been able to sit on him while he's lying down before, but he seemed really calm, so E suggested I try it. I sat sideways on him, and then rubbed his neck, and then swung my leg over. He didn't move at all, so I loved on him some more and kept scratching. I sat there for a long time before he finally decided to get up, which was an interesting "ride." He wandered towards the hay feeder, and I wasn't sure what I should do about that since I wasn't wearing a helmet, didn't have a lead rope or halter or anything to guide him with. E suggested that I get him to walk me up the hill, and I remembered I had my string in my pocket that I always carry, so I pulled it out, and reached under his neck and held either end of the rope like reins. I gently twisted and guided him back towards the fence and added a little leg. He just moved over to the fence again, where E rubbed him and praised him. So I turned a little more and we headed up the hill together. He carried me all the way up the hill gently and calmly. It was delightful, and so rewarding to be able to be so connected with him. A few people saw me and looked quizzically, and I just laughed. I slid down when we got to the top of the hill, and hugged him and gave him more scratches. E grabbed a carrot for him, and we let him hunt the pieces on the ground. I was really proud of him for how calm he was, and the fact that he allowed me to sit on him and wasn't concerned at all. That's a huge step for us.
E and I headed back out into the woods on the 4wheeler to drag out some piece of trash go cart lawn mower thing that had been dumped in the woods by the kids, and so we got that done and crashed for a bit. We decided to get a garden weasel so I could work in the yard, and I had to plant the ostrich ferns that L brought me from her yard, so I worked on that in the evening before it got too chilly.

 

[hqueen13]

Got the storage unit arranged yesterday evening, so now we'll just need to start putting stuff in it. That requires me to actually get organized and pull things out that can be stored. And the next several weekends are mostly booked. I guess I'm going to have to try to get organized and do something in the afternoons when I get home, which isn't a whole lot of time either. I guess I'll see what happens.

Getting ready for the Epona workshop this weekend. It should be really interesting and have new material in it. A is teaching it with a lady that attended a workshop several years back and I'm really looking forward to seeing her again. It should be a great experience. And I get paid for it... so that is always a good thing!

Now if only noon will arrive so that I can get home grab lunch and start cleaning up in case everyone has to be in the house this weekend with the workshop...

 

[hqueen13]

The Azaleas apparently like the coffee grounds! They are more beautiful than I've had in several years. I'm really pleased. Now if I can just figure out how to prune them properly, I'll be doing even better. I hope I don't lose my momentum and can still get to work on them once they are done blooming, as is the customary time frame for pruning.

This morning I opened the blind to find more than a dozen Gold Finches in the yard, eating the dandelion heads. They were brilliant, lighting on the stalk of a dandelion, and when it leaned over from their weight, they held it down and picked off the seeds. Gorgeous birds, with a lovely message from Animal Speak, which is oh so appropriate right now. After seeing them in the yard this morning, then seeing one drinking from a puddle in the office parking lot, I figured I'd better pay attention to their message.

Too much has been happening lately, and quite a bit of it I can't voice here. But life has been more stressful than I ever imagined, hence my absence. I will be so grateful when this is all over, though I don't know how soon that will be.

I'd be much happier for starters if I could find another job. I need something that pays better than what I'm making, and I really would like to be on a farm. I'm planning on getting my resume cleaned up a little bit and then approaching local farms and finding out if they need anything in terms of what I have to offer. I'm great at organizing and tracking data, managing databases, creating promotions and flyers, creating and emailing newsletters, managing grassroots marketing on FB, and am pretty tech savvy when it comes to the internet, google, and windows programs. Now I just have to figure out how to market myself so I can keep food on my table, and move forward with my life!!

 

[Denim Deb]

Good luck w/that!

Oh, and you azalea is beautiful!

 

[hqueen13]

There are Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Days, Even in Australia.
I had the day off of work yesterday to go work on my holster draw at the gun range, and then we planned to go down to the city to finish our tour of the ships. NOTHING that we planned to get done, got done. Had to feed in the morning, then that took longer than expected, then someone wanted manure, and kept coming back with her truck. E got news that he got his job (the best news all day!) and so I planned to treat him to cupcakes, but the shop was closed on Mondays. We did manage to get my the natural grocery store, which wasn't on the todo list, but I'm grateful because Histaminum actually seems to help my allergies. Picked up some more sea salt to attempt washing my face with it to see if it helps heal my skin a little better. To top all of that off, E ended up at a coworker's house installing a fan for her for 2 1/2 hours. A job that shouldn't have taken more than 45 minutes took 2 1/2 hours, he didn't get home until 9:30. Then The Other Half comes in and decides to turn on the TV... no TV. The internet didn't seem to be working either, and we discovered that the groundhog chewed the cable AGAIN. That is a dead groundhog for sure.

