It's My Paradigm

Texas..8/26 thru 8/31 2009

2009-08-31T11:39:00.000-07:00

Great and wonderful visit to Texas to see Ty & Kara, Mikayla, Lucas and baby James!

This is the first time I have come and had Mikayla not be shy for a while..'Hi Nana!' and my favorite phrase of hers, "How come my daddy calls you mommy?"

Lucas turned 2 on Aug. 28th (the same day as his Uncle Colin). He is putting together 4 or 5 word sentences. His favorites are, "I Stuck", "Bye, See Ya", "I climbing"..which he does..a lot.

James is a perfect gerber baby. Beautiful brown eyes and a calm, charming, sweet demeanor.

Ty and I installed a new kitchen sink (the old one drove everyone except Kara crazy) and then we spent almost 8 hours putting a new play structure together. Finished in the dark...

There is nothing more satisfying then seeing my own children grow up to be wonderful people...

Chase Goes on a Trail Ride..Linear Trail

2009-08-01T17:48:00.001-07:00

I am NOT going in the water..you can't MAKE me!

This trail thing isn't so bad...

July 4th 2009

2009-07-05T09:49:00.001-07:00

Len and the new family on the street
Riggs Rd Annual 4th of July Parade and picnic...

Cute Car! This boy loves this dog..

Decorated tractors..Lori, Roy and Popper

James Tyrel Looney looks like his daddy!

2009-07-02T18:22:00.001-07:00

Cool article about Ty

2009-07-02T16:40:00.000-07:00

Bank of Texas' The Private Bank Appoints Ty Looney to Vice President and Client Advisor
ShareThis
BY Cristie Escochea
May 21, 2009
DALLAS/FT. WORTH (May 21, 2009) Norm Bagwell, Chairman and CEO, Bank of Texas, N.A., and Alan Miller, President, Bank of Texas The Private Bank, jointly announce the appointment of Ty Looney as Vice President and Client Advisor for Bank of Texas The Private Bank.

Looney will join the Tarrant County team as a Client Advisor and focus on wealth advisory and investment management services for high net worth clients. “Ty’s knowledge in the wealth management segment and his experience will help us continue to grow successfully in the Tarrant County market,” said Miller. “We are pleased to have him on our team.”

Looney has spent the last six years at Bank of America, in which he rose from a Small Business Specialist to Personal Banker and then to Premier Client Manager. As a Premier Client Manager, he built a $100 million client portfolio. Looney earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Azusa Pacific University in Azusa, California and is Series 6 and 63 Licensed.

Bank of Texas, N.A. has assets exceeding $4.2 billion, and is a subsidiary of BOK Financial Corporation (NASDAQ: BOKF), a $23 billion holding company based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Bank of Texas offers a broad range of services including middle market and commercial banking, energy and real estate lending, international banking, treasury management, trust and investment services, and private banking. Bank of Texas also offers a complete array of consumer products and mortgage banking services, including money market accounts, IRAs and Certificates of Deposit. Bank of Texas has 10 Tarrant County and nearly 50 statewide locations that include our Dallas and Houston markets. www.bankoftexas.com.
http://www.mybusinesspress.com/display.php?id=110

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY..LOVE YOU DAD!

2009-06-21T21:36:00.000-07:00

June 21st, 2009 Age: 72..Don't you wish you could look this good?

June Flowers..and a poem

2009-06-14T18:57:00.000-07:00

Woman

she wanted to be a blade
of grass amid the fields
but he wouldn't agree
to be the dandelion

she wanted to be a robin singing
through the leaves
but he refused to be
her tree

she spun herself into a web
and looking for a place to rest
turned to him
but he stood straight
declining to be her corner

she tried to be a book
but he wouldn't read

she turned herself into a bulb
but he wouldn't let her grow

she decided to become a
a woman
and though he still refused
to be a man
she decided it was all
right

Vacations are for catching up...

2009-06-14T16:16:00.000-07:00

With the new stain..looks brand new!!!!

This week I stripped, washed and re stained the deck..yikes I hope I don't have to do that again until the house is sold! It looks great though...FYI do not slop the stripping agent on your skin...

