HORSE OF THE ROMAN GODS

When asked what breed my very first horse, Sherman, was, I would reply, "Clydesdale and Shetland Pony... and no one would question it.

He was barely above 14 hands, but with HUGE feathered hoofs and a black mane cascading over his proud thick neck.


So I guess I've always had a thing for draft horses.




A girl named Alexis at our barn would always be galloping off on her Shire - a tiny figure on top of this mammoth thundering mass.


And there I was, at 5'9", with my feet almost touching the ground as I followed with my little pony/draft cross.


But now my husband, who is NOT a horse person, has fallen in love with a draft horse.

It may be a momentary infatuation - a passing fancy - but I think it may a little bit more.

And these guys have nothing to do with anything in this blog, but aren't they cool?

RAINBOWS IN ARIZONA

The headline reads "ARIZ SHERIFF SAYS HE'S GAY AFTER MISCONDUCT CLAIMS".



So the first time, I read that as "a Sheriff in some shortened version of the state of Arizona became aware of his homosexual tendencies shortly after filing claims of misconduct on someone else."

And the next time, it obviously read that "an Arizonan Sheriff made an announcement of his homosexual tendencies shortly after filing the misconduct claims.


And then I clicked on the link and read the actual story at Arizona sheriff who is running for a Congressional seat.


People, let's get real here.

I mean, look at me.

I sleep with a dog. I talk to horses. I eat Eggo waffles with creamy peanut butter piled high on top. And until age 43, I had a perpertual blackhead on my upper lip.

So am I not eligible for running for Congress? Do any of this facts in ANY possible away affect my ability to represent my area's interests in the federal government? Does this suddenly make everything I do subject to intense questioning?

Does my talking to horses make me overly sympathic to any horse-related bills that might come up, to the obvious anti-horse feelings of my district?

Will the Eggo and peanut butter make me subject to possible blackmailing by the Kellog and J.M. Smuckers?

SO WHY DOES ANYONE CARE IF THIS GUY LIKES OTHER GUYS MORE THAN HE LIKES GIRLS?!?! (Eww... I think I wouldn't like this blonde bimbo either)

He's not married - he's not cheating on his significant other. The article quotes that "Babeu owes much of his political standing to Arizona Sen. John McCain," he's an Iraqi war vet, and he has a very nice list of creditionals at his web site.

Please, people. Elect this guy as a good person to represent us in Washington D.C.  Or don't. But don't base your decision on how he lives his personal life. Or if he eats waffles with peanut butter.

But if you ARE going to base your decision on his gayness, then please also do the following for EVERY OTHER ELECTED OFFICIAL YOU HAVE EVER VOTED FOR; it only seems proper.

- Is this person married to their original spouse?
- Has this person every had an extramaterial affair?
- Do this person and their spouse practice any form of birth control?
- Has this person ever mastrubated at any point in their life?
- Had this person ever agreed with any position commonly held by the opposing political party?

And does any of THIS have anything to do with their ability to hold a political office?

So just one last thing.

Any one reading this who prefers to be called a Chrisitian - look up Luke 6:37.


Please - let me know.

A GRAY SUN

Today is one of those rare days in southern Arizona - overcast, icy cold, cloudy, the mountains shrouded in ash. It's a day for hot chocolate, a blaze in the fireplace, blankets and old movies.

Why oh why then do I have so many things to do?!

SHEER AWESOMENESS

Last blog, I mentioned that a problem will keep reappearing until you find the correct solution - then it may still be there, but it is no longer a problem.




Mortality is to keep moving forward.






We have a second chance every second.






I am trying to get some momentum back into my days. And open the front door to the supreme awesomeness that surrounds me.

STAYING ANGRY

Right now I am mad, and I want to stay mad.

A cautionary remark - taken as (of course) an attack - and thrown back in my face.




I feel angry, insulted and betrayed. Frustrated once again at being accused of having ulterior (i.e. EVIL) motives. Especially after spending the past three days caring for someone else.

I want to curl up in my bed, under all the covers, and just cry for a while.

But if I really want to remain furious, I have to hold tightly on to this incident - replay it in my mind, keep analyzing it, continue to stoke the fire.

And that's not the mature, Christian way to handle it.

