BreyerFest 2024: Friday

 Friday was quite a day! It started the same way this entire week has begun.

Pony Pals coming into my office while I write and chattering away as they look through my collection.

Friday morning all three girls joined me, and then later in the afternoon, Ian and Mila came in while I was watching the last of the day's BreyerFest Live Broadcast. 

They joined the girls in picking out some model horses that they'd like to have "when the time comes" (although Ian thought that that meant he was taking his home that afternoon. Nope! Not yet, sweetie!)

My BreyerFest attendance was spotty all day. Lisa and her dogs came over as did Vanessa and her kids, but they went to Camp Tecumseh with their cousins. (Julie was sick and could not go to camp.) Poor kid! We chatted, we had lunch, we played board games, we were busy together all day.

I did get some screen shots of my virtual workshop. How it looked online in the workshops line up,

what participants would see when they clicked on mine,

and the list of supplies I drew up and sent to Breyer last May. (I am wondering why Breyer added the word "clothing" to "iron." Aside from the element iron/FE, which makes no sense in a sewing context, what else would I have meant? Am I missing something?)

Me ready to watch my own workshop and participate in Virtual BreyerFest.

The Mystery Surprise Horse was truly a surprise to many hobbyists - Emerson! A stallion mold converted to a mare for the first time, apparently he/she is the first standing model to be used for the Mystery Surprise Horse. I don't have any Emersons in my collection as I don't care for the mold, so I am glad that I did not get one.

I haven't had time to go through all the comments for the July Give Away yet, but I do remember that at least one person guessed correctly. I'll try to get that done soon and announce the winner and the Mystery Surprise Blog Horse, too. Stay 'tooned!

I was able to get back on the computer late in the day and watch Athenian Lady's performance. It was hard to watch when Athenian Lady's owner took off her bridle and walked around the arena with Athena following her around. Abby did that - she tagged along with me all over the place when I was at the barn. Watching Athenian Lady do the same reminded me so much of the loss of my girl, I had to stop watching. It just made me hurt inside so much.

I felt a little better this morning when I came up to my office to write. I found this by my keyboard.

Tender hearted Mila, who was totally unaware that I'd been upset. She'd been drawing and left me a note.

My heart melted when I opened it. (Love those flower letters and love you, too, Mila!)

Today is going to be another day filled with things to do, several of which will pull me away from Virtual BreyerFest:

~ Emily and the girls are heading home to Tennessee this morning.

~ Ian has a soccer game at 11:00.

~ A friend is scheduled to appear with Kimber Goodwin on BreyerFest's Live Broadcast and I'd really like to watch her.

~ A bridal shower for Jayci (JC's fiance) is being Zoomed this afternoon for those of us who can't travel to Las Vegas for it. Hawkeye Sarah, mother of the groom, has virtual games (with prizes!) for those who can't be there.

~ I'd really like to watch the Breyer Auction at 5:00.

~ I'd like to continue Craig's and my tradition of going to Bob Evans for dinner during Virtual BreyerFest.

~ I did not get to see the evening show out at the horse park Friday night and I'd really like to watch it this evening.

So many things I'd like to do but I just won't be able to accomplish them all. But I will prioritize and get it figured out.

Enjoy Saturday's BreyerFest activities!

Dizzy!

You know that old song Dizzy, that was a hit in 1969? Yeah, I am feeling that way right now.

(Have fun watching this woman dance - it's a little monotonous, but she is really fluid and graceful.)

It's 5:30 AM as I type and I have been awake since 2:00. I have so much to do that I simply could not sleep and finally got out of bed at 3:30 and have been doing paperwork, organizing, and blogging ever since.

The Feast is a week away from today. Every time I think I am about done with my to-do list, I think of something else to do. 

Plus...

- I just discovered that my driver's license expired on my birthday and I need to go get that renewed ASAP.

- I discovered an unusual wound on Pepper's inner leg that required a visit to the vet, application of a topical medication four times a day, and bathing her with a special shampoo.

- Speaking of bathing, I fell in the bathroom and went all the way to the ground, landing hard on my hip and arm. I was home alone, my phone was in the other room, and I had fallen so that I was wedged between the wall and the shower and could not get up.

I felt panic begin to well up as I realized that Craig would not be home for another hour or so and that I might have to lay there on the cold tile floor and wait for help. I took some calming breaths, did some thinking (and praying) and finally was able to wiggle around, flip over into a better position, and squeeze back and then pull myself up. Nothing was broken or bleeding, although I was very shaken up. I have a huge bruise on my hip for bragging rights. (Not that I am going to show it to anyone. Hah!)

- After a lot of abdominal discomfort, my doctor did some tests and I have been referred back to my Indianapolis surgeon. The hernia that I was aware of is now at 5 CMs plus the tests found two more hernias had opened up inside me. (That makes 5; I've already had two repaired.) I've been in contact with my pancreatic surgeon who repaired the other two hernias and am waiting to hear what he wants to do.

So, to keep this from being a full-on-Lynn-is-whining post, how about some Pony Pal and Stablemate pictures? (Nancy Kelly, two of these will look familiar - they are the ones you sent me!)

Pony Pal Julie chose the Appaloosa gaited horse,

while Kate asked for the Pacer,

and Susie chose the pinto Indian Pony. (His name is "Golden," in case you are interested, and he is a really good jumper and can go up and down and fly and zoom in to Pepper and... and... and... Boy, did that long winded dialog from Susie make me smile!)

So, dizzy may be an apt description of how I am feeling, but you know what? Things are good. I didn't break anything when I fell and I was able to extricate myself. Pepper is healing (and VERY clean since she needs baths every week for a month, LOL), I can renew my license online, I got to see some grands, I have excellent doctors, and the Feast is coming with only minor details left. Plus I am entered in the October Great Lakes Congress show and have that to look forward to.

