Happy Halloween!

Two men were walking home after a Halloween party and decided to take a shortcut through the cemetery just for laughs...

Right in the middle of the cemetery they were startled by a tap-tap-tapping noise coming from the misty shadows.

Trembling with fear, they found an old man with a hammer and chisel, chipping away at one of the headstones.

"Holy cow Mister," one of them said after catching his breath, "You scared us half to death -- we thought you were a ghost! What are you doing working here so late at night?"

"Those fools!" the old man grumbled. "They misspelled my name!"

*image is not my own, found with Google Images*

Wordless Wednesday

Ty

09/27/08

Meant to do this sooner!

Some of you may recall (or perhaps not) that last year I flew out to Halifax because my dad was having a kidney transplant. I was talking to him today (he's doing great) and I realized I hadn't shared some stuff that I was meaning to. So without further delay...

My dad (on left) and Uncle David. We were just leaving the hotel to walk over to the hospital. (yes it was that close) The last pic where everyone has all of their original parts:

looking happy but nervous

The staff in Halifax were terrific. Really until Pie was hospitalized this summer I haven't had too great of a review to give our local medical community, so I was totally blown away by how wonderful they were! Unfortunately dad did suffer a rather strange side effect after the kidney transplant:

did someone confuse the transplant area with labour & delivery??

Actually that is a proud grandpa with his first grandson, my sis's little guy Lucas. (about 2 1/2 months here).

Dad and Uncle D did great. Both were released much sooner than expected and dad even went back to work earlier than estimated, although with a few changes. Its about time the old man started to slow down! lol

Since we started with the 'before' pic we should end with an 'after'. Here they are again, with a bit of parts scrambling! ;)

"now remember to take good care of my kidney big brother!"

Boo

Nope not the Halloween kind either. Just a bunch of stuff to say "boo, bah-humbug" to.
What a week. Wednesday I slipped at work and my back has been a pain ever since. Didn't ride because of it but that's probably for the best as I noticed that today it feels much better. (thank goodness!)
Penning got cancelled this week, because of sick cows. That makes 2 of the last 3 pennings. And honestly I don't think they were feeling 100% last week. (then again I know next to nothing about cows)
Then I watched this documentary called "The Most Hated Family In America". You can access a YouTube clip of the documentary by clicking but caution there is strong language. If you even have to wonder why I say this family deserves a huge "Boo!" then we probably wouldn't get along so much in real life. Its nothing new to have an extreme religious group that is anti-gay but the tangents this family goes off on about the military really ticked me off, I mean seriously - picketing the funerals of soldiers?!
Not such a bad week though, I'm sure there are people who are worse off.
Oh, and for those of you that requested new pics I tried. Voodoo did not feel like modeling however. Instead he was being a pouty baby because (gasp) I was giving other horses some attention too!! lol
A sort of funny story: Kimfer works at a dairy and had 2 really bad days at work in a row. (Wed & Thurs) Thursday night she came into the restaurant for supper and said "I'm so mad at cows that I'm going to eat one... I'm ordering steak tonight!" lol

