Second Post of the Day: A Difficulty

Second Post of the Day

I don't share everything that happens in my life on my blog, but today I am sharing a difficulty I have been going through. I wrote it several days ago but have been holding back on posting it due to its very personal nature. But, my blog is my journal, and I do want to record this. It's not horsey at all, so skip it if you wish.

So, here I am. Again. 

I've been here many, many times. I like my surgeon and all of his staff. But I'm not excited to be back. 

I've mentioned that I had taken a walker out to Utah for the JC2's wedding, but as time has gone on, I have been using it more and more. My legs are numb and very weak, and I just can't stand very long without needing to sit down.

As background (and something I don't think I have ever shared on social media), I also have two brain tumors. We have been watching them since 2000 when the first was found and 2008 when the second one was discovered while checking on the first. One of them may or may not be involved with what is going on with my legs.

Last week I finally called my primary care physician and reported the leg weakness and numbness. I was in x-ray two hours later and then had an appointment at my neurosurgeon's office. 

I am now scheduled for three MRIs (one brain, one cervical spine, and one lumbar spine). I am hoping that the brain tumors are behaving and also that I won't need a third spinal fusion. (Although Dr. Jackson told me after my last one that the time would come when I would need another.)

I have mixed feelings. I am so tired of surgeries, but I am also tired of being unable to walk very far and the back pain. There is a possibility that this could be the second brain tumor growing, pressing on an area of the brain and causing the issue with my legs. Brain surgery is a scary thought, but I really trust my neurosurgeon if worse comes to worst. 

I'm concerned about being able to participate in the Feast. I'm concerned about the approaching holiday season as we will have our usual family gathering and I so want to be physically able to participate in that.

Lots of things are on my mind right now, but honestly, I had a pretty good idea that this was coming when I first started having trouble months ago.

The good news? I have a great surgeon, good insurance, a supportive family who will pitch in and help (or simply take over, hah!), and I have folks who will pray, send good thoughts, or karma for me if I need it. All appreciated and helpful.

I may have started down a path I'd rather not walk, but there is some light at the end of this tunnel. In the end, it will be okay.

Tri-State Horseplay - the Connections

As promised, here are the connections I made with the photos that I posted yesterday. Keep in mind that the point of the game was to look for things that made me think of horses, real or model.

Easy Connections

Easy peasy - Churchill Downs is the location of the Kentucky Derby!

Kentucky has been offering horsey license plates for years. (Lucky Kentuckians!) This was the first time I had seen the foal plate.

As we were driving down 65, I shifted in my seat and caught sight of my shoes. They're covered in colorful horses. Not something I would usually count since they are right there in the car with me, but I love these shoes and decided to count them anyway!

Not Too Hard But Don't Rush Through (that's a hint, LOL)

A nice normal Kentucky state sign as we cross into the state. Kentucky = horses in my mind. But if you look more closely at the sign, the small letters say, "Unbridled spirit." Bridle = horses. (Another connection.) Unbridled spirit = wild horses. (A third connection.) Breyer's new Beowulf popped into my mind. (A fourth connection.)

Horse Cave is a town in Kentucky which has a cave (named Horse Cave) whose opening is located right in the center of town. Why is the cave named Horse Cave? No one really knows but there are legends such as it was a place where people often tethered their horses nearby, or "horse" was a descriptor in the 1800s and 1900s for "big" (think horse laugh) and the cave is huge, etc. 

I can't see PAM and not think of Breyer's Proud Arabian Mare. Funny story on this photo - we'd just pulled into a Love's to get some gas and this semi rolled past us and on into the truck parking area. Craig changed direction and followed it back so I could get this picture.

These panels are for gates (the ones on the front of the bed) or round pens and temporary enclosures (the ones on the back of the bed) for horses and other livestock.

A very hurriedly snapped (and almost missed) billboard with an Amish grocery and bakery advertisement.

I could follow this truck for miles and not get tired of looking at its painted back doors!

Another billboard with several connections. One, it's advertising a boot shop. Secondly, when I got my first horse Amy, Murphy's Oil Soap was highly recommended for tack cleaning. (I did a quick search online and it still is.)

The "Seriously, Lynn?" Connections

Sharpshooter Annie Oakley starred in Buffalo Bill Cody's shows. She was quite a horsewoman, and her connection to him became a connection to Breyer - Isham, Buffalo Bill Cody's favorite horse was produced for TSC in 2003. Isham was named after Liz (Isham) Cory's great uncle who was a close friend of Buffalo Bill.

Leslie and I loved Annie Oakley when we were girls, so much so that our mother made us cowgirl outfits so we could be like Annie, galloping around the back yard and off into the sunset. (L'il sis Jenny couldn't keep up with us but she tried on her trusty mount Bluey.)

The last connection to Annie Oakley, and one of my biggest thrills ever, was when some of my model horses were borrowed to use in a display of Annie Oakley's things for a museum back in 2016.

This semi was probably the hardest connection to figure out unless you collect Hartlands. Stevens bought the Hartland Company in the 1990s and produced model horses for a while then sold the company to (if I remember right) Paola Groeber. It's been sold at least one more time since. 

Like the Amish grocery and bakery, this very last photo was almost missed and thus is blurry. The tire cover with the rearing horse and "Palomino" caught my eye, but later as I looked at the photo closely, I saw the word "Pony" on the left in between the small red lights.

So, that's the horseplay that was going through my mind as we trundled down and back to Tennessee! Try it yourself on your next trip - it's fun and to helps pass the time.

Nashville Visit: Tri-State Horseplay

People do a lot of things to pass the time on long drives. They might play the license plate game and try to get all 50 states, or maybe look for "slug bugs" (Volkswagen beetles or vans, extra points if you see a van in Doublemint Gum green, even more points if you see a "pediddle" which is one with a headlight out), and more.