After stripping and cleaning

King Mountain

2009-06-12T20:39:00.000-07:00

The woods
Marty and Daisy

One of my oldest friends in all the world (Marty) hiked up King Mountain with me today. Daisy went with us..it's a spectacular..but steep 0 to 3200 ft. in 2.5 miles..hike..worth every drop of sweat. All the flowers are in bloom and it was warm and wonderful..where is the ben-gay? The deck is done pics tomorrow..

New degrees of life..

2009-05-31T16:31:00.000-07:00

Last week I received a letter of acceptance from Pacific University. It seems as if I filled out all the forms correctly, and did not completely blow the interview, so, I have been invited to spends a ton of (borrowed)money over the next two years to obtain a Masters in Healthcare Administration. Not that I am eager to be an administrator..but a better paying job worth the borrowed money would be great.

In looking over the schedule, it at first seems intimidating. Every other Friday Eve. and Saturday all day for two straight years..but in reality you do not go to school at all in August, December, or January. Graduation is in July of 2011. I am going to start cruising for scholarships for next year and try to keep the damage to a minimum...

Chase, at long last is under saddle and has not killed me yet. Walk, trot and no I don't want to go anymore are his accomplishments so far..but not one bit of buck or rear. Yesterday Elissa and I took Prima, Chase, and a load of manure down to Mom & Dad's. Between the trailer ride and the riding, Chase is one tired puppy!

I'm a big horse now!

Wow that feels good!
I'm tired..school is hard!

Equine Images.Salzburg, Vienna, Passau

2009-05-11T07:58:00.001-07:00

The Glass Museum..Passau

Horse Meat Butcher! Passau
The Spanish Riding School Stables..72 white Lippizan Stallions
The Stables in the Heart of Vienna
The famous Arena of the Spanish Riding School
Carriage Rides in Vienna. The horses are well cared for.

A Glorious Statue in Vienna..by the Opera House

Carriage Rides in Salzburg

Pipe Organs in Salzburg, Vienna and Passau

2009-05-11T07:48:00.000-07:00

April in Texas

2009-04-13T11:56:00.000-07:00

Wayne and I at the "Gaylord Texas"
The lead longhorn in Fort Worth, Texas
Colin took me to dinner for my birthday(April 7th) on April 11th...PF Changs paid for the meal to thank Colin for his service...very nice of them...
Wayne and Mikayla payed peek-a-boo..It's "Mr. Wayne" to Mikayla
Lucas and Ty at the aquarium.."I want Down!"
Mikayla plays with a bird...
Lucas and Mikayla love playing in Ty's old cars...

Wayne had a business trip to Dallas during the first week in April, so I took a long weekend to join him there on April 3rd. From there we went to visit Ty & Kara, Mikayla and Lucas. This was the first time they have met Wayne. We went to the Dallas Aquarium..a very cool place, the Fort Worth Stockyards (a tourist attraction now) and in general had a very good time! I hope to post some Easter pics very soon. Wayne took those...We had a busy but fulfilling day. Sunrise service, breakfast at church then a huge meal with Tammy and Steve (Wayne's exwife and her fiance) Patrick, Elissa, Colin and Amanda. We feasted on leg of lamb, mint sauce, yorkshire pudding, deviled eggs, greek salad, wonderful deserts..and a post lent good bottle of wine (or two). YUM!
God has been so good to me this year. I have survived a business melt-down..have a great job, have been able to keep the bills paid. I met Wayne..I love this man very much! Ty was laid off, but has found a job already..Elissa and Colin are doing well, I am so prousd of my children. Kara is having a successful and healthy 3rd pregnancy..Mikayla and Lucas are healthy, smart and precious..Dad has survived an angio with excellent results. I am blessed!!!!!

He is Risen..He is Risen Indeed!

First Trip to Europe

2009-02-27T16:39:00.000-08:00

The pipe organ inside the cathedral
Statue inside a greenhouse next to a beautiful (but snow covered) garden in Salzburg.
These building in Salzburg look like they just emerge from the cliff face...

