Welcome To My Life, Ed. 3 Vol III

Last night, Huey swiped an ENTIRE piece of pizza off Cowboy H's plate AND snarfed the WHOLE thing before either of us even knew it was gone.

Seriously. Nobody even saw it happen.

It was hilarious. I laughed so hard I couldn't breathe.

The funniest part was, Cowboy H trying to blame me for stealing his pizza because I had no idea what he was talking about.

HEY! Where'd my? Did you? I had four pieces!

For probably the first time ever, Hank was sitting innocently at my feet.

And Huey? He was hiding behind the couch, licking his chops, all evidence properly destroyed by the time we figured out what happened.

The Kinda Weekend I Like

God smiled on us here in Southern California this weekend, and kept the predicted 1-2" of rain at bay. At least during the day. Okay, well not completely, I think we got 5 drops Sunday morning, but we handled it.

Both Saturday and Sunday were beautiful, crisp sunny days, with big puffy clouds drifting in and out of the sun's way.

Saturday, I trucked out to the ranch with the pupparoos and bathed Bella with her medicated shampoo while Maria burned a hole in my back with her angry stare. She was very very very upset that Bella was getting attention from me and not her. This horse kills me, I swear. She sees my truck pull up at the ranch, and stands pressed against the pasture gate fixated on me with radar until I catch her. Or more appropriately, open the gate so she can finally come out. There's really no "catching" involved with this horse.

Once Bella was scraped and wrapped up in a cooler, I rode Maria. Yes, I actually rode my horse. I'm paying for it today, but that's okay. I gotta get back in shape somehow.

After playing with the ponies, and wearing the dogs out, I trucked back home and got down and dirty cleaning the house.

Oh yeah, and sorted 8 piles of laundry. Somehow, don't ask me how, I ended up with 4 sets of sheets in the hamper. We only have 2 beds. I said, don't ask me.

On Sunday, Cowboy H was home (yay!) and after a yummy breakfast of homemade waffles, fresh strawberries (yes, they are in season here already, I know you're jealous) and just whipped cream, we headed out to the ranch again with the doggies.

Oh my, it was beautiful out there. So nice, that when the sun wasn't hidden behind the clouds you had to take your sweatshirt off.

Yep, those are our pooches in the bottom right-hand corner.

There wasn't much time to play around today; we had business to take care of. First up, Bella needed a mani-pedi. Now, I haven't directly mentioned it, but Bella just might be on her way to a new home. No, don't think anything bad, we love Bella. She is the most fabulous trail horse, has never even questioned Cowboy H on anything he's asked of her. She'll work cows, and you can rope off her, heck, you can leave her in pasture for 3 months, then drag her out and jump on her bareback. You can't really ask for much more than that. However, if you haven't noticed yet, she's a little on the small side.

And Cowboy H and I, well, we're a little on the giant side.

Plus, Cowboy H has been given another (more appropriately sized) horse from his previous boss, get this, as a wedding gift. Yes, we got a horse as a wedding gift. Anyway, that's not the point. The point is we can't afford board for 3 horses and the newly-gifted horse is a little better fit for Cowboy H. And the other point is Bella needed her feets prettied up for her potential new owners (and our big ride next weekend with The Desert Rose).

Yes, we keep our horses barefoot. One, because we're lazy; two, because we can.


The greatest dog treat ever.

While Cowboy H worked on Bella's feet, I tortured Maria by moving her around the in arena. This is the attitude I get:

That would be my halter, which I was swinging at her, in the corner.

However, as soon as I so much as drop the hand with the halter, I get this:

Mom, this is really stupid, I already know how to play these games. Why do you always make me do this?

Ahhh, she is so fun to play with. Mostly because she takes about 3 strides, and wants to fold in and come to me. When I push her out again, she gets mad, and takes off bucking, for about 1 second, then immediately folds in again. She loves me.

After currying her up, and tying her in the sun to marinate, I checked on Cowboy H and Bella. A blogger I follow (I don't remember who it was so if it was you, please say so!) recently said she would like to get up the nerve to ask her farrier is she can take photos of him working on her horses sometime. One bonus to having your husband as your farrier is you can take all the photos you want.

