Merry Christmas, and the count down begins

Merry Christmas to all, with much love from myself, Heidi, Willow, Oasis, Connie, Natalie, Athena, Willie, and Hercules.
Christmas brought a lot of things for me to help get myself ready for my own place.  I do lack a few things still needed for my own apartment, but they are still things that I can pick up as I go.  I figure to be at least a few months out as I need to put aside money for deposit and the last few things that I need.  There's nothing wrong with where I am now, with Kylie, but her present engagement to Doug, I just feel intruding.
The count down has begun to moving Heidi to Lucky Charm.  While the farm is a touch further away, towards Lexington, it's about 2 miles further to this farm from Kylie's than Tamarack was, there's not many boarders and it's usually quiet.  No more Sandy stress from trying to micromanage, and Heidi off grain.  She's gained so much weight, her neck is thick and she's got huge fat deposits along her crest, tail head and a ton through her belly so much that she looks pregnant.
Willow has been wonderful.  She's taking everything else in stride that we've done and I think she'll take to working off leash, with plenty more work, quite well.  She only barked at Allen once yesterday, and he came outside to get dad's Christmas present out of my truck, in a big black hoodie.  We jokingly called him Darth Allen.  
Today I plan to pull some of my things out of Tamarack.  First step will be to drop the trailer over at Lisa's.  Spend some time with them, get my stuff from Allen and Dad that I forgot and then to Tamarack.  I'm going to get my blankets and some of my stuff that I don't need there anymore in my tack box and grab my mounting block.  Then the truck can happily sit for a little longer until moving day comes, cause then I can just toss my tack box in the back and lead them over to Lucky Charm.  I may even be able to put my tack box in the back of their truck.  Well I need to get myself moving. I have to check and make sure the trailer will be okay, cause if not I have to make new plans quickly.  So much planning, so much to do but it'll be worth it in the end.

Roads ahead

     Things have been just going steady as can be.  Kylie and I switched out and started trail riding and Heidi has really blossomed into the mare I always wanted.  We've gone to riding without a crop or spurs or anything.  We can canter or trot out in the open fields and we're both relaxed.  Eventually I may invest in a western saddle and do both.  I also talked to Michael and he's going to check into a friend of his that may have a harness for me that I can either do payments on or he might give it to me. Here's for hoping.
     Willow's been training really well.  We take 20-30 minutes of our lunch break to go out and walk.  We did really good and for the first time I made her work with distractions and it worked!  She did get up on a long sit and I was able to correct her.  She's always been perfect about it and it's hard to keep making her go forward  when there is nothing there to go forward with.  I hate waiting for her to screw up to correct and more forward.  I'm hoping eventually we'll be able to go with Mikey over lunch with one of his Pits so he can keep working.
     My bunnies are going to sell out and then I am going to keep my retirees and eventually colonize them all together.  Athena, Connie, Natalie and Clover will join them eventually.  Athena's not that old but she's been so abused by the other doe that I don't want her to get roughed around.

Learning

     I've been learning quite a few things since the last post.  I've been very lightly working Heidi, but been mainly at the trot.  I might try and canter again soon too. depends on how much time I get to work Heidi.  She'll get a day or two of work and then several more days off and I'm just not getting the consistent work into her that I should be to get but I'm too busy to really do it and I'm too inconsistent.  I guess maybe for a little longer that is just the way we are going to be.  It'll be  a long time until I get the time to do everything with her. I will do what I can. 
     I have been slacking on Willow's training, I haven't done hardly ANY at all since the last show.  We've chosen to get to a show in mid November so I have to get her back at it and training.  We'll be ready for that show.  Just need a few good swift kick in the ass days. 
     I have yet to finish Rachel's wedding pictures.  I didn't work on them at all today.  I was out fishing with dad most of the day got home and had to do laundry, dishes and then get dinner in the oven.  Gotta get them done, I have another wedding to do this coming Friday!  

Crossing Bridges

     Heidi and I have been making strides forward.  I gave her some time off after getting her butt kicked with cantering and jumping.  Today I had been intending to just take it easy but Shana helped me see a few things and taught me a few more things to help improve Heidi and maybe it will help me improve as well. We have a ways to go.  It's really actually quite impressive watching Heidi work from the ground.  I know fully watching Shana on Heidi is a lot better than me on Heidi but we're both greenies.  Hopefully soon I'll be able to ride more often with Shana and we'll get Heidi pushed more forward that maybe by late spring next year we could enter a schooling show.  I don't think I will bother trying to get her to jump for a little while, just get the solid walk, trot, and canter under her and keep her working efficiently.  Then work on me as well.  Maybe afterward I will consider trying to teach her to jump.  I may not bother either.  While I remember quite enjoying jumping Phoenix back in college- the last jump experience I had was not a pleasant one.  Guess hitting the sand was not a good thing for my confidence when it comes to jumping.
     I am still dreading my vacation trip back to NY for Rachel's wedding.  A long train ride and some long nights are coming up and I just dread leaving Willow.  Not for the sake of her well being, I know she's good and safe with Lisa.  It's I hate being away from her.  I've gotten so accustomed to having her right there with me constantly that it will be very strange to not have her there with me.  In a way I wish I had brought her along with me but maybe being away from her will make the trip home a lot easier to take, knowing I'll be coming back as soon as possible.
     Waffles is doing okay.  I want to try and get some water removed from his tank and then get some fresh water in tonight.  I haven't had another bubble nest since the first one he made me.  I looked for a new tank heater this morning while I was out at Wal-Mart but no joy.  Did find some freeze dried bloodworms for food, but I have plenty of food for him right now.  I give him a few of the pellets that Kylie gave me to feed him and some of the mixed food that I have as well.  He's still as bright and vivid as he has been from the get go.  He really is such a pretty fish.   I never realized exactly how pretty these fish really were.  Hopefully I can do him justice since it's been FOREVER since I've been around fish.  I hope he's alright while I am gone.  I am sure Kylie will take care of him and the bunnies while I am gone.  Thinking of Bunnies . . .  The bunnies are doing okay.  I hope to have a couple of them ready for the show the Saturday after I get back.  I may not have anything really ready to show except a few chin's and *maybe* a steel.  Either way I should be alright showing.  It's more for Kylie to see how her Mini Lops do than anything to me.

