Thursday, November 6, 2008

Little Things

There hasn't been too much going on the last week or so. But I'll fill you in on what there is, maybe there will be enough to make a post!

Skunks
Kimfer's dad (Mr.H) did manage to trap another skunk in the feed room. The traps they use are "humane traps" (so the barn cats that have been dumb enough to get trapped are fine once they are let out - lol).
He shot the skunk, in the trap, in the barn. Which is why the feed room door is still closed.
He needs a respirator to go in there and get that thing out.
This weekend Kimfer and Mr.H are going to work on skunk proofing the barn. The dog door is going to be boarded over (not a bad idea, the dog doesn't need access into the barn as she's got the garage) and the are going to dig down and put in chicken wire to discourage the skunks digging their way in.

Riding
Haven't been doing much riding. And I'm feeling really guilty. There is that clinic this weekend and my poor little pony is not in the best of shape.
There are a few reasons... one being that I do tend to wimp out and think "its too cold". I usually make myself get out anyhow but not this week. This week I am limping around with a bum knee that I hope will manage to get through the clinic.
My chiro worked on it on Tuesday and it seems somewhat better at times and then at others it seems much worse. :( I don't know exactly what is wrong with it but there is something going on with my quad muscles being waaay to tight and causing my knee to hurt but only when bent. (so stairs are SUCH a joy!)

Barrel racing
Last Sunday was a double header. First jackpot I hit a barrel. And saying *I* is pretty accurate. The barrel hit MY leg not my horse (and just above my boot dangit!) and it was MY "driving" that resulted in the barrel being hit. I should have pushed him past one more stride before I let him turn first.
The second run we had an awesome first! But then I didn't get enough leg on him, and I should have put my leg on sooner, and we went waaaaay wide out of second. Clean run but too slow to be in the money.
On the other hand my day wasn't as bad as Kimfer's (she got kicked by her filly... see pic previous post) or Julie's. Julie's filly spooked at something as she went in for her first run. There was a rear and a buck and then Julie was on the ground. No major injury, just really sore. She cowgirl'd up and made both her runs. But she was pretty sore at the end of the day.
Another good thing... it was November frickin 2nd and we were running outside!!! No s*** (I am NOT saying or writing that word!) and the ground was good, not frozen at all at Holly's.
Wow.

Zoe
Saved the best for last... I am an auntie! (again) My brother and his wife had their first baby Monday morning :)
Zoe weighed 8 lbs 12 oz at birth. 7:17am Mon. Nov. 3/08. B & J are very very VERY pleased to welcome their daughter to the world.

Don't worry... I'll make sure she's exposed to the horse virus. Maybe she'll get bit too! lol

ps - just a reminder, if you would like some Christmas cheer in the mail e-mail me your address. My e-mail is on the top right hand side of the blog :)

12 comments:

  1. Aww, congratulations to your brother and his wife, and you auntie :) I love the name Zoe. You are going to be giving lots of lessons in the coming years. lol

    Hope your knee feels better. I'm totally with you on the weather. 70 degrees in Nov? I'll take that any day. But unfortunately I heard about that 4 letter s word coming this weekend :( boo.

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  2. Congrats to them! They couldn't have picked a better name! That's my daughter's name. Means life!

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  3. Callie - Zoe does indeed mean life, its also Greek (Pie's family is Greek, mine isn't). We just recently added "zoe" as one of our verbs in my Greek class lol

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  4. Congrats!! Zoe is a great name. I have known two women with that name and both were as unique and full of spirit as their name (both were very artistic too!) And my Mom also has a cat named Zoe, she came with it but we liked it so it stayed. I wouldnt want to be out running barrel in SK in November! Yikes! I am baby I guess. Take care of that knee!

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  5. Congrats to your family - Zoe is such a neat name.

    Hopefully you guys can get the skunk issue under control...yikes.

    Don't feel too guilty about not riding as much - this time of year is brutal - dark and getting colder. (except for this week, what is up with that??)

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  6. Yay Auntie! Congrats on your sweet little niece!

    Sorry about that bum knee. I've been having a stiffnes in the back of my knee for a while now. Makes it very uncomfortable to mount my horse, along with my hip dysplasia. I can only mount now if I use a stool or mounting block.

    But when I'm out on the trail. What will I do if I need to get down and then get back up? There aren't many fences or stumps or large rocks around the trails we go to.

    I'm considering getting one of those 'mounting stirrups' that attach to either the horn or the stirrup. There are two different styles.
    I feel like I'm wimping out, but I need some help getting up there. darn.

    Do you know anyone who has used those contraptions before? I can't find any reviews online.

    Anyway, I hope your knee feels better soon...and the weather is warm enough for you to ride.
    I don't like to ride when it's windy and cold. And it's always windy here in the winter.
    But I don't want the entire winter to go by without riding my mare.
    sigh

    ~Lisa

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  7. Lisa (Laughing Orca) -
    re the mounting stirrup thingy - I don't know anyone who's used those and I haven't really seen much as far as info online either.

    We get lots of wind here too, all year actually. Gotta love the flat prairie! I just try to go when its not really windy.
    Hopefully you'll have free time -ha like a mom has free time! ;) - when the weather is at least a LITTLE cooperative.

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  8. Congratulations! Will you post photos of the little bumpkin?
    I thought you were supposed to drown skunks? No smell? I think the little critters are cute from a distance....Long distance.

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  9. Hi there, been catching up on your blog. Thanks so much for the plaque. I got it and it's wonderful I was so excited to get it!!! THANKS

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  10. Yay! The leaps for joy for horsey aunties!!

    Congrats! Sorry on the slow run...sounded like everyone behaved (with the one kicking filly exception)? So was that a plus?

    Did you get the smell out? Or are you letting it air out?

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  11. Conrats to you and your family on the birth of little Zoe!

    I haven't been able to ride much this past week either...the weather sucks!

    We are going to the arena today, and on Sunday, I am riding in some type of cow clinic. Should be fun!

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  12. First let me congratulate you on the arrival of your neice! Zoe is a lovely name too. I hope your knee is feeling much better as well.

    Thank you for your recent visit to my blog. It is always a treat to see a new visitor has commented. Please forgive me my slow return visit - I have been away for a few days without my computer and then came home to snow and a power outage. Now I am trying to catch up!

    PS .. Good luck with the skunk issue! I have only had to deal with a skunked dog twice and the dang dog never learned to leave them alone!

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Wordless Wednesday ~ new trailer!