I need to let it go - forget about it - forgive.

I just wish in the process I could learn not to repeat it again.

This is what mortality is all about, however; we have to keep relearning the lesson we need until we can keep it - and then the problem is no longer a problem.

HOSPITAL HOSPITALITY

My daughter Joy had surgery on her right ankle this morning, mainly to see how advanced her arthritis is and if there is any other damage.










I discovered that there are reasons to live in Tucson Arizona - one of the them has to be Oro Valley, where the hospital and our hotel were located.









And although sitting in a hospital out-patient surgery waiting room for six hours would not normally be my idea of fun, I actually had a pretty nice time.









I learned WAY too much about most of the gastronomical procedures that the majority of the people there were waiting to have down.


There were three people that I don't think stopped laughing once the hour they were waiting - it was wonderful.


Quite a few people were as open and nosy and/or friendly as I normally am, and wanted to know where I was from, what I did, and what did I think about the Republican candidates?

And there was a cafeteria which did have some pretty decent pizza.


But then we had to LEAVE the hospital. And the hotel we are staying in did not have a wheelchair. And Joy could NOT really hop on one foot to room 109.




So I pushed her in an office chair.


Wish I had had someone around to film it - we might have made YouTube,

AND NOW THE END

There are some things I am very, very good at.







I am good at making friends with animals. I can walk up to almost any animal and get them to accept me pretty quickly.

(Well, it may help that I live with eight horses and two dogs, and I smell like it)

I make forms look simply lovely - application forms, information sheets - Print Shop and I have a very tight bond.




And I can put church programs together.






I've had a lot of experience - I've been a Mormon for over 35 years now - and have gotten good at lining things up, delegating away all the things I either do not want to do or simply CAN'T do.





But it's still a lot of work - organizing it,, advertising it, following up on assignments, getting everything coordinated.

And it's a lot of worry - is everyone going to do their part, will everyone show up, what if too many people do come, are the correct rooms reserved, will it all work?

And tonight, it was a bit of a comedy of errors - several groups all scheduled for the same room - a choir having to practice ten minutes before our program began - 35 young men trying to be in the same room as over a hundred frosted cupcakes.

But almost every single girl showed up - including a couple I had no idea would show up - only one chickened out of her part - most parents came - only one girls came not dressed in her Sunday best.

Any it all worked out.

Best news of all?

It's over for another year.

Whew.

BEGIN OF THE END

How often should we be allowed to flip out?







There are people who get hysterical 24/7 about the price of bananas and how the liberals are destroying America.

There are some who only carry an ax on their shoulder a couple times a month.

And we all know someone who is constantly calm, caring and compassionate, regardless of what is happening in their personal life.





At least until they explode and go postal.



I think most of the time I deal with everything just fine. I admit to taking an awful lot of deep breaths, and occasionally crying in the privacy of my shower, but most of the time I can solider on.

But today?






Today is one of those days that I am not dealing well with money shortages, hay prices, family emergencies, church responsibilities, needy dogs, changing weather patterns and my inability to take a shower and/or bath for the past four days.


So perhaps just a little tiny bit of a crumple - perhaps another 15 minute self-pity party - one more nap, and then get back in that damn saddle and ride off to battle.




With some chocolate and a extra large Diet Coke, of course.

JUST A LITTLE BIT OF AGE CREEPING UP, SORRY

First of all, my apologies to you, Harmony.

You call or text me faithfully every single evening (even now that I have other humans living here).

You check to make certain I am okay, what's happening in my little world, play therapist with my rantings and railings.


And last night (in particular) you were exposed to WAY too much from me.

"Ah, when I cough, it's like..."

"Oh, and my sinuses are still...."

"And last night in the bathroom, you could not BELIEVE...."




Okay, well, maybe not that last one.

But this is becoming one thing and one thing alone - OLD PERSON SPEAK.

This is when elderly people begin to talk freely about bodily functions, complain about what the kids are doing nowadays, talk about what it was like in their youth....

I do NOT mind getting older - really, I do now - but I do object STRONGLY to behaving like an old person.


Yeah - I believe this.

So again, sorry, sweetie. I'll try to do better.

And you have my permission to remind me when I forget!