Peeg's trauma

Peeg is so grateful that BS finally trimmed the mess around his second favorite tree--he really likes to rest there, and now he can get a good waller up and sun at the same time, without dealing with weeds. And he needs this rest because he had a hard weekend.
This morning, Peeg was on high alert when I left for work. In fact, he has been on high alert since Sunday nite, when the big trauma happened. Really, I just included this picture because those belly wrinkles absolutely crack me up. Anyway, Peeg finally got his tusks clipped Sunday night. And what a spectacle it was! This required a rope to go in his mouth and be snugged up over his snout. But first you have to catch him.

The screaming started long before we ever got our hands on him. Boce loves visiting, and being petted on his own terms, and he particularly loves having his belly scratched, and sometimes his butt scratches make his leg shake like a dog--but he does NOT like being held. Not at all. He must have known he was going to be trapped, because he started screaming like a mad man when we first even thought of catching him.

We chased him around in the garage for a while--and you have not seen a disaster area like our garage. Much of that is Boce's fault but even when we did not have him, it was a disaster. He makes piles though. All of this is to tell you what a circus this was--three people chasing him, me cackling like a loon, Head cussing and Linda laughing and asking Head if he was really having a heart attack. Eventually, Head tackled Boce on a mattress, and got the rope in his mouth. That just made him scream more. Boce not Head. Well maybe both.

The next step was to get the cutters. Bolt cutters. I stood behind and over Boce and scratched his belly while he got nipped. When he was not screaming, he was humming because he really likes that tummy scratching. At some point, I fell down backwards and he plopped right in my lap. That just made me laugh harder, which he did not appreciate. I think he was just overwhelmed and maybe a little mad at us for laughing at him. So he got his teeth did, and the second we took the rope of his snoot, he shut up. Then he ran like hell.

This process does not hurt, so please do not think we are evil. He was starting to use those things as weapons. He bit Simba just before we did this, for no reason at all, other than that she was standing there. He was just tasting her, not being mean, but with tusks three inches long, some damage can be done.

By the time he got back from dinner, Boce loved me again, but when he saw Head, he turned around and ran away. Guess that will take more than an hour to get over.

But look how pretty he looks! No more ouchy tusks sticking out. He is such a handsome peeg.
Charlie on the other hand, is one angry cat for some reason. Maybe he watched this whole thing go down, and is holding a grudge on Boce's behalf. I am never sure about Charlie--he is a strange dude. Why else would his best friend be a pig?

This and That

I am so boring. But a lot of things have been going on around here--mostly little stuff, but stuff all the same.

For example, Madison finally beat the hay spear on the tractor into submission, so that we could put the bucket on and move the rock for the weaner castle. We did that Tuesday nite. It really grates on me when I cannot do something I want to do, so that is a big relief. I still have about four tons of rock sitting in the middle of the driveway, which will start driving me crazy, but for now, I am content.

The farrier was there Tuesday, and pronounced Fonzie free of any changes in his feet from his laminitic episode. Looks like we may have caught it in time to avoid any damage, although it is a little early to be sure we can call him good. I did let him go in with the babies to play, since he has been locked up so long. I may regret that and change him to another holding area soon--he is either getting beat up on or picking on someone else half the time I look.


Five others got trimmed too--including Harley who will be going to training next. She is Gyro's two year old--her last foal. She is in a funky growth spurt, but is 14'3" at the hip and plenty stocky. She did great for her trim and cockleburr removal, and her vaccines.


Target got trimmed too--his feet are a disaster. No matter what we do, they are a mess. Makes me nuts.

While the farrier was there, he helped me deal with Bijou who drives me crazy. She needed haltered and let out of the stall where she has been since weaning. Melody's babies are a pain in the ass, but when they come around, they really come around. She will be great eventually--if I let her live that long. I suspect she will be fine in the baby pen. I hope. Since it will be hard for me to fix if she is not, that is. On that note, China scratched her eyeball somehow--so she is being doctored for that. She is behaving wonderfully for it--always coming right to me to offer to have her eyeball goobered up. I like that.