Me

      I have had a whirl wind two weeks so far  at Kylie's.  Willow still has her spats with the dogs.  The only one she hasn't really bothered with is Eli.  I know it's only been two weeks but I need to get this figured out.  Something will have to give.  I need to do a little study and research of dog behavior.  Most of the time so long as I am watching I don't worry too much about letting her play.  I can yell at her and pull her up on the couch next to me for some time out.  I hope that either I can figure something out or I will have to make a Plan B.
     I have made some huge strides with Heidi this past week.  I made the mistake of saying Heidi's never cantered under saddle  so Megan played musical ponies with me and she got Heidi to canter under saddle.  Then afterwards we went for a mini trail ride down to the creek and back, this time Heidi cantered up the hill behind Amber(Kylie) and Rayna(Megan).  It was one of the most exhilarating things I have done in the 4 years I've had Heidi.  I couldn't wait to canter her under saddle.  I knew once I was riding more and around people I was comfortable with I would be fine.   First Canter on Heidi 9/3/15- then on the 4th I attempted to get her to jump a little cross rail- Well she's not a jumping pony.  First fall off Heidi too.  Hopefully my last one but I'm just not ready nor fit enough to jump yet.  Today I cantered her in the outdoor arena.  Took a little bit but I've got some work still to do on myself as well as balancing Heidi.  We did better in one direction with picking up the correct lead opposite direction we counter cantered.   Shana and Megan both told me it was harder for Heidi to pick up the wrong lead but she was doing it for me.  Still need work, apparently that was what I was telling her to do.  I have been ecstatic with our progress.
     Willow was okay at her show on August 30th.  First time out in Beginner Novice Obedience and all off a sudden that day her sit for exam was GREAT, her automatic sit upon stopping- well lets just say I think she forgot how to sit.   Otherwise we did really good.  Class originally was supposed to be 6 people.  3 showed up, including us.  The Min Pin NQ'd and the blue heeler was first place with a 195, we got second with a 185.5  We were marked down on tight leash(partly me partly she was lagging) and no sits.  So I've let her have this down time to try and settle in a little more at Kylie's and once I get back from New York I will get back to the grind of training with Lisa again.  I will get her going good enough I do want to get a first place at some point.  That's more of me than anything else.  I just have this drive to get a first place.  We've got a couple seconds and a third but I want a blue ribbon.  
     Also bunnies have been good.  This prolonged heat and drought is taking it's toll on them.  I lost one to heat but hopefully the last ones can make it these next 3 or 4 days until it finally cools down again.   Once it cools down I'll try to get Juliet re-bred and from there I either need to make or buy more cages or I have to get rid of a couple and then I can go from there.  Part of me wants to continue the Chins only and move the others all on, but I have Connie, Natalie, Raven and Willie still left.  Willie I am sure I can probably sell on, possibly Raven as well.  Natalie and Connie are both too old to sell on. 
     I have been job scouting a lot lately and I've put in for this photography job.  I worked hard pulling 56 photos and had Allen critique them and we got it down to 42 images in my online portfolio.  Now hopefully it will yield a job out of it.  The pay isn't bad, $135 a day plus my travel expenses which is more than I am making now, and it'll mean every weekend off- so I can continue showing rabbits and Willow as often as I want.  Right now I have it at Boonesboro my set day off is Saturday's if this last photography job gig doesn't lead to a new job then I will be picking up a second job so I can afford Heidi's board.  I've already talked to Sandy and told her ahead of time that I will pay what I can as I can until I get the second job up and running and paying.  Also with the spats y dog has caused on a few occasions I have also looked into income based apartments.  There are several in Winchester that I am going to get after and see if I can qualify for them. I just don't want Willow to create a disaster for someone else.  I can leave her crated while I am at my second job on the weekends.  She still does bark at Doug but she let him pet her today so it's a step in the right direction. 

