Ready To Burst

     Spring has busted out all over, and with the cloud bursts and rain this week, things are really green and growing.  I myself, am also ready to burst.  So many things welling up inside... emotions, blessings, and life changes have filled me to the brink of explosion.  I am bursting with pride, joy, excitement and anticipation.

     Saturday was a day the ducks loved but the horses and cows were not so thrilled with. It was a perfect day (rainy + gloomy) to sit here and get a bunch of school work done.  I worked the majority of the day making major changes to old lesson plans, two power points and several work sheets.  I needed to condense and simplify old stuff and create new. 

     Whenever I faltered or got tired, I told myself "this is the last time ever for this drudgery."  The anticipation kept me plugging away at it.  I also took little breaks to check on the barn yard, get the mail, eat and make tea. 

     I was so engrossed at times that I actually left nine eggs steaming for over an hour.  I thought I had the timer set for 20 minutes.  When I herd what sounded like a mouse trap going off, I got up to see what Abbey was up to.  And then I smelled the burning eggs, as another one burst open.  oops.

     The rain washed the dust from the horses coat's.  You can even see Zorro's dappling here.  As for the barn cats, like me, they decided to stay in for the day.

     I finished a rough draft of my plans for the remainder of the year and got the next two weeks well written.  This was my last big push of writing plans and getting them posted on my web-site.  I still have to write tests, quizzes, and an exam ... but then I will be done!!!! ...except for grading it all.  That will keep me busy up to the very end... May 23rd.  Like the Cheshire Cat, I am grinning ear to ear, somewhat mischievously. 

     The sun peeked out in the late afternoon so I took Kaysha for a nice long walk.  Joe was in St. Louis at a poker tournament, so I decided to try camping in the barn.  I set up a lawn chair, pad and sleeping bag as Brother made himself right at home.  I even made a "bed" for Kaysha. 

     I woke at the usual 5 am time Sunday morning and glanced over at Roni as Brother re-positioned himself when I moved my legs.  It had been a nice night in the barn.  I only woke a few times, once when a storm blew over making Kaysha nervous.  I heard Amiga and or Zorro playing with the rock in their food dishes several times.  I also watched and listen to Roni sleep, lying on his side in a relaxed manner, with head and legs stretched out on the wood shavings. 

     After letting the horses out with the cows on the back pasture, I came in for my tea and cookies.  Sitting on the front porch grading papers, I watched the clouds blow across the sky, concealing the sunrise that I knew was occurring because it was getting light out.  Several of the next pictures are from my Saturday evening walk.

     I went in to school but didn't make it to Church due to timing.  I couldn't remember when the third service started, and ended up running out of time, so opted not to show up late. 
The alfalfa is ready to be cut already.


     It was a surprisingly warm day, considering how strong the wind was.  But I just didn't feel like getting battered by it, so stayed inside.  It also looked like rain, off and on, all afternoon. 

     I had plenty to keep me busy with e-mail, Facebook, journaling, reading my Bible, school work and laundry.  Courtney and Mike dropped in with friends, Corey and Clay.  I visited with them some and helped Courtney with the horses.  She and Mike helped me by picking hooves.

     Joe got home around dinner time and we set to repairing the trumpet vine trellis that had blown over.  We also took a short walk together and caught up on each others weekend.  I went back to grading and it wasn't long before I got too sleepy to continue, so went to bed early. 

     
      Monday morning, after a big storm over night, there was a stray cat in the barn.  Our two barn cats were sitting outside the barn and did not look happy.  As I entered, I scared it off and it scared me.  I put the horses out, knowing they would get muddy.  We got a total of two inches of rain over the weekend.

