Im so stupid-also, people are really pissing me off

I did something kind of dumb tonight, but I was so frigging mad, I could not stop myself.

All week, I have had to deal with stupid people not doing their jobs....or doing them in a way that makes me need to kill them. First it was the prescription company my insurance makes me use--they jacked up the price of my birth control so far, it is obscene. It is the only pill that works to keep me from being locked in the house for weeks on end and there is no generic, so I had to have some go rounds with them. That it costs so much infuriates me, but what about people who truly do not have the money? They have to suffer. That is bullshit.

I have been dealing with some work stuff this week that has been very frustrating, and it made my head hurt and my level of self-righteousness get out of control. There are so many hard things about my job, but after all these years, you would think I would be petty well immune to getting outraged at how the world is screwed up. Then some complete horse's ass comes along and makes me angry, and BAM--up goes my blood pressure again. It also showed me how much I rely on my career as a huge sense of identity--as I am trying to do battle with some people who truly need put in their place without using my professional qualifications to squash them. Well, the skills I use--but my identity, my role in the legal justice system, etc, I am not using. It is surprisingly crippling to me. I hate that I cannot smack these people down with my experience, my unique skill set and expertise in certain matters. I do not know a lot about a lot of things, but when it comes to criminal justice and criminal procedure--you will have a hard time finding a person outside of my little ivory tower world that can even imagine the things I know and know well. I am petty cocky about that, and I know it. But damn it, it is earned

Also, I am stuck on not being able to go to the gym, other than when I have an actual training appointment with the Bad Boy. And today, he had to cancel, so I have all this cranked up energy that did not get burned off. I just cannot seem to get over the hump to make myself go do cardio when I am not training with him, I do not know what the problem is. I am not mad at him, he had justification for cancelling, and I do that sometimes--just disappointed to go into the weekend without my traditionally insane Friday session.

So since I had free lunch hour, I saved it til late in the day and ran home on my lunch hour to feed Playmate. There, learned that they had not picked up my trash today like they get paid a ridiculous amount to do. I happened to be on the phone with mom, who was treated to an earful of very bad words and shrieking on my part. I swear to God, I felt like fire was shooting out of the top of my head.

The dumpster that has been totally full to overflowing for 13 days. That rarely happens, but thanks to the Farm Fairy that has been on a mission over there, it has been full since the day after they picked it up two weeks ago. I was so excited about gutting the garage all week, but knew I could not do it til the trash people came today. They did not come. I did not know until a little after 4, so I called the number on the can and was put on hold no less than 6 times, for a total of 45 minutes. So I went back to work and got another number, which someone finally answered.

But guess what they are not doing? Picking up my trash. The lady said Monday they would come, she would have to talk to the driver, as he marked on the list that he picked it up. I assured her he did not. It is possible I threatened to shoot someone. well, okay, more than possible

Everyone knows that I am not going to shoot anyone, as I do not have a gun. Which I told her. Who knows if she believes me. It is cases like this that prove why I cannot ever have one.

I am not going to get into why this dumpster is such a big damn deal because it will just make me look crazier than I already do. And I know that about me too, so see it is not just that I own good things about me, I can own the bad things. This dumpster has brought out all manner of signs of mental illness in me...some rage, some OCD, what is that thing when you are completely uncaring that you are involved in risky behavior? I got that too

Randy and Linda showed up at the farm when I was doing the stupid thing. I think I might have been jumping up and down in the driveway, clapping and squealing when they arrived. I'm sure they could tell I was wacked out, so they distracted me by taking us out to dinner. That calmed me down a lot. By the time dinner was over, I was normal. And I did not drink a single beer. Now THAT is impressive, considering how outraged I was.

Poor Barry. He is on his way home, and although he knows what I did, I suspect he has no idea what kind of firestorm he is walking into here.

Not the same at all

How can these two things be the same species? Tazer is turning into a good rester.

The bottom one is Sweet Pea, an 8 week old French bulldog pup. She is not a rester. She goes goes goes all the time, except when I was holding her like a baby last nite, with her little hiney fitting in my hand, and her head on my chest. Once I put her down though, she played like a crazy person with the other 10 Frenchies that live at her house. I have lots of pics of that still to be edited, but she was so cute, I had to put her up right away.

These are the funniest dogs. They look like bats kind of with those ears, and their short fat bodies absolutely kill me. They walk funny, and they snuffle. Cracks me right up to listen to them.

Thats all I have today, I am absolutely exhausted from staying up way too late last nite playing at Tracy's house. That is a story for another day

This is hysterical

New show on TV called Raising Hope. It is absolutely absurd. I have watched it a few times and it is growing on me.

