[lb27312]

@PoptartShop - I know on the mud! It needs to dry up... we aren't supposed to get rain for a week! Yay but I don't think that's even going to dry it up... need about 2 weeks. Fun on the bareback ride!

@carshon - How's the second hip doing? When will you be freed to ride?

@blue eyed pony - Wow nice set up!!

@JCnGrace - lol on the horses wanting their turn to be groomed! Too funny on the cats. I hear you on splitting chores!

Speaking of cats my cat came up to the back door with a mouse in her mouth I told her no way she's coming in with it. Well she pops back up with no mouse, get up to let her in she drops down grabs the mouth and runs in! ARGHHH!!! CAT!! She does that because I've been giving her a hard time about a mouse in the barn.

I confess I'm loving this weather! It's been super nice. Of course this is during the week so not a lot of time to enjoy it but it's staying light later so do get some time outside if I don't have to work late.

I like having Captain back home, he doesn't seem very different. He has something going on with his front left hoof, farrier was here yesterday and gave it a good look. He wasn't sure thought it might have been a puncture?? Don't know... told me to soak it and then put ichthammol on it and diaper it up... Well that was a joy! NOT!! First pony was like I'm not sticking my hoof in that warm red water! Nope not doing it I say!! Yes you are I SAY! whew finally he relaxed with his hoof in there not too long but I felt long enough... then I get out the ichthammol he's like that stuff stinks... not going on me. Yes it is. Then pull out the diaper... and so on... and I never had kids and maybe diapered a handful of times at the most. So finally get the diaper on and he's snorting at it... goof. It wore me out though!

 

[blue eyed pony]

@lb27312 thanks

My custom keycaps for my keyboard arrived. I had to buy a separate bottom row because Corsair (the brand of my keyboard) has a proprietary bottom row layout, and it's hard to find full keycap sets for Corsair keyboards but not that difficult to find just the bottom row. The bottom row arrived first even though I bought it a week later, but whatever. The rest of the set arrived today and now I have a custom(ish) keyboard

It's really interesting that the cheap ebay keycaps are actually nicer than the stock ones that came with the keyboard, when Corsair is supposed to be a high end brand and it was one of their more expensive options. I'm pleasantly surprised that $50 worth of keycaps off ebay, shipped from China, are as nice as (if not nicer than) expensive keycap sets. They fit perfectly and look and feel great. I'm still getting used to the new keyboard in general and changing the keycaps probably set me back a bit with that but honestly I'm really happy. And like I said, pleasantly surprised.

I don't game on my keyboards, but I type A LOT so having a nice keyboard is important to reduce finger fatigue and so on. And clicky keyboards drive me insane, I prefer a quiet tippy-tap or even total silence (but total silence is hard to get with a mechanical keyboard). I have silent switches and my keyboard has a membrane that reduces the noise from bottoming out the keys, and that's made a big difference compared to my old keyboard (which also had silent switches but no membrane and very loud keycaps?).

I still need to tidy up my cables, and I have today off, but I don't really feel like arguing with cables today and I think I need some longer display cables to be able to run them how I want to (except for the one that runs to the left hand screen, which is honestly TOO long lmao). Will have to see what happens.

Edit: I forgot the photo of my keyboard with the custom keycaps facepalm

 

[JCnGrace]

@blue eyed pony , you have a very fancy setup there! It's good you work at a place that will listen and make adjustments as needed.

@lb27312 , yuck on the mouse but it was pretty funny. She's a very smart cat!

Kinda sucks that you get Captain home and now can't ride because of a lameness issue. Hopefully the abscess will blow soon and that now he knows the routine so that he isn't arguing.

It felt neglectful that the other 3 in Gamble's herd didn't get groomed so I got to them yesterday. They appreciated it. Thunder and Frecks are next on the list. Her winter coat is really loose.

I'm going to have to give up Internet Explorer, boo hoo. As of the 15th my e-mail will no longer be supporting that browser. Tonight I've been signing off of anything I was logged into and switching over. I haven't figured out how to transfer my home page over but did get my favorites moved. What a pain!

 

[PoptartShop]

Sorry I've been kinda quet. Dealing with family stuff...long story short, my Grams had a stroke & she's at the hospital but we cannot go visit her (because of Covid) they aren't allowing any visitors...and she's going to be moving to a rehab facility (not a nursing home); she can't come back home because she'd be a danger to herself, she cannot move one side of her body too well, she can't even hold a fork in her right hand, & cannot walk on her own. Waiting on the MRI results of her brain & she also has a pulminary embolism in her lung that hopefully will dissolve on its own. Not sure yet. I really hope she pulls through, I just feel so bad. She's 85 & like 88lbs, she's very fragile & this is just heartbreaking. The worst is nobody can visit her & she's all by herself.

I've been calling her on the phone every day, but it is really hurting me that I can't see her. I lost my other Grandmom last year, so I really hope I don't lose this one too.

