In the Midst of the Bustle...

With all the hustle of the last few days, including a failed water pump on the truck to go along with the holiday joy, somehow/someway we still managed to take time to enjoy ourselves for the holidays.

The water pump went out as I pulled in the driveway of my very last Christmas stop and I was able to coast into a parking spot. The wonderful guys at Gamestop assured me it would be fine for me to leave the truck a day or so. I, luckily, was able to walk across the street to where my son was at work and drive his car home. I called a home mechanic that has helped me before and US Rider who called the tow truck. I can't say enough good about them!! If drive a big truck or haul a trailer, you should definitely consider using them. They are extremely customer service oriented.

So, with all my gifts under the tree and the truck tucked in and getting it's water pump replaced, the boys were pounding on my door demanding that it was indeed Christmas at 3am -- and so we were up and opening gifts ;) and back to bed by the time the paper was flying in most other living rooms. By the time we were up and breakfasting, and starting to get ready for our big family dinner at noon -- the sun was out and shining, giving up a beautiful (rare) Texas White Christmas. (After 75 degrees on Wednesday and our ice storm and snow on Thursday).

And then this evening after a full day of eating, napping and playing xbox - we found one more wonderful Christmas present ... this one tucked in the hay under a cedar tree in the pasture.


Our very first goat baby for our new herd of dairy goats. (the doe in the photo isn't her mom, btw, just one of our very friendly, bossy, nosey herd.) This little girl is a keeper and increases our herd by one, so we now have ten goats and a sheep.

Merry Merry

Merry Christmas from Texas

Remember all those Christmas cards that show the cowboy in a driving snow? We're living that today. Thank goodness for a full fridge! We're settled in for a cozy two days. All the prezzies are wrapped and under the tree and the boys are playing x-box. ... Except for as long as it took to run feed and water to the goats, horses, chickens, cat and dog!!

Step 4,029

A/C unit is 'roughed in' in the new house. Writing that check hurt, but I know all-n-all, I'm getting what I need and I'm very happy with the installing company both professionally and with the owners and workers personally.

The framers have some finishing up to do. ...should be done tomorrow.

...the plumber is on his way to go over what still needs to be done with both the plumbing and electric and give me a quote on that.

It's both exciting and scary - each single step seems so major, but it sure is nice to be getting closer to done and to be thinking we'll actually be moved in before too long.

Holiday Bustle

Life, it seems, has me by the short hairs and is making me dance.

At least ... it's playing a tune. I'm dancing as well as I can.

There have been so many changes in my life recently, good, very good, for the most part, and some hard, but it's the juggling and trying to fit everything into it's new place keeps me worn out.

We did have a wonderful Thanksgiving and are looking forward to a good Christmas as well. I've been excited to have lots of prezzies under the tree this year and have been buying like mad, but after chasing from store to store, I still ended up buying the majority of what I wanted online and am now tapping my toe madly waiting for the UPS truck.

I long ago gave up many of the special Christmas traditions of my childhood and through the years of marriage and kids have worked out new schedules and expectations. This year, we're playing fast and loose with tradition and planning simply to celebrate.

What are your special holiday traditions that are generational, or what have you changed and made your own with your families over the years?

*argh*

maintenance & apologies:

photobucket has apparently changed some of their account rules, guidelines and restrictions. I apparently was stupid enough not to keep up with them. The linked photos that are giving the errors are in an old account and I'm working on getting access back to that account to get it all fixed.

In the meantime - apologies for the mess.


*update: I think I've at least managed to get rid of the errors. I have to admit that I'm unlikely to continue using photobucket after this.

** final update: Photobuckets customer service responded promptly and restored my service with no fuss no muss. But I'd already deleted the custom background and borders I had here. I guess I should be forgiving, they've been a good service for years and did respond promptly --- but I still wonder why they felt the need to screw with me in the first place. ...jury is still out.

"Well, I'm back."

I'm back -- echoing Samwise Gamgee's famous final words -- and as for him, things are forever changed here. Loss of things and people, but gains of freedom and opportunity and looking forward to a better future in spite of the struggles.

Of course, a divorce is nothing compared to saving the world so perhaps (most certainly) I'm being overly dramatic. But in many ways, I feel that I've saved my little corner of the world, this new world I'm trying to face bravely.

Yesterday was the perfect time reflect: I have my home and land, my horses, and my kids and life goes on. My decisions are my own now. I live with my own mistakes now. And that's all good.

I have a lot in my life to be thankful for, since this is the season to be listing such things; I have my health and a lot of love and true friendship in my life. I have my sons, and my son's friends (my friends as well) that live with us, and their friends (my friends as well) who are often here. They offer not just friendship, but a lot of support in helping around the place, and there is a lot that needs do'n even on as small a farm as we have here. I have family, parents, brother and sister, and I have close friends both locally and over the distance of phone and internet.

We had waaaaay too much to eat yesterday and today are stuffing ourselves with all that's left. The sun is shining, the mares are munching hay and the goats are napping in the sun.

Life is good.

Good reports keep rolling in...

Yes, yes, I know. In order to continually breed horses, I have to sell the babies.

Honestly, it's not that hard for me to let them go, not as hard as it is for some people, I know, because I see it in two ways. One) that they're growing up and taking their place in the world and two) that they're spreading the good word and promoting their lines. and three) that for each one that sells, I have budget and space for another little replacement. The numbers in this group are low enough that every single one is important.

Certainly the more horses under more riders doing more stuff is going to do more good in the long run than a bunch of rare-blooded horses standing in my pasture eating. I remind myself of that every time one drives out the gate. But it's never easy.

It's still hard to let them go, no matter what. You worry about them. If they're going to be good, or if they'll show their 'ass' one time too many and be a "bad advertisement" rather than a good one. (If they're going to embarrass you rather than make you proud). If you judged the individual well enough that you've managed to get them in a good home. But still knowing that even the best of circumstances can change.

So you do all that you can do to get them out in the world - and then you hold your breath. You hold your breath until you pass out, hit your head on the floor, finally wake up and stumble to the kitchen for a bag of ice. And then you wait some more.

Finally the reports start coming in, and eventually the photos.

From the young gelding a few posts ago, to GLAMDRING (top photo) who has a good start in his endurance career, LANDROVAL who is just getting started, to Eowyn, who finished Tevis in fine form this year -- the reports are looking pretty good.

(so you see my little ANDE has a lot to live up to!!)