Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Mikey said I have to write this

Today I gave Mikey a hug. I said, "I love you, Mikey, bye."

He said, "I love you Mommy, when are you going to brush your teeth? You have bad breath."

And Mikey thought that was quite funny, and he made me promise to put it on the blog among "guess what Mikey/Danny said today" type blog entries.

So here it is. Thanks, Mikey.

Monday, December 22, 2008

Pretend This is Fiction

Hoofbeats in New Haven is no longer viable, thanks to some truly bizarre developments. Apparently federal court action is happening somewhere around that property and we are needing to walk away to avoid entanglement in a very messy situation. I wish I could explain more, but until I know what's safe for me to talk about I shall remain mum.

The most devastating development was the impact on Cordell of the whole thing. He was living in the barn already and at one point the seller/landlord illegally locked up his living space and his stuff. He had to gain (legal) access to retrieve his belongings, and is now staying with relatives. Two things keep me awake at this point: reviewing how this might have been easier on Cordell especially but also other people impacted by the drama, and reliving my helplessness when we were threatened with lawsuits if we dared to retrieve our last remaining horse, Cocoa, who wouldn't get on the stock trailer when I brought the others to a safer location. A brief change of the landlord's heart gave Cordell the opportunity to take Cocoa to a kind neighbor's horse farm, and that best of all possible neighbors has been caring for him during the chaos of the last few days while we re-calibrate our plans. The other horses are all safe and happy at yet another friend's house while we decide where we will all land.

Unfortunately, after we told our present landlord that we were moving, he found renters for this house, who have already packed their boxes and await the end of the month to move in here.

The children? Oblivious. They are happy with the snow storm and with Christmas coming up. Our halfway moved-out status is to them great fun, because with a mattress in the living room (reasons Mikey) we have every chance of catching Santa at it when he puts the presents under the tree! Life couldn't be better, and don't anybody dare suggest putting the mattress back in the bedroom where it belongs. This is just too much fun. Danny, too, is cheerful, working hard to do his part in the overall team that helps to run his life.

Thank you, Elizabeth, Rachelle, Tina, Jessica, Clark, Suzanne, Michael, Cordell(!), Sally, Vernon, Vikie(!), Frosty, Dad, Mom, Mikey, Danny, and above all, my dear, dear Van for everything you've done to minimize the impact of this unexpected turn of events. Because of you all, I'm sure it will all come out very well.

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Danny and Mikey, You Have GOT to See This!

Just click on the title. I laughed myself silly last night when I saw this. Just ask Van. Actually, come to think of it, he was laughing himself silly, too. So come to think of it yet again, let me know when you're getting ready to watch this, because I want to see you laugh yourselves silly.

News in brief: Tina and I worked with Cocoa today and it went well. He was well mannered and interested and did his best. Also Jessica and I showed off Memphis to some potential buyers. I liked the people very much. They are a show home, and that is essential for Memphis, busy, intelligent girl that she is.

Too tired for more, but maybe will get some Celebrate Memphis pictures up on the blog tomorrow.

Breakfast with Danny the Day Before His Birthday

Now, Pri, don't CRY.

Friday, December 12, 2008

Some barn photos

This is the entrance to the new barn.


It has a laundry room.


This is the bathroom, complete with shower.


Below is the tack room, kept separated from the humidity of the barn by a glass door.


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Wednesday, December 10, 2008

About Embedding Dad's Video

...and this is how you embed that video, Dad.


Dad's video

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Hoofbeats Equestrian Center


We're beginning a journey. I can hardly believe that a childhood dream that was always just too wonderful to hope for is actually unfolding in my life.

I'll be spending some time this morning improving the web site. You can watch the adventure unfold by checking in there often.

Consignment Shop

This is turning into a rather popular idea. Click on the title of the link to see the page on our web site that talks about it. Mom and Vernon said last night that with enough notice they can watch the shop every now & then. Stephen and Vicki are thinking of putting a meat freezer there for their home-grown meat products. 

AAAAAAHHH!

Most of the time when you tell a story about something that happened suddenly, you can say, "I was walking along when suddenly..." or "Everything was peaceful and quiet when all of a sudden...," but when you are sound asleep, and something sudden happens, it feels like there was no world at all, no you, nothing to pin you to time, before the startling event.

"AAAAAAAAHHH!!!!" out of nowhere, from nothingness, and suddenly, I am awake and trying to fill out the edges of a pinpoint of knowledge, that Danny had yelled in his sleep.

From my muzziness, all I could do was say, "Danny, Danny, it's Mommy. You're safe in your own bed." It was all I knew myself. Then conciousness coalesced. I got out of bed and went to sit on the edge of his bed.

"Are you all right?"

"Huh?"

"You just yelled. Are you all right?"

"I yelled?"

"Um, yes. Did you have a scary dream?"

"No, it just startled me." Ah. Danny's startle reflex is legendary in our household. He sometimes throws whatever he has in his arms up into the air and yells like he's being pinched, hard.

"Well, you're safe. Do you want to come into my bed?"

"Yes." He walked blearily to my bed, crawled under the covers, and immediately sank into a deep sleep. I don't even know if he'll remember that.

Mikey never even stirred.                                                                                                                             

Friday, December 5, 2008

We are now at the new Hoofbeats Blog.

Which is here.

Home from School

(Required reading background: Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr, or any of the Harry Potter books.)

Me: Danny, do you have a black eye?

Danny: I don't think so--oh, yeah, Mikey accidentally healed me last night.

Me: Mikey, please don't heal your brother any more.

Mikey: Wouldn't you rather have a black eye than a hurt arm?

At this point, we've entered that weird universe of dialog with children. You need a willing suspension of comprehension to survive there.

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