Rookie

I went and tried something new with my little buddy Voodoo on Sunday - Team penning.
Its something I've never been too interested in, I had kinda tried it once before but wasn't really interested. Then this fall it was like 'the perfect storm' was created to make me reconsider.
I had spent the last two summers team sorting (when not barrel racing) and so had met a great bunch of people. (besides my friends Brenda, Holly & Ace). Also it doesn't look like there will be much for winter barrel racing. Then, the kicker, penning was moved to a new locale. And with it a new day. Its no longer on Friday nights - which I have to work - but Sunday afternoons! And then even better, Pie's day off got changed from Sundays to Mondays. So I could go check out penning without having to feel bad for spending the majority of our day off together doing something without him!
I still wasn't sure if it was my thing but I wanted to give it a shot. Kimfer had NO interest in going so I called Auntie Jac & Uncle Ben (actually Kimfer's aunt & uncle but they've been kind enough to 'adopt' me lol). I knew Ben was interested in checking it out and thought maybe they'd let me follow them as I wasn't too sure where I needed to go. Turns out they said Voodoo & I could just catch a ride with them. Sweet!
Sunday B & J pulled into the yard, we threw my gear in and loaded up Voodoo and off we went. It was kinda rainy but fairly nice out (oh yeah, the snow is all melted for now!) and in less than an hour we pulled up to Claypool's arena. When I entered I paid the non-member fee and told them that I was new at this. They said no problem, when we draw teams just let your teammates know and they'll show you the ropes.
Everyone got put on a team and each team got three goes before the break. After the break the teams were redrawn and again every team went three times. I was fortunate enough to have Fred, a very patient man and a good penner, and Erin, the club president a fun lady and also a good penner & teacher, on my first team.
Fred, Erin and I were the 4th team up and we penned all our cattle just as nice as could be! Time limit was 90 seconds and I believe we did it in 58. I was just amazed that we did it. I didn't screw up! lol Sadly the next two turns we penned zero.
My second team was with Uncle Ben and Norbert. Poor Norbert, stuck with the two rookies! lol Thank goodness he was patient and a good sport. Our first go we dq'd but the last two we penned all our cattle under the time limit.
While I didn't place at all that day I had a blast! So much so that during the break I went to the office and bought a membership. Penning runs every Sunday until about the end of April... I probably won't make it to all of them as there is some barrel racing and I'm sure weather will put a damper on travel for some of the time. But it looks like I've found something to do with my horses this winter! lol

Saskatoon Stampede & "Fat Calves"

This past weekend was the Saskatoon Stampede, a pro level rodeo. My bestie Kimfer and a few other friends were on the drill team this year. I had to miss the performances on Friday and Saturday nights (work) but as Sunday was my day off I was free to go. I went with Kimfer so not only did I get in free (always a bonus) but I got to go "behind the scenes" which was kinda neat.
It was kind of a bonus for me to get to go Sunday. Sunday's performance was dedicated to our wonderful country and our troops. A patriot song was played (sorry can't remember what it was called) and the drill team all wore red and white shirts. The shirts had white backs with a maple leaf in the centre of each.
I got a bit teary eyed when the drill finished and the girls lined their horses up in the arena while the announcer spoke. He talked about our military and how we should be grateful for them. That it is because they put their lives on the line that we have our freedoms. To not take freedom for granted or lightly. And that it is because of that freedom that we could choose to spend our day there watching that rodeo. Then a spotlight shone on an upper level section of seats. Each seat had a "support our troops" ribbon and a maple leaf. There were over 130 seats and each seat represented a soldier that had made the ultimate sacrifice.
I totally admit I got very teary eyed then. My "adopted" sister (one of my sister's good friends) has just left for her tour in Afghanistan. I worry about her but I'm happy for her... as she says "I didn't join the military to sit at home on my ass!"
Probably the funniest thing at the rodeo was when the "dresser" was getting the drill team horses ready. She was glittering their butts and got a tad carried away... she glittered 3 of the pickup horses! :o She just realized what she had done when the pickup men came walking her way. She ducked and hid between two horses until they were gone. Of course we all agreed not to tell them, hoping they wouldn't notice. Of course they did and were party poopers and brushed the glitter off.

Now on to the fat calves... I am hugely appreciative for all the support and interest for Cowboys Love Fat Calves.
However I don't want to get too carried away and have too many people writing so, for now, all the invites have been sent out.
If you didn't get an invite but would still like contribute please consider:
a) following and commenting or b) e-mailing me and I would be more than happy to put up a "Guest Post" once every week or so. e-mail lbt933@sasktel.net
I hope there are no hurt feelings to the people that did not get an invite. I used my ultimate chicken strategy and just invited the first few people that e-mailed for an invite. I know - verrry scientific! lmao

Its heeeere

Snow. blegh

Our first snow of the winter. It started as a few flakes. But then it stuck. Yuck.

Thank goodness these are pics from last winter! If we had gotten this much snow for our first snow... yikes.

