Wordless Wednesday ~ No Smoking!

Something I haven't told you...

This guy

... is missing.  

Echo went missing shortly after we got back from our trip East.  We've had no luck looking for him, no responses to our ads or posters (with a reward offered).  Nothing.
I really think that either somebody shot him or somebody took him.  :(

Lucas & Abby, and Tucker

We wrapped up our time off by going to Edmonton to visit my sister and her family.  As I mentioned previously Tucker ended up going with us.  My nephew Lucas was thrilled.

My little niece Abby was enthralled with Tucker too.  And I have to say I'm pretty impressed with my little guy.  He's rarely around children but whenever he is he's a perfect gentleman, even with Abby pulling on his tongue and poking about his face.

We had a nice visit, did some shopping... I even get to say that I'm DONE Christmas shopping, and its not even December yet!  This is huge because I am a notorious procrastinator lol

(to be honest I have to get some stocking stuffers for Pie and there's a couple people I may buy something little for, but for all intents & purpose I'm done)

Little kids and the stuff they say & do cracks me up.  This for instance:

Lucas put his two stuffed dogs beside Tucker and said "Look, its a family"  He did make sure to tell us that they couldn't go home with Tucker, but he did try to get us to let Tucker stay with him lol (or Tucko as Lucas says)
Lucas kinda wished "Uncle P's donkey" could have come to visit too.  And he missed Comet, but we told him that Comet & Misty had to stay home to guard the house and horses. 
Something that I think is a pretty good idea for those of you that have kids and far-flung family... use FB to keep your kids in touch.  My sis shows her kids pics on FB so they stay familiar with who their family is, it really seems to work for them.
I happened to be on FB one day while I was there and Lucas crawled up onto my lap to look at the horses.  I showed him the new guy Smudge.  The pic happened to be one of my mom riding so I told him it was grandma riding Smudge.  He got this funny look on his face and said "Is this a new kinda grandma?"

Yep, it was a good way to end our vacation and head back to the real world...

Friday Funny ~ Pocketbook

As the bus pulled away, I realized I had left my purse under the seat.  Later I called the company and was relieved that the driver had found my bag.  When I went to pick it up, several off-duty bus drivers surrounded me.

One man handed me my pocketbook, two typewritten pages and a box containing the contents of my purse.  "We're required to inventory lost wallets and purses," he explained.  "I think you'll find everything there."

As I started to put my belongings back into the pocketbook, the man continued, "I hope you don't mind if we watch.  Even though we all tried, none of us could fit everything into your purse.  And we'd like to see just how you do it."

Wordless Wednesday ~ Missing her

Cessa, last winter

Going Home

Today I got a message for a nationwide (actually international as its for Canada AND the USA) plea for transportation for rescued horses.  Rather than explaining it myself I'll repost it:

A VERY IMPORTANT REQUEST: If you own a horse trailer and a rig, and would be willing to assist with the transporting of a newly rescued equine even for just a short distance, in order to get them into permanent homes, please come to our page and add your information to the appropriate Doc list (divided by USA and Canada, Pro Haulers and Non-Pro Haulers). We intend to turn that information into a huge database of people all over North America who will do their part to help get as many of our at-risk equines into safe homes as possible. Honestly- if we do a great job here, there may be NO horses left to slaughter!

What can you do? 5 miles? 50 miles? 500 miles? Whatever you can offer will be a wonderful service that you can provide. You may be asked to transport for a discounted rate, just for gas money, or for free. the financial arrangement is ALWAYS determined by YOU on a case-by-case basis. You may be asked if you're available to haul a horse from a rescue to a home... or, you may be asked to just haul the horse from one point to another in a series of 'freedom train' style transporters working together to move a horse across the country. You decide what you can do if you're called.

SO many at-risk horses in North America are not adopted ONLY because the willing adopter is unable to cover the very high costs of commercial shipping to get the horse to their home. This is how we can solve that problem! Thanks! 

Contact: Going Home

 

Leaving

Not on a jetplane though... Instead we're driving.  Pie & I are wrapping up our (much needed, well deserved) time off from work with a visit to Edmonton to see my sister & her family.  :)

When Pie & I flew east at the beginning of our vacation I missed this little brat so much that I had a very tough time sleeping the first few nights.

