For anyone wondering... I survived my clinic!
I was quaking in my boots thinking all our worst habits that come out at shows would be in full force... the sucking back, the tenseness, the holding back, the head tick tock, the 4-beaty canter....
Nope.
Not a ONE of those icky things popped up in the clinic. Not even toward the end when Sera was tired and pretty much at the end of her reserves... she stayed in a true, forward, 3-beat canter. She stayed round, over her back, forward, in my hand....she tried hard for me.
Can I say how in love I am with my mare? I love her, love her, love her!
We are both a bit out of shape but we still have it and we don't suck (well compared to Hubertus Schmidt I'm sure we suck but for who we are and where we are, in Northern Colorado with no goals to show professionally or beyond locally, we don't suck! Hooray!). Debbie said she's NEVER seen Sera look so good. And Debbie, while very kind, will never, ever, ever pay you a compliment you don't deserve. You gots to work hard to make her happy.
I tried shoes on Sera's front... she has never been lame or "off"... she tested fine for the farrier... but she seems just a little ... I don't know... careful... a little flat.... a bit quick....
Debbie said Sera seemed much more "floaty"... "forward".... and get this... she said, "I didn't think this horse had a trot like that IN her!"
So yeah, guess Sera will be in front shoes....seems to make her more comfortable and confident.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Colorado Marrow Donor Program update....
About 2 mos ago, I was contacted by Colorado Marrow Donor Program as a potential match for someone needing a transplant. I was to stop by the hospital lab for some additional blood draws for testing to determine the match and they'd let me know in 6-8 weeks.
I received a letter this week that the extensive testing of my blood samples and the patient's blood for compatability indicate I could be a suitable match. At this time, however, the patient isn't ready to proceed to transplantation and they may contact me in the future. Thank-you for your willingness to consider donation to someone you've never met.
Interestingly enough, just after giving my blood for testing, I found out a woman I worked with many years ago had a bone marrow disease severe enough she needed a marrow donation. (there are no coincidences, eh?) A mutual friend told me this woman's brother donated for her probably a year ago? The transplant was in all accounts a success. Yet, this woman died the beginning of this month.
It's pretty serious business - when someone is sick enough to need a marrow donation, it's not like donating marrow is a 100% cure-all, rainbows and happiness. Yes, I would donate in a second if someone needed my marrow, however it's also sobering to know that they could still die. It's the least I could offer for someone truly fighting for their life.
Anyway - please keep whomever needed this donation in your thoughts... I'm sure he/she and their family are going through some major heartache and heavy decisions. I wish them much love and peace.
If you are interested in becoming a donor, please visit the following site for information or registering to become a bone marrow donor: National Marrow Donor Program
You might provide hope or an option to someone that has none.
I received a letter this week that the extensive testing of my blood samples and the patient's blood for compatability indicate I could be a suitable match. At this time, however, the patient isn't ready to proceed to transplantation and they may contact me in the future. Thank-you for your willingness to consider donation to someone you've never met.
Interestingly enough, just after giving my blood for testing, I found out a woman I worked with many years ago had a bone marrow disease severe enough she needed a marrow donation. (there are no coincidences, eh?) A mutual friend told me this woman's brother donated for her probably a year ago? The transplant was in all accounts a success. Yet, this woman died the beginning of this month.
It's pretty serious business - when someone is sick enough to need a marrow donation, it's not like donating marrow is a 100% cure-all, rainbows and happiness. Yes, I would donate in a second if someone needed my marrow, however it's also sobering to know that they could still die. It's the least I could offer for someone truly fighting for their life.
Anyway - please keep whomever needed this donation in your thoughts... I'm sure he/she and their family are going through some major heartache and heavy decisions. I wish them much love and peace.
If you are interested in becoming a donor, please visit the following site for information or registering to become a bone marrow donor: National Marrow Donor Program
You might provide hope or an option to someone that has none.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Agility!
