making the move

Well, yesterday was my last day working at York Toll, I have moved up the road 12 miles to Wells toll. It is only 8 miles from my house, I will be saving gas, mileage and time to get to work now. I am looking forward to working back at the toll where I first started 26 years ago. I hope to see some old friends and make new ones with the patrons.
My fellow coworkers gave me a going away cake with the picture of me riding Bandit on the cake, it was perfect!!! and chocolate!!!
We finally got some snow on the ground even if it just barely covers the brown grass. We might have a white Christmas after all. We have had a really mild winter so far.
Want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and may God bless you in the new year.

Had a good ride on Bandit Wednesday, good thing cause it rained all day Thursday and he was a mudpie!

Here we are in December already, ground is brown and bare. I dont like this time of year cause it gets dark so early. I get home from work, have time to do stalls and its dark or well past dark. We (as in Fred, Peter, and I) did get the ditch dug and water and electric line in so that now I have a dry hydrant out at the water tub in the pasture that we use all winter. It will be so nice not to have to drag hoses and drain them. As of today there is also a light on a pole out by the gate, so that if it is dark when I go to bring them in, I can now see to tie the halters. Yahoo!
Had a grooming session the other night, there was so much dust/dirt off of Bandit onto the floor that you could have written your name in it. He is a constant dirt magnet.

Grrr... hunting season ruins trail riding :(

Yeah!!! Hunting season is almost over, got to ride Bandit in the woods on Sunday afternoon. We had a good ride. He is such a good horse, I think he likes the woods and sort of making our own trails.

Yahoo, I finally got a letter from Linda today. It was so nice to hear from her. We miss her and her smile!!
Fred went to get fitted for diabetice shoes today... at the wound center where he goes every morning for the hyperbaric chamber, they want to use him as a role model for how well the chamber works for helping healing. His foot is almost closed up, with 2 skin grafts and 6 days a week of the chamber. This has all been going on since July 4th weekend, so I am sure he will be glad to be done with the chamber after next week and at some point to be able to wear a shoe on his left foot.
If i dont blog again before next week, I hope anyone who happens to be reading this has a great Thanksgiving, we have so much to be thankful for. Thank you Lord for all the blessings in my life.

Peter driving Bud, Deb riding Bandit, I also rode Bandit later, good day.

Well, we didnt get to the beach, that little snowstorm of 4 inches of wet and heavy snow slid off the barn roof and took the fender off the old trailer.... knew I should have moved it... oh well, it must have been meant to be because I had Peter and Deb come over and we all got our horse therapy in today. What a gorgeous day, 54 degrees, sunshining, horses and friends, loving it!

who needs a fender?

not much new going on here, we got about 4 inches of wet heavy snow friday nite into saturday/ lost our power from 8pm til about 3 pm saturday, then lost it again from 6pm to 8pm, thankfully it is back .... for my next adventure I may try to take Bandit to the beach tomorrow, it is supposed to be in the 50s, so should be a good weather day, low tide is around 10:30 am, should be interesting, never had him there yet, but I'm thinking as good as he is with all the obstacles i put him thru, he should be able to handle the beach. Dont know if there will be pictures, gotta find someone to go with me.... fred will be in the hyperaric chamber still..... they have found another sore on the side of his bad foot, it just never ends!!!

Our friends Bob and Anne have been helping out with the horses so Bob got a ride.

Bandit and mud make for a dirty horse!

Got to ride both boys today about 40 minutes each. They both behaved very well. Got to go to church too, it was a good day!

Bandit in front and Bud checking me out taking there pics.

We were the only ones to get the hoop over the fake horse and we only got a 4. He is such a good boy!

last versatility of the season, we got 6th place.

Bandit doing his job of making kids smile. Ava was very happy!

Heading to Deerfield Fair tomorrow with my friend Ana, she hasnt been there since her kids were in strollers. Her oldest is now a senior in high school, it is going to be a fun ladies day out!

This is what the bottom of Freds foot looks like, when they amputated the toe, they realised there was more infection underneath the skin. What a mess

Good Boy Bandit

Had a good day today, cooked Fred breakfast, went to watch my friend Charlotte at her riding lesson, came home and Peter and Debbie came over and Peter drove Bud and I got to ride Bandit. Thanks Deb for cleaning stalls for me. I havent been on Bandit since Aug.27th and when I rode him today it was like I had just rode him yesterday. We walked trotted and cantered with no problems, went out on the trail and kind of made our own trail thru some of the woods over some logs, thru some trees, etc... and he was a good boy thru the whole thing.