It is about a dumb ass who knocked up a girl who ends up being executed for being a serial killer--but she had a baby on the way, and now he is in charge of the baby. The baby is Hope. There is a white trash set of parents and a great-grandmother who is Chloris Leachman who is not in her right mind.

There are two episodes tonight and I have laughed so hard, I might pee. These are the most absurd characters since My Name is Earl started---it has that kind of feel to the show. Earl used to be great, then fell apart. This is a pretty good substitute.

For sure, you should watch this show.

I realize this is not the most enthralling post you will read today, but I am trying to avoid telling you of the skunk that may or may not be in this house--it damn sure smells like it. I am afraid to get out of the big chair because I am afraid I will accidentally find it and get sprayed. What I am not going to do, because I have learned my lesson, is break through any walls to find this skunk that may or may not be in here.

We had the hellacious storm this morning, so maybe Skunky is hiding from the rain we barely got. I don't know. But I had a kind of crappy day, my head hurts again, the weather makes me mean and I am sure there is something else wrong with me.

Im gonna spare you by not getting into it-I will just get mad again and who has time for that.

Sell her!

Quarter Horse For Sale
	Price: $4500 Breed: Quarter Horse Color: Chestnut Sex: Filly Birth Date: Jan 1, 2009 Weight: 750.0 lbs Height: 14.0 hh
Additional Comments: The Demon is a gorgeous daughter of Highlight Cat, NCHA $135K, and Non-Pro Futurity Reserve Champion. Her dam is a producing daughter of Young Gun. Demon is the flashiest filly around--all kinds of Cat roaning, coon tail, while all over, big blaze face--she has virtually every marking you can imagine. You will not be overlooked riding this one. She is extremely well-balanced and even, with excellent conformation More photos available upon request She is ready to go to a great show home. Offers accepted. See our FB page --Onnn-A-Wym Farms/Strawn Equine Appraisals --for updates

I am outraged

for bout sixteen reasons, but this one is a doozy

Here it is the middle of the night, and I learn that I now have 101 followers. I paid attention to my 100th follower because that was very serious.. I was very grateful to my new friend Toemailer--check that one out. And then 101 showed up and I got so excited, I tried to figure out who it is

Guess who it is? AmyB, who might as well be me. I have several thoughts about this-- first, its great she signed on. Second, I have posted well over 1700 entries and NOW AmyB signs on?

I have known this sister since her freshman year at U of I, when she was just a hair over 17.5 years old, I am pretty sure--as she was one of those child genuises. I was 19, and a sophomore--I did not even have Barry yet. Saying it like that makes it seem like it was so fast, but it was not--we had many Barry free adventures that seemed like they took a long time, but I guess they did not. She almost got us both in jail in undergrad more than once, and caused fourteen kinds of havoc in an unlimited number of countries since then. It is not that she was bad--she was not---we just had a weird kind of chemistry that was probably illegal. The two of us were dangerous.

She once called Barry while I was visiting her in LA and had been asleep for so long she thought she had killed me---she made me ride A bike for more than 20 miles on the beach from Santa Monica to Hermosa Beach or some damn thing which does not sound that far, except it was a pub crawl so it was very far, when it turns out smart people were delivered by limo. It was some sort of foolishness with her MBA class at UCLA and I have since wondered if she had learned much, subjecting talent like me to a living hell. It has been like 8 years but I am still not over it. Also, she lies every time she tells the story, making it shorter, but it was not short,. Take my word for it., I would not get up even for pizza, that is how awful it was. She also almost caused me to get my ass kicked in that famous bar Sharkeez, where I had all those run ins with reality hoochies, and never even acted trashy about it---I am pretty sure she owes me for that. That was the day she resorted to buying drinks with a credit card because it was too hard to figure out what the cash denominations were. ... rest assured, we had a designated driver, but I do not remember much about that either, other than that it was Candys the roommate. She was swell.

When I was something like 36, she caused me to be removed from the first bar I have ever been pitched out of. But since it was Amy, it required her to be carried out of a burlesque club by a bouncer who was 5 inches shorter than her, which made the whole thing worth it--it was funny. Am is every bit of six feet tall and the bouncer was not---he dragged her backwards over a banquette seat and just kept draggin. He was practically tripping over her legs, and still he called me a bitch. I was the good one, for Petes sake---that was at the Forty Deuce at Mandalay Bay in Vegas. As usualy, we were right and they were wrong. That happens a lot.

We have been caught flat footed in a tropical storm. That was actually fun, but the bar tab was ridiculous. We were once almost killed by an underwater Jesus in Key Largo--that was not funny. When Amy lived in Australia back in the day, we had every kind of adventure---we went sky diving, winery visiting (Ooy that was something), were thrown out of a hotel for lack of morals, and called my main man on the phone--her not too far away neighbor, Boy George. He was not home but we left a lovely message, and Barry spent the whole time shaking his head and wondering how in the hell he got there.