And, you can get up close and personal.

And, sometimes you get a kiss.

And, you can make him put his chinks back on so you can get really cool pictures.

"Nice job, Dad. Looks great. Now can you hurry up and nip so I can have the trimmings?"

I agree. Nice job, Cowboy H.

The trimmings proved very popular (as always) with the dogs.

Pretty soon the other ranch dogs gathered round.

Bella does not like dogs.

Anyway, once the pampering was over, we gave the horses a bucket of grain each and Cowboy H took a well deserved break. Hank joined him, of course.

With that, our trip to the ranch ended. We ran a few errands then headed home. Once back at the house, Cowboy H changed the oil in my truck and rotated my tires while I dug up the last 3 rose bushes I wanted to get rid of. We ended the day 5 loads of laundry down, sitting on the couch with a fire blazing, watching a movie and eating banana splits.

Just as we were falling asleep, we heard the rain start coming down.

That put the final touches on just the kinda weekend I like.

Welcome To My Life, Ed. 2, Vol II

The other night, Cowboy H and I were trying to get cozy on the couch, enjoy a fire and watch a movie. I was doing something (can't remember what) and I looked over to see Cowboy H tearing the pillows and covers off the couches, mumbling.

Where the heck is the remote?

So we start looking together. Under couches, under beds, under pillows, under cushions. Cowboy H even lifted the recliner completely off the ground to check under there.

Oh well, it'll turn up eventually.

My brain was turning, however, since I really hate when I can't find what I'm looking for. I will continue looking until I find it. Even if it makes me late to something.

How funny would it be if my dog had dragged it into the backyard. Actually, that wouldn't be that funny. Do you have a flashlight?

Sure enough, there it was, sitting right smack in the middle of the backyard grass.

Welcome to my life. You should visit regularly.

Every. Day.

Happy Friday!!

Best Christmas Present...

Ever.

Yep, I'm pretty sure this is my favorite Christmas present ever.

Each year, after opening all our presents, my mom asks us to pick our favorite. This year it was tough, between the new pots and pans and the fancy chinks that I have so desperately been wanting.

Then this arrived (a day late because it was a custom order):

And it won hands down. It has every one of the kiddos on it.

All five of them. Our names wouldn't fit because five is the limit. Leave it to us to max out even Christmas ornaments.

Did anyone else have a hand's down, no butts about it, absolutely favorite gift this year?

No Butts About It

This was one fabulous Christmas!

Email me Paint Girl! You get an 8 x 10!

My little brother got a rifle for shooting squirrels, so most of the morning the boys were doing this:

My dad


Cowboy H


My bro

The pups also got their own Christmas presents. Hank took extra special care picking out just which one he wanted.

I think this is the one!


Hurry, Dad. Open it!

Don't worry. We didn't leave Huey out. He got is very own also.

I hope everyone else had a very Merry Christmas (it sure seems that way from the recent postings)!

I'll have a post on why Christmas on the Central Coast of California isn't so bad, even if its not white, coming up!

Christmas Card, 2009

We wish everyone peace, joy, love and lots of time spent with family this holiday season.


Merry Christmas!



Love,

Oz, Hank, Indy, Olivia and Huey

His Ba-Ba

I realize, after two Hanky posts in a row, that I needed to talk about Huey a little.

Don't think that Huey doesn't get any attention at home; he is very well loved. Its just very difficult to get good photographs when there are two puppies. Most all of them look like this:

Another issue: Huey likes to hide under the couch. Maybe he's just camera shy?

So Huey has a ba-ba.

It is an itty bitty stuffed squirrel with a squeaker inside.

Somehow, this one little toy has managed to escape the plight of every other toy that has met the Hankster: a swift evisceration.

Don't ask me how, but he is the last man standing. A wounded soldier, yet still standing.

Huey loves his squirrel. I think that's why he still has his guts (and his squeaker).

If there's one thing Huey will stand up to Hank for, its his ba-ba.

And that's my boy.