Progress, progress, and miscellaneous blather

I know I'm supposed to take the challenge and write about something besides horses.  And it's not like I don't have anything else on my mind.  But I allow the horse indulgence free rein (if you'll pardon the pun) because I figure it keeps me sane and humble, whereas I can't quite bring myself to start blogging about philosophy or the sucking quagmire between belief and knowledge (my favorite place to hang out; I quite like quagmires) or how Evan pondered the likelihood (at dinner tonight) that "eating alphabet soup would probably give a nice boost to my vocabulary".  Which is already that of an adult.  Minus the four-letter words.  He's tempted, goodness knows he hears them quite regularly.  And goodness knows I pull no punches and give him accurate definitions of each of them when he asks.  (one of the perks of parenthood)  But I also told him that if he uses bad language in front of people who actually care (meaning, everyone but me and maybe a couple of his uncles) then he'd best be prepared to accept the consequences.  He is averse to punishment, so I think we're safe.  For a while.  If and when he begins swearing like a sailor, I'll have only myself and my own potty mouth to blame.  Oh dear.  Or, rather, oh $@&*#(!!.

Well, I tried.  That was kind of fun.  I shall try to pace myself and save further trackless mental meanderings for later.  Other than to mention that if there is no NFL football next year I am going to mutilate myself.  Two days since the last game and I am counting the days until training camp . . .

What's new?  Well, for a solid month I was doing P90X and it is quite effective and butt-kicking, but ultimately . . . a complete bore.  I effing HATE to exercise for the sake of exercise!  At 45 it's just no longer possible to keep up, however, between the last days of fall and the first days of spring without the normal farm chores to keep me fit.  Since I hate winter only slightly less than I hate exercising, there is no screwing around outside in January looking for extra chores to do.  It's get 'em done, and get back inside to un-freeze.  So something has to take the place of mucking, hauling, digging, currying, riding, shlepping, climbing and all the other stuff between December and April.  Back at it tomorrow, for sure.  Stupid Tony Horton, I'd like to kick him in the nuts.  Maybe I'll turn the volume down and put on Gogol Bordello instead.  That should perk me up! 

I am studying for my Cardiology board recertification.  Which takes place TWO DAYS after our spring vacation.  Yay, I get to haul three books the size of the Yellow Pages with me to the Bahamas and sit there and read them.  Well, the sitting in the Bahamas and reading part is great, but the subject matter, although quite OK in general, is hardly vacation-esque.  Thank goodness I can put some of it on the iPad.  Without which I think I would feel as though half my soul had been amputated, since you were wondering.  I can now let my iPhone out of my sight for short periods of time.

Well hey, four whole paragraphs of that!  Sorry.

OK, the horses. :-)

Keebler is coming along very nicely.  Dr. Stick gets a monthly "video consult" and the latest made him very optimistic.  Keebs can now move along to trotting more and more, no real limit there, just as tolerated.  I didn't ask him about cantering--he popped up dead lame after I sort of let him get away with a 10-second canter a couple of weeks ago (perfectly fine the next day, probably an adhesion) but he's allowed to go out now if he's drugged halfway to oblivion.  Which is how he's spent about every waking moment out of his stall since September, poor guy!  He's handling turnout well (thanks to "vitamin A" which I've been buying by the tub) and acting less foolish the more "horse time" he gets.  Can't wait to get him back to normal Keebler naughtiness instead of boredom-induced Keebler naughtiness.  There IS a difference, and I will welcome the  smarter-than-he-should be horse trying to out-think me over the bored, frustrated one trying to dump me with OPEN ARMS.

Bonnie is doing fine, mostly hanging out and eating with too much work (mine), too little warmth in the atmosphere, and not enough motivation (mine!) to keep her constantly working.  She's doing enough to stay fit, is just an easy horse to pick up again with when the weather improves, and we are aiming for the Novice 3-Day at the IEA Horse Trials in early June, if all goes well.

The weanlings, Oli and Lilly, are eating me out of house and home, destroying my barn and fences, and pestering the poor pony to death.  Status quo--their job is growing and eating and they are excelling at both.  I could do without the broken fence posts, gnawed sills, flung halters/feed pans/buckets/ropes/bags, and disarticulated gates.  I think I've been temporarily cured of the baby-horse bug with these two goofballs around!  Thank goodness they're like grandkids--dearly loved and welcome, but I can send them home when I get tired of them, given the fact that neither one belongs to me! :-)