Crochet Me Crazy

Wow, seems like a lot has happened. As you can imagine, we've been extremely busy and not home much at all. We've been working either at the stables or here at the ranch. Until today, I pretty much get home and have 2 1/2 to 3 hours to feed people and animals, try to wash at least one load of laundry, and then do my best to be in bed by 10:00. It hasn't been busy and we don't have a ride until 4 pm today so I'm catching up around here. Alison has been suffering for the past couple of days when she developed some blisters from riding horses non-stop. I got some creams and ointments and yesterday she had to suffer through two trail rides. We borrowed some tight riding pants and a more comfortable saddle from the owner's here where we live. She said it helped but she just needs a break to let it heal. That's what we are trying to let happen with no riding yesterday afternoon or today. She will have to ride at least once though. She needs to be better by the weekend when it gets busy because she is all that's left up there running the rides right now! That is the other big development of the week....the other wrangler and his son I was talking about in my last post just got up and left on Sunday night. Mrs. Stables found out from a voice mail Monday morning! What a jerk! So, when we got there Monday morning, the horses weren't fed and we couldn't saddle for the 9 am ride. I was able to get them to come back later. Actually, EVERYONE was really happy and relaxed, including the horses, since he's been gone. It's really no real loss. Alison can handle most everything but a little help would be good on those busy days. We are working on tracking down a guy that worked last summer to come back. Then, to top things off...yesterday Jeff had to go to the doctor because his knee was all swollen up and throbbing. He was afraid he was bitten by a spider. The doctor said he thinks he has a Staph Infection and put him on antibiotics. He hobbled around the rest of the day and night. He went into work today and I just got finished checking on him. He says it's still swollen but not "quite" as painful as yesterday.

So...that's what is happening with me! I thought I would pop in and say I'm still alive while I had a little bit of time!

I took Alison for her first visit to the orthodontist today. It was just a pre-exam but he said Alison looks like a very basic straight forward case. I've got to take her to the dentist first since it's been so long since she's been. We did that, then went grocery shopping...came home and Alison got dressed and I took her to get her dance pictures made.

Lot's going on so I'm feeling a little heavy. I just realized this weekend is Memorial Day weekend which means we'll be starting to work the stables every day. Jeff is going out of town for one more week of training next week so he won't be around to help out around here. To top it off, there's a lot of issues going on with the new wrangler they hired and his son he's brought with him. It's a long story but I'm not willing to babysit the hellion of a child. I've been waiting to see because the owner has been trying to come up with a solution but so far nothing that is going to work. Someone has to go and it's looking more and more like it's going to be me. The job is demanding already and I'm just drawing the line on how much I'm willing to put up with. I simply can't do it. So that makes a little sad. I'll let Alison keep working there as long as I feel comfortable with it, but if she's having to put up with too much from those two louses, we might not be able to abide that either. But oh well, we'll wait and see what happens this next week up there. I should know whether I'm staying or going by the end of next week.

Lot's of other family issues going on....my baby nephew just passed away yesterday. He wasn't even 2 years old and died from severe brain trauma. It's a really sad, sad, sad story. The funeral is this weekend in another state so we won't be able to go to that.

Well, I'm pooped and going to bed...I've been up since 5:30 this morning (too early for me!) Tomorrow's another day!

Just piddled around the house today. The mad pace has subsided momentarily.

I sauted this squash from the garden.



It was very tasty. The garden has gone wild. I'm eating lots of salads because of all the Arugula, Oak Leaf and Red Salad Lettuce we have.

My husband gave me roses on Sunday! Maybe it's his way of making up for all the grumpy pant months while he was working such long hours.

This end of our school/dance year came to a close with the exciting conclusion of Alison's dance performance in "Sleeping Beauty". Alison was a Godmother. It's hard to express how proud we are of her. She dances and lights up her space with her smile. She pulled off her difficult solo beautifully and we didn't even know this until after the show when her instructor told us this. She said that she has used that particular dance that Alison did many times in years past but she has always had to modify the choreography to suit the dancers ability. She said that Alison is the very first girl that she has ever not modified the original choreography for and that Alison danced the original choreography with the same speed that it was originally written. I'm also very proud of her and we were especially proud that she was selected to win the yearly scholarship for Ballet IV, given for her dedication and effort to dance! She has full scholarship for next years ballet tuition!!! YAY Alison!!!!! It was a fun and exciting night.

The pictures from top to bottom are....Alison and I, Alison and her Dad, Alison and her grandparents. The last two photos are Alison and my "other" kids...her best friend and the Stable's grandkids that I talk about a lot on here.