Inside a Salzburg cathedral
Salzburg: Statue of Mozart at evening
Detail on one of the many ceramic stoves in the Fortress, where the pope took his audiences
View from inside the fortress in Salzburg
View from the top of the fortress, Salzburg
On the day before Elissa's 23rd birthday..Feb.6th..my sweet Wayne got up at 3am to take me to the airport for a long awaited trip to Austria where Matt and Tanya Kell live..and have lived for 4 years now. I can't believe it's been this long since I have seen them (Elissa has been there 3 times!) They are the dearest of people and the most wonderful family one could ever visit. Gracious, kind, generous and exceptional cooks too! Even the kids cook very well..well Elisa and Andrew (13 & 11) do. The twins; Ethan(Markus) and Jaden(Thomas) are too busy being 8 to cook. They did, however make terrific waiters on my first morning there when the kids cooked and delivered breakfast in bed to me, dressed in white button down shirts, black ties and bowler hats.

My only regret of the trip is that Wayne could not go...but never-the-less it was a wonderful visit thanks to Matt & Tanya. Matt & Elisa picked me up from Munich, Germany (about 2 hours drive from their home in Andorf, Austria and Tanya and Andrew delivered me back there through an ice and snow attack on Feb. 20th. In between we visited Salzburg, Vienna Victenstein, St. Roman & Schaerding. We had wonderful visits (and food!) with Tanya's gracious parents Bill and Marianne Saenger, and Tanya's sister Uta.

One of the big highlights for me, was 2 hours spent at the Spanish Riding School in Vienna watching the morning excercise..wow! I drove Tanya crazy commenting on the horses..she would say, "do you mean the horse, or the rider?" We stayed at a monastery in the heart of Vienna for 20 Euros! We went to see the Opera "Salome" at the VIenna Opera house WOW! We went to a wonderful place located in a palace greenhouse, which is now home to a place called the Butterfly house. In Salzburg (with Matt) we toured the famous fortress, the papal residences (these people had some money!) Many many gorgeous gorgeous amazing churches and lots of beautiful cafes...and Mozart's

Passau is a German city about 35 min. from Andorf. We visited a gorgeous cathedral there and went back again to see a glass museum.

I took 400+ pictures! The architecture and streets are incredible, the culture very different but very nice. The Austrian's cities are clean and neat, the stored close at 12 for lunch and at 6 for the day, they are also closed on Sundays..it's a very nice life..so without further ado..here are some pictures:

Wayne and I at the 80's party..the view from Multnomah falls

2009-01-18T16:24:00.000-08:00

top of the falls
dancing to 80's music
the girls dance..
Wayne and I. Preppy splendor
Wayne in narrow leg jeans
Last night Wayne and I went to an 80's party and on of my co-worker's homes. (Jeni) We had a blast. Stopped at Value Village for some 80's preppy look clothing..

Sunday we decided to hike to Multnomah Falls..It was a beautiful sunny day but the wind was blowing hard and the falls were very icy. Only two pics..from the top because the batteries in the camera died..but it was a great hike. We decided to eat at the lodge there, but had a protracted meal because the power was out. It was a great weekend.

Jeni"s 80's Party...

2009-01-18T16:04:00.000-08:00

Jerome..OK this is wierd
Jill and Adolfo..danc'in
Jodi..flash dance flashback
Kyle..lookin fine in the gear
Susan and Bob kicking up their heels
Jeni Candace and Jill. Fashion queens
Jerome..who got the decade wrong..and Jill. Prom girl.
Fred and Diane..check out those boots
Wayne and I..the yacht club 80's look.
Jeni..supreme hostess

The New....

2008-12-29T20:04:00.001-08:00

Winter Wonderland

2008-12-22T10:41:00.000-08:00

We are having what looks to be a record snowfall in Oregon. Its been like this since Saturday 12/20, with no end in sight. I measured 14 inches on the back deck!

Dexter Neil Humelbaugh Nov. 23, 2008

2008-11-24T11:37:00.000-08:00

Dexter Neil Humelbaugh
Son of Robert and Karen Humelbaugh
Nov. 23, 2008
7# 9 oz
13 3/4 inches head
20 1/4 inches long

Wisdom of the ages

2008-11-08T22:18:00.000-08:00

" The Oriah Mountain Dreamer " who studied with native elders of Canada.