Speaking of Mel's babies--Hammer was unwilling to load in a timely fashion on Sunday, so he is reacquainting himself with the inside of a trailer. We built a pen for him that is attached to the gray trailer--and he is fed inside of it. If he wants to eat, he has to go in the trailer. Tuesday morning, I checked on him while it was pouring rain--he was standing outside looking pathetic. By the time I got home Tuesday evening, he was happy as a clam standing inside the trailer like he was ready to roll. He stayed there a long time. I was at the farm probably three hours and he was in and out like clockwork. I love that trailer trick--it worked WONDERS on his brother Mojo.

This is what he looked like after our little tool around the farm Monday nite--before he realized this trailer was getting ready to be his world. He looks so innocent, doesn't he? I love this little bugger. Even when he looks a little swishy from standing like that.

Hammer has clearly loaded reasonably well for the rest of his life, but has recently decided he would rather not. This should snap it in the bud, as I want him to go with me camping this weekend. Since Barry won't be here to drive the horse trailer, and I am not about to attempt to get the Mack Daddy trailer in and out of the drive--we will load in the road outside the farm...not the place to have words with the Ham. Let's hope this works to make things as easy as they were for Mojo.



What else do I have? Ah--I thought Boce moved his kitties, but he has not. They are living in the black hole that is my garage. Mama came to me and acted sweet so I gave her a can of kitty food I had bought for the previous kitties. She shared it with her babies, who are laying on my favorite yellow blanket. I wondered where that was. Boce was very nice to not interfere in their dinner, even though his nose was twitching like crazy trying to figure out what their food was. He visited the babies and was very protective of them.

The last info of note is that I finally gave in and had my elbow xrayed. I could see a crack in it, but have no idea what the doc is going to do about it. My bet is nothing. I expect I will hear from him tomorrow. All I want is that shot that makes it stop hurting.

That is about all I have to offer up--nothing of great significance. It is getting ready to get exciting around here though, over the next few weeks...so put on your seatbelts and get ready!

Happy Days--on Hiatus

That Happy things business is getting boring. So I am taking a day off from that crap. Maybe more. We will see, you know I hate being tied down.

Pig is adjusting to missing Tequila. She was his best friend. He has seemed depressed all week--0either that or he ate Roundup, and I think he would be sicker had he done that. Before she died, he even gave her his special mattress in the garage when she started going downhill. He made himself a pallet next to her on the floor so he would not bother her, but you could pretty much always find him there just being with her.

Now that he has figured out she is really not coming back, he tried the bed out one day, and that is how I knew that he knew. Since then he has moved back out to his summer quarters--the pigloo. I have found him there every morning on my way to work, and finally he showed me his new teefers that he is growing. Check out those tusk-like things. Maybe they are tusks. Hell I don't know, what do I know about pigs?

I am showing you this pic because it pretty much describes my day. I bushhogged at the farm last nite long enough to tear all the hotwire out between the back pasture and the back of the hay field. Good times. then I laid in the pool until almost dark, reading a book and playing on the internet. I ended up staying up late watching ridiculous TV. It was a very nice nite.

I did not wake up til 10 am and stayed in bed with Slater watching TV until noon. Then we watched a different TV. We did nothing. Absolutely nothing, despite my long list of crap that needed to be done. No that is not true- I fried up some bacon (something I never do or let BS do because it stinks up the house), and got splattered right next to my eyeball with hot grease. Now I have the stigmata and a boiled spot on my face--I am so cute.

This is the first weekend that Barry has not come home, or I have not gone there. It is kind of weird. In anticipation of me not getting paid, he is trying to cram in some over time, which is very cool of him. Plus, driving back and forth every weekend is expensive, since it is so far--and it is exhausting to start the week out running behind.

It finally stopped raining but it was still overcast and not nice enough to do anything, so back to bed I went about 4:30. I am not kidding when I tell you this was the laziest day of my life. To that point, I had done nothing but find some new hysterical blogs, and watch stupid re-runs on TV.

