hqueen's collection of Far From the Usual stuff.

[hqueen13]

UGH, OMG Deb, I hate those days. Feels like you're doing so much but there is so little to show for it.
I now have a total of 13 boxes packed, 1 is waiting on some more things to add to it when I moved all the empty boxes so I can get to the stuff on the bookcases behind the empty boxes. UGH! This is like a game of shuffle, I can't get to one thing without having to move another and rearrange another and shift this and do that. Getting one thing packed becomes a 13 step process when I have to rearrange everything else in order to get that one thing done.
I don't know where I'm going to shift these boxes to because I don't really have anywhere else that makes sense as a staging point right now.
Its been raining off and on pretty good today. Randomly, I was working and heard a noise outside and looked up just in time to see the telephone pole on the other side of the driveway just fall down. I guess it was rotten at the bottom because it just snapped clean off at the ground. It only handles the telephone wire (literally, the telephone pole!) but the center doesn't pay a power bill because the park takes care of that, so I have no idea who is going to end up being responsible. I don't even know if it actually messed up the phone in the barn or not. The wire came off the pole, so there is a chance its still connected.
Crazy stuff!

Now if only it won't be raining tonight when we have to feed...

 

[hqueen13]

Calling it quits for the day on the packing. I have a total of 16 boxes packed, a few left open to add things to, and the bookshelves are 99% clear of my stuff. I have a few more books and things to pack, plus the knick knacks that live on the shelves. I'm trying to get all my knick knacks together from around the entire house and pack them all at once so that it will be easier to handle and pack really good with packing paper and such things. I don't know how well it will work, but its the thought that counts, right?

We had some pretty hard rain roll through, and a tornado warning announced itself on my phone. Glad that is over, now I just hope that the rain holds off for us to get everybody fed. Its bad enough feeding when it is wet anyway, but pouring rain is insult to injury.

H hung caution tape flags on the low hanging wire leftover from the telephone pole falling, and I told her that I was glad that I didn't have to move horses up and down the hill past it tonight for feeding That would not have been very fun at all!

 

[Denim Deb]

No, it wouldn't have been fun at all!

 

[hqueen13]

Got soaked last night feeding, but only spent half the time in the rain, I'm not sure if that's better or worse than spending the whole time in the rain.
Its not so gray today, but there is still a chance to storms. I was considering working the horse at the trailer, but I suspect that since it has rained more than 4" in a week its probably pretty muddy, and better to leave it for later. He was already slipping on the ramp the last time and that was cause he pooped on it. The wet from the grass will probably be no better.
So its more packing today. I'm trying to figure out what else I want/need to pack. I should probably work in the spare bedroom, and there are probably some more clothes I can go ahead and get packed up. I'm not feeling super chipper today, and that is annoying me. I'm also a bit stiff, so I've got to be super careful because its only going to get worse from here.
18 days. Somehow, I'm going to have exactly the right amount of time that I need to get everything done. I just have to trust the process, which is the hard part!

 

[hqueen13]

Well, managed to get a few things done today despite myself. I wasn't in a really good mood this morning after catching up on emails, I'll be glad when I can get through the drama part of this. I just have to keep my head down and keep trucking to get through it.
I managed to do the dishes in the kitchen, and wipe down part of the counter. Its still junky, but at least most of it is clear. Had to put away a bunch of stuff the guys left out, some of it I just left, I'm so tired of that.
Got my artsy/crafty/junk stuff into a box. There is still quite a bit of room so I didn't close it up, so we'll see what else I can stuff into that box that will fill it up. I also pulled out some of my other art stuff and got it boxed again and taped up. I put my painted pony back in his rightful box, too. including the pony that brings the box count to 19. I also pulled down all my horse brass and wiped it down (DUSTY! YUCK!). I haven't completely packed it yet, I'm not sure what box will make the most sense yet. But at least all those things are off the wall and together. I found some boxes that I had been saving up on the shelf in the other closet, too, so that was handy. Nice smaller boxes to be able to wrap things up in and pack them nice and tight without worrying they'll be crushed.
Tomorrow is supposed to be clear, so I think I'll work the horse in at least the trailer, maybe ride him as well, we'll see how time and things go, and then figure out what I'm going to pack. Getting the horse onto the trailer and staying there happily is a pretty big priority, so I have to take advantage of the good days. So I hope there's fewer muddy days upcoming, too.
I don't feel like I'm moving fast, but at least I'm moving.