Me? I play Horses Across the USA. This summer's trip to Utah was an exception due to all the car trouble we had. Still I tried, but I only got a few things - that chiming alarm was just too distracting.

But going to Nashville really isn't going across the USA - it's only three states (Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee) so I came up with a new name, Tri-State Horseplay. Maybe a bit lame, but a far better descriptor than the first iteration. (Horses Heading South & North. See what I mean?)

 The point of the game is to look for things that make me think of horses, real or model, as we drive to our destination. 

I thought it might be fun to post some of the things I found and see if you can see how it relates to the horse/model horse world. Generally speaking, I do not count horses in a pasture or a horse trailer going by, so keep that in mind as you take a look at the pictures.

Easy Connections

Not Too Hard But Don't Rush Through (that's a hint, LOL)

The "Seriously, Lynn?" Connections

I'll post my thoughts tomorrow. Stay 'tooned!

Nashville Visit: A "Nap" in the Playroom

In order to have as much time together as possible, Craig, Lisa, and I left home early Saturday morning, arriving in Nashville around lunchtime. Kate's baptism wasn't until later in the afternoon so we had a good chunk of time to spend visiting. We also got to see Cole and Emily's new home.

Emily is Swedish-Canadian and was very close to both sets of grandparents. The decor in their home reflects both heritages.

Swedish Dala horses are displayed in many places. Emily even has a crystal bowl that has them going around the sides - I'd love to find one like that for me!

The girls' playroom upstairs had paintings on the wall of Dala horses.

There were lots of other horses in there, too. And a really comfy looking couch which called my name. Worn out from the early start to the day and 6 hour drive, I lay down and shut my eyes for "just a few minutes."

I was awakened by the feel of things being laid by my head and shoulders coupled with some whispered giggles.

"Grammy! You've got unicorns all around you as you sleep!" crowed Susie.

"And a pica but it's not real. It looks like a guinea pig but it's smaller. They live in areas where the temperature is below 70 or they die. No, wait. Below 78, not 70..." she chattered on.

I looked up and saw Kate standing over my head while holding an American Girl unicorn and smiling at me.

Soon the unicorns that could were lighting up, making sounds, and wiggling, while the others were being described in great detail and held up for me to see. 

It was certainly not the most restful nap I've ever had, but you sure can't beat waking up with grands having tucked you in with some of their favorite unicorns while waiting for you to wake up and play with them!

Nashville Visit: On the Road Again

Where to start? So much has been happening, so many photos to post... it may take me a while to get organized here. Labor Day weekend was very busy for us.

Along with Teacher Daughter Lisa, we headed down to Tennessee to visit Music City Cole and his family. While traveling, I made my first visit to a place so newly built, the company web site doesn't even list it yet on its map of locations!

Buc-ees! Where the Beaver Nuggets are delicious and the Beast Breakfast Burrito fills you up before you're halfway done!

We found the perfect dog sitter for Lisa's dogs and Tammo before we left. Molly does fine with family, but other people are a different story. That old terror from her pre-rescue life surfaces and she is scared and miserable while we are gone. 

Lisa's neighbor Kelly (who is also the school nurse from my school and an old friend), stepped in and all three dogs fell in love with her. Look at their happy faces!

Pepper has her own unique needs when we travel - change can trigger an Addison's Crisis. So we always leave her with Kathy's parents. (And Nacho and sometimes Tate - a guide dog reunion!) 

They are neighbors so she knows them well, but they also have a lot of experience with guide dogs and the unusual way they sometimes look at the world, even in retirement. And, Bill and Marianne know the signs of an impending Addison's Crisis and what to do if one begins, so we feel comfortable having her stay with them. (She is especially fond of Bill.)

While in Nashville, we got to tour Cole's new offices - I've never seen anything like it!

The CEO has a hobby of working on old arcade games and he sets them up for employees to play when they take breaks. 

They were scattered around the premises and are free to play.

I counted 17 as we walked through the business. (Which has nothing to do with arcade games - it's a coding company.)

I love getting to be with my family and, as always, we stayed up late playing games. (I actually won Bank one round!)

and I got to see a baby dress I'd made eight years ago - Pony Pal Kate's blessing dress.

The reason all this happened? Kate's baptism. Along with Teacher Daughter Lisa, we headed down to Nashville for her special day.

And that's just a glimpse at our busy weekend. I'll share more this coming week plus I got another Second Chance Sale BreyerFest model in the mail to share, played a good game of Horses Across the USA (or in this case, Horses While Heading South LOL), and more.

If I can, I will squeeze in another blog post later today. If not, there will be more tomorrow.

Stay 'tooned!

Gone Riding

Happy Labor Day!

I'll be back tomorrow!

The 2009 eBay Auction

My Metlox lovin' friend Sally just mailed me a copy of the 2009 eBay auction of the Metlox Ballerina (here called the Metlox Bareback Rider.)

The sheet is from Sally's files and was printed August 23, 2009, fifteen years ago. (See bottom right corner.)

There were eleven pictures of the piece in the auction but this was the one that was printed on the auction documentation. (Immediately I began wondering what that was lying across her lap?)

I've enlarged the other ten, but as you can see, the resolution is poor.

The winning bid was an astronomical $919.99 with 16 bids recorded for the piece.

In today's market that would be a whopping $1,348.83.

Here is the description of the Metlox Bareback Rider from the auction.

As you can see, the seller says that it has both the Metlox and the Poppytrail labels. And there is the answer to my question about what was on her tutu - it's the original price tag. Sure wish I could read that price!

In my last post about the Metlox Ballerina/Bareback Rider, I'd written that I had come to believe that she existed, and that is still true. I am so glad that now I have credible documentation that she is real. 

Thanks, Sally!