Finally around 8, I got up and went to the store to rent Milk. Which of course they did not have. While I was there though, I bought all the garbage I am not supposed to eat, including a big ass cupcake which I have already eaten. I also saw the cutest little kid wearing nothing but a diaper running all over the store. While her mom checked out, she climbed up on some stranger's lap, and her diaper fell slap off. Her dirty diaper. Oy. Poor guy.

When I got home, I started feeling bad about having done nothing all day, so I set about using my new wrenches to fix the lawn mower. It took more work than expected, but it did not take wrenches, oddly enough. It appears to be fixed now, I hope, so I can re-mow here tomorrow if it is dry enough then haul to the farm and do there. Since I was on a roll, I started cutting out the carpet from Tequila's room. I got out probably half of it--everything I could without moving furniture, which I am not in the mood for--but now I feel like I did something. Still stinks like hell in there, which makes no sense to me since I have all the nasty spots and the padding under them out of the room. Maybe it will be better tomorrow.

I have decided to paint that room before I put in the new floor. That will require sanding the walls as they have some peculiar paint texture on some of them. I have no idea the proper way to go about that--any suggestions? I don't even know what color to do--the rest of the house is pretty bold--we have a barn red living room, the great room is a middle greem, the master bedroom is yellow--not bright primary yellow, but pretty dang yellow, and the little spare room is a darkish orange. Any suggestions? I do not like blue. And I do not want white, of course.

It is a pretty big room-- 14 x 16 or 18, I think, and it is a corner room so there are windows on two sides if that makes any difference.

Meanwhile, I will leave you with the two faces of Slater--

Handsome Slater. I took this from the pool

Goofy Slater, with his doofus eyes. I took this from the truck, which he seems to think that he can chase down the driveway now that he occasionally gets to go in the front yard. He and Simba were not allowed out there with Tequila, so now they are able to come out with me when I am in the front yard, and they can play with pig. Slater has forgotten some of the rules of the front yard. Doesn't he look insane in this pic? This is how I really think of him

This and that and some other-and a Book

Here is some shocking news---yesterday afternoon, I took a 15 minute break from work (well I might as well since I am assumed to take a one hour lunch whether I did or not and had not had one yet), and ran to the gym to lift some weights. Yeah, I know 10 minutes serves no purpose, except it got me out of there to take out my aggression on something besides myself and anyone who will listen to me, and it got me in the gym for the first time. Go me!

I needed some animal therapy by the time I got home from work last nite, after all the stress and misery of my week. I did not get here until 6:30 or so and Boce keeps sneaking in the door, so I let him stay in for a while to be friends and wait for Barry to get home. It did not work though, since as soon as he gave up looking for more food and decided to lay down, Simba sniffed him and for some reason it really pissed him off and he launched off into a tirade for 10 minutes. After the week I have had, I did not have it in me to listen to the drama of yet another fat ass complaining about his circumstances. Out he went.

Barry showed up from his week in Kentucky or wherever he was at about 7:30---and I had the big idea to make some soup for his arrival home. It was going to be some sort of hit and miss plan I had, but I bought all the stuff---and then he got home so much earlier than I anticipated and I was caught up in the internetz, and it did not happen. Big failure for the wife on that one--then again, he probably would have wondered what I had done to be attempting to cook for him.

This morning our first project was to run by the vet to get Simba's meds then go look at some hay, which turned out to be at the house where some family friends lived when I was growing up. I had not been there in probably 17 years. This place is really my dream place, and to know it is for sale right now sure did give me a little thrill. Then I remembered that I already have two properties, and with 4 jobs, I could never afford this place. It is truly beautiful and it was nice to be back there.
The owners have/are relocating out of State and have sold all their horses except this one, a 23 year old gelding who is the perfect family horse. He has years and years of experience toting young children, trail riding, showing, and just being a good citizen. I told him I would spread the word on him, as this is just the kind of horse people are always looking for and can never find.
If I had a kid, I would snap this dude up in a heart beat. If anyone is looking for the perfect kid horse who is sound and sane as he can be, with the perfect temperament, get in touch with me and I will hook you up.
Because he is not used to living along, the neighbor sent over a mare to be his friend. She is enjoying her time not as low man on the totem pole and is so content--she wanted to be with us the whole time, but made sure to keep her eye on her new friend the whole time. It is a win/win situation for everyone.
It made me happy to know that these people are taking such good care of their boy, that they got him a friend.

