Ten Years of Blogging

I just realized this morning that it was ten years ago this month that I began blogging.

I'd forgotten about our family email list, martinbargers, which is what we used for a time to communicate as a family. How things have changed - we have texting groups and photostreams to stay in touch.

My one blog has grown to two where I do the majority of my writing - this one and Horsiemama. And I have eleven others that range from documenting my collections to family history, and even one devoted to teaching memories that might contain sensitive material about students that I did not want to post on a public blog but that I did want to remember - that blog functions more as a diary than anything else since I am the only one with access to it.

Technology has changed a lot in the past ten years. It will be interesting to see if Blogspot still supports its blogging software in 2028.

My Mini Horsey Girl

Curt and his family returned to the 4H Fair in the evening on Thursday to ride the rides which were not open until 4:00. Between spending the morning there with Craig and me, and then returning in the evening, Mila spent a lot of time at the fair.

I asked her what her favorite thing of all was from the long day, and she did not even have to think about it. "Ponies!" she cried, jumping up and down in place.

For Mila, it doesn't seem to matter if they are live or not. If it's a horse shaped object, she's a happy girl.

Just like her Grammy.

Helping Lisa

Since I do not have a classroom to prepare for school's start, I offered to help Lisa with hers. She took me up on that offer.

 She had a stack of classics for me to sort and then stacks of books that needed to have their Accelerated Reader levels, points, and quiz numbers researched and then written on their inside covers.

Her classroom made me smile - it was typical of most classrooms at this time of year with things being sorted on desks and small projects scattered around the room.

As well as two tables that are stacked with things that are to go to her replacement teacher. (She is switching from 4th grade Gen Ed to 4th/5th High Ability. She will do an awesome job!)

 She worked on other things while I used the laptop.

 Burnett Creek uses a program called "Class" and so every teacher has his or her own theme.

Lisa's is "Investigate Indiana with Ms. I's Private Eyes" and she has created a cool 1940s decor.

I love the coat rack, umbrella stand, and the footprints on the wall. 

And, Lisa has my father's old desk and typewriter, too!

The typewriter key letters are nifty and the fedora hats on the bulletin board fit right in.

 Clearly, Lisa has created a classroom for learning that is fun.

Just as clear are things around the room, gifts from students, that show how loved she is.

It was great being able to help Lisa, and I think it helped me adjust to the new norm of retirement as I was still working on prepping a classroom at the end of July.  

The Tippecanoe County 4H Fair

One of the local "summer wind ups" is the Tippecanoe County 4H Fair. Running for an entire week, and complete with livestock, projects, displays, carnival rides, and a queen contest, there is a lot to see and do. Yesterday, our local family went to see the sights (sans Curt who had to work) and we had so much fun!

 Ian and Mila in the goat barn.

A young girl lets us pet her project horse. (I was in 4H Horse and Pony as a kid, and it was such a thrill when people wanted to pet your horse or paid you a compliment about it!)

 When I was in 4H, the horse show took place on Wednesday. Now it spans Monday through Thursday with a different focus each day. Thursday's was the English show.

Raven goes to my school and was in my Lego Robotics club. I hoped to talk to her, but only saw her horse and not her.

 My old stall is one of these, if I remember right. I am glad we went to the fair as this barn is due to be demolished and a new one built for next year's fair. I was glad to see the Horse and Pony barn one last time - I spent many happy hours here!

 Aside from a sign (like Raven's) we didn't decorate our stalls. I wish we had as it looks like fun!

 The rabbits and poultry (chickens, turkeys, ducks, and pigeons) were in a new, airy barn.

 These girls were lying in the hay with their cattle - oh, the memories!!

Lukas held up very well, finding his thumb when he needed it. Luckily the day was not nearly as hot and humid as it has been recently which made for a much better fair experience.

 We ate lunch in the Cattlemans'/Pork Producers' tent. My hamburger was an inch thick!

After visiting the animals, we went to the exhibit halls to see the other projects the 4H kids had done.

My student, Emma, won grand champion with her cake decorating and is moving on to the Indiana State Fair! I had to laugh to see the unicorn on her cake - that girl wore a unicorn on her shirt to school every single day!

 Erik, who just graduated from high school, is also going to the state fair with his cake.

 He's also a ten year 4Her, and so his photo was displayed in the exhibit hall.

 Another former student, Lacie, made an aquarium cake and won a blue award.

And Aly, Emma's twin, won a blue for her muffin.

I also had kids in sewing, photography, and electricity, but I could not find their exhibits even though Craig and Lisa both helped me look.

Such a fun day, filled with family, fun, and a nice dose of nostalgia for me.

Dear Corinne

Written in response to a query from my granddaughter asking how her "twin horse" was doing. Corinne was born as I was trailering Abby home from Indiana Horse Rescue in 2012, and so I dubbed her Abby's "twin," a moniker Corinne wears with pride.

Dear Corinne,

Mom texted me and said that you were asking how your twin horse was doing. I am delighted to let you see for yourself (although I sure wish you were here in person to do so!)

I visit her nearly every day and give her a variety of treats. Although Abby likes peppermints the very best, she also enjoys carrots, apples, and pears.

She is always sad when she has eaten her quota for the day, and often puts her nose through the gate, hoping for more.

But just as people can get tummy aches when they eat too many sweets, so can horses, and I won't let her have too many. Tummy aches in horses (called "colic") can be a very, very bad thing for them. Even worse than in people!

 It's been very hot in Indiana, so Tim and I keep her trough full of fresh water.

Remember Tim? He owns the barn and other horses, and last year when you stayed with Boompa and me during Hurricane Irma, he let you ride Diablo.