And while he was well behaved for "grandma & grandpa" (at least to my knowledge) it was pretty evident he missed me too.  (after all I'm his "momma" lol)
The 2 big dogs, Comet & Misty, are going to stay with my friend Jo.  While she has them she's going to trim Comet's nails, the big wuss.  The horses are all on round bales & free feeding (for now, that may change with some of the chunkier guys when we get back) so I just need my neighbour girls to pop over every day to make sure the waterers are working and everyone is accounted for and healthy.
Tucker... well he was going to get 'babysat' but that neighbour is going to be out of town for a meeting so instead... he's coming with us!  Yay!!  I won't have to miss this little guy and I'll have my snuggle buddy :)

While I love Edmonton c'mon, how could I leave this face for days on end again?!  There's some really good shopping there... including "horse stores" that Pie & Day have both agreed to indulge me with.  As well as other shops that we just don't have in our smaller city. 

I'm kinda sad though... our dog Echo went missing 2 weeks ago and there's been no sign of him.  I've pretty much given up hope of him coming home and now that we won't be here I'm wondering what if he DOES come back but we're not here?

Wordless Wednesday

Saturday Silly ~ Horse people

**because Friday was Remembrance Day I postponed Friday Funny to Saturday**

You know you are a horse person when:

-You cluck to your car when you go up a hill.
-Your horse's hair is in better condition than your own.
-You refer to your car as "my portable tack room".
-You are exited when your friend tells you that there is a huge sale at the bridle shop, then you are disappointed when you realize they mean the bridal shop.
-You have the vet's number but not your kid's pediatrician on your speed dial.
-Your spouse can track dirt into the house all they want, but God help them if they muddy up the tack room.
-Your house is a mess, but the barn is as neat as a pin.
-Your nice clothes are the ones without horse hair all over them.
-You have to go to your friend's wedding in riding clothes because you took too long at the barn.

-Only horse people would spend hundreds of dollars on a show for a 95 cent ribbon

How many of the above apply to you?

MY poppy is RED

In Canada it is tradition to wear a red poppy in the days preceding November 11th, Remembrance Day.
The poppy symbol reflects the over 6000 Canadian soldiers that died and were buried in a poppy field in Ypres in 1915 (over 100,000 Allied casualties in that 48 hour period)
The poppy pins are worn to show our respect and appreciation to those that have put their lives on the line, and for some to have made the ultimate sacrifice, to protect our rights & freedoms.
Some people are countering that war is wrong and the red poppies celebrate violence & war and therefore they are wearing white poppies to represent peace. I agree that war is not pretty, that sometimes it can seem pointless, however sometimes it is a necessary evil.  And because I appreciate my freedom I wear my RED poppy as a visible sign of my thanks.
Some of the white poppy people are the same people that bash our military and to them, and anyone else that wants to bash those men & women making so many sacrifices for us, so they can enjoy their freedom and sit on their asses, I'd like to say:

If you don't want to stand behind our military, 

then feel free to stand in front of them!

"In Flanders Fields" was written by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae during the Second Battle of Ypres.  It is a famous war memorial poem and has become almost the written/oral symbol of Remembrance Day. 
To me it is a hauntingly beautiful poem that came out of a terrible time.

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scare heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead.  Short days ago,

We lived, felt dawn, felt sunset glow,

Loved and were loved; and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe;

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

Wordless Wednesday ~ I married a giant!

Friday Funny ~ A history lesson

Not necessarily my fav type of music but I love Jimmy Fallon & Justin Timberlake's "History of Rap"


HoR 2


And of course they did a part 3!  However the best quality clip on Youtube had embedding disabled, so if you want to watch it here's the link:
History of Rap part 3

No Place Like Home

There really is no place like home :)

It was great to get away for a couple weeks, although I missed my ponies, puppies and kitties terribly.  Coming home and being able to sleep in our own bed was one of the best parts of coming home, and only partly because it meant Tucker was snuggling up with me again.
Seriously, 5 different beds while we were gone and only one really comfy bed.  Not great when I have a bad back.

Mom picked us up at the airport and brought us home (thx Mom!).  She & B had been house sitting for us (again, thx!) Knowing our home & critters were in good hands made going away a tad easier.
When we got home we let the big dogs out of the kennel and said hello to them before we let Tucker out from his crate in the house. 
Pete stood in the yard & I hid around the side of the house while Mom let Tuck out, he saw Pete and went running to him... until he caught sight of me as he passed the house, at which time he turned in mid-air and flew to his momma :D

Last night's sleep was the best I have had in weeks, snuggled up with my babydog and all the other critters nestled in for the night.