Rodeo

We had so much fun last Friday

at the rodeo, we decided to

GO AGAIN!

We very nearly froze to death.

Well... the Florida version of

froze to death.

But it was COLD!

Even the animals were feeling it.

The horses were feisty.

The bulls were RANK.

The calves were skittish.

And the cowboys ... they were just cold.

So the animals won this one.

There were only TWO scored rides

on the bulls, one of the first guys

out rode and scored a 59 with the option

of a re-ride.

So he took the re-ride and bucked off

at about 2.5 seconds.

Turns out he would have come in SECOND

if he had kept his 59!

What a bummer!!!

We like to sit on the end above the stock chutes.

We like to watch the cowboys handling the

calves and laugh at how its like herding cats.

(And know that we've been there and will

probably be there again...)

Bareback was awesome. Lots of good rides.

They were the most successful of the evening.

Even the barrel racers were off their game.

Nearly ever rider had a barrel down.

One even knocked all 3.

Poor lady.

But although many cowboys went home

without a paycheck, it was still a fun

evening with lots of great action.

This picture was before the rodeo started.

It was sold out, but this early there wasn't anybody there.

These were the children of the Quadrille Team,

just getting started in "horseback square dancing".

They did a great job.

And then the senior team performed later

in the evening and we got to see 

"how it's REALLY done..."

A fun evening all around.

And Rod's car has a great heater

(and heated seats)

so we thawed out and all was well.

Kyle's New "Toy"

Linda has been working with a guy

who has been taking down some

trees on her city farm.

He sort of did it half way

and then he vanished.

So finally they decided that Kyle

should do it instead.

But that means he needed to

lease a giant piece of equipment.

They delivered it to the farm this morning.

But he can't drive it yet.

Because he needs a $1,000,000 insurance policy.

And those are a little harder to come by

than you might think.

We HOPE we have it sewed up.

But we are waiting on that all important phone call.

He's excited to get started!

I Got a Boo Boo

Several months ago I went to the Dermatologist.

I had a dot that I wondered about.

He said it was nothing.

But there was ANOTHER dot next to it

that he was a little suspicious of.

And yup, the biopsy came back

squamous cell carcinoma.

But Derms out here in the Sunshine State

are rare as hen's teeth so they are BUSY.

The soonest I could get back in was Feb 18.

And yesterday that day finally came.

But it's just a DOT.

So I wasn't nervous or anything.

Yeah, whatever.

After like 25 injections to numb a huge

area on my arm, they moved me to

the surgical suite.

And then after more prep we got down

to business.

He opened my arm (no pain, but you CAN feel

EVERYTHING... and since I butcher my own

animals I had a very vivid picture in my mind

of what was going on...) and then he said

"Hmmm, this is a BIG cancer..."

Well, thanks!

You could have kept that comment 

to yourself...

Anyhow.

An hour later I was finally done.

The incision is about 4 inches, vertically on my arm.

Yesterday the only thing that bothered me was

the vet wrap. It is pretty stiff and was pinching

my elbow and kind of making me crazy.

But I faithfully sat on my couch with my little

lunch box ice pack and a tea towel

(held together with a chip clip... hahahaha)

and it never hurt.

This morning I (carefully) fed the animals

and then got dressed to go into the Town Hall.

By the time I got there, it was kind of achy.

And since I'm not allowed to bend over,

workout, or lift anything for 2 weeks,

there wasn't much I could do there today.

I could type, but honestly, that didn't sound

like something my arm wanted to do.

So I visited for a bit and then came home again.

I'm counting the hours (48) until I can

take the wrap off.

And then I'll probably put another one on, but

I'll pad it with some gauze first... (grin)

I have some pretty RED vet wrap.

And maybe some green, and yellow...

I have a bunch of rolls out in the barn.

I'm gonna rock all the colors!

New Garden

Kyle has really missed our garden.

We had one, and then turned it into the

chicken yard.

And then we took down the fence and

opened it up for cow pasture.

But he still misses the garden.

So last week he tore up the back yard

with his Cat, then rented a tiller

for a day and did a bunch of work.

Getting the posts started.

Can't decide if our yard is a parking lot

or a construction zone...

The men are working hard!

Luckily there is a nice breeze and its only

in the mid 70's today.

Not too hot to fence.

A couple of hours later and the posts are nearly all in the ground.

These guys KNOW how to fence!

It's a pretty big garden.

But we won't have any trouble filling it up.

There are only 4 raised rows...

They are putting field fence and then maybe a

row of chicken wire to keep the wild rabbits out.

We'll see...

Meanwhile...

The orange tree is in bloom

and smells AWESOME!

There were a bunch of bees out doing their job.

It's just a little guy,

but give it a couple of years...

The peach tree has peaches!

Even the loquat has a hand full of loquats!

There would be a couple more, but I let

the cows in the yard a couple of weeks

ago and they thought it looked tasty.

They have been banished.

MIA

Kyle is home and the weather is BEAUTIFUL!

I was anticipating days and days at the beach.

But then he reminded me that I am

working at the Town every day this week.

(The receptionist had surgery Tuesday...)

So....

I've been extremely busy.

Trying to get everything done in the

mornings before I head into the office.

And then exhausted in the evening.

Working is hard work!

(Hahahahaha)

But we HAVE made two trips to the beach.

Just in the late afternoon...

It's always windy...

We were both feeling good and walked and walked and walked.

We made it 3.48 miles! (round trip)

So I took a picture of the distinct tree to mark

our new record.

My hips were SORE the next day!

I met him down there again last night after work.

The beach was COVERED with baby

Man-o-War jellyfish.

They are pretty, but you had to keep your

eyes open so you didn't step on one.

We only stayed for about 45 minutes

but got in a nice walk and chat.

And now...

I've got to quickly eat my breakfast

and get ready to head to the Town.

But I needed to check in.....

HI!!!

Kyle's Home

Kyle is home.

Along with all his stuff.

Luckily he isn't much of a collector

of stuff... because even this minimal

amount is quite a bit...

His couch and TV shelf are out in the tack room.

We will find places for all of it

until it moves to his next adventure.

But I'm not in a hurry.

(grin)

Toasty Toes

I had a good class this weekend.

We ended up with 12 students,

which is a good size.

But I was TIRED by the time 

yesterday was finished.

This morning I actually slept until

8:30! Which is unusual in a hotel bed...

and then it was up,

pack,

walk across the parking lot to my

favorite little Mel's Diner for some

breakfast and then drive to

Rural King to pick up my feed order.

They still didn't have any beet pulp pellets.

Darn it.

Maybe next week.....

And then it was, turn on the Kindle to

read the last of the Harry Potter books

to me as I drove across the state.

When I got home, I unloaded the feed

that I DID get into their barrels out

in the barn and then went inside to

open the mail.

And SURPRISE!

I got a present from Mom!!!!

It's chilly in my house tonight,

so I'm VERY EXCITED to have 

some brand new Toasty Toes!

Thanks Mom!!!!!