So, there is this group that is asking for help “adopting” a family for the holidays.  They’ve got 3 families unclaimed and one family has a dad with stomach cancer.   The request was not just for toys and clothes, but other creative things that could help a family.

So…

Being the people that we are, we offered to help.

First, I asked if any of the families could use any furniture as we have a futon and a next to new table that we don’t need.  I also offered some dvds if there were young children and there was a way to play them.

Rejected.

But, a dvd player was suggested.

Wait!  What’s that?  Buy a dvd player?  I didn’t offer to do that.  

Later, I offered some books that Dude and Doodle have outgrown.  We’ve got a variety up to chapter books.  And I’d love to get each family a board game or two.

Rejected again!  The children don’t speak English.  

Okaaaay…  These families live in Oregon.  They most likely attend public school, where, even if in an ESL class, they’re still learning English.

Um, do you see a problem here?

Well, besides my feelings being hurt over our offers being rejected.  (Really?  What’s wrong with books?  Even toddlers and pre-schoolers can appreciate picture books regardless of the language barrier!)  It’s not like we have a lot to spare ourselves.  After all, have you seen the price of plane tickets recently?  Yeah.  And we just had to buy Doodle’s ticket out for the holidays.

I am beginning to think the whole thing was a scam.  And that is just sad.  Unfortunately, I’m likely to think twice before offering to help again.  Once bitten, twice shy.

I haven’t mapped out anything beyond Christmas.  Have you?  What do you want to do?  Where do you want to go?  What do you want to see in the next 20 years?

The problem with having 6 cats is that you always find a hairball that’s been yakked up somewhere.  Unfortunately, these hairballs I find are often white in color.  And that tells me one thing, Merlin.

Merlin likes to keep himself pristinely clean and sparkling white.  Or, as sparkling as you can get white hair.  It really doesn’t sparkle.  However, Merlin is the principal groomer of George as well.  So, he manages to ingest probably double the hair of the other cats if you take into account that he and George both are long-haired.

And while this is a gross find nearly every day, I’ve come to accept that here at Blackberry Hill, there will always be something gross to clean up on a daily basis.  Someone is almost always having an issue of some sort be it a hairball or tummy upset or the remains of dead critters caught and savored by either the dogs or the cats.  I’ve become to see it as part of my daily routine.

I’ve tried just about everything I can think of to help poor Merlin out with his hairball issue.  It doesn’t seem to be getting any better.  Maybe I should just shave him…

Since Kitty’s disinterest in Maddie at Thanksgiving, Maddie’s attitude towards me has been changing by leaps and bounds!  I’m no longer just “Food Lady” and only tolerable if I have food in hand.  Maddie has begun to actively seek out my company in a sweet, friendly way rather than the stand-offish, “don’t touch me!” sort of way she was previously.  Rather suddenly, Maddie has become very cooperative, willing to stand for just about anything I ask of her.  I no longer need to whack at her to get her to back up if I want in her stall or shove on her to get her head out of my way at feeding time.  And she’s a dream to blanket.  She’s suddenly become…  respectful.

This rather quick change of direction and new attitude has been a wonderful surprise!  I am so glad she’s bonding with me before Casey comes home so that I have a good relationship with both my horses.

I had a blog post about Maddie today, but while writing it, I felt inspired to write this one as well.  I’ll save Maddie’s blog post for another day in honor of the one she inspired me to write just now.

The holidays are upon us and before you know it, Christmas will be here!  Many people are out rushing around, doing their holiday shopping, looking for that perfect gift.

Well, I’d like to take a moment and remind you all that gifts don’t have to be material.  Sometimes the best gift is making a donation to a charity in someone’s honor.  Or donating your time to help make life better.

All across our nation we are having a cold snap.  The temperatures are unusually cold in many places.  Not everyone has a warm place to sleep, including pets.  Let’s not forget them during this time of year either.  And there are so many ways you can help.

Why not make a donation to your local shelter in honor of a friend, relative or beloved pet?  You could give money, a gift card to a local pet supply merchant or even sponsor one of the animals for a period of time.   What a nice, meaningful gift to give to a loved one!

Or perhaps you could sponsor the adoption of a pet from your local animal shelter.  Maybe you’re willing to pay the fees for a particular animal to be adopted and find a wonderful home this season.

Or perhaps one of the local veterinarians has a client who can’t afford some needed medical treatment or even a fund for those type of situations.  Making a donation to that cause would be a wonderfully touching gift!