The weekend was not bad, though. JS was here doing body work, which was great. Storm was just fine, she basically did nothing! She had him stretch with the cookies, and he put a lot of effort into that, and she checked him out all over and he was just fine. I was THRILLED. Since she didn't really work on him, I took him up to the field where my friend A had her trailer parked so I could practice with him. It was one of those days that conspires against horses... It was WINDY as all get out, then the archery club guys were moving around a lot, then they started mowing, then the neighbor brought their dog over and let him loose straight out of the truck (they didn't see me at first), and then they let the dog run around just behind where we were working, then the mowing guy scared up some deer that took off across the field faster than I've seen deer run (they were going so fast they looked like dogs, and their tails weren't even up but tucked tight down!). We worked through all of that, Storm struggled, but held himself together really well. I worked for a long time to build his confidence to even GET to the back of the trailer, and when we finally got there, I raised my hand up so that the rope would clear the center divider, and hadn't even raised my whip up to ask him to step forward, and lo and behold he stepped forward onto the ramp of his own accord. I was THRILLED with the effort. He was obviously nervous and concerned, but he put in some HUGE try on his own. He stepped right up onto the ramp with both front feet before backing off. We continued to go away from the trailer and return, and each time he put in more effort, and I never had to lift the whip to actually cue him to go forward, he was moving forward from my lift of the rope, there wasn't even any pressure on the rope at all. Eventually, he went all the way in, but stood there shaking while he explored the front of the trailer for a minute before backing out again. I won't get any more time to practice this week, but I hope that next week in the afternoon I can find some time to work with him a little more again. If I have to get him on a trailer to actually go somewhere some time soon I want to make sure that I can do it and don't have to slam the door shut behind him. I never want to have to undo the trauma of a bad trailering experience. Its just not worth it! Being proactive is so much better than reactive.

Moving onward and upward very very slowly. I can feel things shifting back to balance, but it is excruciatingly slow. I hope all of this releases gently and easily, but I'm afraid its going to release in a fire storm. I must find other employment options before I make too much of a shift because E and I can't support each other if I don't have an income. That day will come, but it isn't here now. I'm suspecting I'm going to end up being my own boss, in a word, and will end up doing odd jobs for a number of different places in order to keep my pay up. I don't do well with authority, and I've about had it with dealing with a 9-5 job. I want and need flexibility in my schedule again in order to accomplish some of the things that I want to accomplish. Who knows where this will take me, but I'd like to get a move on with it...

 

[hqueen13]

Found a litter of fox kits yesterday!! They're ADORABLE!!!! I can't wait to get some photos with The Other Half's big camera. That's what its going to take in order to really get good shots. There are 3 of them in the litter, and they can't be much more than a few pounds right now. Probably less than a bag of sugar each. They're quite curious and not really disturbed by us being around watching. They're a little shy, but quick to pop right back out. I plan to take some time and go sit and watch for a while this weekend and enjoy their company.
The Other Half also dispatched the cable chewing ground hog last night. The ground hog gave him the perfect shot, and so it was a clean kill. Since we had just found out about the kits, he carefully picked it up with a muck rake so he wouldn't touch it and disturb any of the scent, and carried it over near the den and left it. I hope MommaFox appreciates the gift, and it makes her life a little easier for the night.

Half day today in the office and then I gotta be back at the barn for the farrier. I hope everybody behaves themselves today... I guess we'll see.

 

[Denim Deb]

I behaved myself today.

 

[hqueen13]

LOL, Good job!

 

[Corn Woman]

hqueen13 can you tell me more about your hairless dog. I have one and it's so hard on her being itchy. I have used oatmeal shampoo, hypo allergenic shampoo and no shampoo. Poor dog is allergic to most everything. In the winter she wears a pink argyle sweater and I am hoping to find time to make her a summer t shirt just for some protection. The silly part, she is a lab and with a dog her size we get more than a few looks. People must think I'm crazy to dress up a big dog. I did spend quite a chunk of change to have her tested and I can eliminate some things but the environmental allergens I can do nothing about. What have you tried to help with the itch and hair loss?