Fun in Flatland

Drugged???

I feel as though someone has injected me with a sleep inducing, muscle relaxing drug. I woke up this A.M. around 8:30 and was told that I looked tired and should go back to bed, but it was so pretty this morning that I thought I should stay awake and enjoy the outdoors - especially since it is my day off. I lasted all of two hours- even with a cup of coffee. I went back to sleep and slept and slept. Exciting, I know.
Later in the afternoon when I awoke from my sleep stupor I picked up my fluffy, clean, pup from the vet after he had his bath and spa treatment and I went back to sleep AGAIN! Is this day of narcolepsy or something??

I nearly went in to work tonight because I have a bunch of candy coming in, and I want it distributed equally amongst all the displays... but I decided against it. Hopefully my peeps will take care of everything for me...hopefully.

I've been buying a different chocolate bar every few evenings so that I can sample the various items that I order. A few of the candy bars sell so well that I had to find out for myself, and I agree.. they're yummy. ☺

Workin' in a coal mine goin' down, down, down

Not long ago I was given the responsibility of placing the order for the candies we carry in our store. Each check out area has a set of shelves with chocolate bars, etc. and I'm trying to organize all the displays so that they each have the same products. Sounds easy, but when I am off for a few nights things tend to get mixed up and messy because other people don't take as much time putting candies in their proper place. It's kind of like building sand castles too close to the water's edge... minus the sand and water, if you catch my drift.

So because I've been such a good, hard worker (in my humble opinion), staying late and organizing candy displays I have decided to treat myself to a present. The non equestrian readers won't be too excited by this.. and, well, maybe some of you equestrian types won't be either.
So what.
My blog.
My stirrups.
I recently ordered these MDC Ultimate stirrups. They have a swiveling top portion that the leathers feed through. This swivel top enables the stirrups to hang at 45 or 90 degree angles instead of flat against the horses' side. These stirrups also have a safety hinging mechanism at the bottom so that the foot will be released if a rider were to fall off the horse. I chose the black ones to match my black saddle and leathers. Feast your eyes:

My other recent purchase for the saddle is the addition of a few shims for my Theraflex saddle pad. Aristoitle is lacking muscle tone on his back, and I want to be sure that the saddle isn't bridging his back anyplace.

That's it for this installment of Fun in Flatland. Next time you are in the check out aisle of your local market, remember there is a person who tries to keep all the candy organized and well presented- so if you are changing your mind about buying that Toblerone chocolate bar put it back in the right spot for crissakes... you never know.. I could be watching you.

Image from Clipart.com

The day went something like this...

Went to bed at 3:00 AM, woke up at 9:30 AM, went to Dr. to have my sore throat checked and cultured. Went to an undisclosed location for M's B-day present, got some lunch, and then spent 4 hours with Aristoitle. The best part of the day was the 4 hours with Aristoitle. .. oh, and finding out that I don't have strep.

***
I saw one of my art teachers on t.v. tonight.. way to go P! He is the kind of teacher that's there when you need him, but otherwise lets you do what you want as long as he sees you're not a flake. I had the best time in his classes.

***
My pup gets his stitches removed from his paw tomorrow morning. His foot has healed up very nicely and one can tell that he feels good all over because he is bright eyed and smiley again.

***
I have realized that I spend WAAAAYYY too much time on the Internet reading other peoples blogs and surfing. Time to clean up around here... my office looks like its been ransacked.

Interesting reading

At this website: LiveScience

Bought a book on sketching

I recently bought a 'learn to sketch' book referred by an artist whose drawings I like, thinking that I would like the other artist's sketches as well. Boy was I wrong. I don't like this other guy's work at all! This was an Internet buy, so I wasn't able to check it out in the same way one can look thru books in Amazon- even though it was a 3rd party buy through Amazon. Just sharing my disappointment.

did u know..?

found at Found Magazine

Carving 101

I found a nice, newly paved road with a gradual slope that I can practice my turns on, and guess what? ... I finally got it! The trick is going fast enough so that you can turn by opening your shoulders into the direction you want to go and leaning into the turn a little. Here's what I mean: If my left shoulder is pointing down hill and I want to turn to the left, I would open my chest by pulling my left shoulder back, and then lean backwards a little. To carve to the right I would pull my right shoulder back and rotate the upper body so that my left shoulder is actually leading the turn, then I'd lean forward.
Basically the same technique for turning is applied when riding horses. You look where you want to go, which turns your shoulders, which turns your hips, etc. I think the saying to remember turning sequences in Pat Parelli's Natural horsemanship is "eyes, bellybutton, leg, reins." You can visualize how this would work with longboarding, and skating too.

Here he comes again

What a nice day to sit in the pasture and sketch. Ah, but who is this moving in on my space? Why it's Desperado the affection sponge.What do I have in my lap, and is it anything to play with? No, sorry Despe.. nothing here but some scratching and petting. I repeatedly porcupine him back a few steps to keep him a friendly distance away from me, and offer my savvy string for him to chew on, which he slurps up like a strand of spaghetti then spits out.

Finding my sketchbook and savvy string an unsatisfying thing to nibble on, "D" goes for my neck and hair. Aargh!

Meanwhile, Aristoitle and Chiquita (in background) watch from a POLITE distance. Did you see that Desperado? ... a POLITE distance.
It occurred to me that maybe this wasn't the best time to sketch, and that this horse has a sense of humor.

He dozed off right behind me, with his muzzle lightly touching my back.

The pup

My dog ended up having two toe pads removed, and the associated last phalanx of each toe. He is home now, and doing okay. He is wearing a 50 mg. Fentanyl patch on his neck to control his pain. I am hoping for the best outcome for my dog, but I have this gut feeling that this is a nasty, aggressive tumor that just came off. I hope we got it out before it was able to send out its nasty tendrils to other parts of his body.

The pets

My dear animals are not feeling well and are in and out of the vet's office this week. My cockatoo had a minor repair done yesterday and she is doing better now, although very unhappy with the collar she has to wear. My dog is scheduled to go in to surgery next Tuesday to remove a growth from his paw. :( Poor old guy. It's sad to see one's animals getting old. I've had my parrot about 20 years, and my Australian cattle dog is 13 years old.

You know when you've got the right spot

"Right there, right there... no, lower.. now a little to the left, that's it. Oh you're too far over, go back to the other side, yeeeessssss!! Scratch harder, harder, right there, ahhhh." Desperado (on left) comes over to see what Aristoitle is so ecstatic about.