We finished our sequencing class... putting obstacles in a sequence and practice running them... I still feel very awkward, clumsy, herky-jerky and like there is so much to know and remember. I often forget where I am on the course. However, both Toe and Keenan really seem to enjoy it and their hoo-mans do too!
Here we are running our pattern!
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Grand Junction Pix
Toe & Shanster go 4-wheelin for the first time....
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Grand Junction
Furry Husband and I left for Grand Junction last week. We stayed with his buddy Mo, who lives at the base of the Powderhorn Ski Resort in Mesa. It was GORGEOUS.
Furry Husband played in the Colorado State Disc Golf Championships (which he completed in a 3-way tie for Fourth Place! Way to go Furry!) while I hiked on Saturday and went 4-wheeling on Sunday. I brought the little Toe dog with us to Junction for fun - he's compact, travels well and is friendly to everyone.
I think Toe probably had more fun than the hoo-mans... bombing around the mountain on hikes... swimming in mountain lakes...and riding sandwiched in between me and Mo on the 4-wheeler little stump tail goin' a mile a minute....
The weekend was sunny, cloudless, no wind and 70's or 80's... fabulous, perfect, incredible Colorado weather and I was outside most of the time... ahhhhhhhhh. Hard to come back to reality and a desk job, indoors with no windows near-by. *sniffle*
Agility last night - I meant to bring a camera to tape how herky jerky I am... completely forgot. Maybe next Monday I'll remember and you can get a glimpse of the insanity!
Tomorrow I ride with Debbie and I am cringing cuz she'll see how we've reverted back to all our old habits... but I won't worry about that until I actually make it there.
Our truck isn't 100% reliable lately and only does it's acting up when I'm towing a load over distance... mechanics can't find anything wrong with it, we can't get it to do anything in town or to and from Rex's place.
Always a comforting thought as you are on the interstate towing your beloved horse....
Furry Husband played in the Colorado State Disc Golf Championships (which he completed in a 3-way tie for Fourth Place! Way to go Furry!) while I hiked on Saturday and went 4-wheeling on Sunday. I brought the little Toe dog with us to Junction for fun - he's compact, travels well and is friendly to everyone.
I think Toe probably had more fun than the hoo-mans... bombing around the mountain on hikes... swimming in mountain lakes...and riding sandwiched in between me and Mo on the 4-wheeler little stump tail goin' a mile a minute....
The weekend was sunny, cloudless, no wind and 70's or 80's... fabulous, perfect, incredible Colorado weather and I was outside most of the time... ahhhhhhhhh. Hard to come back to reality and a desk job, indoors with no windows near-by. *sniffle*
Agility last night - I meant to bring a camera to tape how herky jerky I am... completely forgot. Maybe next Monday I'll remember and you can get a glimpse of the insanity!
Tomorrow I ride with Debbie and I am cringing cuz she'll see how we've reverted back to all our old habits... but I won't worry about that until I actually make it there.
Our truck isn't 100% reliable lately and only does it's acting up when I'm towing a load over distance... mechanics can't find anything wrong with it, we can't get it to do anything in town or to and from Rex's place.
Always a comforting thought as you are on the interstate towing your beloved horse....
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
I think I have my life back....
I'm not working long days plus weekends any more. It is so wonderful to have my life back!
And I'm now *gasp* 41 years old. Yow! Seems like just yesterday I was 28. I took my birthday off from work and Furry Husband and I went to The Rio Grande for lunch... they have the best patio in town and we enjoyed liesurely margaritas in the sunshine. Divine.
I GOT CARDED!
I never get carded.
I think it was all the pimples on my face earned from the long hours indoors under fluorescent lighting in September. At least those damn things came in handy for something. Was a really fun birthday treat...
We went to a movie at the dollar theatre (cuz I am a cheap date)... and we had a nice dinner at home with real champagne that Furry's boss gave to me as a birf-day present. It was truly a lovely day.