This might be the first time I realized I had Amy before I had Barry. That is interesting. When Barry and I started dating, everywhere we went, people thought they were together. I guess they thought I was the troll. They do kind of match because they are both so tall. She feels like family so much it is easy to forget she is not--although she is a Yankee, something Dad will never let her forget. She is in Houston more than I am , and the whole family has money down on whether Amy or I will meet Crewser first

I so bet Mandy will allow that too because she probably forgot Amy is a Yankee too. Amy has tried to serve me to bad monsters underwater when we were scuba diving. I think she is trying to get back at me for making her wear a lovely coral frock as part of the bridal party---that was also back in the day when you had the shoes died to match the frocks. Do you have any idea how hard it is to come by size 11 dyable shoes? It aint easy, but since it is me, Amy was not the only one with the big feet. Tranae was just as bad. I had a pretty hot set of bridesmaids, and most of them have gotten back at me since thin, but I am still awaiting my punishment from Amy. It better not involve an eel or a night dive, or this relationship is over.

Best friends

I had a weird day--like I woke up of my own accord at 9:30. I do not even do that on weekdays. I am one of those people that sleeps until the world blows up or they have to pee--or 12 hours, whichever comes first. I have worked hard this weekend and it has been really nice. But I miss Barry and want him to come home--he says maybe next weekend. Actually he says he will be home Friday. But with his work, you never know, and his mom is still in the hospital going on day 10 for a 5 day visit--and I kind of think he wont really come here.

In any event, I did a FREAKISH amount of work before 1 pm. I was waiting for the rain, and it still has not come. I thought it would be a good day to see how Fonz would do after home confinement like he has been on for four weeks. He acts like he feels great, and he needs a trim, but I thought he might love some sun and movement

Plus, Sly has been breaking my heart standing in the barn mooning at him. He loves his mini Fonz.

There was some sniffing and loving. A lot of it in fact. It went on forever. Sly was so glad to have his buddy back. Fonz pretty much did not give a shit--but that is the Fonzie way of life.
Then there was some simultaneous rolling and just being happy about the world.
And as disappointed as I was to not get to photograph the classic Fonz-kick-Sly-in-the-chest, Sly-bite-Fonz-on-the-withers, because it only happened once before I was ready with the camera--it was nice to see how happy they were to be back together. Twister, mind you, had his head in a round bale and was completely disinterested.

Both of these horse crack me up. Fonz is a fine animal, who obviously was trained well when young. I sure wish I knew who did it, as I could advertise for him. Sly of course, is a breed unto himself. He is the lovingest animal I know. I wish people who think all stallions have to be man handled could know this one. I swear to you he spent 10 minutes just feeling Fonzie, like he was hugging him all over.

I will monitor Fonz in the morning to see how he is moving. He was sweating his poor butt off in the barn-he grew his long hair and then it started hitting 80 again. It broke my heart--I thought he needed some time out on the deadly dirt/grass, if only to cool him off. I actually thought the rain would drive him back in but it never rained again. I will check him in the morning to see what he needs, but I know he is having fun tonight.

almost 100

hey lookie there---almost 100 followers!~ Hard to believe there are 99 people in the world who would spend their time following me on the off chance I say something funny. And lately I have not been a bit funny.

I will work on that. But right now, I have to play with the dog.

Be back later

What sucks about Fall

Guess what I will be doing all day tomorrow? And since there are 30 more just like this, it may be like this for the rest of the year.

I hate cockleburrs almost as much as I hate nasty people who are dumb yet talk all the time.

Where did they go?

Is Blogger having a brain fart? ALL of the blogs I follow are gone from my dashboard. It now says I do not follow any.

This is very bad. I know most of the ones I have followed for a long time, but I have recently added some new ones. I may never find them again.

Is anyone else having this problem? will they come back?

Bad heroin will get you every time--what is wrong with me?

Maybe you have noticed this or not--but my reactions to things are not normal. I do not know if it is just general contrariness, or after all of the nastiness I have seen through my work, or what it is, but I am extremely unpredictable in my reactions to hot issues in the news. The only thing that is predictable about me is that whatever my reaction is, it will likely be the opposite of normal people.