I have sent you my invitation,
the note inscribed on the palm of my hand by the fire of living.
Don’t jump up and shout, “Yes, this is what I want! Let’s do it!”
Just stand up quietly and dance with me.

Show me how you follow your deepest desires,
spiraling down into the ache within the ache,
and I will show you how I reach inward and open outward
to feel the kiss of the Mystery, sweet lips on my own, every day.

Don’t tell me you want to hold the whole world in your heart.
Show me how you turn away from making another wrong without abandoning yourself when you are hurt and afraid of being unloved.

Tell me a story of who you are,
and see who I am in the stories I live.
And together we will remember that each of us always has a choice.

Don’t tell me how wonderful things will be . . . some day.
Show me you can risk being completely at peace,
truly okay with the way things are right now in this moment,
and again in the next and the next and the next. . .

I have heard enough warrior stories of heroic daring.
Tell me how you crumble when you hit the wall,
the place you cannot go beyond by the strength of your own will.
What carries you to the other side of that wall, to the fragile beauty of your own humanness?

And after we have shown each other how we have set and kept the clear, healthy boundaries that help us live side by side with each other, let us risk remembering that we never stop silently loving
those we once loved out loud.

Take me to the places on the earth that teach you how to dance,
the places where you can risk letting the world break your heart.
And I will take you to the places where the earth beneath my feet and the stars overhead make my heart whole again and again.

Show me how you take care of business
without letting business determine who you are.
When the children are fed but still the voices within and around us shout that soul’s desires have too high a price,
let us remind each other that it is never about the money.

Show me how you offer to your people and the world
the stories and the songs
you want our children’s children to remember.
And I will show you how I struggle not to change the world,
but to love it.

Sit beside me in long moments of shared solitude,
knowing both our absolute aloneness and our undeniable belonging.
Dance with me in the silence and in the sound of small daily words,
holding neither against me at the end of the day.

And when the sound of all the declarations of our sincerest
intentions has died away on the wind,
dance with me in the infinite pause before the next great inhale
of the breath that is breathing us all into being,
not filling the emptiness from the outside or from within.

Don’t say, “Yes!”
Just take my hand and dance with me.

2008-11-05T21:23:00.000-08:00

Miss Prima

Chase:

The Kitties: Ziggy & Blue

Beautiful fall in Oregon

2008-11-05T21:13:00.001-08:00

The grapes
Asian Redbud

Top of Bald Peak

Eissa has been photographing some of the beautiful fall colors. They are worthy of publishing!

Colin G Looney MARINE 9/19/08 Semper Fi!!

2008-09-22T19:50:00.000-07:00

Gayland, Kara, Lucas, Poppy (Gayland's father-in-law) and Ray (Grandpa) with Colin

Ty's daughter Mikayla (Colin's Niece) Showing her support!

Colin and Elissa

Colin and me

Nana turns 70...a rock'in party

2008-09-07T16:16:00.000-07:00

Nana threw herself a "rock" party for her 70th birthday on August 29th. Everyone brought her a rock of some kind. I am really not sure what she is going to do with all of them, but knowing Nana, it'll be cool. The party was attended by about 70 people..I didn't count.Mom's younger sister Doris, and her son Kevin came in from California as well as Dad's brother Frank and his daughter Lisa. Lisa brought a few of her kids with her as well. I didn't get nearly enough pictures as I was busy with the food, but I got a few good shots of various attendees..the elderly..the young. Kay Henkel (Ginger's mother in law). Rob, Karen and Brenna were there (baby due in November!)Frank came with me too and helped with the food and the visiting. A great time was had by all.

The Colors Orange

2008-08-27T21:09:00.000-07:00

Elissa is loving her post college free time...so much so that

she decided to add a few pets to her schedule. First came Ziggy. Chosen at the humane society because we felt he could withstand the great and grumpy

and quite stuck up Blue Cat. He sure can! He is either very brave or very stupid..you pick, but he IS a character and will not give up on the possibility that Blue will someday look upon him with favor...but he's gentle enough for children. It's fun having a playful friendly kitten in the house.

