Thursday, October 10, 2013

Chaotic Days

When you feel overwhelmed, bake pies.  Works for me.

3 AM, couldn't sleep, got up and made more apple pies with homemade all butter crusts.  Anxiety just melted away.


There may not be any running involved in my upcoming vacation, perhaps only waddling.

When it rains, it pours.  Trying to cram in tons of extra work before my holiday, marathon training and home projects has left me with one sandwich short of a full picnic.  Angus, my Percheron, decided to add to the stress level on Monday by feigning laminitis.  My farrier found an abscess instead on Tuesday, which is not good, but better than the alternative.  A laminitis case would have cancelled my vacation.  Laminitis is serious...remember the famous horse, Barbaro? He was euthanized for it, not due to his broken leg.
Tommy, the (expensive) ox, was taken back to the vet school for a recheck on his feet and for a swelling in his hock.  All is well with him.
Dr P's big tractor caught fire while he was bush hogging.  His wife described how he was driving a fireball through the field trying to get it to the pond.  She said he bailed just before it exploded.  We have a resident Evil Kneivel.  I need to get him a T-shirt that states:  I Do All My Own Stunts.  Thankfully, he's OK and still has his eyebrows! Sorry, no pictures taken of the burned out tractor, too sad, almost like taking pictures of Grandma's funeral.
The same day, I saw a black coyote by his house, alone and in broad daylight.  Cole and I ran around the pasture trying to get a better look at it.  Elusive.  I saw it again the next morning heading for their backyard again, not good for a predator to show no fear of humans.  Ordinarily, I prefer to leave predators be, but one that comes into your yard looking for Yorkies and baby goats...It was dispatched.  A black coat is unusual, so I stopped by after work to examine the carcass. Smaller than Cole, but with much bigger teeth, canine piranha. I did take picture, but not suitable for kids.

Hoping for a dull weekend, Jamie