Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Good news, bad news

The good news:  I got the job!  Not sure exactly what my start date will be yet, but soon if they can get the paperwork pushed through.  Which is excellent, both in terms of income and on the challenge front.

The bad news:  I knew I shouldn't have unplugged and put away the tank heater.  Winter came back.  Apologies to those of you still suffering in the grip of it up north, and please excuse my whinging, but it's icky out there.  Yeah, yeah, I know - get some crackers and cheese to go with my whine, right? 


Honestly I shouldn't be complaining, since we needed the moisture and I suppose having 10 hours of falling ice pellets was better than 10 hours of freezing rain, right?  I kid you not, either - the ground is covered in a crispy crust that's not snow.  It's tiny little BB-sized ice balls.


We did have some freezing rain, which was miserable, but not enough to make things super slippery at least.  And the thunder just kept on rolling.


So I have the truck plugged back in, broke ice for the horses to drink this morning, and gave them the option of hay in the barn.  During the worst of the falling pellets (we had about half an hour of dime-size hail midday) they abandoned the barn to stand heads down by their ankles, butts to the 25mph (gusts to 35) north wind, along the fenceline.  Must have been too loud in the barn with the tin roof and all.

Except for Rufus they came through it unscathed - he must have gotten himself cornered at some point, because he has a new bite mark and a new scrape/strip of hide missing off his forehead.  He seems determined to be bald, one way or the other! I'd blame the bite mark on Sunny, but Amyra's cycling again, and she's crabby.  She even stood Sunny off her grain pan this morning, and not too much discourages him when there's food involved.  Most days she's willing to share the crumbs without fussing.


Earlier in the winter Rufus was the only one smart/brave enough to stand in the barn when it was nasty.  Unfortunately for him, the rest of them learned that it's much drier and more pleasant in there :(

After grain, they had to be satisfied with hay and the creekbed pasture again today, and Sunny is ticked.  They can hear the front door on the house open, and every time I go out he sticks his head around the corner of the barn and yells at me.
 

Pretty sure that by Saturday they'll be able to go back up on grass, but we'll see how quick things melt and soak in.

9 comments:

Tammy Vasa said...

We got it, too. And suppose to have more snow tonight. Someone on Facebook said that Winter and Spring were duking it out and Winter was kicking Spring's butt this year! I would have to agree. Before the ice/snow/hail/lightning came, we did have a 1/2 inch of rain, glorious rain! So that made the rest of it a little easier to take.

We have camping plans next weekend down by Topeka/Lawrence area. Lake Pomana or something like that. I just hope it doesn't snow!

Congrats on the job!

Jennifer said...

Congratulations on the new job! YAY!!!

BOOOOOOO to the s-word. I won't even curse, but if I lived where you did, I'd be cursing, a lot.

We're still praying for rain in South Texas.

BrownEyed Cowgirl said...

Giirrrlll...I had soooo much reading to do to get caught up with you. LOL. I don't know how I got so far behind...But congrats on the job...and the move! ;-). You have been busy.

SunnySD said...

Thanks, guys! I'm pretty excited.

Tammy, I sure hope your camping trip comes off without weather issues. It's looking like it should be better down this way by then, so hopefully the nice stuff will track your way, too :)

No s-word, Jennifer - I hope you guys get the rain you need!

BEC, gee, it's not as if you haven't had anything going on at all, right? I mean, you've just been sitting around watching Real Horsewives... I'd say you've been a bit busy yourself, lol!

Unknown said...

Congrats on the job, we are getting that same weather here in WY.
Its really putting a damper on my training.

SunnySD said...

Thanks, Cindy!

At a guess you guys have it even colder and ickier than here, too. What would we do if we didn't have the weather to complain about, right?

Kellie said...

Wonderful news on the job!!! That is just great!!

Poor Rufus, always one horse that can't seem to keep his hide intact.

Snow SUCKS! sooo done with it :)
Spring has got to come soon, shoot it's almost the middle of April!!

falconfeathers said...

Congrats on the job! Jobs are so hard to come by these days!

Also loved the video and so glad I don't live in virginia anymore. I will take CA heat any day over snow and ice and cold! : )

SunnySD said...

I start Monday! So excited - first day lots of paperwork, apparently...

I'm kind of starting to look forward to "spring" temps myself. Not sure I'm going to be thrilled with summer, either, but I'm ready for winter to be done :)