When the Phone Rings

Where Did the Day Go?

It was so warm this morning when I went out to feed that I took off my coat after two minutes out there. I took off the Boys' blankets too so they spent the day naked.  Fortunately, at the moment, we have very little real mud, so even if they did roll, they didn't get really dirty.

I thought I'd get a ride in as the day progressed...But.

When I got back in the house to eat breakfast, the phone rang. It was Stacie. We talked a bit about saddles--she is a Trilogy distributor and time passed.  I had a few indoor chores to do, so that took up some time. I tend to be an afternoon rider, so that was fine.

Eventually, I went to make some lunch and went to get a frozen pot pie from the freezer when I realized it simply wasn't there.  I'd just bought several frozen entrees on sale yesterday and none of them were in the freezer.  That sent me on a mad search out to the truck, the car, everywhere, looking for them.  Nothing.  At that point, it was pretty sure I must have left them at the supermarket, so I called. Sure enough, I'd left them at the checkout.  The woman in customer service told me I could come by, so I could select some replacements--they'd put them back in the frozen foods department.

In short order, I was off to the market, about 8 miles away.  Well, I realized I needed a few other things anyhow, so after I got my entrees, I did a bit of shopping.

The store has a new, cool shopping option.  At the door, you pick up a hand scanner and as you shop, you scan the items you are purchasing. You bag as you go along, keeping tally of the cost and getting special offers for prices off various things along the way.  Then, when it comes time to checkout, you go to the register--I like the self-checkout line--stick the scanner in a special holder, scan in your store card and the register reads the scanner total and you pay.  It is SOOOOOO cool!  If you buy produce, you take your item to a scale, weigh it, and then print out a label you can scan....SOOOO cool!!  

I think I bought a few extra things just because it was so much fun.  The guy there who was teaching people how to use the new system was extra helpful, so I mentioned that to the manager before I left with my new treasures.  

Now it was definitely the afternoon.  I was about to head out to the barn, when the phone rang.  During that rather lengthy conversation, call waiting signaled as another call came in.  By the time I was done with my conversations, it was past time to go out to feed the Boys dinner.

Out I went, still thinking that I'd at least lunge Chance. By then the wind had picked up and I was a bit worried about falling branches anyhow. As I was cleaning the stalls using my new wheelbarrow--more on that another day--I heard a voice calling to me and looked up to see my cousin's car in the driveway.  He'd come over to tell me my Aunt was now back home next door--she's been living with them, but circumstances have changed so she's back in her own house with a caretaker.  We chatted for a bit.

And then....I went back out to the barn to finish up and perhaps lunge Chance and.....

Well, there was big, huge Tucker in the tack/feed room.  Regular readers know what a crisis this is.  Once in, Tucker cannot get back out....or will not back out.  He refuses to back up out the door as there is a step up to get in.  He refuses to go forward out the front door because he's afraid to hit his head on the doorframe. And, the space is so narrow that he really can't turn around very easily, although with a lot of crashing, stepping on things and general mayhem, that's about the only way to get him out of there.

This time was no different.  But with some bags of feed in the room, it was even tighter than normal.  So I started moving the feed bins out the way to give him some more room.  That turned into a monumental task as I'd just bought feed and one bin had 200lbs in it and the can had over 100 lbs in it.  I managed to clear some turning room, then then convinced Tucker with a few taps of the whip that getting out of there was the only option. With a grunt and a groan he squeezed himself into a little bundle of 17 h Thoroughbred, turned himself around and clambered out.  You'd think, by now, that he'd realize going up in there was  NOT a good idea. He's certainly not a stupid horse, but his stubborn determination to get at the feed seems to outweigh any kind of logical thinking at all. Now that I've reinforced the floor with heavier plywood to cover the places where he broke through the floor on his past trips in--fortunately he did not get hurt--it's not quite as scary as it used to be, but still!!!  It is totally idiotic.

Normally, I am careful about not leaving the room open when he can get at it, but my cousin's visit distracted me and, well, every mistake seems to have consequences.

All the disruption in the feed room forced me to do a bit of very much needed Spring cleaning, so I then spent the next hour or so reorganizing at least the right side of the room.  There is still a lot to do to put things into order, but it does look a bit better.

However, by that time, it was dark out.  As well, I had to put the Boys' rainsheets on in anticipation of the heavy rain we are expecting for Sunday.

Did I ride or lunge?....NOPE.

I guess another nice day will come along eventually. This one just didn't work out as planned.