when you gotta go...

and then... she pee'd her pants!

friends

It's in time like these that we really know who our friends are... I'm SO thankful for everyone that has reached out during these fires... This is when humans need to come together for the greater good... and I have been witness to the incredible force that arises during a crisis.

1 + 2 + 3 = ?

1. fire + wind + asthma = NOT good. (having a hard time breathing)

2. modjeska canyon burned + homeless horses = now what?

3. testosterone + fire loving bastard = ARSONIST!

and that's ALL I'm going to say!

Trail, Wind and Fire

Because the wind/fire are so BAD today there was NO trail ride... I do have a pic of my niece with Grace from yesterday... As we were leaving the house, Bekah's fiance told her, "Don't you get up on that horse. She tried to dump my Dad last week." As you can SEE the women in my family are SO obedient.

BTW the "illegal drive" in the church parking lot has been leaked! :) And I'm still alive to tell about it. They weren't mad at all... my sister and her husband didn't mind that I let their (just turned) 12 year old son drive MY car. Wheeewww

My back yard is blown UP! But here's an amazing thing... I was tired of the wild birds trying to eat the fish in my pond... So, I built them a "table"... and would you believe... NOTHING is "standing" in my back yard...except that jimmy-rigged bird feeder??? It even still has the bird seed I put on there a couple days ago...

Malibu is burning... Hey Georgia... ya think we can borrow some water?

Leaving church today... someone pressed $100 in my hand and said, "I haven't forgotten your horse..." Yay! That's enough for feed for a month! I'm thankful.

a real saddle

And then... I ran out of space on my camera ~ I rode Grace today... with a real saddle! It was smooooth and graceful... I'm taking her out on the trail tomorrow for the first time. We'll see how she does. Just walking her (on the ground) through the trail ~ well, she'd never met a rooster before and when we got up by them, she spooked. But I was on the ground ~ much easier to let go of the lead rope and let her kick around from the ground, rather than from in the saddle. ;) Got myself a helmet though...

Fantastic

Fantastic!

Church was... hmmm... a promise fulfilled, a transition and church restored! Our new pastor began his leg of the race for our humble little church today... There is no way to express the wonder of my GOD ~ our pastor died two years ago... and we've been struggling as a congregation, yet held fast to the promise the God would bring us a man after His own heart... Pastor Phillip De Courcy IS that promise fulfilled.

After church, I went out to my beautiful Grace... Mr. V and I walked her down to the public arena to "seat" her for the first time. He looked at me,
"You want to go first?"
"Nah, why don't YOU go first?" (I ain't THAT brave)

So, he got on her back... she walked a few steps...and reared UP! Didn't throw him though. My turn... He told me to walk her around the arena (holding the reins). Grace and I set out... but I tied the reins to the saddle, with enough slack... and we did our dance (that we've been doing for the past 5 weeks). She followed me and responded to all my voice commands. Mr. V was impressed ~ said he could tell I've been working with her. Then I climbed up on the fence...and eased my "seat" onto her back... and with a little nudge from my boot, we set out to walk, slowly... no threat of a "spook". THEN a lady on her horse came into the arena and "loped" her gelding. Okay... so THEN I was nervous! One wrong move and was hamburger meat! I just talked her through... and our pleasant, peaceful ride continued.

She didn't rear up or try to walk me into the fence or try to throw me... It was fantastic!

Big Trouble

I'm in BIG trouble!

First off... the luncheon thing was rather enlightening and enjoyable. I was fortunate to sit at a table with some "real" people. Of course, I felt like kicking myself when the gentleman sitting next to me (whom I had been teasing unmercifully) ended up being the president of the sponsoring hospital. Ooops. He was "amused" by me though...

So, Wednesday I dropped my (just turned) 12 year old nephew at the church for his Bible study... We got there early and had some time to kill.

"What do you want to do Jonathan?"

"Ummm I wanna drive."

"Okay."

"Really?!"

"Sure."

We traded seats... I gave him a quick driver's training class and he put it in drive and did GREAT! He drove around the parking lot... no problems. THEN my phone rang. I swear mother's have ESP! It was my sister. I panicked! Don't answer it ~ YOU can't hide anything and she'll know you're up to no good. A few min. later I see the Jr. High pastor come out of the building, on his cell phone and he was laughing! I jumped out of the car, "Is that my sister?! Don't tell her anything!" LOL

Now when I see my sister or her husband on the caller ID, I break out in a cold sweat... So far... So good... NO mention of the illegal driving session in the church parking lot. :)

Have you ever done anything that at the time it seemed logical, fun or you simply weren't thinking? Then shrink cuz you know... you just know the potential consequences... and know it's just a matter of time before you get caught...

Yeah... I'm in BIG trouble ~ I just don't know WHEN I'm going to actually get in trouble...

Wanna fly anyone?