After that we went to WalMart for basics, and I always get worn out there. Now that they have remodeled, I cannot find the freaking potato chips--and I do not know why I care since you know they won't have the Reduced Fat Ruffles anyway. But what if they come back? And I will never know because now the towels are where the chips are supposed to be. I cannot take that kind of stress. I did discover some new flavor of ham in the deli--honey cinnamon. Whose big idea was it to put cinnamon on ham? How long has this been going on, I ask you? I do love me some good ham, which is kind of funny since I also love me my pet pig who is also ham, but that is how I roll--just a bundle of contradictions, aren't I?

I did however break down and buy the first of the Twilight books---I feel like an idiot being the only one who has not read them, especially since I also did not read any Harry Potter, nor am I about to.
We came home from there, and of all insane things, I COOKED lunch. I made spaghetti. I am not a fan of sketti but Barry is, so I cooked it up with some meat and mushroom sauce. Who am I all of a sudden?

I can tell you that all that domesticity kicked my ass. I did not get much sleep last nite so I decided to take a nap--naps are some of my very favorite things. Reading a good book to lead into a nap is one of my favorite things.
There is never any sleeping alone around here--which is why I was up until 3:30 am last nite (Tequila kept farting in my face while I watched TV so I had to search for a dog free zone to get to sleep). Today, since I was particularly serious about my nap, Slater got tapped for the nap---this is how he likes to sleep---upside down and flopped over on top of me.
Thus started a nap I needed so bad that I slept almost three hours without even turning over in bed, I was so tired. Even Slater's snoring did not interrupt me.

The best part was that when I woke up, Barry had moved hay at the farm, fed everyone, put Grandpa's winter coat on him since it is cold and ugly and flipped a load of laundry for. Can you imagine how nice it was to have things happen while you are sleeping?

We then went to a movie--we saw Zack and Miri Make a Porno and laughed our fool heads off, it was really funny.


I have a new book to give away....somehow I ended up with two copies of this---I already read it and either gave it away or lost it, but it was a good book. I will send it out to the first person who requests it----"It only Takes a Moment" by Mary Jane Clark.

Hope you all are having a great weekend...I am trying to talk myself down from this stress by focusing on other things, like some volunteer opportunities. The best way to get happier is to focus on doing for someone else---its good karma, I think. Do any of you have any projects like that you are involved in?

A nice welcome home after a long week

Man was this a long week. I do not know why, it was not jam packed with crap like my life usually is, but I worked hard enough at my actual job that I have had a headache for four days. I told Barry tonight that I think my head hurts because he will not weed eat the yard, but really it is likely because I have been editing and re-writing, and editing some more, and then read about 3000 pages of transcripts and subpoenas where people argued about wiretaps and federal statutes versus state statutes until I swear I wanted to jump off the damn building. I have worked at nite, woke up thinking about things at work and generally stressed way too much for government work.

I was so glad to get home this evening, knowing I was going to get in bed for a Friday evening nap before going to the movies later (which never happened obviously or I would not be here now).
This was a nice scene to see on my way up my driveway. Barry was already home, so the dogs were not out torturing the pig, which they only do when I am coming up the drive-- I think they are showing off for me. They make quite a racket when they are aggravating Boce, so to come home to QUIET in the yard and pasture is a rare treat.


Just seeing those sweet faces, and knowing my animals are happy and content made a huge difference in how I felt.

I had a nice but too short nap and am feeling much better. I better enjoy it as the forced march starts again tomorrow, with a day of tag team farrier work and a trip to Barry's hometown for Festival Days.

My morning send off crew

This was the scene Friday morning as I went to work. If you did not know any better, you would not notice that the middle member of the crew is a pig, would you?

This might be the worst photo I have ever taken, but I just set it on portrait and shot from the car window--the white balance is all out of whack probably because of Thor, but whatcha gonna do?