 

[KnightMare]

Hey HQueen,
Are those "boys" still playing in the woods out in your neighborhood?
They used to do some pretty sneaky stuff you know.
Good to see you smiling.

 

[hqueen13]

If you mean out behind the park, of course, KnightMare. Some things never change...

Woke up this morning to rain. What the heck!? Its not supposed to rain today.... the forecast says cloudy until about lunch time then clear for the afternoon. I'm rather annoyed that its going to be wet AGAIN, I really want to work the horse, and its hard to do so when the grass is all slick around the trailer. E's mom is coming over to take her first riding lesson for her Mother's Day present, and so I'm going to take photos for her. I have to run over to pick up the farm order after that, and I'm going to get some things organized when I get back until about lunch time. Then I hope its sunny and drier by then because the horse is getting worked. I hope I can really work on the trailer again today, but I guess we'll see what its like up there. Just getting back up there will be important. I guess we'll see what happens. I'm just going to have to trust that its going to work out and that he'll go on the trailer and stay there and be comfortable on the ride to our new farm.

I guess I'd best get going.

 

[hqueen13]

Ekk... back to feeling a bit overwhelemed again. I think I'm a little nervous that E's mom might want to come in the house after her lesson, and I will need to refuse her! She can't see my house this way, its terrible!
UGH!!! I can't wait until all this settles out!
I must call the landlord today and let him know I'll be over tomorrow with the other girl that's going to keep her horse with me, and see if he has any info for me or wants to tell me anything good (like, "hey, you can move your stuff in now!")

 

[frustratedearthmother]

One day at a time! I'm sure it will all come together in the end.

Good luck with the trailer lesson - has he been a problem loader in the past?

 

[hqueen13]

Thanks FEM. You're right, I needed that reminder
The morning was nice, E's mother came for her first riding lesson, and it was fun to watch her. She was so delighted.
Got the farm order picked up and then put away when I got home, and now am having lunch. H commented to me today that I can't leave without her getting to ride Storm at least once, so we're going to do that this afternoon since I was planning on riding him anyway. I'm delighted to let her ride him, it will be nice. I'll go ahead and open up the trailer, maybe he'll be nice and calm after the ride is over and he'll load well. I want to make sure that he gets at least a little practice today since its been almost a week since I worked up there due to the rain. Oh, and if the rain we had wasn't bad enough, come to find out we're supposed to have derechos tonight/tomorrow. Great, rain AND wind... UGH!
FEM - to answer your question, no, he's never been a problem loader, but I do things a little differently. My expectation is that I stand at the back of the trailer, and make the request for him to load up, and he does. I don't lead him into the trailer. He should also stand there as long as I want, and wait for the signal to back out again, and shouldn't object when the butt bar is raised, or the door/ramp closed. It has been 4 years since I've had him on a trailer, and he's made some HUGE effort when I started working with him about 3 weeks ago. I was proud of him that he remembered the lessons, and tried, despite being worried, to do what he knew he was supposed to do, even above and beyond what I asked for. My standards for horse behavior tend to be above what most people's expectations are, for a couple reasons - first, my horse weighs a TON. Literally. I need his cooperation and willingness, and lightness in order to get anything accomplished. That's a fight I won't win, and I don't play that game. We play the how light and gentle can you be game, and both of us win every time Secondly, I dislike rude horses, and I know how to help teach them the lessons on politeness in humans-ville that makes my life, and theirs, easier. When you know how to teach those skills to a horse, its priceless, and people complement you every where you go together. And then in stressful situations, we have something to fall back on, so his "bad" day looks like some horse's "normal" days, I simply keep the standards that high, for him, and any horse that is in my direct care.

Alright, lunch break is over, changing clothes and heading to ride. Let's just hope this breeze keeps up because it feels great!