It seems I'm a terrible blogger these days. I'm just too busy. Then, when I sit down to write, the past days are too much of a jumble to sort out what I did. Just....everything I usually do, just a lot more of it. Alison is having rehearsals every day...today we had rides at the stables....we have all our chores here....and then I just found out that the first horse club meeting is tonight! Not really up for that tonight but I guess I gotta go! I had about decided I was going to stay at dance and then kill time in town until the meeting tonight rather than driving back and forth. We ended up working it out that Alison will go to youth group with her friend, Morgan, after dance and by the time they get out of youth it will just about be time for the Horse Club meeting. Which is good because I was able to come home and clean the horse stalls and feed the baby chickens. The owner's are leaving town tonight so we have it ALL through the weekend, plus dog house guests, plus Alison's dance show is this weekend AND Jeff is out of town! I was thinking we might get a little bit of slow pace after this week when dance is over for the year but I'm not holding my breath on that. I already have two days scheduled with Orthodontist appointments next week. We are going to try to get braces on Alison's teeth now that Jeff has a regular shop and dental insurance.

Well...Horse Club...that's an exciting proposition for Alison. I don't know much about it because it's our first year but I guess I'll know more after the meeting tonight. It's basically where you bring your horse once a week to the rodeo arena and you get to "Play" on your horse. Little competitions like running barrels, pole bending, and stuff like that. Right up my little cowgirls alley!

Hope all the mother's out there reading this had a wonderful Mother's Day yesterday!

Here's my Mother's Day Card that Alison made for me...



Well, I guess I really don't need to say what I've been doing since my last post....basically the same things I always do! The flood waters went down to passable the next day after our flood. The kids did have some fun tubing in the creek behind the house which temporarily has enough water to do it. The sun came out for a few days. The kids had friends over.


We went to the State Park a couple of days in a row to meet with a friend the kids have that was camping there this weekend.

I woke up early this morning though when I heard the sound of rain drops on the roof! I jumped out of bed and ran straight out to go do my chores quickly before the rain really starts and before it gets really muddy out there! Now I'm back on the porch and drinking my morning coffee.

It's going to be a busy week this week. Alison has dance rehearsals every day this week. Her end of year performance is this next weekend. Also, the owner's are leaving town later this week to take a trip so that means I'll get all the dogs, the garden and the new baby chicks to take care of daily.

My girl says "Hi!"

The rain started today and at about 4:30 a wall of water came down. This is the creek behind our house that previously was virtually empty.


Another spot on the creek behind our house...this was our road...



Remember where the kids camped and had their little camp site set up on the rocks? Well, this is it now...



The horse arena....



The kids and I got in the truck and went to look at the river crossing. We couldn't even get near the low water bridge....The kids are not even near the low water bridge in this picture and it's that deep.



Looks like we are shut in for a little while...and Jeff is shut-out! If he would have gotten here just about 30 minutes sooner, he might have made it home. He's gone to the stables to spend the night. We're supposed to get more rain tonight. Well, it's really, really great news for us to get this rain! It is badly needed! God is cleaning the river out! Good summer coming!!

Jeff flew back from Oklahoma yesterday with a whole new life! He got the promotion as field service manager! He's been home today because they pulled him out of the field and told him to just stay home until he hears from them. I guess they'll be setting him up for some traveling for training he has to go to. So...here we go from here now. Don't see any way that it can't be better than what he's been doing for the past two months.

Michael is back home. I put him to cleaning up the wreck he had the RV in. My kids had been collecting laundry in the RV so I literally washed clothes ALL day today. It was our "day off" out here. Mrs. Grain was out with the horses today so Alison is usually out there when she does that. Then it was so hot outside, they decided to go ride the horses to the river. Alison came back very exhuberantly telling me about how they went swimming on the horses! They all took the saddles off the horses and took their boots and shoes off and then went in. The water was up to the horses back. Jeff almost didn't go with them and was glad he did...he thought it was a lot of fun. Wish I could've gotten a picture of that!

Grace got out of the yard yesterday...the gate has been getting stuck and someone didn't make sure it closed. This is the 3rd time she's gotten out and so far everytime she has walked back in herself. She is extremely curious but at the same time, it's scary out there! She gets tired and eventually decides to come back in the yard where she is relaxed.

More flowers....it seems that's about all I have time for these days...

We've killed 4 scorpions in our house today plus 1 on the porch!! Alison is SUPER creeped out and I'm pretty creeped out myself actually. Those things sting! I've never lived anywhere that I've had this problem before. I guess we're going to be super careful and check things. Jeff thinks its because of the big rain we had but I don't know.

Michael is gone for the week staying at the stables and working so I'm cleaning stalls. When I'm home it seems like all I ever do is feed things -- I'm either feeding people or animals! If I'm not doing that, I'm cleaning up after people or animals... Guess I better get used to it because we plan on having our own animals some day. Today I took it easy....Jeff was home.

I'm still having fun crocheting flowers.




The flowers are pretty but they look even prettier once Alison gets done working her magic!



Alison asked me to make her a new water bottle holder so I made that today.



Good news! Jeff had an interview yesterday for the Field Service Manager position where he works and now he has to go be interviewed at company headquarters in Oklahoma. He's flying out Friday and comes home Saturday. Hopefully, he gets this and life will get less demanding for him.