It's cold and new radio station.

It was cold yesterday morning and I did see that the temperature was only about 16 degrees so I should have known better. How long have I lived in this part of the country? *sigh* After 50+ years, you'd think I'd figure it out. Went to the barn this morning in my very thin tennis shoes and a regular pair of socks. My toes were frozen by the time I got home. Glad I didn't have to feed my friend's horses that time. We had to feed hers today, EARLY as Erica is driving her to her PT appointment. I'm ready for the barn today, though. I got my thick warm socks and I wore my rubber boots. I think that will be enough for now. Kasha and Chester were in the barn last night as it was supposed to snow. Cass and Midnight were outside and have access to shelter. When we went to feed this morning, they were both shivering. We were there about 2 hour earlier than normal because Erica was driving our friend to her PT appointment so the sun wasn’t up too far yet. They were both standing behind the barn looking for sun. We haven’t used their blankets yet this year so we were trying to remember which blanket goes with which horse. I bought the girls new blankets last year and we had to get one for Chester because he was shivering last winter. I couldn’t remember if I had bought a new blanket for Midnight or not. I found his old blanket and put that on him, we figured out which blanket belonged to Cass and the last one was for Kasha. Kasha and Chester weren’t shivering but they were inside and out of the wind. The wind was really blowing this morning and is probably why they were shivering. The windchill was about 4 or less when we got there. So, we got everybody blanketed up except Chester, he looked like he was doing o.k without one, and they had started to warm up by the time we left.

We are supposed to get a winter storm Saturday, which is, of course, our church Christmas party and music practice. :-P Supposed to get snow, rain, sleet. I told Erica we'll get sneet or slow. :-) Sounds pretty nasty. Supposed to get a total of 5" between all the various precipitations.

Also, found a neat radio station online. www.slacker.com There is a Christian station on there (couple of them) and you can make up your own station with the artists that you like. Easy to use, too. So, if you like to listen to music while you surf, check it out. There’s also rock, blues, oldies, pretty much anything you could want.

Busy, busy, busy

Busy, busy, busy as usual. Sunday was great. Good message. Pastor is doing a series on the apostles. This Sunday he talked about Peter's names. Jesus changed Simon's name as soon as he met him to Peter. After looking at all the times Peter is referenced, how and by which name, he said Simon is almost always used when Peter is doing someting from his "old self", Peter is the new self and when you see Simon Peter, look out, he's really being a knucklehead. Just like when we yell at our kids. When they hear their full name, they know they are in trouble. I had never made that connection before so it was very interesting.

My son and his girlfriend came over after church for a second Thanksgiving dinner and my friend who lost her husband recently came over too. We had a really good time. Sara, my son's girlfriend, helped me decorate for Christmas.

We have had a possum in the barn. I know they carry EPM and we needed to get rid of it. Kurt, my son, went to the barn with me last Sunday night to help put horses in as it had started raining. We saw the possum and he had his bow with him but his site was off so he missed. Put an arrow right above it's head and it didn't move. He even poked it with the handle of the shovel and it didn't move. I didn't want him to club it to death while I was there. (I'm such a wimp when it comes to stuff like this) so I keep running out of the barn as he's banging around in there and he's getting frustrated with me because I won't hold the light for him. The possum finally ran off. What a comedy of errors.

This past Saturday, I sent my husband to the barn to shoot the possum with his rifle. They saw it but it ran off before he could get it. So Sunday evening I sent him again and Kurt went along to split wood. They found the possum and, let's just say my husband doesn't have as many bullets left and I don't have a possum problem anymore. I didn't want to know any more than that! I can't stand to kill anything bigger than a fly or spider.

Yesterday I was busy in town all day. Erica and I went into town (I let her drive and so have more gray hair now) :-) tried to go to the bank, but Cindy was just going out for lunch. She is a friend from Bible study who works at the bank. We were going to open a high school checking account for Erica. So, I told her we would just go to lunch and come back. So we went to the local Chinese place and then the post office and back to the bank. By the time we got there, she already had a customer so we waited 40 minutes til he was done. Got Erica's account opened, Cindy had ordered something from Pampered Chef from me so I showed her the item from the catalog as it has been redesigned. We stopped by Family Dollar to get a gift for the upcoming church Christmas party, I needed a splitter for the Christmas lights and some ornament hooks. Got my gift, no splitter there so went next door to the hardware store. Got my splitter and, up by the cash register, they had these really cute little LED gooseneck flashlights with a laser pointer for the cats. I picked one up. When we got home, Erica stole my new light and was playing with the cats. Snickers actually had more fun than the cats and chased it all over. He's a choc lab. I took it with me to the barn (more kitties) and the horses were even going after it. Chester tried to eat it, Midnight blew at it and was following it around. Only problem is, I can't keep the light from Erica. I think she is more entertained by it than the critters! I'm having my husband pick one up for her for Christmas, if she can wait that long.

Had to help feed my friend's horses last night, too, because she had surgery on her shoulder. She has some kittens we had to clean their eyes and one isn't going to live. That's hard on Erica and I because we love kitties too.

Worked on Bible study last night for quite a while and all of today. Really need to discipline myself to do it daily like I'm supposed to. :-)

Midnight was limpy last night on his front left again. I was thinking it was probably arthritis. He has trouble with that knee off and on quite a bit. I have him on a good glucosamine supplement and it does help him a lot. It was cold and damp yesterday so wasn't too surprised. Today he looked much better. He was walking pretty good today and has his old Midnight attitude back again. When this whole hip thing started out he seemed a bit down. Quieter. He's getting back to his old self now, coming to the gate for his dinner shaking his head around and putting his ears back. I make him put his ears up (both of them) before I let him out of the gate and into the barn. Attitude is everything, Midnight!

That pretty much brings me up to date. Bible study tonight.

Winter is coming!

We have had an exceptionally warm October this year. We have become quite spoiled as far as weather goes. This week has been cooler and more like a normal fall. Tonight it's supposed to get down into the 20s. My daughter was complaining that it's cold and I reminded her that this is actually very warm for us for this time of year. 50s and 30s are pretty mild.
We had to drain the hose at the barn so it won't freeze tonight and we have to remember to plug in the tank heater so the water tank doesn't freeze and the horses (and kitties) have water to drink. The horses are getting pretty fuzzy so they are getting ready for winter too. It's windy today and cloudy. Yesterday was windy also and Cass was acting pretty squirelly. Erica ran her around the pen playing with her and I think they both had a good time.

I have been just putting the bute on Midnight's grain and then pouring extra molasses on that and mixing it in with the grain, trying to leave it near the top so he'll eat it first and it's been working so far. He seems to be doing pretty good. He's more willing to trot now and seems to be moving pretty well. I'm hoping he heals completely.

Today I'm thankful for coffee and furnaces.