Well the Whales have got Stage Friight!

Last Saturday was canceled due to rough weather, so we rebooked for Sunday, Sunday's weather was PERFECT, calm seas and not a whale in sight. They didn't even send the boats out as the spotters couldn't find anything, so rebooked AGAIN for today and there are gale force winds and no whales seen at all yesterday so boats canceled again!

I know I need to learn patience but COME ON!!!! LOL

Birthdays and Whale Watching...

November seems to be a month of birthdays! Happy Birthday to my little bro living in the USA, a friend just turned 40 two days ago and another turns 50 in 2 days time. For her 50th birthday Lisa wanted to go whale watching in Kaikoura, so we are off there on Saturday!!!

As a kid I used to dream about swimming with whales and saving them after they were harpooned (I think that started after I saw a TV doco saying the whales would drown after being harpooned) so I would get to them, get them up to the surface, remove the harpoon and we'd swim away, needless to say I have a lingering love for whales so am really looking forward to it! I'll report back with what they have to say and some photos after Saturday!

In the meantime Guy Fawks is upon us, we are very lucky to live rurally so we don't have a big fire works issue, just enough in the township to ensure we all, animals and people, have something to go oooooh and aaaaaah over.

If you have animals fearful of them, just explain what they are, how they work, and that we let them off as a celebration and it's a happy event. The horses and dogs listen here, the goats don't, they just blast around the paddock (good for the fatties to be honest!) and eventually go and hide in the implement shed LOL. I have noticed Leo has actually been 'fearful' of a few gunshots heard here over the last week, that is a new behaviour for him, so I'll have a wee chat to him when they start up and we'll sit down and watch them (if it's not raining!)

So enjoy the fire works if you have them, keep your animals safe and have fun!

A Young Cats Take on Life...

I had the opportunity to talk with a young cat last week, he's not even a year old yet and yet his take on things is very deep and wise and he was very happy to share... so here is some of what I got from him for his mum...

What is his take on life? it is there one moment at a time. I ask him as a cat, how he thinks we people should live, he says we should take things more lightly, the only thing that is really important is each other, and we should be more aware of others and enjoy our contact with them. I ask him then about the other cats who don't always understand the Laughing Buddha (a nickname I gave the boy after seeing the first photo of him lying on his back, eyes squeezed shut and mouth open, grinning (probably mid sneeze LOL) and he liked it) and related that back to people...so what should we do when there are people who just don't understand us or vice versa... he shows me you blowing them a kiss and turning away - send them love and move on. I ask him, what about when we're tired and just don't feel like laughing? He says then you are to receive the love and he inserts himself in the picture, he will laugh for you and will wrap you in love until you find your own again.

So now putting some heavier stuff on the young fella, I ask him why we are all here... and he says a life is going to happen a soul has to fill it, that we see what is about to live and we choose which one we want to be, I ask why and he indicates that it would be a waste of opportunity, a waste of the complexity of the chemical things happening to allow 'life' if they (the souls/spirit etc) ignored it and didn't participate, like it is their responsibility to enable it to reach it's full potential, to realise all the possibilities, hard to explain properly, haven't had one put it across from that perspective before. The bio-chemical part of expansion or creation is 'ripe' to happen, but without the soul it is not complete, so the spirits responsibility (and opportunity) is to complete that process by participating in it.

I ask him what is the purpose of the separation of spirit, of it being split to be contained in a physical body like it is and he gives "identity", self awareness I guess, which is funny because all the books and quotes are of "One-ness" of us remembering or recognising that we are all part of the "One", all part of the same energy, all part of "God", and that we should see past our individuality and be aware we are all part of the same thing, and yet he is saying the whole reason we are here in these bodies is so that we can get/obtain/hold on to a sense of individuality, a sense of "self" which we don't have if we remain 'energy' and simply a spark of energy within the Energy... so that is interesting to hear (and I guess it does make sense that we could do both, just seems like it shouldn't be such a battle to recognise that "One-ness" when we only incarnated to find a sense of Self LOL.)

Pretty deep for a young fella huh?

and because that was getting too long...

This is about Smokey going jumping on Sunday!

He had 3 classes, one show hunter, and 2 show jumping. Unfortunately it had been indicated that the show hunter would be on after lunch due to the rings, but due to lack of entries the rings were different to what the schedule said and show hunter started in the morning so it was pretty good timing I wandered over to see what they were up to, to find them putting the jumps up for the warmup round of my class!!! EEK!!!

