Another Farewell!

It has taken me a few weeks to even begin writing this blog entry. I lost another friend this year and I haven't quite accepted the reality yet. Somehow, it seems, not writing the words or posting the memorial makes it less real in some way. However, Scott deserves a farewell and thus I will do my best.

I attend Weight Watchers weekly, sometimes I am very successful and my meetings are celebratory, other times I fail the program and I go so that the scale and my friends will remind me that going UP is not the goal. Last January a "new guy" plopped down at our table. We are a large meeting and many of us sit in smaller 'groups' and our group has been together for what seems a long time. We have people come sit with us and as we did with Scott we welcome them, chat with them and try to behave ourselves through the meeting without talking amongst ourselves. Many times, new members will migrate to a less 'set' group, a group of other newbies, a group that doesn't have such a hard time behaving, but Scott was instant part of our group. He made it even harder for me not to crack jokes, because he laughed easily and seemed to just fit in with us.

Somewhere along the way he became "one of us" and for me when I knew I could call him FRIEND (a word I value highly) was when I posted on Facebook about a previous loss and he instantly sent me a message that I could call him if I needed to talk. I did call and I told him I couldn't stop crying and he assured me it was okay and he listened as I blubbered and talked nonsense, somehow absorbing my pain despite our being relative strangers. He was an empathetic sort with a great heart.

We would chat at meetings about family and life and we shared different but similiar stories about children and their doctors appointments, faith and more. During his time at Weight Watchers he lost about 50lbs (if I remember correctly) and began joining us for our monthly dinner celebrations when he could. The few times I had to bring Duncan to meetings he was super-kind to Duncan allowing him to hang on for big hugs that Duncan likes. When he would talk about his daughters he was very proud and was always telling me how his oldest was and animal lover like myself. In August he had to leave Weight Watchers for a time and we made a point to invite him to our September dinner (it was my birthday and I wanted all my buddies there).

I have regrets now, hindsight is like that, that I didn't make more time. I didn't 'bother' him for the October dinner, because there was always the November one, right? I didn't think to invite his family for dinner because I could do it after I finished painting the hutch, right? I never dreamed I would meet his daughters and wife at his memorial. No matter how many times I am reminded that life is short and we should take the time WHILE we have the time...I can find failings. However, I am glad he chose to sit with us. I am glad he was so easily amused as to have found my jokes worthy of laughter. I am even glad the last message I sent to him on facebook was "come and visit you snob" or something similiar, because I meant it, I just wish he had.

I think there is never enough time to not wish for "one more". One more laugh, one more meal, one more 'attaboy'...however, I hope this December and beyond we will all enjoy the ones we have with the ones that are left....

Farewell, Scott Reed, you are missed!

Don't be the Martyr

Okay, so this is as much a reminder to me as anyone else. I am a "Flybaby". http://www.flylady.net/

Thus, I remind myself often just how much of our stress is 'self-made'. The "Oh no I have to make a TURKEY" thing. The Holidays tend to be when we throw ourselves right onto our martyr swords...so let's pinky swear we will stop each other when this is the road we start down!

So, ladies (and gents), let's consider ourselves blessed to have loved ones to feed, purchase for and take care of. Let's enjoy making dinner and stop making sure it's "perfect" while we snipe and complain to anyone within earshot. The best turkey tastes "foul" when served with guilt as a side-dish.

Let's light up our Holidays with our good attitudes and Thankfulness.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

It's about time..painting the hutch

Well, this gal has been with me for over two years. I finally got her up on the table and started her paint job. I have one coat of primer on most and two coats on the lower and upper parts so that I can stand her up and do the rest. I figure a few more days and I can get her back together and put stuff on the shelves and have her pretty for the holidays. It's about dang time! Amazing what I can procrastinate!
Update: It's Wednesday and I managed to get a few coats of regular paint on the 'hard to reach' areas so that I could stand her up and work some more. Here is her current condition

The top shelves will be open and thus I will be priming and painting them as well, but I can do that with her off my dining room table! I am excited I can get this done and ready for Thanksgiving, even if I am not having people over!

Reglazed a window

At some point one of the windows in my old casements got broken. I had to fix it. I took some pictures in case you ever want to try it at home.
Aside from measuring the opening and buying the glass the following are the steps:

Step one: remove the old glazing, broken glass and glazing points. (this is not fun, easy or necessarily without potential for injury) Step two: Put new glass in. This involves Glazing points (aka Push points) and

a putty knife or othe such flat tool. My window was 10x12 and I used four on the long sides and three on the top and bottom....It was a random decision, it seemed like "enough". :D

Then I used Latex Glazing, that required using a caulking gun. In retrospect I wish I had searched for the hand kneaded kind, I think I could have gotten a prettier finish, but with practice this would probably have been a finer job.

Now it needs painted and some tidying up. It's an older window and the new glazing points with 'tips' (which are easier) to use are sort of visible under the glazing compound from inside, which isn't ideal, but I learned how to do it and when the time comes to do another window, and in my old house it will, I will be better and no less proud of doing it myself.

New Year's Resolution-Check

I had one resolution this year: To show my horse. It seems like an easy one, but with her hoof problems, my business, my child and family duties and the fact that I hadn't shown since 4H days it was more than just setting a date and going.
I made myself commit to doing a few clinics with my trainer, Mary and riding a certain amount each week before a show. All of it added up to alot of work. I had moments when I didn't think it would happen. Losing my farrier over the summer, a blown engine in my husband's car and other such incidents conspired to make it a difficulty, but I prevailed.Chai and I prepping at home

Phase one of a Combined Test-Dressage

Phase 2- Stadium Jumping

Chai was a superstar and we scored lower middle of the pack in MY first ever dressage test. Next year I know what to do different to get a better score. She went completely clear in stadium and after a summer of basically being off she just soared. I love that mare!

Overall, we are proud girls and ready to do it again next year.

So, have to get a new resolution, I guess.

New foster horse-OTTB

We have a new foster horse. For those that don't know, I foster for an awesome organization in Indiana. http://www.friendsofferdinand.org/ FFI takes retired race horses and retrains them for second careers.

The acronym OTTB stands for Off Track Thoroughbred. Those of us that ride, love and own OTTBs think it's a great thing to give our horses second careers and homes.

This Sunday our new foster arrived.

his name is Woodman's Star, his barn name is Woody and he is awesome. He stood like a champ for the farrier yesterday, has ridden like a dream for me that last few days and is going trail riding Friday.

For those of you who are horse people and have watched any of the World Equestrian Games this year in Lexington, there were several OTTBs in the eventing section. Upper level horses who may or may not have been great at racing but are awesome at their second careers.

I'm still here!

enjoying the end of summer

Summer pretty much came and went, Duncan turned 12 and went back to school. I had my 36th Birthday this week and lots of 'blogworthy' stuff happened, but I just got out of the habit and haven't been here. I post today in hopes that it will be a restart for it. I went on my birthday and bought some dollar store vinyl signs for my house and put them up yesterday...I will take pics and share.
I am hoping to show my horse in a few weeks at the Octoberfest charity show.