For example, the Chilean miners? I do not care. Do not ask my why, and I am ashamed to admit it, but I totally do not care. I only know two other people with the same reaction (and oddly, they are two of my best friends). The rest of the world was traumatized. Not us. Terrible atrocities in the world? Eh--not my thing. Major family medical emergency? I pretty much have no visible reaction, it just goes on the calendar to be handled. But Christian the Lion on TV, and I practically need to be sedated. I cried at the frigging Freestyle Reining at Congress and I do not even KNOW those people. Mess up my training schedule and I am likely to have a full on come apart. Back the truck into the dumpster at the farm? Ugh, but who really cares. Bring up my Uncle Don and his marble collection, and I will completely lose it in hysterical tears.

I am telling you, I am not a normal person, and I know this. It is embarrassing, but it is true all the same. My oddities are so well known that my family knows how to set me off by bringing up certain topics (like Don and the marbles), knowing I will end up in a pile on the floor while they point and laugh.

My newest peculiar reaction is something that has been in the news lately.

Evidently, there is a bad batch of heroin going around and people are overdosing willy nilly. Like 9 people in the recent weeks or so, in a metro-East County--so not just a few people, but a bunch of them

My first thought is--who gives a shit? It is not like it is bad insulin for pete's sake, something that people need. It is heroin. It is easily avoided, unlike something you have to have to stay alive. ODing is a risk you take with potent drugs. So what's with the outrage over the bad heroin?

Seems like a fair way to clean the gene pool to me--these people choose to take it, it is not forced on them, so if it goes bad--oh well.

My second thought is that I am going to hell for thinking like this, because I am sure family members etc are devastated about losing these people. You cant help who you love. So that is my disclaimer.

Am I the only person who is completely out of whack?

Some frivolousness

And this time I am not talking about the government-although tonight, I made it home by 7pm only to have the government interfere again.

My goal was to get here in time to watch Americas Next Top Model, but oh hell no--the governor candidates were debating again. Current Gov Quinn versus Brady. Its a dilemma for sure, which is the biggest jackass. It sickens me, even before the debate interfered with my lovely evening at home. Quinn is an idiot and Brady is on the wrong side of virtually every one of my issues. The whole thing makes me want to choke someone out. The only thing worse is when Alexi Giannoulias gets on the TV--Lord have mercy, he makes me cringe. What a pack of fools we have in this state. And they just keep going on TV to demonstrate it. It is truly appalling. I cannot wait until the election is over, if only to stop hearing them embarrass themselves.

So anyway, back to the frivolity-- my point is that I have just started paying attention to who the contestants are on the next Celebrity Apprentice, which I swear is one of my very favorite shows ever in the world.

The spring edition is going to have these people:

NeNe Leakes

John Rich

Mark McGrath

David Cassidy

Dionne Warwick

LaToya Jackson

MeatLoaf

LilJon

Lisa Rinna

Jose Canseco

Marlee Matlin

Richard Hatch

Niki Taylor

Hope Dworaczyk

Star Jones

I think its interesting how many of these people have been on reality shows--Niki Taylor, Richard Hatch, John Rich, NeNe Leakes...it will be interesting to see how they behave on this show versus the other shows. Also, it will be interesting to see if Lil Jon actually speaks English, and if he is smart, instead of the clown he seems to be. I think John Rich is kind of hot, in a flamboyant kind of way, and for sure Mark McGrath is, so at least there will be someone to look at.

Anyone else dedicated to this who? Who do you think the front runners are?

I cannot believe my life has come to this. Same ol same ol every day--work, exercise, tend to animals, sit in the big chair and watch TV. If I am this pathetic now, I cannot imagine how bad I will be when the time really changes. One cool thing happened today--the prints I ordered from my photography experiment arrived and they are fantastic. I cannot believe I actually took those pics. Freaks me right out.

More than halfway to the weekend----cross your fingers I make it that far without really screwing up something--so far this week, I have been relatively safe for the rest of the world to be around. I know it cannot last long though

Blank all over, etc

That is what I am. I am not exhausted, not sick, not excited, not hungry, not full of energy--just kind of blank.

I get like that sometimes, and I hate it, because my usual answer to that is to eat a huge amount of something so it will make me feel sick, because at least then I am FEELING. I realize that is insane. My insanity should not come as any surprise to anyone. I will be damned if I do that tonight.

So I have little to say. I took some fun pics, but my computer is su

per slow tonight to download them. Now that I am shooting RAW, it takes two different editors to get pics fit to post. Big pain in the ass.

My neighbor and friend Vickie has taken to helping me at the farm. We are on the same weight loss competition team at the Y and you get competition points for helping a neighbor. She has been going nuts over there. She waters every morning, which is AWESOME, because it frees up so much time for me at night. She has been chainsawing, weeding, cleaning up, you name it, she is doing it. Last night, she came over to show me something on Reno I could not find, and stayed to help me do some stuff. We saddled Harley for the second or third time ever, and Voodoo, and they both practiced standing tied. They did great! She stuck around so I could ride Hammer for the first time since last year--he is a big ol boy compa

red to last year, it is a completely different feel. He needs his teeth done, but I thoroughly enjoyed my short ride, I need to keep doing it. We got Taz's booster shots done, which required haltering him for only his second time. He is now learning some lessons. That would not have happened had she not been playing with babies for a wh

ile.