I've definitely been spending a lot more time with Promise because she is my calm. <3 Hope to catch up with you all soon, I just need some time to process all this.

 

[carshon]

@PoptartShop I am so sorry to hear about your Grandmother. Sending prayers her way. Hopefully with the new vaccine roll outs she will be allowed visitors soon

 

[Caledonian]

@PoptartShop - I am very sorry to hear about your Grandmother. It is a very difficult time and my thoughts are with you and your familiy. If you need someone to chat to do not hesitate to PM me.

 

[JCnGrace]

@PoptartShop , so very sorry about your grandma. All of you are in my prayers. This no visiting rule is hard on the loved ones and patients, I hope the staff will help her facetime with you guys. That's what they did with a friend who had major surgery. Hugs of comfort to you!

 

[lb27312]

@PoptartShop - soooo very sad here too about your grandma.... you are in my thoughts.... I know it's sooo hard not to be able to see them. Sending good vibes and healing thoughts your grandma's way.

 

[JCnGrace]

Yesterday Flash was standing in the perfect position for me to just slide right on. That went well but I had a pair of sweat pants on and with every little weight shift on Flash's part I slid this way and that way. I am soooo out of practice. Did not think forward enough to the dismount. TJ is used to me hanging onto his neck and sliding off, Flash not so much. Then there was the matter do I let my left foot that finally just healed up from toe and sprained ankle take the brunt of the landing or the right foot that has a heel spur that's been acting up. Flash is a saint and stood like a statue while I performed the less than graceful dismount. Heel spur drew the short straw. I figured it's better to have one good side than to go back to waddling like a penguin. LOL

I confess that my mind says I should be able to do everything I did when I was young. I mean I know how to do all these things right? Body has a totally different opinion.

 

[phantomhorse13]

After several attempts at posts which were eaten by HF, I am now hopelessly behind. Trying again to catch up.. The whole story is in my journal.

On the 24th, I started with Phin:

Then it was Link's turn:

And last was George:

🐎

 

[phantomhorse13]

On Friday the 26th, I got more saddle time. The whole story is in my journal.

I started with Phin.

Next was Link:

Then George:

🐎

 

[Caledonian]

@JCnGrace - It's great to hear that you've been on Flash. he was very good to stand, especially after not being ridden for a while. Like you, I don't feel like I've aged; in my head I'm still in my teens or twenties and honestly, I'm shocked at the amount of white hair at my temples or aching joints after doing something i wouldn't think twice about a couple of years ago. I spoke with my local riding school about a session and she was very upbeat, saying that it's like riding a bike! I'm sure it is if you're young but, after a couple of years out of the saddle, my body disagrees! How's your heel and foot?

 

[PoptartShop]

Thank you everyone for your well wishes for my Grams. <3 I appreciate it.

@JCnGrace awww what a good boy Flash is! That's so awesome. Hope you are feeling better though. I feel the same way, even though I'm only 29. Definitely not as limber, & I also don't bounce back like I used to. LOL.

@phantomhorse13 hope your snow is melted by now!! Awesome rides though!!

Yesterday was a big day - my brother and I took a risk (he came down from Indiana for a few days to visit) and we ended up going to the hospital, asked the nurse (had to call, because obviously we can't physically visit her) & she was able to wheel my grandmom to a window near the entrance, on her floor, and we waved/blew kisses for a few minutes until she had to sit back down. It was super, super amazing & heartwarming. My grandmom was so happy. The nurse called my cell and I was able to talk to her & the 1st thing my grandmom said was 'my hair is a mess!' LOL typical her! It was just so amazing to be able to even see her, even if it was many feet (well, really yards) away, through a window. <3 Not being able to see her or hug her has been really hard.

Today she got moved to the rehab facility, which hopefully she'll only been in for 1-2 weeks. I just spoke to her on the phone & she sounded more positive, she said the first rounds of occupational and physical therapy went well & it'll help her. I told her, don't give up! She said she won't, she's ready to get out of there and see everyone LOL.

So we're taking it day by day, but that's some good news. She's back on blood thinners to hopefully help dissolve the clot in her lung. Crossing fingers.

I've been riding almost every day this week because it's been SO nice out. Supposed to get colder this weekend/next week (not super cold, just 40's/50's). Promise is sloooowly starting to shed, so I know spring is near!

Promise in her little matchy-matchy! LOL.

 

[JCnGrace]

@phantomhorse13, looks like you've been having some great rides.

@Caledonian , surprisingly the foot is not any worse off than it was, thanks for asking. Let us know how your riding session goes. I'm sure you'll enjoy it immensely even if you end up having protesting muscles for a couple of days afterwards.

