You gotta get back on ... right?

Plenty to update you on!

A couple of weeks ago, we went camping - probably for the last time this year. We go to a pond at a friend's house and have a big bonfire, but it's really getting to chilly to be sleeping in a tent. We all went - Tommy, me, Kyler and Slayde, and the dogs. The boys decided to walk back up to the house to get a flashlight and the dogs followed them up there... we tried to call them back, and the boys tried to send them back but the dogs didn't listen. I wasn't too worried about it - it's way out in the country and I knew the dogs were just adventuring and would stay right with the boys. Well, our friends' 3-year old daughter had a brand new kitten. White with a black end on her tail. She was named Dipstick. Isn't that cute? Well, my dogs, who don't chase rabbits or squirrels and live with a cat, Potsy, apparently nosed Dipstick to death, broke her little back. :( Talk about feeling guilty!!! I felt awful. Luckily she'd only had it a couple of weeks, and this week we were able to find her a non-replacement replacement kitten and all seems to be fixed... I hope my dogs haven't traumatized her too much. Needless to say, I'm kinda glad camping season is over - by this time next year, maybe all will be forgotten.

A side story to the dogs nosing a kitten - the cat was a carrier for ring worm. So great. My dogs' muzzles are covered with the ring worm wounds... which we have them on a treatment regimen, but is still no fun. And I'm on look out for any wounds on humans! YUCK!!!

In other news... last night I fell off a horse. Literally. For several weeks I've been convincing this horse Wrangler that I'm a good person and he shouldn't hurt me. Feeding him apples and marshmallows, nuzzling and loving on him. All good - well yesterday I put one leg over his back to see how he reacted. He kinda looked at me sideways like... What do you think you're doing? I did that three or four times and then decided screw it - I'm insured. I went ahead and sat on him - here's the stupidity - no saddle, no reins, no bridle. So I'm holding his mane and he starts running. I figured better to fall here on this mud then on who knows what. I pushed off backwards and landed pretty much on my left side. Mostly just bruised, but my ankle pretty much instantly swelled to the size of a Grade A USDA approved Extra Large free range egg.



On to the hospital where I learn it is not broken - just a bad sprain and I'm equipped with crutches, a splint and some drugs!



I'm going to try again in a few weeks... gotta get back on that horse. But next time, I should probably have at least a few peices of equipment. We'll see if I've learned anything :)

different free food

Ya know... with the economy and such... well.

I went crawfish fishing (hunting? We didn't use poles.) yesterday with the boys in Mud Creek. We caught about 20-25 of the little suckers and saved them overnight. I was afraid they'd die..and then at that point you can't cook them. Well you can but I won't. Anyway here are the pictures from this part of the adventure. We are going to try to rig a net to be more efficient hunters. This apocolyptic economic mess isn't going to get me down. I think some sort of apple-crawfish quiche is in order. Now it's not a yard full of meats and cheeses....but it's close. As usual ignore the mess of the house!

Kyler (Tommy's 10-year old and the 2 biggest crawfish)


Bathtime (pre-cook)



Spa treatment




Dinner is served

APPLES!!!

Ah, living in the country.

We are driving along and see some beautiful red apples in a yard. The owner apparently doesn't care and doesn't pick them so we pick our fill ... 6 grocery bags full. So this morning has been spent peeling, coring, slicing and preparing. I've dehyrdrated about 6, prepared pie filling for 2 pies, started an apple tart. I'm gonna make applesauce, apple dumplings, apples are...well....the fruit of the orchard.

Promised photos

Hey all !

Here is a link to some promised photos - most are from the 4-wheeling competition this past weekend - we came in 3rd by the way, despite the broken axle. In the competition rules dictate that you wear helmets - hence the astronaut helmet borrowed from a local demo derby champion. My Jeep is fine. The bulls: Tommy has a friend who raises buckin' bulls. When they are young they train the bulls to buck using innocent children and mildly adventurous 20-somethings on their backs. The owner bailed on us last weekend, but I'm hopeful a chance will come again. If so, pictures will follow for certain.

Sept 2008

And here are links to the 4-wheeling videos on YouTube:

Forwards:


Backwards:

It's been a long time comin'

Do you remember a few years ago when that guy in North Georgia was supposed to cremate a lot of bodies, but got overwhelmed when a part broke or something... and didn't cremate any of them? That's kind of like me and this blog. Everyday would go by and I would think ... I should've blogged! Then I would think.. I'll catch everyone up tomorrow. And so on and so on. Until today. I'm blogging.

Because so much has happened, I'm just going to cover the high points. Or low points.


Lowest Point: I had to put Vixie down. :( She was blind, diabetic, arthritic and had lost control of her bladder. I was mopping every day and she was still spending most days in a baby crib. It seemed to be getting beyond the point of fair. She was a very good dog. The house seems very quiet now (Baby and Beppo only bark when there is a real reason...Vix would bark just to say hi. Fourteen times.) And I haven't had a dog hug in too long. She would put a paw on either shoulder and just relax on your neck. Greatest dog hug ever. I just put her down last week. It was incredibly hard and I still get sad thinking about it. This morning Baby was sniffing under the kitchen table (where Vix usually hid). I think she can't quite figure out where the old lady is.

High Point and Low point: I now am down to just one job - running the campground. Just in time for winter when I can really afford to have to jobs. All summer I struggled a little bit through two jobs, but the company wasn't making enough money to afford me, so... that was the end of that. They might bring me back...but we'll see. This is good on one hand because that job was very boring, but also annoying because I was saving my money to afford 2 trips this fall - one to CO to visit my friends out there in October and one to GA in December to meet Erikka's new addition and help out however I can. But with only one income.... I have to save my pennies and I think it would be best to just plan a trip to GA and hope for CO next year. That is if Erikka and Steve (and Mo) don't mind the help and company.

Medium point: I started taking Tax Classes to learn how to prepare tax returns for H&R Block. I'm thinking that this will be a good time taker for a couple of months just when I have the extra time to give.

Medium-Low (scary) point: Starting tomorrow the motorcycle group is coming in - we are expecting 30-40 motorcycles. This is great for the campground- nice way to end the busy season, but our park has about 45 spots - and is about 1/3 full right now. Luckily most of them can double up... but this place is going to be incredible busy this weekend. I just keep thinking - survive to Sunday afternoon, survive, survive, survive.

Highest point: Last weekend was a 4-wheeling competition and we had lots of fun - I went with Jeff and his kids, and Tommy - the guy I've been seeing - and his kids. I have a couple of videos and pictures and I will youtube them... today... or tomorrow. I promise.

I'm sure there is more... but I can't think of what else has happened. I will try to get back into bloggin.

duck movies

Please ignore my annoying laugh!

My favorite Ducks ever!

Patty and Alan are free in the front yard and they are happier than ever. I put the dogs out and then let the ducks into the dog yard to play in the pool. They are adorable. A special prize to whoever can figure out the brand of ducks they are though. I can't find a picture that has that little tuft. Here are the pictures