We doctored Tarzan who is not only sick with a cough and the snots, but has poked his leg above his knee so that it is swollen up--he gets doctored and wrapped and given a gentacin shot, and SMZ tabs, you name it, he get it for five days. She helped with everything and we got ALL that done in just over 2 hours. Incredibly productive way to start a week!

My puppies are still separated from each other. Tazer is starting to be a menace in the yard--barking and acting a fool when he knows I am in the barn. I hope he does not carry on like that all the time. He has still only gained 10 pounds total since we got him, so he is fed all the time--even if that is 1:30 am or 5:30 after he potties. That is kind of wearing me out, but thankfully, he goes back to bed easily. I appreciate that. Simba has been acting like Captain Quaalude, so the vet and I are trying some different meds. It is okay if she is senile, but if she is so zoned because she is in pain, that is no good. Now she is on two different pain meds, and I truly think I might be seeing some difference already. That would be a huge relief. Being over ten years old does not happen to a lot of Danes, and I want her happy and comfortable for as long as possible. Slater is just asleep all the time--hard to remember he is an old dude at 8.5 as well. He has always been a sleeper, but this is kind of crazy.

Fonzie the mini is doing well on his stall rest to recover from his laminitic episode. I took him on a walk in the road tonight, and while I am pretty confident he is no longer flaring up, he is a little off on his left. He needs the farrier, so that is on the list. In his stall, he seems to be doing great.

This is silly, I say I have nothing to talk about then start talking animals again. I have to stop that.

Surely, I will be perkier tomorrow

Funny but Awful

Illinois gubernatorial candidate Rich Whitney (G)

Read More

2010 elections, IL-GOV, Rich Whitney

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There are typos and then there are complete and utter catastrophes.

The Chicago Sun-Times reports that the name of Green Party gubernatorial candidate Rich Whitney is misspelled "Rich Whitey" on electronic-voting machines in 23 wards -- "about half in predominantly African-American areas." The error only occurs on screens voters would see when they are reviewing their choices (Whitney's name appears correctly on the initial screens), but officials say the error cannot be corrected before election day.

Jim Allen, spokesman for the Chicago Board of Elections, told the Sun-Times he expects 90% of votes on election day to be cast on paper ballots -- minimizing the number of voters who would see the misspelling.

"I don't want to be identified as 'Whitey.' If this is happening in primarily African-American wards, that's an even bigger concern," Whitney told the Sun-Times. The paper says he's considering legal action. "I don't know if this is machine politics at play or why this happened."

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Really? RICH WHITEY????? Rich Whitey for Governor. Aside from all the absurd jokes that can come of this...like aren't most candidates Rich Whitey?......this is a bad situation. Sure, it is the Green Party, but he got more than 10% of the vote in the last election, so he is not an out-there candidate at all. But now he is RICH WHITEY. Dear God.

I went to law school with Rich. He is a really nice guy. Of all the people in the world I know, he is the last one that I would describe as Rich Whitey, but that is what the ballots say.

Leave it to Illinois to jack up one more damn thing in the political realm

Smart Little Lena Clones to Sell

written by QHN Staff (John Brasseaux photo)

