Fall BACK? . . . what if I don't want to???

I am NOT ready for Daylight Savings Time to end.  But come to think of it, I don't think I ever would be, so  . . . oh well.  

It's been quite a productive week.  Thursday, I dropped off most of the clothes that had been piled upstairs in one of the extra bedrooms for a year!  The stuff filled up most of the backseat of the truck.

So that room is actually usable again -- FINALLY!

Then Friday while Joey was at therapy, they came and did all the testing necessary to see if he can be a blood donor.  I told Torri quite a while back that he could do that, but then he had a skin rash, then that knee surgery and . . . well, it's been a WHILE -- so long that I'd almost forgotten about it.   

Anyway, the test results weren't back when I picked him up, but I'll find out on Monday if he's going to be accepted as a volunteer.  Jennifer said he was completely calm while they tested him so that'll be good if he's a donor.  The only question is those skin problems.  He is extremely sensitive to who-knows-what and he gets what look like red bites all over him from time to time.  They USED to put him on antibiotics, but we've since discovered that (1) the antibiotics aren't good for him, (2) they aren't effective, and (3) the skin clears up eventually with OR without the antibiotics!  

The dermatologist gave me some sort of medicated wipes that I use on those rashes and they do much more to clear them up than the antibiotics ever did.  Anyway . . .  we'll see next week if he's going to be a donor or not.  I hope he is because that would mean that he would regularly get all kinds of blood work done at no cost.  The boy is so peculiar that I'd love him getting tested regularly to prove there's nothing serious wrong with him!   And they would give him a big bag of Science Diet each time he donates, too.  I know that because Boo was a blood donor his whole life until he turned 8 last December -- that's the age limit.  And you can't get much healthier than Boo is, that's for sure, so I'm hoping Joey makes it. 

Then last night I ran over to Wal-Mart and picked up a whole truck load of plastic storage containers to use for all that horse stuff that was all over the house, the garage, the trunk of the truck etc. etc.   I was NOT looking forward to moving all that stuff, but it not only needed moved out of the house, but stored so that I could actually FIND things, as well.  


Well, as it turned out, Lisa did most of that!   Buddy and Lisa really helped us out a LOT today.  Buddy helped Mark build a "real" wall between Duke and Lizzie's stalls - something Mark really appreciated! 

Here's the new stall divider wall.  (Mark will put those last couple panels up tomorrow - we're waiting to be sure the horses deal well with that big window without rearing and kicking it before installing it permanently.)  And of course Duke is in there hanging out keeping an eye on everything and visiting with Lisa.  

And while Mark and Buddy built that wall, Lisa helped me round up all those horse supplies all over the place, sort it all out, put it into neatly labeled containers, and haul it all out to the barn.  I knew there was a lot of stuff, but frankly, I was amazed at just HOW much stuff I actually have!  

Just LOOK at all this stuff.  And this doesn't even include the actual saddles.  Those are all still in the house -- and they're staying there until the barn is heated and air conditioned, or at LEAST dehumidified.  NO MOLDY SADDLES!!!  I HATE cleaning leather.

And NOW I can actually FIND the stuff!  Thanks, Lisa!  

I think I mentioned that Boo ate the end off Ladybug's girth a week or two ago?  Well, I was about to order a new one, but now I won't need to bother.  There's a whole container full of them now, so now that won't be necessary!   Darned good thing, too, since it was well over $1000 to get Mark's car fixed Thursday, PLUS the cost of 4 new tires.  Whew!  (But better that than monthly payments on a new car, right?)   

Unfortunately, Buddy and Lisa spent the whole day helping with that stuff, so they didn't get time to ride today.  And next week they have other plans.  So I hope the weather is still this gorgeous two weeks from now so they can ride then.  

But even though they didn't ride, they did get together with Duke, naturally.  Duke absolutely LOVES Lisa's attention and it is SO funny.  She tickles the inside of his nostril and he "smiles" and carries on.  Seems odd, but he must love it, because there's nothing at all keeping him there if he didn't!  

Duke arrives to visit with Lisa

He definitely seems to enjoy having his nose tickled!

TOO funny!  He almost looks like a cartoon horse, doesn't he?!

Buddy watching Lisa play with Duke.

Duke likes Buddy, too -- the two of them are "guy pals."  Nice.

So now the house is emptied out and tidied up.  Tomorrow I'll be helping Mark install the last two interior stall gates like the one in the picture above.  And I need to wash clothes and straighten up my closet (I REALLY need to start hanging things up and putting shoes back on racks instead of laying them around on things so I end up having to go back and put them away later.  Sure would simplify things if I were to do that).  


And then it's back to work again.  At this point, I am definitely looking forward to Thanksgiving weekend.  When there's more than 2 days off, it actually feels like vacation . . . NOT something I can say about an ordinary weekend.