      I have been so anxious for Dan to get out of Afghanistan that I have jumped to conclusions about his travels home.  I read e-mails during breakfast. Dan's girl friend, Val, reported that Friday morning Dan told her "I'm all packed up, except my laptop and pillow... he he, don't gotta go for another six hours so I'm going to try to get as much rest as possible".
     This photo was posted on Facebook
Sunday. Then, Monday afternoon Dan posted this about the photo: "this is us staging our bags to load up on buses to go to the terminal in Afghanistan, not there right now but we are safe and sound on our multiday trip back to the states."  Then I also got e-mail news saying: "I'm safe, still in Asia but not in Afghanistan, should be in the states in 2 maybe 3 days at the latest, there's no net here, right now I'm using the Chaplin computer and we are only allowed 30 minutes at a time, been in line for a couple hours he he." 
Three soldiers serving in the British Army join forces in voice with US Soldiers. Singing 'Coming Home' the song dedicated to all service personnel who serve us all with pride around the world, I play this in thanks especially for Dan.  I am bursting with pride.

     I also got an e-mail from Britney reporting that her flight from Cuba to Miami was delayed, so she missed her flight to Guatemala.  She stayed with one of
the league ladies and flew home to Guatemala today.  To the right she is pictured with Rafael and Fernando, the bus driver and tour guide in Cuba.

     To the left is the group she went to Cuba with.  She said about 20 ladies adopted her as their Granddaughter while traveling with them.  She reported having an AWESOME TIME!

     I brought home a big pile of lab reports that need grading.  The wind was still very strong, so I was happy to stay inside.  I have gone to the front porch a lot lately, so the view of the outdoors nearly surrounds me.  These hours of grading will soon be a distant memory. I checked the horses twice after Growth Group because I was especially worried about Amiga.  She seemed to have a belly ache... too many greens I think.  I had upped their pasture time one hour yesterday.

     Tuesday before sunrise, there was a peace to the calm after the strong winds from the past 24 hours.  I had another meeting after school and then hustled to my riding lesson.  We

ended up trying a running martingale on Roni which really helped keep him from pulling on my arms constantly.  Marj is going to let me borrow it for awhile, so I will use it for the week and see how Roni is doing by next week.  

      Joe had jogged down the road and drove the trailer home so I could ride Roni home.  Roni was rushing at first, but slowed down after I did a few speed transitions and circles. It was so relaxing to not have him constantly pulling on my arms. 

     Early Wednesday morning I got news (from Facebook) that Dan's Unit had landed on US soil at about 1 am.
I believe this is their plane, with the
Indiana based soldiers waiting to greet them.  What a relief and so exciting to know he is home.  It was a great gift for Joe's 60th birthday.  Dan is now at Camp Atterbuy in Edinburgh, Indiana... getting processed to come home.  Their daily schedules are super packed from 0700-1800 Dan said. He expects to be released on the 23rd or 24th, but won't know for sure until the day before.

      I worked with and then rode Roni, even though it was quite windy.  I love how the Martingale helps to keep him from nosing out.  He was still getting revved up out at Becks but I had a fun ride, and did have him walk calmly and relaxed most the way home. 




     After a quick walk, I opted to skip school work and watched Survivor with Joe.





     I had a great (2 hour) ride on Roni Thursday after school.  After round pen foot work and transitions, We "hit the trail" going all around our pasture and property, then more of the same at Becks.  Next we went to Lisa's and chatted with her and her boys.  To go home, we crossed the tracks at Lisa's, went south to the interstate, and followed it east, past Becks to our neighbors.  I turned Roni back north, over the tracks and then west to get home. 
Other than him getting too reeved up while I tried to get him to gait along the open fields, he did fairly well.  Our east side neighbors did get their fields planted.  Once home I had to face the long tedious task of grading.  But it didn't last long.  The wind and exercise, followed by a hot shower and cup of tea... just made me so mellow, I couldn't stay awake.

     Up early Friday to continue where I left off on the grading, I still had to scramble to get it all done by my first class.  And, of course, I came home with a new pile of papers to tackle over the weekend.  Our resident squirrel keeping the maple seed picked out of our gutter guards.



     Joe was having his annual Birthday Party when I got home, playing poker with all his crazy friends.  I didn't hang around long, but loaded Roni and headed for Marj's.  

     Knowing the weather was going to be nasty, I had asked Marj if I could use her indoor arena.  It is wonderful to have a trainer and friend who is so willing to share.  It was so nice to be able to work with Roni, in out of the cold, wind and rain, for well over an hour.  I am filled with so many blessings, I could burst.