Independent

Nothing huge or major has been happening  here at all.  It's been bitterly cold, unusually cold for Kentucky.  We spent 2 weeks under freezing daily and it makes the rabbits water dishes hell to do.  I had piles of ice building up and up and it felt like there was no reprieve.  We finally broke out of the cold and did a warm swing for a week then yesterday was the start of another Arctic blast that will last for 4 or 5 days.  By next weekend I will be able to put my water bottles back and more than likely be able to leave them up.  Which is good, I need to start replacing my water bowls as I have cracked quite a few this time around.  Only one bowl cracked far enough to not be usable that I know of.  Dutch Willie's bowl might be cracked too far but right now it has to wait it out as there are no more spare bowls.  Natalie, Connie and Gerdy are all still hanging in there- for old rabbits they are taking this severe cold quite well.
I do have 2 of my dutch does bred for kits on Wednesday- Legends to Willie for a blue litter, and Jolene to Lantis for a tort litter.  I am hoping they survive this severe cold.  Then next up is next weekend is Lindsey to Trick and Cricket to Willie Spot.  Then last will be a week from now with GiGi to Willie Spot and Mirror to Trick so hopefully will have dutch and spot babies to post some pictures of.
Ayden however was a sore spot.  I laid him to rest on the 10th, we had intended to do it on the 12th anyway but his nose bled all day on the 9th so I struggled all day with him in the kennel in the back.  Finally Rex helped me euthanize him.  He was just barely 11 years old (1/4/07) but his Nasal Squamous cell carcinoma had finally gotten the worst of him.  I beat myself up thinking that it had been swollen before but he was managing but I *had * to do the punch biopsy to find out what it was.  The punch biopsy aggrevated the cells and made his nose blow up.  I knew we were on shorter time from there.  At least I have to admit he had a good life, and he had a lot more time than several other dogs that I know of for sure.  Gus, Brenda's bulldog, had 2 rounds of Chemo and his cancer came back and she had to put him down at 3 years old.  Then Jagger, a client's Dalmation, had some bone cancer in his left front and they amputated the whole leg in hopes of cutting it off.  3 months after amputation the stump blew up and we x-rayed his chest and found the stump was a huge tumor and it had spread into his lungs and they put him down on the 12th- he too was only 3 years old.  I'm glad that Ayden actually was older.  I can finally talk about him and even think about it without my eyes welling up. 

I got my new saddle for Tessa with some of my Christmas Bonus and I am so happy to report that it fits so now I can't wait to actually tack her up and try it.  I can't wait until I can try it.  It still doesn't fit Heidi so I will still have to keep Heidi english for the time being.  I am okay with that though.  Both mares are doing pretty good.  Tessa's weight has really come down and Heidi's as trim as she's always held in the winter.  I am letting them free choice on hay but still very limited grain.  They are both also naked.  I think I'm going to go back to my original plans of keeping them naked until they are older and truly require it.  

So hopefully soon they can get their feet trimmed and be ready for some riding!   If I play my cards correctly I can get them trimmed on Saturday and maybe go for a ride on Sunday!  Well I am going to switch back to the Armour again and see what happens as the week goes on. Worse case I figure if my sinus' go crazy again then I can at least call or email the doctor Friday and have him switch me back.  I have just enough of my pills set up to cover me through Friday's dose.