Moving forward

     It's been a pretty good couple of days. I finally got all moved over at Kylies and Willow is settling down really well.  She still has a few dominance issues with Penny but they're working it out.  She's not a fan of sharing her bed and her crate with the others nor my bed either. But she's settling.  It's been a little adjustment for her but I'm hoping once we go to work tomorrow we'll be much better and get back into routine.  This week Mary should be in to do checks and I'm either going to talk to Mary or leave her a letter and see about getting a set day off so I can pick up a part time job for Saturday and Sunday  afternoons and whatever day off I have.  I'm hoping to get Wednesday's off.  It'll make things a lot easier on me.  I need the extra money to help pay board.  I'm already facing the fact of having to ask for help to cover September.  Right now I don't even have the money or room on my credit card to get my train tickets up for the wedding.  I know I need to get myself together and hopefully over the next two months I can get everything organized and get through all my stuff so I can may have stuff put together to bring over to Dad's for court day weekend and sell/ get rid of.  I've learned in this move that I have way too much stuff for a 30 year old person.  So now it's time to really get a hold of everything.   
     I went up and went riding today with Kylie, before running back to my dad's place to get my pants that I forgot in the dryer.  If you can call it riding.  Heidi had her feet trimmed last Wednesday, along with Amber had her's trimmed.  Kylie's going to have more shoes put back on Amber's fronts.  Amber was acting all ouchie today like the lack of shoes was killing her so we really didn't do much riding persay.  We kind of got up to the arena we walked around then stood in the middle just talking and it was kind of interesting.  Just a fun relaxed day.  
     I got home to pick up my pants, Willow enjoyed running around sniffing everything like she hadn't been there in a month or two.  Then went in and got her routine milk bones from mom and settled down to chill while I sat there and talked to mom for a little bit.  It wasn't until I was leaving did it hurt.  I don't know why it didn't bother me yesterday but today was much more painful.  I do miss my dad.  I am so used to him being around all the time that not having him here just doesn't feel right. I know that too will pass and like Kylie said to me earlier at least he's only a 45 minute drive away, not liking visiting her folks 11 hours away.  
     Now to just get to work on losing weight and I'll be fantastic.  Time to kick myself in gear and get going.  I know Mikey wants me to join the gym with him but I'll have to have him find out the actual cost because it'll be a while before I can actually afford it.  I hate not being able to afford anything hardly, but I have to start somewhere. I have Heidi, I have Willow I have a fresh start with one of my bestie's and let's see where this goes from here. 

Problem solving

     This week has been a very trying week.  I have stayed up late on my days off trying to get things done and my body refuses to sleep in so I am physically wore out from not getting enough sleep.  I think tonight I'll take some nyquil and go to bed very early to get my sleep.  Moving is tough, and I have it easy.  Today was supposed to be moving everything else but my dresser, TV, Computer and it's desk but it won't be.  It'll probably be just my movies since I only have two totes that I am working with, which leaves Saturday for whatever I can get into my truck Friday night and then Sunday will be everything else.  The forcast is saying no rain so let's hope that can hold and this way the dew is the only thing that can make what's in my truck wet(and even then it'll have to go through a tarp).  I really hope I can get all this done and get it out of the way so Sunday is as easy as possible. 

     Willow has been training great.  Still having some issues with Sit for Exam.  That's going to be our sour spot I think.  I'm pushing her training the best I can and I'm hoping the move the week before the show isn't what messes her up.  She'll still be going out to train on our lunch breaks at work so here's for hoping.  I can't afford to blow two entries in a row.  I know the last one when she was sick was not her fault- just very irritating to me.  But still was a blown entry.  

     I have barely spent any time at all with Heidi now.  Between moving and the heat there hasn't been much hope for messing with her after work.  September is fast approaching and without a new job prospect in sight(but plenty of applications out) I'm at the ends of my rope as to what to do.  I can't 'bring her home' since Kylie's field isn't horse ready yet and I couldn't make someone else take care of her and still have that drive out to Bath county to see her.  I've told a couple people when they asked me what I wanted for my birthday was simply money to put towards my board.  Hopefully by the end of September I can have another job (or a second one) to start getting money paid up for Heidi's board for the winter.  I really don't make enough money to keep a horse and it does bother me something fierce.  My brain tells me I should sell her because financially I couldn't do anything with her, and seeing as I didn't get a raise at a year I should just give up.  I cashed out all my overtime to get the calf for meat and with this move I haven't hardly gotten to work any overtime, but I love Heidi so much.  Heidi and Willow are my life right now.  I have my bunnies and they make me happy too and then there's Waffles too.  He's so stinking cute.  Been a long time since I've been around fish.  

     Just all comes down to lack of money, need better paying job and need less expensive hobbies and 'pets' really.  I even applies to a graphic designer job posting.  It's been so long since I've done any of that kind of work I'd really have to work at it for a little while to get current with the programs.  I have applied to customer service kinds of jobs, even the ones that have you as a phone rep.  Hopefully something can and will give soon.  As much as I thought Boonesboro was the place little over a year ago, it's just a stark realization that I probably should never have left Nestle- even if I hated it there, I could afford to keep my big girl.  Had I not I would have never gotten Willow though.  Six of one half dozen of the other, right?  Well I'd best get to packing, it's not going to do it by itself.