The school where Aunt Lisa teaches is just down the road from the barn, and so she comes out, too, and makes sure Abby is doing well.

Her favorite horse, though, is Hokey, and he really likes her, too. He is so happy in this picture!

She gives good neck rubs, something Hokey is very fond of. 

Abby says to tell you "hi," and that she hopes to see you again very soon.

And so do I!

Love, 

Grammy

Molly - Debarked?

I am pretty sure that Molly has been debarked. I spoke with Sue Keenan from the rescue group that facilitated her adoption, and she checked with Molly's vet. Both say it never happened. I think I offended both of them, although I tried very hard to not be accusatory and to be as tactful as I could, just asking if it might be possible.

Sue points out that the Amish would not pay to debark a dog, and I agree. She has also said, though, that the Amish do not leash train their dogs, and Molly is beautifully leash trained. In fact, several things about Molly do not add up, and I have started wondering if perhaps their information is incorrect and she is, in fact, from a puppy mill and not an Amish home. And maybe whoever owned her knew that the vet would not debark a dog and took her to one who would?

I'll never know the answers to those questions, but in the meantime, I have been trying to get a video of Molly that shows the barking attempts. Sadly, the sounds she makes and other behaviors (retching suddenly with a great moan - common behavior in debarked dogs because mucus builds up in their lungs as a result of the procedure and so they retch to get it out) lend credence to my suspicions.

This video of Molly bouncing around Lisa shows the heavy breathing noises she makes when excited (typical of debarked dogs.) And, when it gets to 0.26, you can clearly see her try to bark but nothing is heard.


I plan to talk to our vet about Molly and the possibility that she has been debarked. I can't change things for Molly, and have cried many tears in sadness as well as in anger over this, but I pursue it because I want to know why my dog cannot bark, why she retches out of the blue, and why she has such hoarse breathing when she is excited.

Molly's physical abuse is over and will never happen again, but to debark her took away her voice permanently. And it breaks my heart that this sweet girl cannot express herself. Ever.

Molly Off Leash!

We have begun letting Molly off leash a bit in the yard.

 She was pretty unsure of herself the first time, but Millie was there and Millie gives her confidence.

And, since she likes Millie and Lisa so much, we were confident that Molly would not run away.

 It has been nice to sit outside with her in the sun.

And I think she has enjoyed it, too.

 And while Millie will wander and sniff the yard...

 Molly prefers to stick close to her people.

I love this last photo of her. She is relaxed and enjoying herself - more "Pinocchio evidence" that we are on our way to having a "real" dog.

Ageing Out as a Bone Marrow Donor

My friend, Mona Sickbert, a barn buddy when I had my horse, Indy in the 1980s, was a pioneer recipient of a bone marrow transplant, and the procedure saved her life. I donated a blood sample nearly thirty years ago after Mona's experience and then reading an article in Reader's Digest Magazine that detailed how to begin the process to become a bone marrow donor. 

I had hoped that I would be a match for someone, but as the years passed, it was not to be. And now, I am too old to donate bone marrow. I knew this was coming, but nonetheless I am sad,

Mona is gone now, but that transplant allowed her to marry, have two kids, and live a fulfilling life. Please consider becoming a donor - it just takes a simple blood draw to get you into the registry, and, if you are a match, you could save a life.

Just like my friend, Mona's.

Sarah? At a Horse Event??

Only one of my six children are horsey, and that is Lisa, so you can imagine my surprise when my Colorado girl, Sarah, sent me these photos Saturday.

Sarah, Aspen, Trinity, and Todd

They'd gone to a rodeo in Denver!

 Now, Trinity is very much a horse lover (her social media name is "Horseyreader"), but Sarah? She prefers dogs and wild animals. (Sarah's hobby is wildlife photography and she is quite good at it.)

While I found it surprising that she was at a rodeo, I did enjoy the photos she sent me. And I KNOW she was laughing to herself when she hit that send button, knowing that I would never have guessed she'd be at a horsey event.

 What is on the hips of that palomino and the bay in front of him? Decorations of some kind?

I have mixed feelings about rodeos myself although I know many of the events have their origins in real ranch work. Still, it was fun to see the photos that Sarah took and to know that maybe, just maybe, some of my horseyness has rubbed off on her.

The First Task for Retirement

I have set myself a goal for my first year of retirement, one that I think I can accomplish and certainly one that is needful. I am going to clean every closet and cupboard in this house before May 30, 2019.

I started with the closet in my horse room. It was already neat and tidy, but what I needed to do was go through all the tubs and boxes, purge, and then rearrange.

Pulling everything out and going through each box meant for a big mess!

 Every spare inch of floor and table/desk space was covered!

 I left some paths to walk through so that I could get to things as I sorted.

I had some non horsey items in the hobby closet since the room doubles as my sewing room. I also store my Star Wars and Star Trek collections in there, too.

There were a few things, like this canister, that had me scratching my head.

 I am glad I opened it because inside was a note from my mom. Judging from what she said in it (the canister had been used in the apple store), the note is from 2000. Since she has been gone for nearly two years, it was an emotional moment for me to "hear" her voice.

I emptied a lot of tubs and boxes, stacking some of them outside the door and in the hallway to give me wiggle room as I sorted.

Since I am sorting out the science fiction collections and getting them ready to sell as part of the purging, it has taken me several weeks to go through everything. But yesterday I finally went through the last couple of boxes and am now ready to do some Goodwill runs, advertise the sales items, and put the rest all back into the closet.

One closet (nearly) done, the rest of the house to go!