Then Elissa started thinking about riding again..so she started looking for a horse. Along came Chase. 1/2 Hanoverian, 1/2 Arab. Just turned 3 in June. Guess who gets to break him? He's also "orange" that's chestnut in horse color lingo. Also an intrepid curiosity seeking, playful guy. Prima is supremely happy to have a friend.

Riggs Road 4th of July Celebration

2008-07-12T15:42:00.000-07:00

Riggs Rd. has long had a tradition of a parade followed by a picnic on the 4th of July. Its a casual affair on our little mile long street. The neighbors deck out their tractors, riding lawn mowers, wagons, bicycles and golf carts with streamers, balloons and anything else they can think of. My neighbor Laurie and I always give our horses a bath and decorate them with flags, ribbons and whatever else I find at the dollar store. This year Skidboot and Prima got to lead the parade...everyone else had to dodge the badooger piles:) Pictures anyone?

Some Pics of Prima

2008-06-24T19:38:00.001-07:00

I've also been riding again. Prima has been a bit lame lately..but she was doing nicely yesterday & Elissa took these pictures of her. If you keep looking..there's a sneak preview of these cute men at the bottom.

Colin Exits High School to San Diego..Boot Camp!

2008-06-24T18:42:00.000-07:00

Just four short and speedy weeks after Elissa both graduated from College AND made a return trip to Austria AND started her new life as employee slash at PerloMcCormack Pacific, it was not only time for Colin to graduate from Aloha High School, but also time to send him off to the Marine Corp in San Diego for boot camp.

I on the other hand, went to sunny Florida June 9-12 for a work seminar. Colin graciously gave me permission to go to Florida and miss his actual graduation as long as I agreed not to miss boot camp graduation in September. Colin did have a wonderful party at his dad's house on June 7th and there were so many people there that I was able to catch up with.. it was fun!. I then boarded a plane at 0 dark thirty on June 8th and headed to Daytona Beach. My first trip to the east side of America. It was a great trip although I spent most of it inside listening to lectures and taking notes. In the evenings I did manage a few long walks on the warm and muggy beach and a few dips in the very warm Atlantic ocean. I'd like to go back..to relax!

Meanwhile Colin graduated in a ceremony at the University of Portland with Gayland & Patty, Elissa and Ray & Maxine present. The last one out of the nest. He's a tall brave handsome sweet boy..and I was all together about him leaving until I was in church on Sunday and our elderly friend Millie..with whom Colin had a close friendship..she's a GREAT lady..anyway, she said a long prayer for him & Elissa and I went all blubbery.

Sunday, June 22nd, Elissa and I and Hana (just a "friend") took Colin to his recruiters office with just a t-shirt, his wallet and $20.00. No phone, no computer, no 'nutt'in. We'll see him again in September I guess..if he survives.

Meanwhile I am desperately trying to refi the house and get out from under leftover coffee shop debt. What a trial..what a learning process...what a pain in the butt. I have however, been dating a very cool man, yes, an actual man. We're both so old and jaded that we've been having each other's (well..mostly on my end) most trusted experts "vet" the other..trying to make sure we're not once again kissing a frog. One never knows, but it's kinda cool so far.

Little Lucas Looney, meanwhile, has been battling asthma. This resulted in an overnight hospital stay while I was in Florida and now daily asthma treatments. Poor little pumpkin. His wonderful mommy and daddy, Ty and Kara celebrated their 5th (WOW) anniversary on June 14th, and my parents, Robin and Homer Humelbaugh celebrated their 50th anniversary in May. We all gathered for dinner at Ginger's house. It was uproarious fun!

Colin's address for the summer is:
REC LOONEY, COLIN G
2nd BN G Co. PLT
35051 Midway Ave.
San Diego, CA 92140

When Montana says Goodbye to Elissa

2008-05-13T21:39:00.000-07:00

When the mountains begin to look like stars do, on a very, very dark and clear night, with edges so sharp and vivid that you feel you could reach up and pluck them out of the sky, or perhaps when there's such a glorious full, full moon that you can't breath looking at the vastness of it, you know you're in Montana. It shouts rugged grandeur from every pine covered steep crag, and the air is so dry and populace so sparse you can breath in a whole lung full of air without sharing a molecule of it with anything but the white tail deer. I love Montana.