@PoptartShop , so cool you got a visit from your brother and you got to see your grandma even if it was just through the window. I bet that really cheered her up. Did he get to visit Promise too? She's looking pretty spiffy in that pic. Mine are now shedding in earnest and I come in from the barn covered in horse hair. If I had a large piece of leather I could make myself a to the floor length horse hair coat in a couple of days just by picking the hair off of me and gluing it to the leather. LOL

About had a heart attack this afternoon when I turned the water trough over to rinse it out and saw what I thought at first was a baby copperhead snake. Was pondering about what to do since I didn't want it hanging out at the trough and then biting one of the horses but hubs wasn't home and I surely was not going to touch the dang thing. I don't like snakes or rats either for that matter. Looked closer and it had tiny legs so it was a lizard. Whew, big relief and I was able to carry on with my chore.

 

[BethR]

@JCnGrace - We do celebrate on the 25th December, although it's not traditional. Christmas was banned in Scotland for around 400 years and very little changed until recently.

For 5000 years they celebrated a mix of the Winter Solstice, Yule and added in Christianity when it was introduced. It was the Reformation in 1560 that banned all festivals and holidays around that date. If people wanted to celebrate on the 25th, they had to do it in secret or they moved it to the New Year, our Hogmanay.

Christmas was a normal working day until 1958, when it finally became a public holiday but habits are hard to break. My parents were used to working right through or having a few members of the family drop by and that hasn't changed, even for me.

There's still a mix of everything today, with slightly more emphasis on Christmas than there was in the past. However there are a great deal more (non-Christian) events and traditions around the three days at Hogmanay. Everywhere has light festivals, street parties, torch parades, fire-balls and so on. It's amazing how much the past influences us today!

@blue eyed pony - Body protectors are really expensive. I've often wondered why they're double or triple the price of helmets. I've gotten to an age where i don't bounce so I'm glad of the extra padding LOL

@PoptartShop - What a wonderful surprise to find a desk full of presents! Beats paperwork any day! I've a Dyson as well. I used to have a Bosh, it was one of the most unreliable makes that i've ever had. Have a good holiday.

@avjudge - Your right about the 'his-genitive' in the English language. I think it was short lived and died out a few hundred years ago. Fingers crossed for your cat, he sounds like a sweetheart it would be a shame if it shortened his life.

@Change - Hi great to see you back again! It's good to know that Kyle is doing well. I had the same problem with my archery straw targets, except with mice. A lot smaller than horses LOL! They looked so cozy i (almost) felt sorry for 'removing' them.


After dropping a pan of soup all over the kitchen floor yesterday, i spent this morning finding and cleaning missed marks and splashes. I thought that I'd bring in my large Vax carpet cleaner so that i could clean the hard floor, then use it next week in the rooms with carpets, but it's dead. I forgot that it had packed up in the summer. I should've replaced it when it broke! I'm going to wait until next week and splash out on a new one.


I hope everyone's having a good weekend.

I like the way you do things in Bonny Scotland! (The Solstice doesn’t get much attention here in the States.)
The reason Christians decided to make Jesus’ birthday on Dec. 25th was because it was close to the Winter Solstice and they were trying to convert Pagans. I might add that the bringing in of evergreens is a Pagan custom, not a Christian one originally.
Jesus wouldn’t have been born in December anyways; the shepherds were out with their flocks that night, and they only did that in lambing season which is of course in the spring.

 

[blue eyed pony]

I did stuff with the boy today! He isn't really in work but he's a good boy and behaved beautifully.

 

[PoptartShop]

@JCnGrace he did plan to come to the barn but it fell through, he had to go home early toget back to work (he does renovations), but hopefully next time he comes and sees her! Whew, a snake would've freaked me out too. Glad it was just a lizard, but that was definitely a sight to see I'm sure!! LOL.

I confess, I've been battling a stomach bug for the past few days. So not fun. But today is Promise's 8th birthday!! The Ides of March! Pretty cool.
I did get a lot of riding in this weekend though & last week. Today, we're back to the COLD. Ugh!

 

[QHriderKE]

I need to confess that my accident last March totally screwed up my confidence with horses on the ground so my young horses (3 this year) were mostly on the back burner. Usually I would have at least saddled them in their 2 year old year, but the dun wasn't wasn't halter broke yet.

The last 2 days were huge. A friend has been helping me with the dun filly to get her halter broke and ready for more stuff over the last few weeks. The black filly is quiet and well handled so didn't need a lot of extra work. But! They both wore saddles this weekend!
The friend saddled the dun filly, and made me get over my issues and saddle the black filly.

They were both awesome, no blow ups just a few uncomfy crow hops and kicks.

Going on a hunt today for a cinch smaller than 28" because my saddle has a very dropped rigging and I use a 28" on my grown horses. Hoping to put first rides on them soon!

 

[phantomhorse13]

another post eaten.. will try again later 🤬

 

[phantomhorse13]

I am still trying to play catch up. Hopefully HF doesn't eat this post!!

Wednesday the 3rd, I got more saddle time. The whole story is in my journal.

I started with Link:

Then was Phin:

Last Sunday, DH and I got George and Link out:

🐎