I raced off to saddle him up, he wasn't plaited, he didn't get a warm up round (BIG mistake!) and wasn't warmed up well, well all the disorganisation showed and we were eliminated by jump #2 (oops!) but after jump #2 he continued on and did them all.

Another hour or so later and it was show jumping time, 60cm first and he had a clear round and came 2nd (it was a small class, but still, he did well!) Then the 70cm round where the wall came in and he did well right up to there! One refusal at the wall and 2 time faults and that was it, we were 4th and there were only ribbons to 3rd, collective "aaaaaaw" (silly Smokey LOL). By the end of that round he was sooooooo ready to finish, we'd been there over 7 hours already and he was mentally had it. But it was our first time out doing 'proper' show jumping and I'm still proud of the wee boy, considering the Show Hunter thing was my fault.

Here are some stills I got off the video's of the rounds...

3rd time lucky on this jump in the show hunter round!
and the wall cost us a placing too with one refusal at it...

Insecure dogs and horses

If you're on Face Book you may feel like adding your ideas about Animals NOT living in the "Now"

Have just been talking to the most beautiful, loving, soft natured dog who has some obsessive compulsive behaviours, a low self image, basically he feels/thinks he doesn't have the right to be happy, he fears being left. Have given his a few pep talks spread over a few days, linked him back into the Universal Energy or God Force, reminding him what his potential truly is. Unfortunately I just don't know whether that will be enough to get him through when the compulsions hit him, so have recommended some emotional type energy healing for him, fingers crossed that, combined with what mum will be putting in place emotionally for him, may get him through. On my 3rd or 4th link in with him, I got snuggled, he got right into my neck and face area and just snuggled in there for cuddles, sweet boy even told me he loved me, how's that for a softy?! Absolutely adorable troubled boy, am hoping it all helps enough he can stay healthy and have a chance to allow himself to be loved instead of just loving everyone else...

On a personal note I'm flying high! After 10 mths of Mac not being ridden, he now has been! TWICE! Go my gorgeous Maccy Boy! (and go me! I don't bounce like I did as a kid, and everytime I get dumped in the last 6 yrs I've ended up in hospital, probably why Mac has actually gone 10 mths since the last one!) But we were both ready, the first mounting session was a lesson in town with my instructor who is Mac's security blanket (and mine in a way because I know she can cope with whatever happens even if it is me crapping off hahahaha). The lesson came the day after some fantastic groundwork, but the fantastic groundwork followed me having to have an emotionally charged talk with him, letting him feel just how much I love him. Altho he's never shown it he has gotten a little insecure since I've been riding Smokey so much as he did before Smokey even arrived. I was so excited about all the things I'd be able to do with Smokey that I simply can't with Mac (like ride him bareback, and take off a jacket while I'm on him!) that Mac got rather depressed that he wasn't able to give me everything I wanted. Now the insecurities were back and everytime I tried to tell him (when ever I do anything with him!) how much I loved him I would find my mind drifting to Smokey, and I'd feel guilty and pull it back to Mac. It happened so often I thought I was starting to love Smokey more than Mac!!!

When I told him all the soft mushy stuff before our groundwork it felt like just words, there was no emotional connection with him, and quite suddenly my thoughts went to Smokey and a doubt came in. That's as well as I can explain it. Mac only comes to me in feelings, no words, no images, just straight emotion, can be REALLY tricky getting specific answers to anything from him by the way, and yet he'll "talk" to others LOL (I say it's because we're soooooooo connected ;o) Anyway this doubt came in as I thought of Smokey and eureka! I got it! Basically Mac was saying "Are you sure? I don't think you do" and inserting Smokey in there instead, aaaaaaaaaaw, my staunch as, dominant ass of a sensitive horse was thinking I didn't love him anymore! And it was HIM who kept making me think of Smokey, it wasn't ME! (Gawd, see how much they are always in our heads causing us havoc?!) So I told my boy the truth... I told him just what he means to me, just how much I love him, he brought tears to my eyes, but he let me back in and accepted all I was saying and hey presto, that emotional connection was back, it'd been HIM blocking that too!