Missoula, Montana sits in a valley ringed by mountains such as these. A true old brick college town that hums with youthful and mostly liberal, earthy energy. The cars are dirty, the streets are wide, the houses cozy, and historic Old West buildings and churches populate the old downtown next to the Clark Fork River.

Such is the place, at the University of Montana at Missoula where Elissa has spent the last four years, with the exception of this year's Austria adventure Jan. thru May, and such is the place where last weekend(May 10th) she graduated with a Bachelors of Science degree in Business Administration wearing a silver tassel for graduating "with honors" and gold cord for graduating "with high honors" a maroon cord for graduating as a University Scholar with the Davidson Honor's College, and, last but not least a HUGE presidential medal for being selected as an outstanding senior for her work at the University Center..which included not one, but two campus wide swing dances (including marketing) AND she and her group won $1000.00 for their 3rd place undergraduate placing for their "Fitted4" business plan (thanks to Aunt Ginger for the prototype camo pants) in which they also won the best "elevator pitch" award and made it into the top 15 business plans for the WHOLE COMPETITION. Gayland and I and Ray and Maxine watched the final four presentations, and personally, we think she should'a been in the final four!!! No bias here!

We stayed in a great house about 10 miles up I-93 at the edge of an Indian Reservation. Horrible red carpets, but comfortable just the same, with a view of those glorious mountains and edged by a huge pasture full of pregnant and newly delivered mares(mule babies) (I liked this part, don't know about the others). Friday morning we attended the awards ceremony for the Outstandin senior recognition awards, which was followed by a reception at the Davidson Honors College, where the Dean said to Gayland, "you know some kids earn this title and some don't, but yours does". Saturday, we slogged through the long graduation ceremony (times two..geez! the torture, the aching buns!) followed by a barbeque at the ranch attended by Lissa's friend Kelly (fellow graduate) and her family. Sunday, Lissa & I cleaned and packed her apartment, and Gayland and fam. arrived at 1:30 to pack it up into the cars. Wagon's Ho! We were off like a herd of hungry Oregonian's to Mackensie River Pizza., and barreled home, Gayland style, first thing Monday morning. Whew!

By the way, should you ever visit the Cougar Ranch..owed by a wonderful French woman named Helene, you will enjoy the world's BEST french cooking for breakfast!

Camelia's....

2008-04-26T20:53:00.000-07:00

Camelias bloom and fade early in spring bringing glossy green leaves and intricate pink blossoms in abundance, then drop to the ground and quickly fade to brown. Next year's contribution to next year's blooms.

Meanwhile, being a clever girl with a socket set and a $12.50 new rototiller belt, I fixed (within 3 different tries at the belt configuration as I can't download the manual & can't find the original)the rototiller is FIXED and the garden is tilled! with only a slight sunburn to show for it.

Meanwhile out on the track..and down in Stayton

2008-04-14T14:05:00.000-07:00

Colin has had a very successful track season so far, and last Saturday (while the sun was remarkably OUT and burned my arms!) He had a PR of 170"5". GO COLIN

Later that day...ran down to Stayton in the new ride and celebrated many birthdays with Rob & Karen(BIG news due in 9 months!), Alex, Ginger and David and Mom and Dad (50 years May 24th 2008!) We had a great if not overly boistrous dinner. Mom gave me a bracelet that reads," Isn't it great what clever girls can do...P.Pan) Love it!

What a great weekend! (except for the rototiller breaking)

Spring in Heather's Yard

2008-04-14T13:54:00.001-07:00

My back,, shoulders and feet planted all the flow

ers and trees in my yard. This makes Springtime extra special,

because I see the reward of all those hours (and dollars). I gave up on the garden rototilling yesterday..when the drive train belt broke (what a PAIN!) and took flower pictures instead!

