What did you do this weekend?

[Heidi]

We burned weeds while Q watched.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/78SilvAnniv/miscellaneous/lc.jpg
We strung fence while Q watched/supervised/assisted.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v618/78SilvAnniv/miscellaneous/cq.jpg
It was funny to watch Kenny instruct his BOSS on how to hang fence. Good thing they are friends, too.

We strung high tensile wire at the top and bottom of the steel posts (measured for height of field fence) and attached the field fence with hog rings and stapled the horizontal wires to the posts. Hot wire to the inside to keep Q from using it as a spring-hair-remover and from putting her head too far under for "greener-grass".
Heidi

[Trail Rider]

Worked with 2 of my horses on trailer loading. 5 yr old took an hour to get him to send properly. Sent him again as I was putting him back in his stall about 3 hrs later and he did perfectly.

It took about 1/2 hr on my 41 month old to get him to load properly. When I tried him again about 3 hrs later had to work him again for about 15 minutes to get him to load properly. I will try them again tomorrow to see if the training sticks.

[CarolU]

Nothin..:-(

I've had a bad sinus infection and that had my asthma inflamed. I've been off work sick since the 7th (why I've been on so much lately). I finally got on antibiotics and a regime of prednisone (YUK) and have all again under control. We are under a high pressure system and that traps the cold air and pollution in the valleys. I've been 'trapped' in the house with filtered air throughout.

It's supposed to clear out on Tuesday and I hope for WIND to keep it out. I'm dying to ride Rosie some more.

Oh...I did worm everyone with Iverease this weekend...pretty slick stuff! Anyway, being sick is a total waste of time.

[Heidi]

Prednisone is NASTY tasting! I was on 60mg, and gained 27 pounds over the summer. Now I am on 20mg, and holding steady...
Heidi

[Terry Wallace]

I'm weaning down to 8 mg Pred.... down from 20 mg. Heading to 5 mg.....but it takes weeks & weeks.... to get off Preddy....

Hey carol & Heidi....
How much Prednisone is a "high" dosage? I already have a cataract forming from being on it.... it has so many, many bad side effects.... but without it..my R/A locks me up...knees mostly...sometimes hands...

[CarolU]

If you have to take it all the time Heidi, I feel for you. I have one more tonight and one tomorrow and then I'm done (I hope!!). I can tell you it sure quited this down quickly...within two hours of the first pill I was out of spasm and feeling a LOT better..not ALL better, but I had been very miserable for days, could not quit coughing. I may be all better now (knock on wood). I certainly felt better this afternoon finally.

Anyway..now that THAT is behind me, I want some nice Indian Summer weather!

[lalecl]

tried to stay in and enjoy the warmth. Took care of my 2 pound poodle who has started having seizures so i am medicating him and watching my little femail poodle give birth to 2 more tiny white males yesterday and today took a friend to see her mom in the hospital. watched daughter and her boyfriend put up my christmas tree. now i am tucked in

[Heidi]

I was under the impression the 60mg was excessive, but it gave me spectacular results! When we weaned me off of it my symptoms came quickly back, so Dr put me back on at 20mg. I am also now taking chemotherapy. Not for cancer treatment, the chemo is a recommended use for my condition...but it will take months before we see results (and can wean off the pred again) and I may have to stay on the chemo for several years.
Tell me about this eye thing Terry! Sounds like something I'll have to tell my Dr about. I have noticed my vision being sporadic...great vision and then go to the grocery and can hardly see to write the darn check!
Heidi

[CarolU]

I guess I'm lucky...I was on a 21 pack, which are all 4 mg pills. You start with six the first day spread out across the day, then five, then four, three, etc. It's a very short treatment cycle. That first day was hummer! I didn't sleep at all and read, surfed the internet, checked the horses and the owl, went bonkers. Then after that I've mellowed with it.

I sure hope I stay OK. I am now on an inhaled steroid though. Have to get this asthma in check.