Smart Little Lena Four clones of Smart Little Lena have been consigned to the National Cutting Horse Association Futurity sale, according to Smart Little Lena Clone Co-Manager Jimmy Bankston. The 4-year-old stallions will sell during the NCHA World Finals Sale at the 2010 NCHA Futurity, on either Dec. 3 or 4. They’ll be auctioned back-to-back. “These are good lookin’ horses,” Bankson said. “They carry the genes of the greatest cutting horse that ever lived and we’re looking forward to presenting them to the public.” The four Smart Little Lena clones are part of a group of five cloned in 2005 by researchers at Texas A&M University. One clone passed away due to complications of a cancerous tumor, according to Bankston. All four other clones, he added, are healthy and produce viable semen. Indeed, it’s this ability to pass on Smart Little Lena’s genes that buyers might find attractive about these horses. According to the experts, genetics material contributed by a clone of a male horses is identical to the original, as the mitochondrial DNA is not passed on in the breeding process. This means an offspring of a Smart Little Lena clone carries the exact same genetic material as an offspring of the original Smart Little Lena. However, any foals by the Smart Little Lena clones cannot be registered with the American Quarter Horse Association. As for why the clones are being sold, Bankston explained that the group of clone owners was "not operating as a cohesive unit," and that selling the horses will enable each one of them to receive individual attention and be promoted. “That’s what they deserve because they are very special horses,” Bankston said. “Smart Little Lena was a one-of-a-kind stallion, both as a performer and as a sire, and these clones have the ability to pass on those legendary genetics. Also, they’ve [the clones] gotten a lot of attention and someone wants to have one just as a pasture ornament, as something special to add to their horse inventory.” Smart Little Lena (Doc O’Lena x Smart Peppy x Peppy San) was bred by Hanes Chatham and purchased as a 2-year-old by Bill Freeman. The stallion and Freeman won the 1982 NCHA Futurity and then went on to top the 1983 NCHA Super Stakes and NCHA Derby, along with the 1984 The Masters Cutting. With very little showing, Smart Little Lena retired with $267,085 on his record, according to Equi-Stat, a statistical division of Cowboy Publishing Group. Over the next three decades, Smart Little Lena built an amazing record as a sire. He fathered approximately 2,300 registered foals (Quarter Horse and Paint and half earned money. According to Equi-Stat, there are 1,312 money-earning offspring that have posted $39 million (this figure does not include weekend money earned in 2010). The leaders are: Red White And Boon ($922,063), Smart Peppy Lena (PT) ($494,314), and Justa Smart Peanut ($417,739). Smart Little Lena’s foals went on to construct their own impressive records. His sons sired 5,697 money-earning foals that have so far won $67 million, a list topped by Chiquita Pistol ($552,591), Im Countin Checks ($514,757), Our Little Dyno ($422,199) and Smart Spook ($374,025). On the maternal side, Smart Little Lena’s daughters have thus far produced 1,805 money-earning babies that have put $45 on the books. His best maternal grandfoals are: Dual Rey Me (785,558), Redneck Yachtclub ($506,627), Third Cutting ($415,819) and Pappion Cat ($379,815).

Read more: http://quarterhorsenews.com/index.php/cutting/cutting-outside-the-pen/9909-smart-little-lena-clones-to-sell.html#ixzz12D1wLuT8

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This is fascinating to me. Barry and I were just talking about how this is the first year for a clone to show at a Futurity. I cannot wait to see him and see how he compares to the original. One clone, of Docs Serendipity, sold at a futurity sale a few years ago, as a yearling if I recall correctly. I was excited to see how she would be received, and made my plane reservations to make sure I was there to see it. She did not bring a huge amount--$13K or so, I think--but I believe she also had a spot on her eye. I believe that ultimately did cause her problems. But this year, there is a clone showing that is right on track, so some history is going to be made.

Now this is added. Im more than a little frustrated that these clones will sell the week before I get to Ft Worth--I cannot justify taking more time off of work just to see it. Hopefully, I will be able to watch the sale online, but that is a poor substitute for being there and feeling the energy of the crowd. There is not much I like more than the adrenaline of a good sale. I know there have been a lot of problems with the ownership of these clones since before they were even on the ground, so it kind of makes sense to just be done with it all, but it still makes me a little sad.

Congress Freestyle Reining

Pretty good show this year. There were some cute entries, some that made no sense, and then there were the ones that really stood out. Like this one.

Laura Mae Schoeler won the Freestyle Reining at Congress this year. It was a really fun routine. I have the link to the video here, but it does not do it justice at all. Anyway, you can see it here. ttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzOn5QE9lG0

It was a Smarty Jones theme, and she did it all without the regular tools of a reiner--her butt and her legs. Well obviously, she used her legs, but the saddle she used is so different from a reiner that her legs were nowhere near the position the horse would be used to. It was really impressive. Its fun to see something different every once in a while.

The One to Watch

Once again, it looks like Shawn Flarida is riding the one to beat this year in the reining world.

SDP Justice is Comin won the Congress Reining Futurity on Thursday. Although I missed a good chunk of the finals, I did get to see this one. Unfortunately, the pics are atrocious, since I could not get a good position and the lighting is really bad. I just could not move the shutter fast enough and still have light, so this is what we get.

Of course, I get excited because this is another TR Dual Rey colt, and Diablo is in foal to TR for next year. I'm glad I decided to bite the bullet and breed her to him, and it seems like I picked the right time to do it, as they keep getting better and better. Now they are winning reinings too.

This horse has won all three reining futurities he has shown in this year--let's see if he can beat the jinx. He sure looks to have all the parts down, but he is still just three years old like the rest of them--anything can happen with a baby, so it is anyone's game until the show is over. This year, I am going to Oklahoma City with Holly, for her first trip. That should make it extra fun.