Ty and Kara Come to Visit with their Great Nana

2008-03-22T09:30:00.001-07:00

Ty and Kara arrived on Thursday with Mikayla and Lucas. All the way from Texas. Mom came up (with dinner!) since I had to work. I arrived home right before Lucas' bedtime, but we had time for a few cuddles with the kids. They're amazing! Mikayla didn't know what to do calling two diffent people Nana! She kept flitting between the two of us. Her speech is rapidly improving and she's very polite and sweet to everybody with big hugs and kisses all around. Lucas is a cuddle bug, loves his Uncle Colin and is just a happy happy guy!

When I got home from work on the next day, I found a few new pictures on the camera. Ty and Mikaya had gone outside to meet Prima. I had taken her out the night before to feed Prima and Mikayla was brave enough to touch her. She flew back in the house to tell her Daddy, "I touched her! I will see them again next Wednesday before they leave for Texas. Can't wait.

Pet Peeves

2008-03-04T21:23:00.000-08:00

OK this is where I might offend some.........sorry. I work in medicine..at a hospital..so keep that in mind..my paradigm you know.

If you are going to a medical appt. where you are going to be examined..let's say X-rayed for instance..try to wear easy to remove clothing and DON'T WEAR ten tons of jewelry that you can't remove for whatever reason! Honestly, you wonder why you have to wait so long to get in? This is ONE of MANY reasons!
Why is it that you are upset that you had to wait so long when you take 8000 years to walk to the room, another 8000 years to change and another 8000 years to tell me all your problems....so did the last guy..or gal!
HELLO!!! Your back, your knees and your hips are going to HURT and WEAR OUT if you are overweight. You are going to be diabetic, you'll snore, won't be able to lie flat on your back and you'll be sick a lot. Your gall bladder will also need removing and if you fall, just your weight will cause you to break something. Oh, and one other thing..I CAN'T hold you up.
Nope, can't diagnose you. Not allowed, not trained.
Rude people and whiners.
Why is it that the people who want their pictures and their results NOW are the ones that won't cooperate so that you can get their exam done?
An ER is an EMERGENCY room. For EMERGENCIES. It may surprise you to know that we have to treat the people that are imminently going to DIE as a first priority, which is why your sprained ankle or your knee that's been sore for 3 weeks, might not make it to the top 10 patient list. People who are trying to die, take up a lot of resources; when you are that person, you'll be glad they put you first in line.
If I ask you not to move...DON'T!
If I come to get you for an exam and you wave me off because you're on your cell phone..then I'll see you WAY later.

OK..enough venting for tonight.

Without Bones

2008-03-04T20:06:00.000-08:00

Without Bones, Prima is lonely. More lonely then I would have thought given her normal standoffish mare-ish behavior. She cried a high pitched "something's missing whinny all the rest of the day on the Monday Bones was put down even though she'd been give a sedative..both so that she could have her teeth done and deal with Bones absence. I was surprised. Horses miss their herds.

My wonderful neighbors noticed that Bones was gone, especially the lady with the toddler down the street, who always stops, rolls down her window so he can wave at the horsies. She left a nice card and bouquet of flowers on my porch. Personally, I cried a lot; off & and on all day, even though I was ready for it. Very difficult to watch something die. I don't know how hunters do it.

In some ways it was a relief. A task that had been weighing on my mind now complete.

In many ways it frees me up. Chores take half the time and half the money. I can rope small areas off for Prima to graze that Bones couldn't see, and I have small obstacles and jumps set up in the arena gain. This may not thrill the girl, but I like it! I don't have to worry about Bones panicking and hurting himself if Prima's gone. This weekend I am going to clean out the horse trailer and prep it for some trail rides later on in the year.

Many of you called or stopped by to make sure I was OK. I really appreciate that. I have the best friends and the best family around. Lucky me.

Death and Bones

2008-02-25T10:19:00.000-08:00

I suppose I began my blog today because of Bones, and this is Bone's last day on earth. A good part of the day will be spent waiting for the vet and waiting for the guy who will haul his body away.