We also had a little chat about letting go of past issues, that his past is just the first rung on a ladder that brought us together, that that ladder and his journey up it was infinitely precious because of where he has ended up, that his journey up that ladder has been a blessed journey and that I'm eternally grateful that he decided to take that journey. We had a lovely groundwork session, relaxed, calm, focussed on me completely (not a small thing since I'd put the other 2 out of the arena and into the back yard for more grass and Mac was 100% certain when I caught him he was going there too! hahaha!) My Maccy Boy was back with me.

So the next day was our lesson and he stood like a rock, it was like we'd gone back in time to last October before everything happened and just picked up where we left off.

And the next day we got back on at home, all by ourselves! I must confess I was nervous, for my ADHD boy who needs his routines, although we'd been doing ground work in the arena he's never been ridden in there before and the wind had flicked round to a sou'east which he hates more than the usual nor'west which he also hates, how dare the wind change direction?! But again, he stood like a rock and after 15 mins of walk and trot he decided he'd finished and stopped dead! He's never done that before (tried it at the lesson to when I was just finishing off with some mount-walk off-dismount)

So very proud of him, and very proud of myself getting over my lack of faith in my boy (cause lets face it, altho falling doesn't hurt, landing on the deck sure does!) but we're FINALLY all go again!

Spring is busy time!

Have caught up on work after that flu (phew!) and although I was only away in Auckland for a week it feels like it's been forever since I did anything! Had dressage on Smokes the weekend I got back, small classes (unregistered) but he got a 1st and two 2nds over the 2 days (nothing to skite about the marks were crap LOL) Mac was supposed to have his lesson today which would have seen us back on him, but the toad has put his back out under the saddle. I was brushing him a couple of days ago ready to do some more groundwork and the rubber curry comb along his spine nearly had him drop to his knees! I think I'll have to have a good chat to him about releasing some worries of being ridden again! Chiropractor is in town on Friday thankfully! Smokey has a jumping lesson on Thursday, chiro on Friday and Show Jumping and Show Hunter on Sunday :o) and Mac's lesson has been rebooked for NEXT Tuesday! Can't wait to get back on him!

Dogs are good, chooks are good and laying up a storm. Another shed is due to go any time now (well not "due" to go but a glut of free range eggs has seen the distributor telling all egg farmers to cull numbers! So my favourite shed might be going early! NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!) Have about 20 sorted for a couple of horsey girls when it's time, hoping others will want some too as they're great gentle girls!

Marcus is learning stuff daily, today he drew a clock and numbered it and then put the hands at some significant times (like 3 o'clock for afternoon tea, 4 o'clock for cookie time etc LOL). He's a smart wee cookie! Don't know what he's going to do at school next year, he's doing it all now!

Nothing exciting to pass on work wise, nice to have people getting back to me afterwards confirming things though :o)

Pet and Animal Expo and the Flu!

crikey, without having gone to the Dr to get it confirmed I'm 99.9% positive the child and I ended up with Swine Flu and it sat me on my butt for about 2 weeks!!!

Actually I don't ever recall having a flu quite like that one even as a kid! But it has finally passed and the cough that preceded it is pretty much gone too (who would get the "100 day cough" and swine flu together?! Well, we don't do things by halves around here LOL)

So Marcus and I got up to Auckland where my mum looked after us and I had nana naps every day, and loved the fact I didn't have to go out and feed animals twice a day! Pet Expo rolled around on the weekend and I was actually feeling quite a bit better on the Saturday, although that damn cough was still doubling me over and my ribs are still buggered from all of that.

Expo from a stand holders perspective was good! A lot of people and a lot of people stopping to talk with us :o) A few comments about not enough freebies to be found (really the only freebies were from the feed people, not a lot of other stands had freebies they could offer!) something to consider for next year though, maybe some free little magnets or something! The Himalayan Crystal Salt sold really well as did Jeanne's Bach Flower Remedies.

Had a play with some rats there from the Ratty Club (quite like those intelligent little critters!)

Was nice to see the Ultra K9 dog food represented there (I'm the Marlborough distributor for that, good food!) and lovely to see Mirijana there with all the Bioptrons. Such a lovely helpful lady who sat me down and turned 3 bioptrons on me as I stopped to say hi, it was bliss :o)

So a good weekend was had but it was lovely to get home again too. Mac SCREAMED his welcome home to me and continued screaming until I went down there and gave him more grass to shut him up LOL.

Smokey has dressage this weekend after 2 weeks off, lucky he's such a good boy huh?!

Here are a couple of photos of the stand at the Expo...