Small pony is now spending the night in vet hospital, after a very very nasty colic earlier this evening.

How much more is the world planning to throw at him? It's just not fair.

I've not posted in aaaages, mostly cos life's been a big heap of rubbish.

Small pony has been poorly since June - off colour, not eating properly and generally not his normal perky self. Today, after many tests, we finally have a diagnosis. He has Anaplasma - a tick-borne disease similar to Lyme disease, but hopefully a little easier to treat. He's started his medication today, it may be a long course, but should, hopefully, start to sort him out.

It's been so rough not knowing, and seeing him so unhappy and lethargic, but all being well we're now on the road to recovery.

In other news, I really shouldn't be allowed near ebay when i'm feeling depressed - I bought a car to cheer myself up! (It worked! A very slinky Nissan with a lot of power that makes me smile every time I drive it)

Hmmm.... i'm not even going to try going into work today - the roads are chaos, there's 7" of snow on the track from the house to the road and if I do manage to get there I'll never get home again...

At least the horses are in walking distance.

Ooops....it seems I've not posted for a while. In the interests of not boring the socks you all, this is a short summary of what I've been up to since I last posted.

- changed job three times
- sold my saddle
- ordered a new saddle
- had my nipples pierced
- broken my car
- got a shiny new phone
- been to a big family gathering and survived
- ridden small pony lots
- fallen off small pony once
- watched two horsemanship clinics
- ridden at one clinic
- seen Alice Cooper
- got rained on. repeatedly
- painted the bathroom (it's only needed doing for a year)
- made cake. lots of cake

Hmmm...that doesn't seem like much for 4 months really, does it? I can't think of anything else interesting though....or even anything dull.....whatever happened to the drink and drug-fuelled riots?

Can't get comfortable anywhere, can't go and see ponies, the dressings are making me itch and I can't even have a shower. And it's raining outside.

Creaky and sore, but very glad to be home.

Thank you to everyone for all the thoughts and hugs - they really are appreciated.

I'm taking things very easy at the moment, but hopefully will be able to go and see the ponies tomorrow. Won't be able to do anything, but it will be really nice to see them.


More later, when I can type for longer!

It turns out my small pony gets no dinner of his own at all, and is forced to resort to stealing from other people....



I'm amazed at what Zorro puts up with sometimes :)

(x-posted with horsemanship)

I know I've been slack and not updated here for ages. I'd like to claim I'm far too busy, but I'm probably just lazy!

( More here, with pictures )

Today we had another riding lesson with Julian.

The weather was vile - hailstorms and a howling gale, which was upsetting the horse we would normally ride. So he announced we would be riding his Spanish horse, as he didn't seem to be reacting as badly to the weather. THis is one of the most stunningly gorgeous horses I have ever seen in my life - 16hh, grey Andalusian, with wonderfully kind eye and an amazing presence.

He's a lot bigger moving than the horses we usually ride and I was a little worried that I wouldn't be able to cope. But cope I did. Very happily :)

My God that horse is lush! I could have sat on him for hours - he was just what I needed, I reallyhad to think about keeping my position together, but when I did it just all worked and felt elegant and wonderful.

I think glenatron will be along later with pictures, and I think I'll still be grinning from the lesson even then!

...going to bed and knowing that, for the first time in months, there's not an alarm set to wake you...

...night night!

Towards the end of last week I had a message from Small ponies owner saying she had something she wanted to talk to me about.

I instantly panicked and thought she was going to ask for him back. Thankfully I was about as wrong as I could be - she wanted to ask if I'd like to buy him!!!! I thought about that for,oooh, nearly half a second, we sorted out a price and an installment plan cos I'm skint and a regular payment thing would help her out, and as soon as we can meet up to sign things, he'll be all mine for always!

I am such a happy kid right now - I love that pony to bits, we've clicked so well, and this just takes away that background anxiety that is always there when the horse you love belongs to someone else.

***bounce***

I'm now just about recovered from the weekend. It was fun!

( more here, with pics... )

This morning, having played with ponies and drunk tea for a while, I bimbled off to one of the agencies I've registered with, to sort out some temporary work for next week. Not bad work, nothing exciting but would keep me busy until Christmas.

Since then I've had three calls from other agencies, the last of which was from the one who arranged the interview for the role I really wanted (which has now been put on hold until the New Year until the guy who can sign off my appointment is back from sick leave). They'd had a call from the same company, asking if I was free for the next couple of weeks as they had a vacancy in the next office to the one I interviewed for.

Apparently my name had been getting mentioned, and when this vacancy came up, they specifically asked for me! So I'm going to be going there, instead of the one I sorted out this morning, cos it pays 50% more and is a good way of getting in with the company.

Well done if you're still with me!

I'm feeling rather happy right now, I just wish I didn't have to let down the people I saw this morning.

Given that it’s my last day, my manager is away, I have access to her pc, and I’ve been made aware of this: http://www.rjlsoftware.com/software/entertainment/clippy/default.shtml



Should I or shouldn’t I?

I've just had an interview, and I think I might have found a job I really want to do.

It's nothing dynamic or sparkling, and probably it makes me seem a little geeky, but it's as an Excel specialist, designing new reporting systems and procedures in a new department of a very big company.

I like Excel, and I'm good with it, and this would really push my skills and make me get of my arse and work rather than cruising through giving it about 30% and pissing around on the internet like I'm doing now and being so bored I can hardly bear it.

The only problem is that as a result of my psycho boss, the time of year and the fact that it's been such a crap year, my confidence is at an incredibly low ebb and I keep telling myself I can't do it. I know full well that not only can I do it, I can do it really well, I just don't know if I believe myself at the moment.

Please could somebody kick my arse for me?!

They're going to call either tomorrow or the day after to let me know - they seemed pretty keen, and I think the interview went fairly well - I didn't call anyone any rude names, which is always a good start!

Fingers crossed they like me!

I've just got back from Birmingham. A 300 mile round trip for a 2 hour gig.

Was it worth it?

YES!!!!

I've had such a fab night, watching Motorhead and then the legened that is Alice Cooper! I'm shattered now and my spelling is all gone to pot, so apologies for that, but I still can't stop bouncing!

I've not seen Alice for nearly six years, and Motorhead for probably 15 years, and I think I might have rioted a little. Or a lot!

The man puts on such a great show, and he's not looking bad for an aging rocker. It was a very different set to what I (and, I think, a lot of the audience) was expecting, but brilliant. And the best thing is, I get to see him again next week!!!

I'm going to sleep now.

Night night

I appear to have just quit my job.

I've just been signed off work for a week with labyrinthitis. I feel horribly dizzy when I try and walk or stand - it's like all the worst bits of being really drunk.

Really not fun. And I've been told not to drive or ride for a few days.

Still, at least I get a chance to catch up on my reading and sleeping!

We work just around the corner from the police station. It really isn't necessary to comment every single time you hear a siren.

Thank you