Bones is 29. Rather elderly for an equine. He's a beautiful animal, as you can see. He still eats well, holds his weight, though this is fading, and will, on occasion frolic in the sun doing one tempis down the arena as only a well balanced, athletic horse can do.
I paid $1000.00 for Bones about 12 years ago, when he was 17, because he was fun to ride and we "clicked" when I first rode him. He had a tendency to be a little hot, and so was a bit frightening for the other more timid riding students. I thought he was fun! He would jump the moon if you let him, was always willing to go at the twitch of your leg on his side and he put up with me learning how to ride again after many years out of a saddle and then graciously gave my then 10 year old daughter her first horseback lessons.

Bones has done a lot of things in his life. He taught a lot of folks how to ride. He's been a polo pony, a jumper, been ridden western and english. Put up with all manner of bad seats and bad hands. He's been the teacher of choice for lessons in manners to recalcitrant,young, pushy horses, has survived an episode of seizures due to a disease called EPM and a plethora of different stables and handlers. He's earned his retirement years.

Bones has his quirks too. He loves his stall but he's hard to catch. He doesn't tie. I could have fixed this, but there was never a big need.

For the past several years he's been my "pasture ornament", because Bones has a big problem; a condition called uveitis, commonly known as moonblindness in the horse world. His immune system constantly attacks his corneas which then ulcerate, rupture and turn into scar tissue. I tried treatment, and then realized that the best I could do was pain management (there are other options but they're VERY expensive and don't work in the long term). This was OK for many years, and though progressively more blind, he's been pretty stable. Lately though, his eyes have taken a turn for the worse. They are irritated and run constantly resulting in a lot of time running into walls and fences as his condition worsens. He is more and more paranoid about being handled and being away from my other horse, which makes him dangerous.

My philosophy with my animals is that I will do my best to care for them and be loyal to them. I will only under the most extreme circumstances give up an animal to another home, and I do my best to keep my animals for life. I also believe that that responsibility means a peaceful, humane death in a place that they know when their lives have become too painful or too distressed to continue.

So, this is the day. The day when I have chosen to end this animal's life. I've thought long and hard about it and though I will cry at his passing I also know that he has lived a long and comfortable life and that before he suffers any more..a suffering that cannot be explained or understood by him, he will lie down peacefully in his own pasture and fall to sleep. As humans, we have an ability to comprehend what is happening to our bodies and to decide on a course of action, that may lead to death. It is an awesome responsibility to make that decision for an animal, let alone another human.

I know that when I think about my own mortality I am able to say that though, hopefully, a ways away from leaving this world, I have been able to experience a very rich and wonderful life to this date..not without it's hardships and heartaches but with an appreciation, certainly, for the lessons learned. I hope too, that when my time on this earth is through, I am able to lie down in my own pasture, surrounded by those I love and fall peacefully to sleep.

Goodbye Bones. You were loved.

Heather

Shifting into middle gear

2008-02-25T09:16:00.000-08:00

At 45 and almost 46 years of age I am old enough now to say, WITH FEELING, and without reservation that I have lived enough of life to have succeeded wildly at some things and failed miserably at others and since I still consider myself "young-ish" (except when around teenagers), I imagine that there will be many more of life's ups and downs to experience and hence to comment on.

One of my more recent failures, at least financially speaking (because lessons learned are VALUABLE, no matter the dollar cost) was a coffee shop and wine bar which featured a great little stage for open mic nights and evening entertainment. As part of that venture, I sent out a weekly and mostly overly chatty email to anyone who cared to receive it letting them know about upcoming events. As it turned out, that little missive became a very popular read among recipients..because of the chat part, not the event part.. and when the coffee shop closed, I heard from several people that the thing they'd miss most was my weekly email. Now that my life has been readjusted to a more sane pace, I thought I'd start up my weekly chats again..well um..just because I can.

I reserve the right to comment on anything I happen to be randomly thinking about no matter the subject whether deep or trivial; expect it. As a warning, I have anything BUT a one track mind, so if you suddenly find yourself confused, it's probably because I changed the subject without warning and if my thoughts seem paradoxical it's because they probably are. If I make you angry, I am sorry and if you disagree with me that's OK too, but please be civil if you care to comment. I am, in principle, for peaceful discourse and against ranting and raving. I promise to consider your viewpoint as long as you're nice about it, such is the beauty of the delete key.

Heather