[CarolU]

BTW Heidi...I think Q helping with the fencing is TOO CUTE! She obviously knows how it's done so can take it apart now. ;-)

[motorgypsy]

Yesterday we fed critters at our place and the one a mile away, carried a load of feed to the critters 16 miles from us and fed them. We then stacked a bunch of downed limbs out of the way in their pasture. We came back and cut some limbs at our place with a bow saw and repaired downed fences. Today we got the chain saw started (It's a great saw but really hard to start) and cut most of the tree that fell on the hay shelter, one that was blocking our turnaround area and part of the one on the horse trailer. We still have many more we need to cut but I didn't tighten the nuts on the saw adequately and the chain came off and was damaged so we have to get another chain. :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

Today I managed to get a leadline on Silken - the first time I've managed to do it without her being in a stall. She yanked back but had plenty of line and calmed down pretty well. I hand fed her more than a scoop of grain and she actually followed me around to get some more. All the other horses are tied so she is more secure that she won't get beaten up by our five alpha mares. The barn owner rotates pastures every couple of months and they were moved two days ago so are adjusting to their new location. Today Sultan, our stallion was head wrestling with Chippewa AKA buffalo boy (he looks like an appy buffalo with his heavy coat) our mini colt who is only 30 inches tall. It was soo funny to watch. He and Brilliant seem to be getting along well and Adriel and SloughP are hanging out together a lot more. Chippewa just goes where he wants to along with the goats since he can walk under the hot wire. Fed all the critters and have to go on a hay run soon since we're getting low.

[Heidi]

BTW Heidi...I think Q helping with the fencing is TOO CUTE! She obviously knows how it's done so can take it apart now. ;-)
I think she tried to tell Kenny not to attach a particular corner very well...

She was snuffling along his back most of the time he was in her corral. She would work her way up and down his back from hip to neck and at one point, she hovered her nose right over the back of his neck and just breathed.
Kenny made the comment: "Well! It's bad enough when YOU're breathing down my neck, now you've got your HORSE doing it too!" His boss laughed!
Heidi

I get about 6 hours of sleep when I'm on pred. But I also get a lot of sewing, quilting, reading, eating, internet.... Not much house cleaning, though...
*I'll have to check out the Ice Storm thread to see what happened at MGs!

[Carol Nelson]

What did I do this weekend??...Saw my daughter of 23 years graduate with her Bachelor's Degree in Psychology!

http://gallery.pethobbyist.com/data/36931graduate.JPG

Yeah, I know, gorgeous...huh??? :D

She just purchased her own first house this last week, and begins graduate school in San Antonio this coming January. Does a mama's heart proud!!!

[Jasfino]

Congrats to your daughter Carol. I know you are proud of her. :D

Tonite I let Jasper take his first new riders around the arena. I have to admit, I was a really proud of my dad and my horse. It was a little shaky while my dad mounted, but Jasper stood at a standstill while dad got on. After he started his corto around the arena.. it was all smiles from there.
Afterward Kristen took her turn on him and nothing but smiles. Its a great feeling. Jasper looked liked he was smiling too as he went around. :D

[Barbwire]

My mom, my niece and I made dozens and dozens of Pierogi in preparation for Wigilia. Hup, hup!

[CarolU]

What did I do this weekend??...Saw my daughter of 23 years graduate with her Bachelor's Degree in Psychology!


At least she's nice and convienent to examine your head! ;-)

Congratulations! I imagine she's off to graduate school now. Wont' be long!

[SandyMM]

i had cataract surgery on both eyes several years ago due to high-dosage steroid use due to asthma... I was prescribed 12 puffs a day of FloVent - 8 puffs/day is the max recommended dosage. Side effects are possible cataracts, high blood pressure, and hardening of the arteries. I know I have two of the 3 already... However - it was steroids or not breathing... Prednisone is great stuff, but comes with a pretty stiff price. It also compromises your immune system for as long as 12 months.

Re: cataracts... There are 3 very specific types caused by heavy steroid use, diabetes, and basically old age. The ones specific to steroid use develop kind of as a circle around the outside of the lens capsule and gradually fill toward the center. When they close - boom - very limited sight! I was driving home from Ocala when mine closed - went from reading interstate signs to not being abe to read them - got home by blurry landmarks... Had surgery a few days later!

BTW, surgery is a breeze, recovery is fast, and the difference is almost immediate - BUT - you will probably lose your close-up vision. I keep 3-4 pairs of reading glasses scattered around.

[Carol Nelson]

Ha...Carol, I've always told her...her mama can be her first client! :lol:

(need my head examined for having all these horses... :lol: :lol: :lol: )

[Mellifluous]

My mom, my niece and I made dozens and dozens of Pierogi in preparation for Wigilia. Hup, hup!

Do you make pelmeni too? I love those things. They have become an important part of Christmas dinner.

[Barbwire]

Back in the day we did things old country syle, with all 12 dishes. Not any more. Now it's different, much different.

I found this site today and it made me cry that the pierogies are the only things we still do. http://www.polstore.com/index.html

This is my heritage (from the site):

Old customs connected with Christmas have flourished for years in the countryside, although the city has retained a few of them. On Christmas Eve there are a lot fortunes told and customs performed for the following year. Most are related to weather, health, matrimonial status and are observed on this day to ensure a plentiful year.