But it is a glimpse of what we get to look forward to. *sigh* Along with less riding time. Shaggy, hard to cool out horses. Icy roads and stupid drivers who are now also more dangerous. I just loooove winter. lol

Actually I do kinda like it. I like having 4 seasons. I just don't like it when its really cold, couldn't it just stop at -20? Anything colder than that just seems excessive.

This pic was taken when I got home from work tonight, around 11:30 pm. The road is a bit icy, there is just a light layer of snow clinging to the grass.

I'm still hoping it all melts and we don't get any "real" snow, the stuff that lasts all winter, for a few more weeks. After all I'm waiting for the farrier to come out to take shoes off!

To those of you who want to co-blog on CLFC please shoot me an e-mail lbt933@sasktel.net I need to send you an e-mail invitation so that you can join!

Oh, and something else is here... Cowboys Love Fat Calves ;)

Technical Difficulties

Oops silly me, that e-mail link in my previous post didn't work. I should really learn to double check that stuff! Anyhow for those more comfortable with sending an e-mail instead of a comment here it is:

lbt933@sasktel.net

Now there's no excuse! lol I know there are a lot more readers than just "the regular gang" :)

ps - I'm more or less ready to re-launch. So CLFC will be open to the public any day now. By Monday I'll have access set for those who want to join and co-blog.

Sooo, I was thinking

*let me apologize in advance if this is rambly and has lots of errors, I'm just going to blurt out stuff and post it... heh heh "bravery"*

Its getting to be fall, and soon winter. The time of year a lot of us start to, umm, plump up. Not too long after that is the time when many of us start to take resolve and try to slim down.
This year I am hoping to skip the plumping up part, as I'm more than plump enough, and get a head start on the slim down phase.
However I'm the kind of person that needs moral support, encouragement, camaraderie.
Here is where you come in. I plan to (re)launch my other blog "Cowboys Love Fat Calves". This time I'm going to bite the bullet (suck it up Buttercup) and make it public.
I'm wondering if any of you would like to join me and co-blog??? There is no quota for how often, no "rules" about what and no expectations to completely bare your soul. You write when you want, give out how much info about yourself that you want and share what you find helpful or motivating. Whether it is exercise tips, food advice, inspiring stories, pitfalls to avoid, etc etc.
I know there are at least a few like-minded individuals out there, some of you who are feeling trapped inside the wrong body. Some who feel their chair is shrinking. Some that may not be "fat" but could use the power of blogger friends to help them tone up, or avoid the "f" word!
I really would like at least a couple of co-bloggers. If that's not your thing I understand. For those of you that are interested please leave a comment or e-mail me.
To everyone else - CLFC will be going public by next Monday. Feel free to read and comment. But please remember it will be a place for encouragement so Negative Nelly's can just keep their opinions to themselves.

ohmygosh I can't believe I'm doing this :o

Photogenic

I'm not. I used to think its because I'm "heavy" but I know a lot of large people that are photogenic. Then there are the non-photogenic slim people. So there goes my excuse! :p
A lot of people don't like to have their picture taken, Kimfer is a great example. I have plenty of pics with Kimfer's hand waved at the camera blocking her face. lol
A few people have asked to see pics from barrel racing and I've decided to (as Kimfer likes to say) suck it up Buttercup and go ahead and post a few. My scanner isn't working for some reason though so I got my mom to scan them and e-mail them to me (Thanks Mom!) Here are the *shudder* results.

These first two are from S.B.R.A. Provincial Finals in 2007 (in Regina) My last year running Cessa. Hey the poor girl deserved to retire (even if she didn't want to) she was 26 then!
Note in the first pic I lost my outside stirrup. I hate when I do that! Also please excuse the funny faces, I had to smooch to her after she rates and starts to turn. (made for some interesting pics)


This is Applejack's first time somewhere besides a regular jackpot. Once again its S.B.R.A. Prov. Finals, 2008 this time (again in Regina) This was the second day and he was a bit better. The first day he stopped and thought "what the h..." when he saw the spectators and announcers, right at 1st barrel! It may not seem like it but I was pretty sure we were going to hit this barrel or just squeak past, that would be the reason for the "oh crap" look on my face. I was very focused on trying to get him past the barrel.