I have lots more pics to go through of the Freestyle Reining, and some video of the World Series of Cutting (which was the best cutting for consistency I have ever seen), and pics of the PBR, from our weekend at Congress. I will keep plugging away on them, and get them up as soon as I can.

Rumors of a Rat

Im back from my 5 days at Congress, playing with Barry. Got back just as it was getting dark tonight. I have been miraculously out of touch most of the weekend. I talked to mom Thursday nite, and my Amish a couple of times, but that hardly counts. I was really and truly out of touch with everything at home, which is exactly what I needed.

But let me tell you, that is a long freaking drive. I know it is 400 miles, but it is the longest 400 miles I have ever driven--and it is hardly the first time I have driven it so I should not be surprised. I stopped in Cincinnati, a place I love, on the way home to do a few things, but mostly, I just put my foot down and hauled my fat butt home at my usual illegal pace. It still took all dang day,

As with all my trips, I check in when I get close, so I can adjust to what kind of hell I am walking into when I get here. I try to time it just right--if something is bad, and I am too far away, that is bad. But if I am too close, I do not have time to get my panic under control. This time, I left Fonzie foundering in a stall, Foxy in a pen with an eye issue blooming, and three babies in the barn continuing the weaning process. And Tazer's first time at home alone.

Just this side of Louisville, mom called. She swore nothing was wrong. That usually means a bunch of stuff is wrong. Talking to mom when she is on her cell is complicated--she talks in her car using the bluetooth thing that lets her talk through the radio. It echoes. Its irritating. There are a lot of WHATS? and HUHS? and SAY THAT AGAINS with those conversations. She asked if I got some emails, I did, then she said something about a RAT.

That is one of the few words that makes me freak out like a ten year old girl. I am not kidding you. After a bunch of WHAT THE HELL DID YOU JUST SAY TO ME?s, I got the dirt. Evidently a rat drowned in the water trough in the babies stall. A RAT. I do not do rats (maggots either--those are the only two farm things I simply cannot abide). I have never in all these years seen a rat at the farm. Mice, yes. Foxes, yes. Skunks, groundhogs, coyotes, possum and raccoons, yes. But no rats. And that is the way I like it.

I got her to tell me about the rat, and how it freaked her out so she LEFT IT THERE. For me. Knowing full well I would likely have a panic attack. Is that motherly love, I ask you? I got a good description of where he was so I was not surprised, and then I worried about it all the way home. I went straight to the farm, and started the process...Playmate in her stall, feed the blind horses, make Foxy's special mix, check all waters, prepare the multiple buckets for everyone else that gets it--the whole time looking around for this damn rat. I guess I thought it would jump up and get me, despite being dead as a mackeral. It made for a very stressful feeding, let me tell you.

Before it was all said and done, I came to the conclusion that there is no rat. There just was not one. I saw the damp spot where mom said she poured the water out of the bucket, so this big honking rat she described should have been right there. It was not. I could not find it anywhere.

So did she make up this rat to freak me out? Or did someone--who?--take my rat? WTF?

More scenes from my jacked up world

I guess I get used to it but still sometimes I am surprised by the ridiculous things that happen in my life. Today is a good example

It started this morning when I woke up and it was 52 degrees in my house. That is a little nippy even for me. But I will be damned if I turn the heat on the same week I turned the A/C off. Plus, I am hardly ever here, and when I am, I sleep with big smelly heat providing dogs. I dont need the furnace. Good thing too since I am in a war with my propane provider and am ready to carry through on my three year old threats to quit their asses. This will require the propane to run out so the propane tank can go away and a new one come in--so every morning when I turn on the shower, I hold my breath that there will actually be hot water. I am way too stubborn though to give up already paid for propane, so I play this stupid game of getting as close to out as possible before I call someone.

Today, though, I had hot water. I thought that was a good thing until I got in there and tried to shave my legs, something I also do every day. Do not ask me why, but I go nutty if I do not shave every day. Little known fact about me--and kind of odd since I probalby do not brush my hair more than twice a week. I am a little sore from training with the Bad Boy yesterday--that is what I have named my new trainer. By the time I put my left foot up on the wall, my hamstrings were screaming. I was in legitimate fear that I would not get out of the shower at all, and would be stuck in there when the propane finally ran out.

I managed to live through that, and moseyed down to the barn here at the house to check on the Fonzinator. I bought him some chopped timothy and oat hay and I wanted to see how he was getting along with it. He loves it--so much so that he knocked the dish out of my hand, and pitched it all over me. You dont know me well if you think I bothered to change clothes before moving on. I did not. I do not have time for that sort of bidness.

