SKEETER

Today started like any other day, except I forgot that I had to work for my son at the post office so he could go to the Dr. Found out he has low blood sugar and he is very ill. It's a wonder he is still walking around. Needless to say, I haven't done my treadmill walk yet nor my Bible study. You see, I forget things easily now and I forgot when his appointment was so I didn't plan for it.

This afternoon our horse of twenty six years is having issues. He has really watery diarrhea and he fell over onto his side and had convulsions. Then he got up and seemed fine for a while but still has the runs. We are going to watch him tonight and see how he is doing in the morning. He seems fine for now.
 This is the story about our horse Skeeter. Skeeter is a half Appaloosa and half Missouri Fox Trotter,(we horse people call that breed a Walkaloosa). We got him as an unbroken gelding when he was one. I was a 4-H teacher of horsemanship and I was able to have horses donated to our club as long as I kept said horse for one year then I could do what I wished, keep it or sell it.

We lost our Skeeter. He got poisoned from some bad hay. We bought it from a different supplier and it had some toxic leaves in it. So we had to put him down. But I will share his story.

When he was one we adopted him through our 4H project. My husband had lost his job and we decided to get a buggy and start a horse and buggy business. When Skeeter was two, we found a horse trainer and took Skeeter there for a few months. Also, we found an old fashioned blacksmith who used old fashioned ways to do his job. No electric and used an old timey forge and hammer. Anyway, he and my husband  Gary, built the buggy by hand. The only thing that was already made was the wheels. It was handy because five days a week Gary went to the blacksmith to work with him then on over to the horse trainer for lessons.They were about an hour and a half from home.

After the first day on the training cart, the trainer told my hubby we had a one in a million horse. Don't ever get rid of him so we didn't. Our buggy business was ok for a while but it cost too much to operate it and pay insurance and feed and etc. We were able to take our own son, Matt and his wife for a ride from the church to the reception. It was a great time. We also did a few rides in town and a few anniversaries and birthdays and special events but that was not very steady and it was our only income so we had to look elsewhere.

The first parade was on the 4th of July and that was 23 years ago when our grandson was born so I missed the parade. but it was worth it.

We retired Skeeter from business and just used him for family things. But eventually he was totally retired and just looked pretty in our front driveway area. He had a good life and we enjoyed him so much.

Thinking Back

Well here I sit at the post office filling in while my son goes to the dr and runs some errands. It has been over two years since I had my heart attack, at which time I sort of retired from working. I am finding that I have forgotten a few things but they are starting to come back to my memory. One of the side effects of the medication I was on in the hospital is short term memory loss. Sometimes it feels more like every day memory loss. I was in the kitchen yesterday and I guess I said a couple of things I don' t remember saying. I couldn't recall them but had witnesses who said I did in fact say it. I know God has this in total control but it is so frustrating. I do thank God daily for permitting me more time on this earth to spend with my family. I think forgetting is also a part of  the aging process, after all I am 67 years young.

Raising grand kids is a challenge, a sacrifice and a joy. I love them dearly. They are so awesome at times and so not so awesome sometimes. No matter, hubby and I wouldn't change anything for the world. We have been married for 50 years and have been raising kids/grandkids for 46 years. Is there such a thing as " an empty nest " In your world? What is that anyway? Just kidding. Three more years and I will know the answer for myself.

I realize this blog reads more like a diary but I write what the Holy Spirit nudges me to put on here so it is what it is. I am going to close this one for now and get to work writing on my book.

HAVE YOU DONE THIS

I am sorry that it has taken me so long to get back to my blog. I don't have any excuse other than I am the world's greatest procrastinator I think.
Have you ever lived in a 24 foot camp trailer? Have you ever lived in a 24 foot camp trailer for two and a half years? Have you ever lived in a 24 foot camp trailer for two and a half years with a husband, a cat, and five grandchildren and one child of your own? Well guess what, I have. To top it off  there was no well or running water, no bathroom, just an outdoor toilet and an outdoor shower, and no power! Gee how did we survive all that. Grab a cup of coffee or tea or even hot chocolate, my favorite hot drink, and pull up an easy chair and read about this wonderful, amazing, faith building
experience of a lifetime.
My hubby, Gary, and I had just sold our home and purchased some acreage in the redwoods. We paid cash for the land and cash for the home we were going to have built. It was a metal structure and would be made into a six bedroom, four bathroom house. We were raising five grand kids and still had a daughter of our own living with us at that time. We opted to move onto the property and live in a camp trailer while the home was being built.
 We had paid for everything except the contractor so would have been out of debt. It took over two years of haggling with the county over codes and issues so we did not get our home erected. It was going to be low maintenance, made out of metal, but because there was no other ones around to compare for an appraisal we were not allowed to build it. After much prayer, we decided to get a double wide trailer.
While waiting for the home, we went without power, a well and a toilet. We carried water from our neighbors for bathing and showers. We gave the kids baths in a large round metal tub and we took showers in an outdoor shower my husband put together. We used a rental toilet which we had emptied each week. We ate outside on our picnic table and I cooked on the gas stove in the trailer. It sure was crowded but we had a great time. The kids were little and my husband did hand puppets for them at night. I joined Netflix and we used the laptop to watch dvds at night. Every day I would take the computer in to my parent's house and charge it. I did okay with it all and for the most part so did everyone else. The two oldest slept on the bed that was made from the table, two slept in the walk way and two slept on the floor beside our bed. It was like camping out every day.

To write or not to write

This is really something. Each day I plan to start writing my book and each day stuff happens and I don't. It is all about choices. I can choose to work on my writing or I can choose not to. I can choose to write or read. I can choose to write or play pc games. I can choose to ---- well you get the picture.
I believe God is nudging me to write again.It seem that a majority of the movies I watch on tv are about a writer of some kind. Journalist, author, a publisher or etc. It feels like God is speaking to me about it. I have thought of it for a few months lately but can't get motivated to get started on it. I love reading and if I can write a novel as entertaining as some I read, then that is what it is all about for  me.
I have been married for over 50 years. There are five children, and oodles of grandchildren and some great grandchildren. There is no lack of stories to write about. It is just getting started that makes it difficult. I know what I want to write but not where to start. I guess starting from the beginning is always a good thing, LOL.
I have a son who impaled himself on a metal pole when he was 16, he is now 44. I have another son who messed up his life and spent 7 years in prison. One other son who lost the best job he ever had and is now reaping what he sowed but he is where he was meant to be with his daily walk with God.
I also have two beautiful daughters with stories to be told also. The grandchildren are stories in themselves. So you see, I have no lack of things to write about. Even our pets have stories to tell. I just need to get motivated. Or I could write about my struggles with my weight. I struggled for years then I finally lost the weight, only to gain most of it back again. I feel so insecure and I hurt inside but I still EAT! Foods I know I don't need nor should I eat. So story be told! I have no problem writing on here. I need to go and start my writing. God bless you all.