March Madness

Today's title epitomizes the Colorado Spring this year. We cancelled work on Friday because of snow. Today, a mere three days later, it was 71 degrees F. An all the "Coloradans" keep forecasting gloom and doom: "It's just gearing up for a blizzard." "March is our snowiest month." "April showers bring May blizzards." I say: "Bring it on!" =) Silly Coloradans don't know how good they have it, even when it does blizzard!



The photos included today are mostly of Cody and Brigs. Cody has managed to master the brushing of a resistant Tiny Dog. It was before his haircut. The posed Brigs photo is immediately afterward. Brigs is protesting in his own way to get back at us though. He now dons one of his "hoodie" jackets almost around the clock, even when it is 70 degrees, because he shivers. Obnoxious, spoiled dog! Even worse is his crying and carrying on if we leave him at home. We have to crate him because he proceeds to go "fishing" in the cat box and then leaves wet or solid "presents" in inconspicuous places around the house. I won't even begin to mention how he usually sleeps in our bed, under the covers, usually snuggled into Cody's arms. I have to forcibly remove him and lock him in his kennel if I decide that both Cody and the dog snoring is just too much for an evening.

The small child and the Tiny Dog rule this house. I am gone too much to be much influence and Cody is too happy with the situation to pay any attention to my rantings. Marie agrees with me that Cody is quite the keeper. At least everyone is pretty darn happy! ;) Life is good.


I am finding my mood lightening lately. The end of the "Quarter From Hell" will soon be here. We are working on our last week of normal classes and then we have finals. After that I am FREE for two and a half weeks! I am so ecstatic! I don't know if Parasitology is going to be a passing grade and I just don't care any more. I just want this to be done with for a little while. This week is particularly nasty as I have "Animal Care" for my Lab Animal class. This means that I am at school at 6 am sharp every morning this week to clean and care for all the "Lab Animals" and thus I was borderline conscious for my 8 hours at school today. Luckilly I didn't work very late yesterday (we started early and ended early) but still couldn't fall asleep until 12:30 or 1. Then Straton jumped on me at about 2 am and I had to kick him off the bed. At 5:30 the alarm went off and I was off to school. I looked like I was drunk most of the day, letting the walls hold me up. At least I got three of the five minimum hours required done just in this morning, and my group started with the rabbits. They are the messiest of the lab animals and are notoriously difficult to clean and handle. Myself, I am not looking forward to the ferrets. The two we have are still quite young and are not very good about using their litter box yet. Adorable, but stinky! Terrible cuddly little fuzz bombs. Make me miss my Fezzik and Martin. *sigh*


In the other news, I am training Bailey (Marie's 17 +hh Clyde Gelding)to ride. (Can't remember if I had mentioned that before.) I haven't climbed on yet but will the next time I go out. I was going to work on him on Friday, but as I mentioned earlier, it snowed. I will try to remember to get some videos and photos of him in action. Boy am I looking forward to riding him! He is going to be an amazing ride! HUGE mover and so pretty!


Lastly, a shout out to JoAnn. She called a week or two ago and I haven't had a chance to call her back. (Sorry Girlee!) Also to let WEB Ranch know that I am looking for bids to get little Toby out here. I will keep you all updated. I miss everyone and want you all to come join us out here in beautiful Colorado! Soon I will have pictures of the blooms. The Irises and other bulbs are already sending up their early shoots and Cody is sneezing up a storm. Soon it will be beautiful!

Spring?

I finally got the pictures of Angie! She's so cute and very cuddly. She only issue we've had with her is that her hind feet are very poorly trimmed and she is a little grumpy about getting them trimmed and shod. Today Marie had to resort to the needle. In a few more trimmings she should be considerably better.

I started working with Bailey today. He is Marie's big bay Clydesdale gelding. I am training him to ride so she can sell him. He's broke to drive but unfortunately is a little to "wired" for all the beginner drivers Marie deals with. He'd be great as a show horse or a riding horse but has a little too much "go" for downtown. He sure moves well and I look forward to riding him! Today I had no issues getting the saddle on him but when I started the jumping and hopping on the stirrups from the ground he was rather unnerved. He didn't even really like me sitting on the edge of the round pen. I will move slowly with this part. He's so big that I can hardly get the saddle on and I have a two step-stool that brings me to the point where I can mount normally. He's got to be at least 17hh!

Miss Pye is doing well and she got to go out to pasture with Annie today. I guess Pye pushed Annie around a bit, which I always like to hear. Keeps me from having to do it! =)

School is winding down as Finals are the second week of March. This week I have a paper due and next week is the Anatomy Lab final. Tomorrow Tiny Dog is going with me to do some lab for Vet. Sci. II. He's always happy to go until things start going up his bum. He got groomed tonight (so did Cody!) so at least he'll be looking good.

Morgan got her report card this week and she's doing well in social stuff and science but needs some work on reading, writing , and math. Poor kid, she's taking after her mother. She's doing better steadily but is still just a bit behind. Considering that she is in second grade and is working on FRACTIONS and ALGEBRA I feel she is doing just fine. I mean I didn't start working on that stuff until Jr. High and I was in an accelerated program! Geesh. They sure do school differently these days! Fewer hours, fewer days, and far higher expectations. Awesome.

Well, I am hoping to have more time to write and such here soon. At least the weather has been lovely. It was 65 today and is supposed to be similar for the rest of the week. If this keeps up I will continue to have plenty of riding time! Yippee!

Deep Cleaned

I got to visit the dentist today. Just last night I watched Bill Cosby: Himself on On Demand. As the super nice Doc was sticking me over and over again with the needle and my face was going numb I just kept hearing Cosby's dentist skit. By the time he was working on me I was mentally laughing about my "bottom lip (being) in my lap". Good thing I have a sense of humor or this adventure would have been less than pleasant. Luckily the Doc and assistant were horse folks and as I had my iPod I had pictures of my Annie to show off to them. Unfortunately, the dental visit was the highlight of my day, having taken another Parasitology test this morning. Send "passing" thoughts my way. I may not get through this class otherwise.

The photos included this time are provided by Marie. I am working on setting up her website and she sent photos of the farm today. Above is Marie in the back pasture driving Pippin, her little Suffolk gelding, when he was about 3. He is a little bigger now, and considerably more filled out. The other pics are of Jade, the 18+hh Belgian mare, and Clancy, the 1/2 Belgian 1/2 Clyde gelding in a striking flaxen sorrel coat with 4 stockings and a blaze.