Back to the Cold

2 weeks in the heat and sun ca me to an end. I know, I know, tough life! But to arrive Saturday at midnight, which wasn’t bad temp wise, considering the time of day. Then to wake to a 22 degree wind the next morning, life is tough!

Tom went out to the barn about 8:30 to feed dogs and cats, and he said it was nice out. We had egg sandwiches for breakfast and sorted mail into 4 piles! Garbage/junk mail, magazines, bills, and paperwork to look at. After an hour, we decided to go put put out new round bales for the horses for the week.

The large lot with 9 horses had 5 round bales for the past 2 ½ weeks. They still had about ½ a round bale left. That was good planning. They definitely didn’t go hungry.

Tom starting filling the large water tank as I started graining the horses to keep them preoccupied while we opened and closed the gate. Tom got the first round bale, and as I opened the gate for him, I felt the wind. Out in the open, it was cold enough to turn away from the wind coming out of the north. Brrrr We got the 2nd round bale out and covered with the round bale feeder. The water tank was full so I drained the hose to drag it to Duke’s water tank.

Our stud, Duke, is in the round pen in a lot by himself.

During the storms at Christmas time, the snow drifted his gates shut. We gave him 12 square bales of brome hay for 13 days, thinking he would eat about ¾ bale/day. He is 16 hands and runs around his lot, so he is constantly hungry! The past 2 weeks had enough nice days, and a recent day of rain, that enough snow melted to open the gate. I started the water to his water tank and grained him. Tom backed in with a round bale for him and we had it covered before Duke was done with his grain.

During this whole time, my 2 dogs, Lady, the Springer Spaniel,


and Posie, my Austalian Shepherd,


ran all over the place, enjoying their play time! They were so excited to see us, wanting to be petted, and chased after snow balls that I threw, and run after sticks.

Driving to town yesterday, I realized that I hadn’t driven for 2 ½ weeks. I haven’t been cold for 2 ½ weeks. I haven’t worked fort 2 ½ weeks. I know, tough life!

But I also realized that I hadn’t seem my grandbabies in 5 weeks, since the weekend before Christmas! My high temp and cough kept me from seeing Jacob, Amber and Caden during Christmas and New Years weekend.

We were able to visit with them and Micah on Sunday, and had cheese steaks for lunch! Yummy

We will get to see Sara, Jake and Makenzie

next Thursday, when we meet up in Chicago as we fly to Pennsylvania to visit our parents and the kid’s grandparents. We are so excited to be going!

But once again, 1 day of colder air, and I was coughing. I kept coughing in the evening while I was away, but the cough is worse with this colder air. I am getting tired of coughing for a month already. We’ll see what the doctor says today, as I scheduled an appointment for today. The doctor told me I just have irritation in my bronchial airways due to the bronchitis and put me on a steroid inhaler and more prescription cough syrup. I'm ready for this cough to be over! It's been more than 4 weeks now!

Time to get busy with organizing my QH business, and schedule lessons, training and clinics. I have 2 more months to clearance out the items from the tack store. I better start getting things advertised on Craig’s List and Ebay!