The Little Things in a Life....

After an anxiety filled night, lying wide awake listening to the 60+mph winds blasting through my little world, worrying about my Curlies and the destruction I could hear, but couldn't see occurring all around me, it was with a heart brimming over with joy that I viewed the damage this morning.  All of my horses were just fine, a little stressed, napping some in the bright sunshine, felt like it was going to hit 70F, marvelous morning.  We've had "little" greenhouses as run in shelters in a few of the fields.  Never had any trouble with them staying put, they have a steal A-frame type interior and have tight like a drum plastic over their frame, they work great, especially in the winter, add some warmth.  Well, not any more.  They'd not only blown over, but one had actually blown up, onto the fence, snapping several electric lines, and landing in the trees, yes, IN the trees, plastic is in ribbons, A-frame is mangled.  Trees came down on the fence in a few places, branches down everywhere, and this was all tame compared to the road ways where trees dropped over power lines, not just neatly snapping them but stretching and tearing them, creating a spaghetti noodle mess of electric lines tangled with trees everywhere.  A mess.
For greater perspective, a friend of mine, got home today, she was in Haiti helping with the aftermath there, makes everything here look like sillyness, the stories and images she has are so horrific, the work she did there is an inspiration for doing right by others despite great adversity, I can not even begin to imagine the reality of waking up there each and every day right now.
So, I did what I do, look at the bright side of things, I had the day off, so some time to get some things done.  Starting with the most important thing, Quality Curly Time!, I did the morning breakfast rounds, apologized about the fresh water, said I hoped the water came on before they ran out (which it did, if it hadn't there is a back up plan involving me hauling five gallon water buckets from a stream that runs nine months out of the year).  Then, I got a curry comb and dandy brush out of the tack room and did the cuddle rounds, grooming everyone's coats out, fluffing up their curls, although kind of uncurls them a little, scratching all their itchy spots and generally just loving on all my horses, which they eat up and love in return.  It is so wonderful to start the day this way.
Then, I pulled the little greenhouses out of the trees, off the fences, and stored away for taking a closer look at later, repaired the fences.  Then loaded up Iris and Gavyn (my shepherd and shepherd/akita cross) and headed to my Uncle Todd's for breakfast and to pick his truck up to get supplies.  Headed to Home Depot.  Loaded up a lot (for me, I know a lot is relative) of lumber and had a great moment with Gavyn.  Gavyn is only six months old and still learning a few rules, like when I ask him to stop barking that means I'm in control of the situation and he is safe to stop.  At any rate, while I was loading the truck, a few people came and went, Gavyn started barking, I told him, quietly, that's enough, don't need to bark, please stop... and he did!!  I was soo proud of him, he's learning!!  This was a first for him, the me separate from him and trusting that he doesn't have to scare away the stranger, I think having Iris quietly there helped.
Next stop feed store for more alfalfa.  Gavyn and Iris were quiet the whole time.  Then home.
Unloaded everything and came in for a little lunch.  I'm home alone today.  So, since the foal's shelter is now in pieces, and we have more lovely weather on the way, they had to move.  So, I moved them.  This led to our first solo walks, as in outside their pen with none of their siblings for back up.  They all did fantastically!!!  I was just going to move them across the driveway to where they were foaled out which has a nice big foaling stall/run-in shed for shelter, but decided on the way across the driveway, that since they were each doing so well, that we'd go for our first official adventure walk.  So each of the four foals went up and down the driveway some, onto the concrete, into the greenhouse for a munch on the hay, then back outside and into the darkened interior of the garage, stood still quietly, then back outside, around the truck, around the trailer and then into the foaling pen.  Each of them did great!, I was so excited for how nonchalant they each were, like we'd been doing this every day and who needs a sibling or a mom near by anyway?  I plan to head back out with each of them again tomorrow, after work, which starts in seven hours, so to bed!
But, just had to share the day with everyone.  Oh, right the lumber is for putting up 'real' run-in shelters, you know, with huge planks going deeply into the ground, in three of the paddocks, which lost theirs last night, really seems like there is always something.
But, I am happy with the day.  The horses are all safe and sound and we all had a great day together.  The only time I'm not worrying is when I'm physically in their presence, so spending a great deal of the day that way was really wonderful.
I hope everyone else had a marvelous day!!
Best Wishes,
~Heather