Your used towels and blankets would always be a welcome donation to most shelters, both human and pet.  Or perhaps you’ve got some spare feed for a large animal rescue?  

Even just a spare hour to take a dog at the animal shelter out for a walk is a great thing to do.

So, this holiday season, let’s remember to give back to those who give us such unconditional love and reach out to those in need.

Our twilight mist on Monday has given way to a bitter Northernly along with two hard frosts.  I’ve taken to wearing a knit hat and gloves when I’m outside to stay a bit more comfortable.  Funny, but in Alaska I wouldn’t be wearing gloves at these temps.  And you simply wouldn’t catch me dead in a cap!  Ugh!  I’ve been too vain for that!  Still just wearing my windbreaker and a t-shirt.  With the walking I do to and fro, I don’t want to get overheated.  And, well, to be honest, my windbreaker is a Helly Hansen so it’s not flimsy or thin.  I wore it to the barn during our deep cold last year with just a sweatshirt and stayed plenty toasty.

Anyways, they’re calling for snow this weekend.  And that wind is really bitter, especially out in the vineyard.  So, I blanketed Maddie tonight.  Maybe she doesn’t need it, but she could maybe stand to gain a teeny bit of weight.  So, I recognize that blanketing was more for me than her.  But I feel better that she’s wearing her blankie.  

Astonishingly, Maddie stood just fine for blanketing.  No fuss, no muss and no silliness.  Now that Kitty is disinterested in her, I actually seem to be bonding with Maddie!  Surprise, surprise!  I’m starting to think seriously about keeping Maddie as my other horse, my second horse.  I’m a little tall to ride her, but she’d be a great alternate for Casey and a great horse to have as a spare for when SquirrelGurl and I decide to go on a trail ride.  

My attitude toward Maddie is really changing and changing so fast!  I’m actually starting to like her now.  I’m a bit surprised!

Sometimes, you just have one of those days.  Others, one of those weeks.  For me, it’s going on a couple of weeks now.  But, life has taken a turn for the better!

Dude got the H1N1 vaccine at school roughly 12 days ago.  Guess what I came down with 24 hours later?  Yup!  You guessed it!  A week later, I felt better except for a cough I still haven’t kicked.  But, on Wednesday, the day my in-laws were to arrive at our home for Thanksgiving festivities, I seemed to get the mother of all cold sores!  Family pictures?  Oh, please!  I’d rather not!  

I spent a week being sick, last Wednesday running around and cleaning like mad in the morning, entertaining my mother and my in-laws in the evening, then up at the butt-crack of dawn to begin cooking our 25 lbs turkey so we could eat early enough that my mother could drive back to the Seattle area and arrive home at a reasonable hour.  

Yes, I said 25 lbs turkey!  It was an absolute monster!  And it took 5 hours to cook.  But, in the end, it was the best turkey I’d ever eaten, if I do say so myself!

It slipped out that my in-laws don’t consider the Corporate Prince and I really married since they didn’t attend our wedding.  Well, it was a marriage ceremony held in a judge’s chambers for legal purposes and we didn’t get to have the planned family “wedding” we had hoped for due to circumstance.  However, after almost 3 years you’d think they’d just accept that CP and I are legally married.  But, evidently not.  And this was discovered when we mentioned that we are thinking of renewing our vows this summer.  Suddenly, after hearing this, a lot of thing became clear.  Well, hmm…

So, I cooked myself silly on Thanksgiving.  Food was devoured, complimented and appreciated.  And now everyone has gone home so life can return to normal.

How was your Thanksgiving weekend?

PS Forgot to tell ya’ll that Kitty is no longer interested in horses.  She went so far as to tell me to get rid of Maddie.  So SG, I got a pony that needs riding…  Interested?

Hi Guys,

I’ve got a lot going on right at the moment.  Stuff that needs to be sorted through and figured out before I can talk about any of it here.  But, don’t worry!  I’m fine and doing well.  Some cool things have happened, but I’ll tell you about them when I have a minute.

Take care!  I’ll be back soon!

Hey!

Guess who I just met in person?  I met SquirrelGurl and Stormy!  SG is just as nice in person and she’s pretty wonderful too!  She snagged some siberian iris that were in a giant clump needing to be divided for me (so I can plant them), got all muddy and brought them out!  Wow!  What a friend!  I will have to think of something very awesome to pay her back with.  Eggs and flowers, maybe?

Stormy is sweet and little and cute!  Compared to my 3, he’s just so teeny!  We hope that Storm Dog comes to play some more real soon!

Thanks for the flowers SG!  Hope you guys come to play again soon!