My Equine Love

Today I had a sweet lunch with a friend. After two hours of girl talk and laughter, I was heading home when I realized ... the barn was almost on my way home. The fly in the ointment: It was 39 degrees Fahrenheit outside. Translate - the Queen should be inside (due to the cold triggering my Periodic Paralysis). However, the draw of Leo was strong, so I had to drive over and give him a smooch. Turns out, it was so cold that I was the only one at the barn. Thank God for sunshine. It made the cold not so ... cold.

As a horse lover, I can hardly describe the feeling of horse breath on my neck and face. It's so warm and cozy - especially on a very cold day. The massive strength of this creature combined with his gentle eyes and eyelashes are enough to melt my heart.

I know. I know. I'm silly.

But, I love him. And isn't he so cute?

Vinegar Cleaning Update

So, you may remember my vinegar post from last year. If not, let me just tell you that I tried cleaning with white, distilled vinegar and was amazed at the results. If you use it as a "mist" (from a spray bottle) with a cleaning cloth, it cleans without streaking. I cleaned windows, mirrors, stainless steel appliances, countertops, my sink, etc. I even used it to clean the toilets.

I was in love. It was one product for all purposes and ... it was super cheap.

However, while I loved using it and loved the immediate results, I did not love the long term results. (Let's not even mention the smell. Add a little oil and my house smelled like salad dressing!)

I noticed that my toilets would get that pink mildew ring in the bowl after only a few days. More specifically, it would only take about 3-4 days to have a mildew ring. This made it look like I hadn't cleaned my toilets in weeks. Kind of embarressing - especially when a guest would need to use the restroom. "Please excuse the potty, Friend. I usually clean it once a year and it's almost that special day!"

I am not totally in love with cleaning toilets. It's a big deal for me to clean one, let alone multiple toilets. And I won't even go "there" about cleaning up stray hairs that are on bathroom countertops. Somehow, a hair in my sink will trigger the gag reflex despite the fact that said hair was on my very own head within the past 24 hours. Sometimes as recently has the past 10 minutes.

Back to vinegar. I figured if my toilets were showing germs this quick, then other areas that were cleaned with vinegar were also germy, albeit not as noticeable. So, while I will still keep vinegar on hand in my kitchen for quick clean up jobs, I will not be using it as my main cleaner.

And I'm back to "real" toilet bowl cleaner. My potty almost looks clean enough to ... ewww. Nevermind.

A Clarification and Some Thoughts

So, I've been thinking about my New Year's Resolutions. In my previous post about New Year's Resolutions, I said that the song that expressed the thoughts of my heart is the Coca-Cola song from the 70's. That's sort of true. The real message that my subconscious sings is, "Let's all just be happy."

I like serenity. I like music with no words. I like quiet. I like a soft tone of voice and a gentle spirit in my relationships. I like the absence of conflict.

That doesn't always happen in life. Can I get an "amen"?

There's chaos, disagreements, misunderstandings, harsh words, angry eyebrows and general grumpiness from time to time. I don't like that.

Thus, it would appear that I choose to prick myself like a voodoo doll with every possible way I can please everyone I come into contact with. Unconsciously, I try to please everyone, everyday, in every way.

Mercy. That gets burdensome.

So, while I unconsciously want "to buy the world a home and furnish it with love...", I'm waking up to the realization that I cannot possibly make everyone happy. I'm sure as I work on my NY resolution of "not caring what anyone thinks" that I will make some mistakes. I hope I can learn to buy the world a Coke, teach the world to sing in harmony and leave the "perfect" part to Jesus. Because, as cute as the 70's Coke commercial is ... it is simply not reality.

The only way we will sing in perfect harmony is when Christ comes back to make everything new. In the meantime, I get to be kind, patient, gentle, faithful, trusting, shrewd ... and not care what others think.

New Year's Resolutions

I have two resolutions for this year. One was created by myself and the other was created by my sweet husband.

My resolution is to send a card to every friend/loved one on their birthday this year. It sounds small, but there is some sort of disconnect between my intentions and a postal stamp. It's like I have some sort of irrational, deep-seated dread of a post office box. Nonetheless, I shall overcome.

I didn't ask for this resolution, but King seems to think it's necessary. Vital even. He says this is the year I will not care what anyone thinks. I can care what God, King and Princess thinks, but no one else. You have to know me to understand how hard this will be for me. The song that emanates from my heart...



Alas. While I'd like the whole world to live in harmony, the closest I can get to making the world live in harmony is to buy someone a coca cola. And if that makes you upset with me ... I'm supposed to not care.

And I'm trying to not care.

King gave me this resolution around October of 2010 and I began to tentatively try it. By December, I was beginning to feel some serious freedom! I could be sweet and kind and STILL not care what people thought of my decisions.

We'll see how this goes.

Thrush

As a true testimony for how little I have blogged, I don't think I've talked about Leo on the blog much. Leo is an Appendix gelding that we lease. (An Appendix is a cross between a Thoroughbred and a Quarter horse.) Leo is our love. He is such a gentleman. He takes care of me while I am learning to ride and...

He is a great Hunter for Princess, taking her over 2 foot fences. He can't help that he's so adorable!

He has a club foot on his right front and struggles with thrush often when it rains. Since we have been gone over the holidays, the thrush has come back. We went out to the barn yesterday to treat his hooves. There are many ways to treat thrush, but we typically clean his hooves well and then soak them in a bleach and water solution. After the bleach soak, we let his hooves dry while we groom him. Then it's time for a thrush treatment. The brand we currently use is Durasole. It works very well! Typically, one to three treaments like this and his hoof is hard and healing.

He's not particularly thrilled with this routine in the winter because the water is so cold. He was great today though. I think he appreciates the attention.