Horsing Around

Ok, we haven't been horsing around, but we do have a new horse.  He is a gelding and was advertised for $160.00.  Husband was the first caller so we got him.  He's 4 years old and is an appaloosa.  So, we are heading home right now with our new horse.  He's been ridden, but before anyone else rides him, Husband is going to take him out a few times.

In other news, Charlie had a blast with our first responder class last night.  It was skills last night and we covered vehicle extraction, back boards, neck and spinal injury, joint dislocations, fractures, profuse bleeding, impaled objects, etc.  Charlie was our "pediatric patient" and he loved getting bandaged, splinted, immobilized, etc.  There was even a pediatric back board that Charlie got strapped to.  Then, to show it's effectiveness, he was flipped upside down.  He laughed and thought it was the greatest thing.  (The adults don't like the feel of being flipped.)

We are still in the middle of a drought even though you can still see the effects of the flooding and the dams releasing water into the lakes to prevent further flooding in other areas.  It did rain last week for about half an hour and that was it.  (Other areas, it rained for over an hour.)  I'm going to start researching drought planting for next year.  I know there is a way to plant in drought prone areas, but I don't remember what it is.  I read about it a couple of years ago.  I didn't register a whole lot because it was not a concern I had at the time.  It's ironic that living a mile or two from the lake yet are in a drought.

We still aren't home yet with the horse.  This has been a long day with a longer drive.

Ok, this has officially been a two day blog entry.  I am on day two of working on this blog.  it has been one thing after another.

The pause yesterday that I never got back to (long day with a longer drive) was a problem on the drive home.  We stopped because the trailer had started swaying a bit.  That usually means a big problem.  So, we pulled off, got out, and checked the tires (fine) and the horse (not fine.)  The horse stomped his foot through the floor of the trailer.  It got scraped up and was bleeding.  So, we unloaded the horse and I walked her around while a friend of ours went home and got a piece of wood to cover the hole.  Ironically enough, right when we pulled off, he was driving by and made a quick pull into a driveway behind us to check on us.  He asked what was wrong, we told him what was going on and he went home, got a piece of wood, and came back. 

That gets fixed, we reload the horse, and continue on to the gas station.  (We are only about 15 miles away from home at this point.)  At the gas station, I go in to get some much needed ice and I see a friend of mine working behind the counter in a lot of pain.

Quick eyeball has me seeing heightened levels of pain, very pale complexion, and shallow, rapid breathing using the upper portion of the lungs to breathe.  I tell her she looks like crap and ask her what's going on.  She tells me, points out some swelling, and I told her I will be back to take her to the ER.

We get the horse home (finally!) and I transfer my stuff to the van.  I can't find my wallet.  Not wanting to take forever to look for it, I head out (no wallet so no license or ID) and take Husband's ATM card with me and go back to the gas station.  She is ready to go and her boss is there to make sure she has everything.  (And to hit her over the head and knock her out if she gave me a hard time.)

Anyway, she got taken care of and got answers to what is going on.

During all this and the drive back home (we went to Branson) I get two things from Husband about stuff going on at home.

1.   Bethany cut her bangs to the scalp.
2.  Amanda had been found.  By the children.  We knew she went off to die somewhere.  It's what animals do.  The children had complained of a "dead animal" smell under the house.  Thinking it was either a forgotten nest of eggs or a dead chicken, they were sent to investigate.  You can imagine the trauma of that.  Amanda was a favorite dog.  All the children loved her and she always stuck close with them when they went into the children.

Amanda was a Great Pyrenees.  They are livestock guardian dogs.  Amanda adopted the children as her "herd" and would guard them and herd them.  She was also old.  So her up and disappearing came as no surprise.  Sad, but not surprised. 

So anyway, we've been busy and even taking the time to do a blog entry, even when I think I have the "ideal" time to do it (sitting in a vehicle going down the road where I don't have to jump up every five minutes) I am still plagued with interruptions and too busy to blog uninterrupted.

The horse came with the name "Sky" and the children like it so we'll keep it.  Amanda was cremated last night.  My friend is not dying.  I decided to skip out on fire training this morning and sent Husband and Charlie so I can get things caught up at home.