It was bound to happen

Slater finally had enough of Boce poaching his food and told him about it. When Boce knocked Slaters food dish down toinght, Slater put the smack down on him.

I thought he just scared him, but really he did get a piece of him. From the looks of Boce, Slater put his neck in his mouth and clamped down. I did not notice this at first, as I sent Slater to his room and then did not notice how quiet it was in here as I was busy doing something. Then Barry came home and asked what that ruckus had been just as he left the house. I told him that Slater bit Boce and come to think of it, I do not even know where Boce was.

We went looking for him and he was in the hallway bathroom. As soon as he saw Barry, he started telling him everything he knew about the incident, squalling and squealling. It was very sad, he almost made me cry. Boce eventually rolled up on the blanket next to Barry and laid down for some cuddling up. He has not done that in a while, I guess getting the stuffing scared out of him made him want his daddy.

He was a very pathetic pig tonight. I hate that he got a chewing, but he did need to learn some boundaries. He does not have the good sense to know that he is not running this house.

Just for Auntie Nena- the Baconator's day

This friggin pig is more popular than I am. It is sad, but I think he is more interesting.

I chronicled his day, and got some very funny pics.

The top pic is him coming to greet me when I got home from work. The one on the right is him cracking ice to get to water--as if I do not deliver him hot water all the time. The most interesting thing about this pic is his back legs. It looks like wrinkles, and I was wondering if Dr. Nena could give us a diagnosis of HERDA or if I need to have a biopsy to be sure? Get back to me on that, sister. This is what happens when you do not have your breeding stock tested, I guess, and here am I with a wrinkly pig.

Here is Thor playing cutting horse with him--he is a little behind, but not bad position for a dog that is not finished huh? Especially one with such arthritis already. That pig can be a wily bugger, for sure!


This last photo is just a lovely portrait of my youngest baby--I thought you might like to frame it since he is at his most attractive. I was actually trying to make him smile for you, but he was too excited about his celery (which turns out he does not really like after all) Note the pig food dust all over his nose, and the paste he made out of it when he dipped his face in the water. He is not refined in any sense of the word. But he seems to close his eyes when he eats, which I guess he gets from me.

A showdown for top dog--err, pig

Here is the progression of events in our house this evening. Bocephus came in for family nite, and as usual, followed Barry around until he got him to play with him. Note how Boce is sitting on his butt like a dog. That is straw pieces stuck under his hair.


This made Slater VERY jealous, so he came along and took Boce's spot.


It was not long after that Boce realized that if he wanted to be with Barry, he would have to take Slater too. He marched his fat butt right up to Slater and flopped down on his side and went to sleep. Slater was appalled--look at the look on his face.

I still am not sure who the winner of the showdown was, but it was pretty funny to watch Slater put on his Boss face, and Boce completely ignore him to do whatever he wanted in the first place. He is a brave piggy

Down time after a hard weekend

Down time at our house probably does not look like anyone else's. That is probably because nothing that goes on here is normal. For example--look at how insane Slater looks smiling at the camera. Really, what is he so happy about? He normally is very stern looking, not because he is, but because sometimes, no one is home in there at all and he forgets to have an expression.

Not only does he look insane, but the fact that he got up out of a deep sleep to have his picture made while I was TRYING to get Barry and Simba resting together is odd in itself. He normally only wakes up for food. Trying to get him out of bed in the morning is like getting a kid up to get on the school bus. Anyway, ff he had not stuck his big self in it, you could see that all 130 pounds of Simba is all the way on Barry's lap in the recliner, hugging him, and is practically humming with contentment to be allowed up there with him. She loves him. In real life, they both looked very sweet, even Barry.

So I took ANOTHER picture, trying to show that, and what do I end up with? This---with a friggin pig wandering into the living room. Probably people would not realize he is a pig and just think he is a really ugly puppy, but he is in fact a pig. He is starting to remind me of that Saturday Night Live character from way back, The Wanderer, who wandered through the backgrounds of all the sketches. You stop even noticing it after a while.



I gave up. Clearly, photos of domestic bliss are not meant to come from this house.