
Amiga was very excited to see Zorro, and started "yelling" for him before she even came off the trailer.
Courtney and I had a good time riding together, even though she was having some saddle issues. We started indoors and then progressed to outside.
I am going to miss being able to ride with her.
Loading and un-loading to get Amiga back home went well. I was pleasantly surprised with how she did on all aspects... from catching, to trailering, to saddling and riding her.
Joe was mowing as I pulled into the farm. After unloading Amiga I emptied and cleaned the 100 gallon stock tank which has been sold. It took over four years to transform this place into the farm we have. As we sell all our farm stuff... the place is reverting back to just a house in the country.
Lisa's son Dayne joined us and lead the way most of the time. We did the lake loop and some additional meadows, riding for almost 2 1/2 hours.
Notice above left, the steps to the deer blind (enlarged in photo on right) that are practically right in the trail. We did see a few hunters and opted to go a different route when other riders told us about someone dragging a deer out from where we were headed. The horses do not like the sight (or smell) of death.
Getting home at 1pm, I garbbed a quick lunch and then showed some neighbors around who came to look at the house and see what farm stuff we had for sale. Later Joe showed me how to load music onto my i-phone, so I did that for part of the afternoon, getting all my Christmas CDs copied.
Carrie had just bought this TN Walker, who will become Roni's new friend and riding companion.
Lexi went out to the paddock to get Roni and he walked right up to her. Her mom took this photos as Lexi brought Roni around to the front of the barn. I also took several shots of them.
It was bitter sweet saying goodbye. I am so going to miss Roni, but I can much better care for a horse if I just have one. And Lexi is going to make Roni an awesome "mama." I can tell she is going to be so good for him and good to him.
Roni hesitated when Lexi first tried to load him, but her kind and gentle touch was just what was needed to gain his trust and persuade him to get on the trailer.
Goodbye Roni. God bless and take care. Be good to Lexi. Lexi, be careful, and enjoy your new horse. He is a blast to ride and will be a lot of fun.
Amiga had stood by the back gate calling out to Roni the whole time we were "sending him off." Minutes after Lexi's trailer disappeared down the drive, Amiga was back out on the back pasture eating. Kabob soon went out to join her.
God's light shines down on all creatures great and small.
I had given Roni's bit to Lexi because we knew he liked it and it worked well for him. So I came in and started cleaning up Roni's bridle and reins to move Amiga's bit over to it. I think it looks much nicer and I like the feel of the reins so much better. Also, some of the leather on Amiga's old headstall is about shot.
I woke up at 2:30 Monday morning and ended up napping from 6 to 8 am. I had to scramble to get to Water Lilies, 15 minutes late.
As I was fixing my after swim cup of tea and some eggs for brunch, I saw Amiga standing by the paddock gate hollering for a friend. I went right out to talk with her and console her. Kabob was lying out in the pasture napping so was of no help.
Wanting to take some of my stunning yellow and peachy pink trimmed peony to TN, I first trimmed it way back, and then started digging part of it up. The roots went quite deep, and unfortunately I damaged some of it...
But I watered with root stimulator, the section I was taking and also what I was leaving behind.
Then we "hit the trail," searching the "neighborhood" for Brother... starting along the abandoned tracks behind our farm.
We went down Hutch's road.
We went all around the Brent's farm and the Craig's farm. I kept yelling for Brother... but to no avail.
Amiga was quite interested in the Craig's horses and kept calling out to them. The row of pine trees in the distance is the north side of our farm along US 150.

It was a red sky morning Tuesday. I had an early morning Dr. apt... a follow up on my wrist because I still wondered if it need a little "tweaking" as it still causes me problems. On my way home, I stopped by Fleet Feet running store (owned by a former teacher friend) and bought a very nice, and somewhat pricy pair of shoes for walking... which I plan to do a lot more of, once I am living in TN.
The office has taken on a new look
Amiga has been calling out for another horse friend several times during the day, especially when we are moving the trailer around. I keep going out to love on her. In just this short amount of time, she has really started bonding more with me.
The rains started at dusk Tuesday, just as predicted, and continued all night. When I went out to the barn Wednesday morning I discovered Brother had returned. He was kind of wet and muddy and very happy for a meal. Who knows where he had been the last three days and nights.
I rushed from Water Lilies to town for another Dr. appointment. I had two electrodiagnostic tests, 1st a Nerve Conduction Study done by a technician. It was a bit shocking... literally... like touching the electric fence repeatedly, and had to be done on both arms. The nerve response in my right hand and forearm is a little slower than my left. Then the Dr. did the Electromyography, just on my right hand, wrist and forearm. It was much less painful having a needle stuck in various muscle groups and then having me contract them. The good news is, I do not have carpal tunnel. The bad news is that the lateral portion of my pronator quadratus is not working. The Dr. said it doesn't appear to be attached to the bone (radius) and it has completely atrophied. No wonder I have such difficulties griping and turning door knobs, using a screw driver, or any other movement like that. My surgeon is to contact me once he gets the results, but I am not sure what can be done... I am moving to TN in two weeks anyway.
I followed this road crew truck the last mile home (Beck's sign on the right). I had seen three dead deer along 150 on the way to town Monday night. I was glad to see they are finally removing them. You can see the gloomy day we had (all day).
When I got home I finished putting the new photo prints that had arrived in the mail, into the frames I have been intending to do for two years now. I especially like this set of pictures.
Thunderstorms interrupted our taping of Survivor and we missed all of the immunity challenge. At least we could watch it later, on the computer.

I found this very cute Halloween video of two wonderful and cooperative golden retrievers who capture the essence of "Trick or Treat" fun.
The storms had subsided by this morning, but it was still raining hard. I finally finished storing music from the rest of our CDs (a total of almost 1,200 songs).
Abbey entertained herself and me while I sat here and worked.
There were several messes scattered throughout the downstairs so I focused on that much of the day, as the rain came down steadily and the farmyard puddled.
After dinner I worked on packing up most of my closet and drawers and a lot of my bathroom cosmetics and supplies. I also cleared out the rest of what was left in Britney's room, other than the furnishings. I ended up working well past midnight.
I am making the transformation from owning two horses to having just one. It felt good to have shifted the responsibilities for Roni's care and training to Lexi. But there has also been a feeling of loss, or an empty void, and sadness. I like that I can now focus all my horse time, training, love and care to Amiga. I think she will benefit from the extra attention.
haven't sold their place by then... and
The trailer is not yet completely loaded for the next trek to TN because it has been raining constantly since Tuesday evening. We will finish packing and leave early Friday morning. I wish we could be transformed straight from IL to TN. (Like Be-witched... or beam me up Scottie.) Once there, I would love to start work on the transformation of the neglected shell of a house into our warm and inviting home. We first need some contractors to
help with some

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