MUSSELSHELL RANCH WIFE

LIFE OF A RANCH WIFE, LIVING ON THE MUSSELSHELL, TRYING TO FIND TIME TO PAINT

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Just Two of Several Pets






Thought I would introduce everyone to our pets, a couple at a time. I guess the reason for that is that I don't have pictures of them all yet, but I will work on that.
I am the main, small pet, care-giver. I feed, water, and worm them and try to keep tick collars on them. Just keeping a regular collar on them is a challenge. They will remind me if I forget to feed them.
This little pup is Sam. She is a one year old Border Collie McNabb cross. I have never met a more destructive animal. She has chewed hundreds of dollars of stuff ranging from shoes and hats to coolers and CD's. But when I get mad at her she just crouches and curls her body around my legs and "smiles." She know no bounds in the porch, everything is fair game, and she CAN reach everything! One day recently, I heard a clatter in the porch and ran to investigate.
She was up on the freezer eating cat food. She tore out of there, knocking over my EMT bag and Oxygen tank. That may have been the beginning of the end. I couldn't keep her out of the cat dish and one day I found her polishing off the whole bag. Now I have heard that cat food is not good for dogs and apparently that is right because soon after gorging herself, she became very very sick. As soon as the weather permitted, 20 below and Jay squawks mightily about going anywhere, we hauled her in. After a week at the vet, she looks worse. She has not one ounce of meat on her bones, and she is on an IV. I became an overnight vet tec. She is on three different pills and some sort of injection, plus drops for her eyes which are sunken and dry looking. The night we brought her home she jumped up on the kennel and was straining against her IV to reach more cat food. I got a leash and tied her very securely. Not one more nibble of cat food for her. The vet doesn't hold out much hope if it is the cat food causing the problems. Liver damage. She hasn't smiled since she has been sick but she really loves to have her ears scratched. I am mothering her along until God or Jay makes a decision.

Next is Reggie, Sam's porch mate, who's food has put Sam in turmoil. Reggie was dragged home by my daughter and exchange daughter(whom has since returned home). My daughter is gone most of the time too, so once again I am in charge of this critter. She is a little strange. She loves to "nurse." If I stand still long enough she will crawl on my shoulder and work her sharp claws in my shirt and find a little piece of cloth to chew on and go to town. When Jay takes his slippers
off in the morning to put his muck boots on, she loves to stuff her head in the slipper and scoot all over the porch. She is pretty sure that I am making a mistake, and that she should be permitted in the house. If the porch door is left open even for a few seconds she is slinking in as quiet as possible. Her and I have had quite a few battles over this. Not sure who is winning! Just two of the several pets we have. Maybe next I will introduce you to Rupert. Depends on how the photo session goes.

Friday, December 18, 2009

Feeling Good and Where does all The STUFF Come From!

Well, I am happy to report that my back is BETTER! I am so glad! It takes a lot of energy to be in pain. I walked on the treadmill a couple of days ago. It felt really good. I didn't get too carried away. Today I was back on the treadmill and ran about 15 of the 30 minutes. It felt good today too. Thanks to Susan and The Farmers Wife for your well wishes. Hopefully I am on the road to running again.
On another note, we have moved our daughter home from college, as she will be going to Costa Rica for her next semester. I swear she has more stuff coming home that she left with. Now we have to find a place to put it all. I need a storage shed! How is it that I have a shop, horse barn, sheep shed and two empty granaries and can't seem to find the appropriate place to put this stuff. Not sure if she can find her bed, I know it was there this morning, She may have to roll out a sleeping bag on the couch. I just wanna fire up the burn barrel and do a little purging. That wouldn't go over well. I think she would retaliate by burning my fabric stash.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Ouch My Back


Well since the last time I posted I have been laid up with a back problem that just won't let up. Went to the chiropractor for the first time ever. I think that was a huge mistake. I was so bad the next morning I barely got out of bed. I have been trying to figure out just what happened. I didn't fall, or spend time looking over my shoulder in a tractor. The only thing I can think of is the running. Well, I am getting better. Should start walking again in a day or two. But with this weather, I will have to do any walking or running on the treadmill. Well, I have done my share of whining! Yuck I hate it when I do that!

Friday, December 4, 2009

A Small Breakthrough


Ok, back to this running thing. It has just been there like a little thorn or something.....just kind of bugging me. Don't get me wrong. I am glad it is there. I have hung with this for about a year, fitness that is, and have been adding some running here and there. It comes and goes, or at least it did, now it is here more that there. For the last three months I have really been interested in truly adding in the running. I have had little breakthroughs along the way. Getting through 4 minutes without stopping, that was a big one. (remember that speed will just have to wait) I have a program on my ipod that is an interval training plan. It was hard. but then a little breakthrough....it started getting easier. It is hard to find a flat stretch around here, but I did. Then came the hills, well just a couple. But I wanted them because I would do short intervals going up. Then came a little breakthrough, 5 minutes, then 6 minutes......solid running well jogging or even just a trot! (Yes you got it....going down) lol I will take it any way I can get it. Well, I have had my biggest breakthrough yet. One mile, a little over, finally, finally, finally! I am really happy, but now I have to keep it up. It will be a while before that mile becomes easy.
I have a goal. I want to run part of the Blooms Day Road Race in Spokane. More than I did last year.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

2009 Christmas Tree and Nativity




Here are some pictures of my tree this year. This is the first year in probably 16 or 17 years that I have bought a tree. It is a fir and it is so fresh and soft. Now if I water it I hope it stays that way. I wasn't too enthused with this project this year. But when I saw the trees cut by our community club I changed my mind. I need a topper yet. The Nativity I have had for a very long time, like my very first "married" Christmas gift from my mom. I have it in a wooden crate with an electric "candle" for the star. I will probably drag out more stuff as the month progresses. I just hate to put it all away. I think last year I was really dreading it and did some pretty drastic culling, because when I started looking for my Christmas boxes this year i only found 1. I think I need to go shopping for new stuff. Or else I need ideas for easy cool decorations I can make.