Gifts, Treasures, and Valuables

I'mm baaaaaack!

It's been good. Lots of food, relaxing, dirty horses, loved ones, and very few panic attacks. Life is getting better!

Jethro took the boy shopping with him on the 24th to get my presents. I would have asked him not to buy anything for me, except that he got my name in the gift exchange. What I really want is my new horse. That's what I want the money spent on. A new horse will not fit under the tree and is way out of the gift exchange budget... so I begged him not to go nuts and spend a lot. (I also need a new or newish small block Chevy engine but that's another story...)

I told him I need horse dewormer.

He went to the lingerie store.

Now, just pause for a second. A large, long haired dude in a black canvas coat with a shaggy haired ten year old little dude in a hoodie walk into a lingerie store. They both look perplexed and dazed, but for different reasons. They are looking for pug pajamas!

I didn't get my pug pajamas though. Apparently that particular store doesn't stock flannel pug pajamas. Oh well.

Here's what I did get, and I was THRILLED, honestly!


Two tubes of dewormer for Christmas, and a nice new bit for my birthday!

They obviously left the lingerie store and headed for the one place sure to have what a girl like me really wants. They shopped for my gifts and the TSC store!

Darn nice bit too. Swivel shank, jointed curb, copper mouthpiece! I think this bit is part of the next phase of the Little Lady's training!

Speaking of...

Here are the two little mares on Christmas Eve day. Needless to say, we didn't bother riding. They were so dirty, and the ground was so wet. We just gave them pats and hugs instead. They seemed to like that.

Look at this sky!


On Christmas day we all did some hardcore relaxing. The cat knows how to do it.


The dog learned well from him.

Eventually we got up off the couch, (Dead Man's Chest is a loooong movie) and we took the obnoxious townie dog of ours for a walk down the dirt road. We have to walk along the ditch below the highway to get there.

Here's me, outstanding in my field.

It's not actually my field, but it is a field and I'm out standing in it. I'm 36 years old. I'm finally getting a clue as to who I am, who I am now as opposed to who I was, and what exactly I'm all about.

Here's my hip little daughter.

Down the road. I love it. I'd rather brave the wind than walk past another manicured lawn. That's just me.

Boxing day was our first annual party with my Bestest's family. We all found ourselves without other family related plans and decided this was our day. Her hubby is an awesome cook- seriously- I have to elaborate on this. My mother does a nice turnip but this...this was... this was goooood. And the turkey. Niiiiiice! And a great big tasty ham (which we've gnawed at every day since) and the mashed potatoes! Like, Large Man is a keeper regardless and I knew the man could cook, but like.... even if we'd had a crappy time I'd go back next year for the food! Did I mention the four different pies????

We gave each other gifts and we played Trivial Pursuit 80s, we talked, laughed, watched movies, took dogs for a walk to look at Christmas lights, and generally had a wonderful day. These people are the treasures. We have to dedicate this day for us next year too. New traditions are valuable too.

Our dog is in love with their young dog. And why not- look how pretty she is!! You can tell it's love because he spent most of the day with his face in her butt. Dogs, eh?

The little old football shaped Grandma dog was very disapproving of the whole thing. She made her disapproval very well known with her snarls and yelping barks! The pug was unfazed though, what with all the girlin' he was busy with. He pretty much slept all day the next day. Plum tuckered out.

We have been worryingly broke lately. It's okay though- we'll be okay. We'll get through this. It's always frightening to not know how much money you'll have to live on. But we've got lots of love in our lives. We've got a faith that means a lot to us- enough to go to church twice on Christmas Eve day! I wanted some peace in my life and I got it. I learned once again that no matter how much I worry about not having enough food, when we get together with loved ones and put it a meal together, there is always more than enough.

I'm lucky to live in a land where there is food to go around. I have a shelter, and I have comfort, and I have lots of love.

I've been having a very good Christmas.