Yup, once again S.B.R.A. Prov. Finals, this past season's - 2009 (not Regina though, this was Moose Jaw). I have to say I actually kinda like this picture (wow! lol) Maybe because I'm not looking down. I do that a lot when running the pattern and have to really work on that for next season! Note once again no outside stirrup! I cowgirl'd up and kicked hard all the way to 3rd (this is 2nd barrel) and all the way home. The whole time praying that I'd be able to stop safely. What do ya know, 1 stride before I asked him to stop my foot slid back into that stirrup! :o

*photos by Mike Copeman*

Sunday Stills

This week's Sunday Stills challenge was difficult yet easy. Family & friends are what makes me happy... but how to do this without some wondering why they weren't chosen and yet not have too many pictures? Well my solution was to post my immediate family, which is my husband (aka "Pie") and our "children" (dogs, cats, horses).

This is one of my favourite photos of Pie. It was taken during one of his riding lessons (on a very cold day). He and Applejack were just getting to know each other:

Next in our little family are the dogs. Comet is a black lab cross (the SPCA said the cross is Border Collie but we're not sure as he is a BIG dog). Misty is a Golden Retriever x Rottie.

Something about the light being nice to Comet washes out Misty so I had to give her a pic of her own so you can see how pretty she really is:

Next up are the kitties. Lola is a Ragdoll and Chloe is a Siamese. Chloe is also boss of the whole house. Its pretty funny to see this little cat walk up and just give the dogs "The Look". Next thing you know they will vacate whatever comfy spot they were in and Chloe takes over their spot.
I have a hard time capturing their gorgeous blue eyes without that darn red eye, hence the nap time shot:

This is MY baby. My sweetie, my 28 yr old TB mare - Cessa:

This is "Pie's Horse" (in quotes because I do 99% of the riding, taking care of, etc) Applejack:

And finally the newest member of the family, my new gelding Voodoo:

I'm a pretty basic girl. My husband, my critters, my friends and family. That's what makes me happy.

All pictures in this post were taken with my point & shoot cameras, either the Kodak Z710 or Nikon S210.

How do you...

put your tack away? Are you particular about where and how its stored or do you dump it in a tangled heap wherever there's a convenient space? Small tack room, large tack room, no tack room... for some people it doesn't seem to matter. I've seen gorgeous tack rooms with stuff just dumped everywhere and anyway. I've seen people with virtually NO storage and their stuff is all very neatly placed.

We all have our own ways for how we store our tack. I am VERY fortunate to share a fairly large tack room with Kimfer and her dad. Not only do I have a place to store my stuff but I also can put it away the way I want to. (a lesson Pie has learned, another reason to be grateful for a non-horsey husband... I train him my way! lol)
Halters and bridles hanging neatly:

(no those are NOT all mine!)

I like to keep a lead attached to each halter. I hang my halters done up (on the loosest hole) with the lead draped over. When I go to catch my horse I just grab the halter and lead and place them over my shoulder, everything is ready with no untangling needed.

I have to say I am more particular about how I put my saddles away than almost anything else. I like everything neatly done up so I'm less likely to trip (I AM a klutz) or drag my latigo through mud, or manure.
It may seem silly but, to me, it seems faster to tack up when I know everything was left how I want it.
My latigo is always run back through itself and tied:

nothing to drag through the mud here!

Most of the people I know hook the loop of their breastcollar tug over their horn. I have tripped myself up sooo many times that way! Or it works itself loose in the trailer and gets tangled with the other saddle. I was very happy to see a new way of doing it (in Western Horseman I believe). Now I toss my breastcollar over the seat of my saddle and do the tug up through the stirrup. Its quick, easy and best of all secure. I have not tripped myself or had my breastcollar tangle with other tack since I started storing it this way:

simple, secure and no tripping!

On the off side I neatly gather my cinches together. I put the buckle of the back cinch through the buckle of the front cinch and hang them on the keeper on the saddle. Now they are neat and tidy. When I saddle I let down one buckle and (usually) both cinches fall right into place:

Thank you Applejack for being such a patient model and letting me snap pics before getting you your after ride cookies :)