All the Pretty Horses

.....yep, I've been hiding from all my usual hotspots on the net.... hiding in some form of shame... embarassment, failure. I had the whole month of July off, yet I stayed away from the net like the plague (aside from bills & such necessary evils). We did decide to sell Padre and Pepsi... after all my words of devotion and love.... ugh. I almost sold Snickers, too, but I took her out for a trail ride and played with the water hose with her and was reminded of how much of a family pet she is. Besides, Jeff doesn't want to part with her. And really, my heart couldn't stand the thought of parting with her, either. We've had long enough to get VERY attached to her. I do seem like such a fool, though, to be selling two horses we only just recently got. But, truth be told, we are buckling under the financial strain - we have no pasture, so we must feed LOTS of hay and hay is currently an astronomical $8/bale. That, added to the rising cost of fuel is just becoming a great load. So, while I will be sad to see them go, I know they are well-bred enough and well-mannered enough to find good homes, and it will be a bit of a relief to see our weekly bill cut so drastically.

I sold Scooter a month ago... she found a good home, toting grandbabies around. I practically gave her away, though.... everyone's having a tough time with the cost of hay and fuel, so the price of horses is down. I am taking Pepsi and Padre to a Quarter Horse/Paint consignment sale the first of September, though, so that should draw a crowd of folks with money.... I'm hoping, praying, we will break even. Until then, I am letting Snix and Padre share a large pen. They are enjoying each other's company. I know Snickers will be lonely when they go..... but we are working on developing a pasture. When Jeff is able he brings home a dozer from work and has cleared some trees. As soon as the burn ban is lifted we will burn the piles. And as soon as it cools off a bit we will hopefully start building fence. After all the clearing is done we will plant grass, and maybe in year or two Snickers will have a buddy once again (and we won't have to buy hay year-round).

Everything is still crazy at work - rumors flying 90 to nothing. But, all I can do is cling to the promises of God. I know He takes care of His children and it is He that I am dependent on, not my employer. And as I watch all my grandiose plans come crashing down around me (at my own hand, for I know when to hold and when to fold) I think, maybe, just maybe.... NO.... I know that good will come of all of this and I will be stronger, smarter, wiser for it.

"We climb to heaven most often on the ruins of our cherished plans, finding our failures were successes." -- Amos Bronson Alcott