I started off the day by getting some horsekeeping done... tooth float for Rosso and hocks done on Sera... the farrier came out the next morning and we are ready to get back to it.... have a clinic with Debbie Riehl-Rodriquez on the 19th. I'm sure she will be disappointed at how we've let ourselves go this summer.
Life happens... we'll get back to it and work hard to make it up.
Oh - the eating thing. Trying really not to think of it as a diet but as a lifestyle and definitely NOT focused on the scale. I want to see how this way of eating affects the way we feel and if it's realistic to everyday life.
So far, I'm not missing bread or grains. My energy seems more even keel... I don't have highs or lows - no food coma here! And even when I eat more than I should, (it happens - I've never gotten the portion control thing down pat) I don't get that omg, I'm going to die or I feel sick or I need to sleep 3 hrs because I ate so much feeling...I'm just much more comfortable even if I over do it occasionally. Seems my belly stays the same size thru the day vs. getting sort of bloaty and/or poochy by the end of the day. I don't feel super changed or highly energized but the changes I've noticed are pleasant - consistent feeling.
And I'm now *gasp* 41 years old. Yow! Seems like just yesterday I was 28. I took my birthday off from work and Furry Husband and I went to The Rio Grande for lunch... they have the best patio in town and we enjoyed liesurely margaritas in the sunshine. Divine.
I GOT CARDED!
I never get carded.
I think it was all the pimples on my face earned from the long hours indoors under fluorescent lighting in September. At least those damn things came in handy for something. Was a really fun birthday treat...
We went to a movie at the dollar theatre (cuz I am a cheap date)... and we had a nice dinner at home with real champagne that Furry's boss gave to me as a birf-day present. It was truly a lovely day.
I started off the day by getting some horsekeeping done... tooth float for Rosso and hocks done on Sera... the farrier came out the next morning and we are ready to get back to it.... have a clinic with Debbie Riehl-Rodriquez on the 19th. I'm sure she will be disappointed at how we've let ourselves go this summer.
Life happens... we'll get back to it and work hard to make it up.
Oh - the eating thing. Trying really not to think of it as a diet but as a lifestyle and definitely NOT focused on the scale. I want to see how this way of eating affects the way we feel and if it's realistic to everyday life.
So far, I'm not missing bread or grains. My energy seems more even keel... I don't have highs or lows - no food coma here! And even when I eat more than I should, (it happens - I've never gotten the portion control thing down pat) I don't get that omg, I'm going to die or I feel sick or I need to sleep 3 hrs because I ate so much feeling...I'm just much more comfortable even if I over do it occasionally. Seems my belly stays the same size thru the day vs. getting sort of bloaty and/or poochy by the end of the day. I don't feel super changed or highly energized but the changes I've noticed are pleasant - consistent feeling.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Lifestyle of a cult follower?
Our neck of the woods has been converted to a cult following. Most of the people I know are religiously and devoutly following this new "religion".
So much so that Furry Husband and I have discussed it... rolled our eyes over it... fought it....scoffed at it and after a spring and summer full of hearing other people discuss it ad nauseum with a sparkle in their eye and a fervent following much like those who may have followed Jim and Tammy Faye Baker back in the day....
*sigh*
We are trying it.
We are going primal, paleo, cave-man diet.... for 30 days.
Mostly we are doing this as an experiment. I'm not really discussing it with anyone in my circle of friends already "converted" because I don't want the fervent gleam in the eye, "oh you've finally come to the right side of the force - welcome!" discussions or affirmations.
We want to experiment with it - see what we think of it, find out for ourselves if it really does increase energy levels and the big overall increased health benefits everyone is saying they feel. You would think this lifestyle is a wonder drug the way people are talking about how much better they feel....
I'm on day 3.
The rules are easy - eat plenty of animals, seeds, nuts, plants and dairy in moderation. Avoid all grains and legumes (beans and peanut products). No corn, wheat, bread, flour or baked goods made with any conventional flours... theory being that grains aren't digestible by humans and cause all sorts of problems in our bodies. (Not saying I buy this, I'm not a Dr. or a nutritionist or scientist.... and it seems any "diet" book will tell you what they believe with facts and Dr.s who can back it... then 3 more telling you how "wrong" the diet you just read about is....I'm only telling you the theory behind this lifestyle in a nutshell and we've had several months of many different people living this way and telling us how amazing they feel.. I'm absolutely not pushin' anything here.)