Fred in hospital, probably wishing he had paid more attention to his diabetes.

Home from hospital

Fred is home from hospital, now lets see what kind of patient he is going to be without any nurses around..... HMMMM....

Let me help you flatten these bottles, what fun!

Versatility Challenge, WE got a ribbon!!!!!

Freds update...toe amputated

They did the angioplasty on freds leg, got one artery opened up for blood circulation down to the foot. His foot actually feels warm now. They took off his middle toe which practically fell off into the surgeons hand, the bone was so deteriorated. Upon checking the bottom of freds foot, it was found that under neath what looked like normal skin was actually dead tissue and infection. They had to cut about halfway down his foot to really get everything out, so needless to say his recovery is going to take longer than expected.... He is going to go to rehab for a few days to build up his strength so that when he comes home he should be okay when i have to work to be able to get around the house. We now have a hospital bed in living room with a walker on wheels and a wheelchair. Thanks to Bob Normandeau and Sid Hall for getting all that done for me . So by the end of this week or beginning of next Fred should be home. Thanks to all my friends for helping out with the animals and chores. Love you guys!

More tests and exams for Fred

Well, maybe by the middle of next week they will do an angiogram of freds leg to check his areteries and veins. First they will do an EKG, then pressure cuffs on his legs to see how the blood flow is? Going to be a long process to get that toe healed I think.
Weather is getting hot and humid again, dont like it!!!

Bandit waiting for me to unload him so we could go for a nice trail ride with my friend Lori.

WOW! Its been almost a month of not writing here, hmmm.... what have I been doing?
Working, eating , sleeping, taking care of Freds toe, playing with the horses when the deer flies dont swarm us....
Work has been very busy, traffic galore! Today was a very busy Monday and a wierd one. It was so busy I made a deposit at my lunch break, when I cashed out at 4 at end of shift I made a deposit of the exact same amount as my first deposit.... that has never happened in the 26 years i have worked there. Have to work tomorrow then have two days off. Hope to ride on Wed afternoon, Thursday morning will be spent at Drs. with Fred. They may put stents in his veins near his ankles to get the blood flowing better to help the healing of his toe. Pouring rain out right now, need it for the grass tho.

Well, they didnt do angioplasty, just ultrasounds of his arteries in both legs. He starts with the hyperbaric chamber in the morning. I dont think he is going to like going there 5 days in a row for 4 or more weeks, but we shall see....
Yahoo!!! A cooler day today only in the 80s, so much better than 100 and humidity.
Hoping to ride tomorrow night after I get home from work if mosquitoes arent too bad. Horses need some work outs but it has been way too hot. Come on Fall weather!!!

Trying to give Brandy a little freedom off the leash because she doesnt always come when we call her back to us. Didnt work so well, she grabbed the tennis ball once and dropped it and off she went , we could hear her barking out in the woods, walked out there calling her, she comes running back with porcupine quills hanging out of her nose and chin..... bad dog!! Ended up taking her to the vet , they sedated her and took them out, she was a little drunk on morphine for a few hours... around midnight she must have been feeling better and not hungover, she was wide awake... :(
Fairly cool this morning, got the horses out early, 95 this afternoon with humidity was way too hot~~~ Peter and Fred worked on mower blades they are nice and sharp now. Peter mowed a pasture this morning while it was somewhat cool, Deb and I did stalls, and that was it. We all went to dinner tonight for Freds birthday.
Brought horses in, put fans on them ... they like that.
Way too hot the next coming week, I dont like it!!!!! Yesterday while at work I got a tingling sensation all over and light headed and it was like I could hear the blood rushing in my ears... a little scary.. and i had just finished lunch... thot i was going to keel over... wish i had enough time to take summer off and not have to melt in the booth... oh well, need to be able to pay bills and put food on table...
Taking Fred to drs. tomorrow afternoon, and Friday morning for possible angioplasty in arteries near ankle to help blood flow better to his foot to help his toe heal . and Life goes on at Perkins Paradise.....:)

TOO STINKING HOT!!!!!! My hard candy chocolate nips were melting in my tray, how hot is that??? TOO STINKING HOT......that how hot! Bring on the snow!