I am blessed and am going to focus on the good things. Maybe I will even go back to bed and catch up on that sleep I missed, too.

A Quick Visit from the Nashville Pony Pals

Three cute Pony Pals from Tennessee dropped by last night on their way to Chicago for a wedding.

Needless to say, we are having a wonderful time despite the in and out nature of the visit.

Depending on when they leave this morning, I will be back with a post. If not, you can count on one for tomorrow. (Cross your fingers - I am hoping they have time to go out and meet Two Socks!)

Stay 'tooned!

Life After FAMulous

When something like FAMulous consumes your time for an extended period, there is a feeling of restlessness, even one of being a bit lost when the thing that has structured all your free time is gone. 

Today I sat at my keyboard and thought, "What on earth shall I write about?" One quick look at my file of ideas and pictures and that lost feeling was out the window.

I have handwritten notes of ideas grouped together with a paper clip

as well as a file of ideas on the desktop of my computer. As I looked at the notes and the computer file, I went from feeling lost to feeling overwhelmed and even a teensy bit out of sorts.

So, today's post is a conglomeration of things I have done in those moments when I wasn't working on FAMulous.

In a REALLY cool find, I found my mother-in-love's autograph book. She worked for forty years at the Purdue Memorial Union and checked in guest lecturers and celebrities who came to speak or perform at Purdue. 

Neil Armstrong and Eugene Cernan, first and last men on the moon and also Purdue graduates. Simon and Garfunkle, Mike Douglas (early TV talk show host)...

... and the list continues. This book goes up into the 1980s and has a lot of exciting signatures. (You can be sure I am going to put this book in a safe place.)

I've spent time in Teacher Daughter Lisa's classroom helping her get ready for the upcoming school year

and sorting out boxes of school supplies into individual tubs for each student.

Former student Tabi is heading off to college and invited me to lunch before she left town. 

Tabi is a horse lover, too, and gave me two horses from her collection when she was in my classroom. I still have them and always will.

I'm having some health challenges and some days I get tired more easily than others. When that happens I lie down for an hour or so.

I woke up from a nap to find Pepper sleeping on her back next to my pillow with her front legs extended straight out over her head and sticking up over the pillow. It was pretty funny.

We had the local Pony Pals sleep over

and Nash did his best to wheedle some treats out of Lukie.

It's a family trait - the Pony Pals tried to wheedle extra candy out of Boompa for their popcornpalooza before we watched a movie together. 

I mentioned some health challenges. I haven't really wanted to talk about them, but one is becoming obvious.

I've popped another incisional hernia and it is huge - big enough that I am having trouble wearing shorts or anything with a waistband. I had two repaired in 2020 (one was behind the other) and I am trying to avoid another surgery as long as I can.

The other challenge was a frustrating surprise - I am now diabetic. With it being three years after losing half my pancreas and no diabetes or sugar issues during all that time, this came as a shock. Routine blood work for an annual check up brought it to light. Even more frustrating, my doctor told me that they are seeing immunocompromised people like me being pushed over into diabetes as a result of Covid. 

Ah well, I've dealt with challenges bigger than this and will get through it. 

Tomorrow, I will start showing my BreyerFest loot - Liz brought it to me at FAMulous and I am just opening it and taking a look. I am loving absolutely everything she picked up for me.

Stay 'tooned!

Pony Pals Visit the Barn

Pony Pals Ian, Mila, and Lukie and their mom, Vanessa, came out to visit the horses with me a few days ago.

The horses are always glad to see the Pony Pals - Pony Pals bring treats!

Two Socks pushed through the adult horses to see what the fuss was all about.

And soon she was letting us touch her without shying away from our hands. (Meanwhile, Abby tries to get a treat from Mila.)

Two Socks let me pet her first

and then Mila stepped up to the gate and held out her hand. What a thrill!

Two Socks is shedding out some of her baby fuzz - look at her legs.

Abby gets one last treat from Mila while Ian shows Hokey and Sultanna that his treats are gone and his hands are empty.

This photo of Lukie made me laugh - put some boots and chaps on him and he could be a cowpoke leaning on the fence and observing the herd!

Kids and horses together always make me happy. Grateful to have both in my life.

Pony Pals at the Barn!

Music City Son Cole and his family are here for a quick weekend visit and so naturally we had to take some carrots out to the horses.

The horses love to have visitors, especially when they come with carrots or another nibble.

Like dandelions. Aunt Lisa had received a posy of dandelions from her nieces and when she wasn't looking, Hokey snatched the whole thing out of her hand. One CHOMP and it was gone! 

We dissolved into giggles while Pony Pal Kate happily picked her Aunt Lisa another bouquet.

My girl is so gentle with kids and I love that about her.

Pony Pal Susie was a little hesitant to give Abby this dandelion but with help from Aunt Lisa and Abby's gentle lipping, she was eager to do it again. She even devised her own "quick carrot dispenser" method.

Susie would hand feed a couple of carrots and then throw the rest into the pen. Dolly figured out that carrot-feeding strategy quickly and would grab those carrots on the ground as fast as she could.

Pony Pal Julie likes to observe and think - here she's noticed something that she is pointing out to Kate.

Observing Dolly graze.

Sultanna was interested in saying hello, too, so we walked over to the fence by the blue barn to give her some carrots.

The pony pals had never seen a foal before.

And Sweet Girl gave them plenty of opportunity to see one.

Sultanna is a good mama but she is also gentle and loves people. (Unlike Hokey, she did not eat that dandelion bouquet Aunt Lisa is holding!)

Here's another mama, also non dandelion eating, with her youngest offspring. She's pretty proud of him, too.