I can use almond flour or coconut flour. I have NO idea what either of those flours look like or taste like or how they are to work with.... we will pick some up from a health food store and maybe play with making tortillas or biscuits I found in a paleo cookbook.
I'm not counting calories or worrying about portions or fats... just avoiding any grain or legume based food items. I hate diets and the yo-yo crap that goes with it. If it can't become part of your every day life, I personally don't think it will ever work long term. We are seeing if we can do this as part of an every-day lifestyle.
This no grain thing makes it interesting to think outside the box and find ways to follow it - for example, Furry Husband and I went to Qdoba's for lunch Saturday.... hmmmm. No beans, no rice, no tortillas.... I had a naked chix burrito: chicken, lettuce, cheese, tomatilla salsa with grilled veggies thrown in. It was tasty... and tasted like Qdoba.... just a little unconventional when ordered.
I wonder if I will miss bread, tortillas, corn chips and crackers? I don't know. We were trying to eat less traditional carbs like that as it was for general healthy eating...this is simply taking it to the next level.
Like I said, it's an experiment for 30 days that I'll share with you guys once and a while. We aren't doing it for weight loss but to see if we enjoy feeling healthier, less aches and pains, less allergies, more energy, improved digestion and less bloaty feelings in ma' belly.
Before we began this crazy 'speriment, we wanted to read up about this lifestyle to figure out what was involved and how to follow it.
We first ordered a book by Robb Wolf. Didn't like that guy at all... he was very "used car salesman" and felt like he was really talking down to us. He was super, super annoying and we both felt this way... we dropped his book off at the thrift store.
I bought a 2nd book called "The Primal Blueprint" by Mark Sisson. I much preferred his down to earth discussions... I finished the book and Furry Husband is now reading it.
I bought a paleo based cookbook not written by either author for yet another opinion/writing style.
Sounds like The Primal Blueprint rubs die-hard paleo people the wrong way I think cuz this primal diet includes dairy in moderation... well, guess what? I have dairy goats and I'm not about to give up milk or cheese... I don't eat it in mass quantities as is because it is whole and fattening... tho' I enjoy 1/4 cup goat milk each morning in my coffee and goat cheese whenever the mood strikes.
The primal diet also allows wine and beer in moderation... good, I can hang with that. And of course dark chocolate with a 70% cocoa content is supposedly the key to satisfying sugar cravings... I bought some and we'll see. I can have some pretty damn strong sugar cravings....
Breakfast will be the hardest for me as I enjoy a piece of toast with peanut butter. Quick, easy, no thought to it.
This morning's breakfast included one of the various fruits I prepped Sunday ... we have peaches... apples... grapefruits...
To go with my fruit, I put a piece of ham in a muffin tin with an egg broken over it ... popped it in the oven at 350 for 15-20 min while I took my shower.... ham and egg cup. Furry Husband and I each had 2 ham/egg cups. Pretty tasty. Very simple.
I didn't have time to eat my grapefruit so I brought it with me to work...
So there is our dirtly little secret experiment.... I'll keep you posted.
So much so that Furry Husband and I have discussed it... rolled our eyes over it... fought it....scoffed at it and after a spring and summer full of hearing other people discuss it ad nauseum with a sparkle in their eye and a fervent following much like those who may have followed Jim and Tammy Faye Baker back in the day....
*sigh*
We are trying it.
We are going primal, paleo, cave-man diet.... for 30 days.
Mostly we are doing this as an experiment. I'm not really discussing it with anyone in my circle of friends already "converted" because I don't want the fervent gleam in the eye, "oh you've finally come to the right side of the force - welcome!" discussions or affirmations.