Waiting patiently, cooling off his foot, thirsty after doing his job.

Bandit and I having fun at the Versatility Challenge.

Can you see my paws?? Taking a nap with Fred.

hair today, gone today, feel 5 pounds lighter and cooler!!!

July 8th already!!

Not much going on to blog about,
1. Brandy still takes off running even with being zapped, but she does come back eventually.
2. Haying is done for the season and all in the barn.
3.Bandit is dirty as ever!!!
4. Taking Bandit to versatility challenge on Saturday, should be a fun day.
5. Hoping to give him a bath and "hoping " he will stay clean for tomorrow. Ha ha ha....
6. Fred has a diabetic ulcer on his middle toe!! Trips to wound care in Wells are helping along with antibiotic pills (when he takes them). Have to change the bandage every night, YUCKY!
7. If pills dont help heal it he may end up going to into hyperbaric chamber for 5 days in a row at 2 hours a day.
8. If that doesn't help the blood flow better, then he may eventually have to lose his toe so it wont infect the bone.
9. If he does lose toe, the middle toe is best one to lose according to doctors, the rest of the toes will balance him.
10. So, off to get trailer ready for tomorrow. then off to work til 10pm.
11. I guess there was some stuff to post ..... :)

My dirty cream colored horse.

Brandy patiently waiting, she needed to comfort me thru my cold.

Well, still havent found my glasses, cant do any riding in the rain, do have an eye appointment for Thursday tho. Its been 3 years, so I guess it must be time for a new pair of glasses maybe...Hoping it wont be bifocals :( Bought some mucinex(?) for my cold but still hacking away...maybe it will kick in in a few days... sure hope so. My ribs hurt from coughing.

Got 131 bales of hay in today, glad we had some help I was sweatin'!!! Now it is raining so glad we got it in. My new dilemma is I have misplaced my glasses. I am restricted to wear them while driving..... fred is going to be my chauffeur until i find them. I've looked everywhere, car, truck, barn, house, tipped chairs over, even looked in refrig.... who knows.... guess i need to sit down and say a prayer about it. cant really afford new ones. Do have an old pair but they arent as good.
Brandys' new trick today was somehow she chewed the harness off , thankfully it was still around her chest where we hooked her up while we set up the conveyor for the hay. Bought her a new one at Tractor supply today. See how long this one lasts. We had her at the barn with us while cleaning stalls and of course she left the barn (and thats my fault) :( we called and called , Fred spotted her , said she turned and looked at him and took off! So out in the rain with my cold calling her to no avail, walking all along to the edge of the woods. Fred goes back to barn to get "bug" RTV to go thru trail in woods, I call some more and lo and behold Brandy comes running across field from back of house. How she got that way, only she knows. I think.
Time to relax and put my feet up and take cold medicine.... :)

Thunder showers and lightning today, thank goodness for friends that care about my horses like I do. They put them inside for me while I was at work. Did get a double rainbow out of the rain tho , that was pretty.
With this cold, I feel like I have coughed out one lung, used a whole bottle of robitussin, that seems to have helped over the last 2 days.

Brandy was doing pretty well off the leash after her third day here so we let her loose out with us. Then... one day she put her nose in the air and off she went.... I called, yelled, kissed, whistled chased after her thru the long grass and into the woods. When she finally let me catch her I looked down at my jeans and I could see all kinds of brown spots on my legs... TICKS!! I hate those things. Gave her a bath that afternoon to hopefully drown any that might have been on her. Throughout the day I kepts finding them on me... makes me itch all over.
My two days off were hot weather horses were sweating, so didnt ride. Now I have a nasty summer cold.. yay..NOT! Didnt have a cold all winter, whats up with that???
Took Brandy to the vet to get checked out, she has a kennel cough, got her on meds , she seems to be doing better. Take her back next week to get Lyme vaccination. Now if she will just come when called off leash, she would be a great dog.

Fred getting some new ideas to make things, Brandy relaxing on the couch.

Fred has a new love in his life... meet Brandy, she is a sweetie.