Refuge

First of all I want to thank all of you for your kind words following the loss of my mother. I know I didn't reply to them all but I read them and was touched by the kindness.

It's been a bit of whirlwind with the funeral and then the following up with all the things that must be done following a death. I decided that saturday I was going to hide at home all day. And that's what I did. I puttered around the barn and around the house. Mostly around the house because the temperature has plummeted and being outside is not any fun at all.

I'm glad I took the day off because it became apparent that I'm not functioning as well as I thought-my brain was chasing squirrels all day. Last evening when I getting ready to bring the horses in I realized that my frost free faucet was frozen (try saying that 3 time quickly). When it's cold I usually turn it off inside the heated tack room so that the outside has no water to freeze. I did turn it off inside but I hadn't left it wide open. There must have been just enough water in it to freeze. So I boil the kettle and spend some time fussing with that. Finally the water came out. In the meantime I'm cleaning the water buckets and bedding the stalls and the horses are pacing impatiently outside because, hello, it's suppertime!

I (finally) feed them and head back to the house to hide from the cold. Later that evening I come out to give them their night hay, top up water buckets, pick out the stall and give them their night time feed. It's a mix of soaked alfalfa cubes and beet pulp. I use it in the winter to keep weight on Irish. He gets most of it and Carmen gets a small bit. Last year she wouldn't eat beet pulp. this year she gobbles it down like me with a bowl of chips. I prepare it at supper time and give it later.

As I was checking on them I realized that they were a bit cold. I got out the heavier blanket for Irish and put it on him. I put Carmen in the cross ties and put a wool layer under her blanket. She stood there trying to see what I was putting on her. I went into the room to get their feed and then  I realized that with the fussing with the tap and such I  completely forgot to soak the beet pulp and cubes.

I quickly grab the stuff and put it in the dish and then head to the house. Carmen was nickering at me while I was in the tack room and watched in disbelief as I left.
Carmen: where are you going? 
Me: sorry. I'll be right back I need to get this ready. 
Carmen: but I'm starving! 
Me: yes, yes, I'm sorry. I'll come back. I promise. 
Carmen: humph. 

I come into the house with the bucket and Ed wants to know what I'm doing. I explain it and he asks (quite reasonably) why I didn't do it in the barn. I look at him and say 'because I didn't want to stand in the cold waiting for the kettle to boil when I could it in the house and be warm'. He concedes my point.

So forty-five minutes later I trudge out to the barn with the now ready evening meal.
Irish: it's past time
Me: Yes, I know. It was a mistake, okay? I'm sorry. 
Irish: You know I don't like to mess with the schedule. 
Carmen: Plus I'm dying over here. 

I quickly give them their feed and head back into the house. I'm changing into my PJs when I remember that I hadn't turned on the water buckets (I have heated water buckets).

damnit. I head back downstairs, throw on my coat and head out the door. Ed is looking at me confusedly.
Where are you going. 
I forgot the buckets. 
oh. 
I head out and into the barn which surpasses the horses.
Carmen: now what?
Me: never mind. I'll just be a second. 
Irish: I think she's losing it. 

I flip the switch for the buckets and leave them to their muttering. It's a good thing I wasn't doing anything critical, like brain surgery or, you know, riding.

On a happier note- this photo popped up on FB page from one year ago:

This was me trying Carmen for the first time. I like that it showed up on Valentine's day because this marked the start of my heart healing.

Happy Valentine's everyone.