We want to experiment with it - see what we think of it, find out for ourselves if it really does increase energy levels and the big overall increased health benefits everyone is saying they feel. You would think this lifestyle is a wonder drug the way people are talking about how much better they feel....
I'm on day 3.
The rules are easy - eat plenty of animals, seeds, nuts, plants and dairy in moderation. Avoid all grains and legumes (beans and peanut products). No corn, wheat, bread, flour or baked goods made with any conventional flours... theory being that grains aren't digestible by humans and cause all sorts of problems in our bodies. (Not saying I buy this, I'm not a Dr. or a nutritionist or scientist.... and it seems any "diet" book will tell you what they believe with facts and Dr.s who can back it... then 3 more telling you how "wrong" the diet you just read about is....I'm only telling you the theory behind this lifestyle in a nutshell and we've had several months of many different people living this way and telling us how amazing they feel.. I'm absolutely not pushin' anything here.)
I can use almond flour or coconut flour. I have NO idea what either of those flours look like or taste like or how they are to work with.... we will pick some up from a health food store and maybe play with making tortillas or biscuits I found in a paleo cookbook.
I'm not counting calories or worrying about portions or fats... just avoiding any grain or legume based food items. I hate diets and the yo-yo crap that goes with it. If it can't become part of your every day life, I personally don't think it will ever work long term. We are seeing if we can do this as part of an every-day lifestyle.
This no grain thing makes it interesting to think outside the box and find ways to follow it - for example, Furry Husband and I went to Qdoba's for lunch Saturday.... hmmmm. No beans, no rice, no tortillas.... I had a naked chix burrito: chicken, lettuce, cheese, tomatilla salsa with grilled veggies thrown in. It was tasty... and tasted like Qdoba.... just a little unconventional when ordered.
I wonder if I will miss bread, tortillas, corn chips and crackers? I don't know. We were trying to eat less traditional carbs like that as it was for general healthy eating...this is simply taking it to the next level.
Like I said, it's an experiment for 30 days that I'll share with you guys once and a while. We aren't doing it for weight loss but to see if we enjoy feeling healthier, less aches and pains, less allergies, more energy, improved digestion and less bloaty feelings in ma' belly.
Before we began this crazy 'speriment, we wanted to read up about this lifestyle to figure out what was involved and how to follow it.
We first ordered a book by Robb Wolf. Didn't like that guy at all... he was very "used car salesman" and felt like he was really talking down to us. He was super, super annoying and we both felt this way... we dropped his book off at the thrift store.
I bought a 2nd book called "The Primal Blueprint" by Mark Sisson. I much preferred his down to earth discussions... I finished the book and Furry Husband is now reading it.
I bought a paleo based cookbook not written by either author for yet another opinion/writing style.
Sounds like The Primal Blueprint rubs die-hard paleo people the wrong way I think cuz this primal diet includes dairy in moderation... well, guess what? I have dairy goats and I'm not about to give up milk or cheese... I don't eat it in mass quantities as is because it is whole and fattening... tho' I enjoy 1/4 cup goat milk each morning in my coffee and goat cheese whenever the mood strikes.
The primal diet also allows wine and beer in moderation... good, I can hang with that. And of course dark chocolate with a 70% cocoa content is supposedly the key to satisfying sugar cravings... I bought some and we'll see. I can have some pretty damn strong sugar cravings....
Breakfast will be the hardest for me as I enjoy a piece of toast with peanut butter. Quick, easy, no thought to it.
This morning's breakfast included one of the various fruits I prepped Sunday ... we have peaches... apples... grapefruits...
To go with my fruit, I put a piece of ham in a muffin tin with an egg broken over it ... popped it in the oven at 350 for 15-20 min while I took my shower.... ham and egg cup. Furry Husband and I each had 2 ham/egg cups. Pretty tasty. Very simple.
I didn't have time to eat my grapefruit so I brought it with me to work...
So there is our dirtly little secret experiment.... I'll keep you posted.
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