Here are a few customs related to health:

- Once you wake up, better not go back to bed - this will certainly bring illness.

- A dry crust of bread and a coin placed in a basin with cold water ensures plenty of food and physical strength for the following year

- The first person entering the house on this morning should be a man to guarantee health for the whole household; a woman entering would mean sickness.

- Christmas tree decorations: apples bring beauty and health, ornaments made out of straw bring wealth, nuts bring happiness and love.

- A sneeze that day guarantees health.

- Teeth polished with garlic guarantees strength.

- Apples eaten at supper on this day prevents throat infection, and nuts are eaten for a toothache.

- After supper, animals are fed the leftovers and a piece of the oplatek wafer to ensure their health and fine offspring.

- Place a piece of iron under the Christmas Eve table for everybody to touch to make sure their legs are strong and healthy.

Weather, wealth and marriage were very important in the lives of the whole villages, so some customs were strictly observed:

- Sunny Christmas Eve day guarantees lots of eggs as well as a marriage for young and poor; cloudy, a lot of milk and marriage to the old and wealthy.

- When cleaning fish, do not throw scales away - put them in your wallet and they will bring wealth. Also, you may place scales in a red sack. Nail it to the door - it will bring love.

- Sweeping floors should be done “from the door” as not to sweep young men away.

- On the way to Midnight mass, young people read fortunes out of picket fences: tall, short, thick, thin...

- Every dish had to be tasted; if not, it brought bad harvest to a certain product.

- Place straw under the tablecloth - it will bring wealth. Also, unmarried girls will be able to tell fortune on their future marriage - long and green straw will bring a speedy marriage, blackened blade meant a long wait, yellow blade meant staying single forever.

- Everybody had to have coins on them at supper - brought wealth.

- Christmas Eve supper has to have twelve different dishes for each month of the year to ensure wealthy year..

- Go visit a neighbor and try to steal a small item - this will ensure wealth for you. You have to return an item on St. Stephen’s Day (Dec. 26).

- By the end of the supper, eat an apple and count the seeds - an even number fortells great love, and more than six seeds means a wedding is guaranteed.

- If unmarried girls are at the table, ask them to place a piece of fish on the floor and then let the dog into the room. The girl whose piece he eats first is the girl who gets married first.

- After a mass on St. Stephen’s day (12/26), people threw wheat or rice at each other. This was to bring good harvest and wealth in coming year.

And there were others:

- There was a belief that on Christmas Eve water in a well turned into wine.

- At midnight, animals speak human voices, but it is bad luck to overhear them.

- Winning at card game that day brings happiness for the whole year.

- In a region threatened by wolves, leftovers from Christmas Eve supper was placed outside the gate to invite the wolves, which when treated well, would not harm the host.

- One plate at the table was always left for the dead relative.

- There was no leaving the table at supper; it supposed to bring bad luck or even death.
- Before sundown, everything from the outside had to be brought into the house. Anything brought after supper was going to be eaten by mice.

- Mistletoe was cut off, dipped in wax, and placed in a beehive to bring a lot of honey.

- People make sure they wake up early on Christmas Eve - this will ensure we will never be late.

- After supper, tie all the dirty spoons together - it will ensure that the family will stay together.

- After supper is also the time to blow out the candles - if the smoke goes towards the window it foretells the birth of a baby. If it goes up, a wedding. Towards the door indicates a funeral.

- No spanking children - this will bring problems to them.

- Do not lend anything - you will be missing this thing all year round.

- Do not leave laundry on the line - this is guaranteed to bring problems over from one year to the next.

- You have to have candles on the table. Each person has to see their shadow on the wall - a lack of shadow means death in coming year.

- When sitting down to supper, blow on your chair - you may sit on a ghost that came to join you at supper.

- Christmas Eve night was not quiet and calm. That night, after dead souls were fed, they were thrown out of the house by pot and table banging.

[DebbieS]

Sat, went to my 7 y/o niece's B-day party (went swimming - indoors!) Came home, changed into nice clothes, took my son to a Christmas/Jazz piano concert performed by a 15 y/o child prodigy who is releasing his 3rd CD. It was awesome (hubby stayed home with daughter). It was nice to go with just my son, who will be 13 tomorrow. Usually, dad gets to do all the cool stuff with him.

