Horsepower!

This is truely imaginative! Gotta love it!

Dan, Dan The Football Man

For those of you (all two :) ) who have read my previous posts, you know that Dan is playing football for West Lincoln High School. He's played for the last three years, year one playing JV, year two playing JV and Varsity (eight quarter), and this year, Varsity. He is team captain, and starting noseguard, OF/DL. He is being actively recruited by colleges (his parents are extremely excited about this), and is known as "a really good guy" by all. We congratulate Dan on his third Varsity letter this past weekend, and are looking forward to his senior year!

Election Night Excitement

Before:

After:

I refuse to watch until someone, somewhere knows for sure who will be the next President of the United States. After the last two elections, it's hard to believe anyone.

In other news, I have finally finished the "new" dining room. Let's hear a big cheer!!!! Okay, maybe it's not that exciting but now I can move on to the kitchen.

We're riding a lot. Watching the leaves and the weather change. Thanksgiving is almost here. Gabby has passed drivers ed, and will soon be driving (yikes). Dan's done with football, and on to weight lifting.

I'd like to win the lottery.....wishful thinking......more soon.....

Busy Weekend!

Clinton is actually sitting on Mindy (his horse) as she is sitting on her butt!
Riding
Talking...this guy is drop dead cute, and a heck of a teacher.

A day in the life.......Homecoming was friday night. Huge deal out here in the middle of nowhere. Old and new Rebel fans attends in their redneck regalia. The day starts with a tractor parade by the students on their own tractors which they drive to school. If you have never seen a school parking lot full of tractors, it's a sight to see. That night, the Rebels lost, but Dan had a great game, playing special teams, offense, and defense. Gabby and I got up Saturday morning and loaded Bella in the trailer, and went to Lynne's for her riding lesson. I look Bella out for a good ride, she wasn't thrilled to be away from home, but she'll have to get used to it. Plus, it got her away from Dreamer, who beats on her at any opportunity. Once we got home, Gabby gave Peyton her riding lesson on Apache, and I put her mother, April, on Dreamer. Peyton is only five, and has a lot to learn, but April is a very accomplished rider, and perfect for Dreamer. Thank goodness someone is riding her, because Jim doesn't, and I don't have the time to ride everyone. Sunday morning found Gabby and I up at 5:30 a.m. and heading for Fletcher, N.C. to see Clinton Anderson (he's a very accomplished horse clinician on RFD). We had a ball. He was fantastic, and if I can afford it, next year I'm going for the entire weekend. Needless to say, we didn't get home until late, tired but happy. Gotta love those horsey weekends! (Sorry about the phote quality, but they are from my cell phone)

I'm in TROUBLE...

As posted by my good friend, Anna, I have not updated my blog since (and I can't believe this) February. I guess I deserve a hard slap (preferably on the wrist, and not upside the head). Thinking back, this has been a long, expensive summer.

I have traded horses, stacked numerous loads of hay, visited the Biltmore with Gabby (our annual summer girls weekend), babysat a 4 month old filly for a friend, drilled a new well, added a new screened porch on the guest house, bought two cars, and am in process of haying my own fields for the winter. Phew.....perhaps I will be slighly forgiven for not updating.

Our 50 year old well collasped this summer. It went from 40 feet deep, to 32 in a large flush of mud. We knew a new well was going to be needed, but hoped it would hold out another year. The new well is, and don't faint, 905 feet deep. Approximately 13K later, we have wonderfully cold water, and great water pressure, and are b r o k e. OUCH.

Due to the energy crisis and cost of fuel (and Dan driving), we bought a 2008 Ford Focus. This adds to our growing Ford collection of 1. Ford F150 1. Ford F250 Super Duty, Turbo Diesel (Do Not even wonder what it cost to runs this, but it looks nice in the drive-way). and the Focus. I don't know why Fords, but we do fit in around here now.

Dan is now the starting noseguard and team captain of the West Lincoln Varsity Football team. He is doing very well. He is being actively recruited for college ball, and we can't be more proud or excited for him. Gabby is a freshman in High School (remember when, Anna?), once again a straight A student to date, and an extremely active social calendar. Chris is attending CVCC, and working as a cook at the Cherryville Country Club.

I am enjoying the election antics, but sometimes have to turn them off to preserve my sanity. Don't even get me started. My stocks are worth nothing, and the 401K is down 10%, I'll be working at Wal-Mart as a greeter when I'm 90....see ya'll there!

I'll post new pics this weekend of things, kids, ponies, etc. Until then, I hope I'm forgiven, and I'll try to keep up.....

Horse #4

I do not need another horse, I do not need another horse........well, that didn't work. We have found our leopard Appaloosa. Her name is Dreamer (I know, I know, but came with it, and has been called that since the age of 18 months). Her actual registered name is Little Della, she eight years old, and very sweet. She has a lot of personality. Jim loves her, and so far, she been a real lady about everything I've done with her. Jim better get building more stalls on the barns.....

Triplets!

I thought maybe two, but not three. I spent last evening delivering triplets from Matilda, our matriarch goat. She was humongus, but not anymore. Jim and the kids were in the pen with me. The first one came out, then the second. While I was cleaning up the first two, low and behold she popped out a third. Two girls and a boy, thank goodness we finally got some girls. Now we wait for Bambi and Moo....

And so it begins.....

The newest addition to the "family", and not the last. Jenny had her baby this morning, although as big as she was, I could have sworn she had two in there. It's a boy, and extremely cute. The "overo" ears are too adorable. All I can say is, One down - Three to go....I expect Matilda to pop any day, followed by Moo and Bambi. Zoey is the only smart one down there, not getting knocked up. Gabby keeps telling her "not before marriage". I'm hoping for some girls out of the other three .....Now, who wants one???

Warm, then Cold, then Freezing, then Warm....

I wish the weather would make up it's mind. I do have to say that this is first year that I have actually had to put the horses out in the pasture with their blankets on. Of course, today it's going to be seventy degrees, so they will be sweating in their natural winter coats.

The in-laws have left for the winter, back to Florida. Charlie will be back in late March/mid April for the grape vine planting, then I don't believe they'll be back to my backyard until August. This, of course, will be directly related to how hot Marie gets during this time.

Christmas was nice, but quiet. Chris came in from Charlotte. It was good to see him. He's so busy with his life now, college, work, friends, we hardly ever see him. He calls once a week, but it's not the same. I can't believe he'll be 21 in February. Man, am I getting old or what? Gabby and I went on a Christmas cookie delivery run with the horses on Christmas Eve before church. We enjoyed did, as did the receipents of the homemade cookies. I hope we can do it again next year. I didn't feel the spirit this year as I have in previous years. With everything that has gone on in the past few months, I just wasn't "ready" for the holidays. The food and company was good, and that's what really matters.

Mom and Dad bought a new motorhome. It's 4 feet shorter than the last (42 feet ),but has 2 slide-outs in the front along with the bedroom slide. They're planning the "big" trip for the year. I imaging we'll be seeing them a couple of times through here in '08. Dad's planning on retiring from the church. I think this last contract expires in April, and he's told them they will need to find another pastor. Mom keeps plugging along with her business.

On a completely unrelated topic, I recently had the "joy" of getting up close and personal with a deer. Unfortunately, it was with the van, and it was a 175 pound, 8 point buck. I swear he charged the car. I tried everything to miss him, but he came right at my front right quarter panel. Anyway, I do not recommend this to anyone as you can see by the picture.

Here's to a Happy and Healthy '08.......