Next I ran my before work errand--returning a bucket of mouse babies to the elevator where I buy feed. A bucket of babies, I said. That is not something that comes up very often, but if it is going to happen, it will happen to me. When I opened a bag of feed, I found a number of peculiar things in it, but the most offensive was a batch of teeny mouse babies. Cooked, or something unappetizing. Must not have been cooked, mom pointed out, or they would have been dried out and they most definitely were not. They were sort of gelatinous, which is the absolute worst condition I think anything can be in. They were little bald babies, but had whiskers and toenails and I suspect they will keep showing up in my nightmares for a while. Anyway, bucket of babies delivered with not nearly the reception I thought they were entitled to.

On to work, I went. It was a regular day--lunch with my mom, finishing an aggravated battery brief, and putting the finishing touches on some thievery, read about some good old fashioned killing, I solved a pile of problems, and handled 30-11 phone calls of varying natures, most of which were about how the world is out to get someone. I do not know what these other people are whining about, I am the one who had to drive a bucket of freaking babies around town like they were Miss damn Daisy. I am clearly the one with drama in her life. Mostly today, I felt effective, focused, good at my job, and totally on the ball. That is probably why today strikes me as an odd one--I did not feel at all like everything was spinning out of control and I had to chase it down and tackle it. That despite the phone ringing off the hook, everyone needing something and the physical condition of my office being enough to make me need a sedative.

I was on such a roll, I worked late. I do that a lot, but it messes me up re: the rest of my life when it gets dark and I am still there. It mixes me completely up. Watch me go back there in the morning and find out I messed up everything I touched--I swear I have the anti-Midas touch.

The Bad Boy was so proud of me at the gym he said to me "Look at your balls!" At first, I found that peculiar, but I have decided to embrace it.

Look at my balls, indeed

No way to start a Monday

If you are the Baconator, and just trying to enjoy some early morning sun---it probably sucks to have the big Tazer stick his nose up your butt and boot you right out of your nap.

Peeg is no shrinking violet though--and quick on his feet--so he put that dog in his place in a heartbeat. I am not convinced Tazer took him seriously at first.

Clearly he is not dumb--maybe just a little slow to pick up on Peeg's subtle signals.

Before I had backed out of the driveway, peeg was back to snoozing by his hay bale and Tazer had been dispatched to the other side of the driveway. Through this whole thing, Charlie the Cat was asleep on top of peeg's hay bale--I dont think he even lifted his head to see all the ruckus.

In other news, Fonzie is foundering again, so has been put on lockdown. So strange that I have had him for six years and not until last fall did he have the first problem. I shoved his short butt into the barn here at the house on Saturday and got him all sat up in a deeply bedded stall, and started him on timothy cubes. He loves that stuff. I have to get some pics of him in his shavings, up to his knees. He is a happy boy, and doing really well already--even running from me in the stall. Considering he could barely walk on Saturday, that is a huge improvement. Life can be hard on a mini horse, I guess--but he is living like a prince right now, and acting like he is completely entitled to it.

The other news is I went to Dad's doctors appointment today to hear the answer about whether his cancer is in the lining of his bladder. Its not--cancer all gone. He will do six weeks of immunotherapy starting in a month and that will cut the chances of recurrence by 50%.

Last piece of news is that I am off to Congress on Thursday nite---going to spend three or four days there. Congress has the best shopping for horse stuff anywhere. Barry went to watch some cutting and reining today--rough life he has huh? Im looking forward to the trip though--is anyone else going to be there?

Tazer is improving

Something about that doofy look on his face makes me laugh. Every single time.
Baby Tazer had his stitches out on Wednesday and learned that he has gained 5-6 pounds since his surgery two weeks ago. That actually surprised me, but I was thrilled. Now we only need to do that about 8 more times!

I do not know how his stitches are related to his brain--or maybe he was just really happy to have his cone off of his head--but he has since lost his fool mind. He is so silly, practically bouncing off the walls, and acting like a normal dog. It does my heart good, even if it does put the rest of me in danger of injury.

I worried about it being the right time to bring a new dog into the house, but I think things happen for a reason. Its hard to move a new one into the family, and that is not really something we have done yet for all these reasons, but he is turning out to be a great dog. He stays in the yard to play by himself, does not follow me down the driveway, he quit barking when he is alone, he now can sleep through the night without getting me up, and if not, I can throw him out in the front yard and know he will be okay, he gets along with peeg and Charlie, he has only had accidents in the house when I left him WAY too long and that was when he was in the laundry room recovering so it does not count. He likes everyone who comes over and loves all over them. He even learned to sit--or finally just decided to let me know he can do it. Its such a relief that he is turning out to be so easy, since so often it is not. I think we did good