Yesterday, I baked 3 kinds of cookies and made Christmas fudge and took some to a few neighbors before changing again and attending a Christmas party - go home late, and didn't finish all my baking :(

The temp hovered between 0 and 8 most of the weekend, so no outside work for me.

[Brigitte]

Well Friday I went to the movies to see Jarhead, Saturday went to help out at Alma, ride some of the young horses, I got to ride (in my opinion) the best mare on the Aruba :D , Madonna (Amadues x La Llamarada). Then I gave lessons, rode Mar and went to a friend's to help her decorate her Christmas tree. But we ended up just talking. That was about it

[ErinC]

Friday night had a surprise party for April.
went to a x-mass party Sat. night,got drunk, was hung over all day yesterday, and
well pretty much NOTHING !

[DebbieS]

went to a x-mass party Sat. night,got drunk, was hung over all day yesterday, and well pretty much NOTHING !

You can kinda figure when you're wasted, the next day's pretty much wasted too. LOL :roll:


Brigitte - did you like Jarhead??

[Barbwire]

Ah my beloved Jarhead! Still around I see, right on!!!!!


OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOpppps too funny! I had Jarhead mixed up with Eraserhead. Nevermind.......

http://www.davidlynch.de/gerh.jpg

[cowboy ed]

rode my horse 50 miles in the rain! and had a great time doing it!

cowboy ed

[motorgypsy]

Just ride'n in the rain
Just ride'n in the rain
What a glorious feeling
I'm happy again!!!!

WHEEEEE

[Barbwire]

All you southeners can kiss my lilly white...http://homepage.mac.com/oatmeal/MAF/maxes/asshat01.gif

[lisa l aka marci]

I'm weaning down to 8 mg Pred.... down from 20 mg. Heading to 5 mg.....but it takes weeks & weeks.... to get off Preddy....

Hey carol & Heidi....
How much Prednisone is a "high" dosage? I already have a cataract forming from being on it.... it has so many, many bad side effects.... but without it..my R/A locks me up...knees mostly...sometimes hands...

Terry - I've been as high as 60 mg/day for a couple of weeks then tapering down..... Have you checked into Remicade for the RA? I started on it @2 months ago for my Colitis/Chrons and it is working WONDERS! :shock:

[baileyholc]

All you southeners can kiss my lilly white...http://homepage.mac.com/oatmeal/MAF/maxes/asshat01.gif

I was still waiting on my cable to come back on. I didn't get to go ride. I have nothing to ride. I just backed oatmeal cookies and deep fried donuts and watche dvds before and after my girls left. I didn't have any fun. :cry:

[Heidi]

This summer I was at 60mg of prednisone for almost 2 months. It took me from June to November to wean off, but had to start again at 20mg a few weeks ago. Still haveing good results, but my face has become round again.
Heidi

[Terry Wallace]

The highest dose I have been on was 40 mg per day...and with spectacular results too..NO knee pain, a spring in my step...wonderful...except for the side effects... No cataract formation at all two years ago....now, in my right eye, there is one forming. I had experienced an outbreak of shingles which went right into the optic nerve of my right eye, was "halted" by the 40 mg pred, and three weeks after the outbreak, after going to the eye doctor once a week...the cataract was taking a foot hold..... Eventually, I'll have to have it removed...it causes just the slightest blurryness in that eye...... ;-)

[Pasolady]

Worked at church wrapping gifts for the outreach sunday school. Went to church Sat evening to see exciting Christmas program, complete with living Christmas Tree, live nativity scene with new born baby(2months old actually, such authentic shepherds, exotic wisemen,, complete with camel, lambs, goats, sheep, mini horse. Also flying angels and beautiful music. We are so blessed with such awesome talent in our choir and orchestra. What an exciting evening!

Sunday afternoon went on 2 - 1/2 hour ride thru ne pike county with fastlargo on Marino AMO, her husband Greg on the famous Pete and Friend Jim on his handsome buckskin SSH, and moi on Willi aka Mistico de Canonero. It was a gorgoeus bright sunshine day that gradually got very cold. Loved the ride, the horses and the fellowhip! Alas my beautiful Bronce went home for awhile, Marina AMO is heartbroken. Finished off the evening with light repast of homemade chicken soup and yummy hot french bread. Thank Greg and Sandy, it was agreat afternoon!

joni

[SandyMM]

We did have a blast, didn't we?!! Of course, Greg and I should have dressed a _lot_ warmer - we're both down with colds now! :-0

2 1/2 hours didn't _touch_ a fraction of teh country roads we could have ridden - and all straight out the gate from Joni's. That was a treat in itself!