The Hobbit Hole V - Where Many Paths and Errands Meet...

ecurbh

[ecurbh]

Welcome to The Hobbit Hole!

Where Many Paths and Errands Meet...

• First thread: New Zealander builds Hobbit hole
• Second thread: The New Hobbit Hole
• Third thread: The Hobbit Hole III - Journey to the Cross-roads! (Congratulations, we filled it up!)
• Fourth Thread: The Hobbit Hole IV - The Road Goes Ever On...

The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say.

[Wneighbor]

I am trying to figger how I am gonna stay up late enough to watch Elijah on SNL tonight....

I'm up and fixing to be watching. You can fall asleep. I'll tell you about him tomorrow! LOL

[RMDupree]

OK, I'll keep my eyes peeled for it to come on!

Meanwhile, I'm eating one these things...

[AnAmericanMother]

Wow! What a day . . . although it may be a day that only horsey people can appreciate.

Got up at 5 o'clock and headed out to Kingston, GA to hunt with the Shamrock Hounds - my first fox hunt in about 25 years!

I actually was able to braid my mare's mane so that it stayed in (a task that takes a ball of yarn, two combs, hair clips, scissors, a rug hooker, and about two hours). I even dyed her tail where she rubs it on the fence (Bad Gracie!) and it came out great. Cleaned and oiled all my tack, used my white sheepskin saddle pad, and got all dressed up in my good jacket, good leather breeches, high boots and a "real" stock (finally learned how to tie it . . . I had a "pretied" one, but I had undone it to wash and starch it 25 years ago and found it, but had forgotten how to put it back together . . . )

The turnout was great - weather was threatening, chilly, with a sharp wind blowing. You cannot wear anything over your good hunting jacket - so everybody had layers of stuff UNDER their jacket - I had my silk long johns, then my polypro long johns, then my cotton hunting shirt, then my coat, which is unfortunately NOT wool - I only have one and our weather is usually hot around here.

Anyhow, off we went and a jolly good time was had by all. Grace was exemplary - she didn't get strong, she didn't buck or try to run away, and she jumped everything I put her at. The Gracie mare and I got bolder as time marched on, and wound up jumping some stone walls, a couple of coops and a large fallen tree. I didn't try the big hedge - maybe next time.

But a funny thing did happen - we had cleared a stone wall and were galloping uphill, when Gracie's feet slipped out from under her and she went down like a bag of wet cement. I rolled off over her right shoulder, and thanks to nice soft ground with deep grass and my aikido training I just did a lovely forward roll and came up on my feet. Gracie was still on the ground and I think she had the wind knocked out of her. Her eyes were as big as softballs, and she stared up at me and went "WOOF!" through her nose 2-3 times as if to say "What happened? And why are you up there while I'm down here?" I just took her reins and encouraged her to get up - she struggled upright and shook herself - she was covered in leaves and grass and there were even leaves stuck in the rivets on the pommel of my saddle. I led her around and she wasn't limping at all, so I climbed back aboard (she is a TALL girl so I have to let out my stirrup leather, climb on, and then raise it up again).

I trotted her out and she was completely sound, so we just took off again. She cantered fine and jumped another couple of jumps, but the day was almost over - we'd been out for two and a half hours and we were BEAT (I'm sure that's one of the reasons she lost her footing - when she gets tired she gets heavy on the forehand.) But one of the hunt staff said that Gracie deserved the "Heart and Soul" award for taking such a tumble in stride!

One of the great customs of hunting is the Hunt Breakfast (which is always called breakfast even if served at 2 in the afternoon). Lots and lots of delicious food - and everyone was VERY hungry after all that galloping around in a sharp wind. They had an award ceremony for the Junior riders, Santa and his Assistant Elf handed out apples and carrots for the horses, and the Official Photographer displayed her digital photos she had taken during the hunt. There is a "Wall of Pain" in the clubhouse where all photos of falls are posted, but fortunately the photographer did NOT memorialize the wreck of Gracie and AAM . . . :-)

And best of all, it didn't start spitting a little rain until we were loading the horses back in the trailer to go home! Then the bottom fell out, but the horses were all in their nice blankies in a dry warm trailer with their hay and grain, and we were all in our trucks heading home!

And just to add to the fun, TOMORROW Shelley-the-Dog is entering her first agility trial. (I bet I call her Gracie all day - I must have said "Good Gracie!" about a thousand times today.)

[Wneighbor]

I sent some of those to the platoon last month!!! I thought they might like 'em too!

[msdrby]

For Luke's cough:
In between medications, I have always used lemon drop candies to suck on (those and peppermints) while still keeping the humidifier going with the vicks vapor.

Spiderboy has mild asthma. After he takes his meds, I usually do something like this and it helps his cough.

[RMDupree]

They're delicious!! Wicked evil things that they are...

Anyway, my mom just got home and she'll want to talk and see Becky's earrings, etc., so I'll have to say good night!

I'm watching SNL too! No Elijah yet though!

[HairOfTheDog]

Glad you weren't hurt and she was OK after that fall!

It is surprising, having your horse suddenly hit the dirt! When Bay fell on me last summer I was on the ground before I knew we had tripped.

[HairOfTheDog]

Huh? - He's hosting tonight isn't he? - He should have been on first!

[Wneighbor]

Me too watching Saturday Night Live!!!

I'm glad you were here tonight. Sorry you gots to go!!! See ya later Ruthy!!!

and we will continue our scheming and planning!!!! *grin*

[Wneighbor]

Chris Matthews first. Still waiting!

Oh, they just announced, and your host Elijah Wood!

There he is! YOUR hobbit! :-)

[Wneighbor]

He is color coordinated better tonight.

[HairOfTheDog]

The colors weren't the only thing wrong with that last outfit...

How does he look?

[AnAmericanMother]

I felt her front end collapse, then I was on the ground. It was that quick. She did her best to stay up, but we were going at a pretty good clip and my weight I'm sure took her the rest of the way down. We gave her a couple ccs of Bute just in case before we tucked her into bed. But the expression on her face was a study! And I was picking grass out of her braids the rest of the hunt!

[Wneighbor]

Well, I have to tell you, my TV is going out, he is fuzzing out. TV is good when it's warm but when it's cold picture is fuzzy. But, from what I can tell, he looks nice. Color coordinated I can see.

[Corin Stormhands]

g'nite folkses...I can't stay up to watch SNL.

Thanks for the suggestions for taking care of Luke. He's up and still eating, so I think we're doing okay.

[Wneighbor]

Night Corin! Prayers for Luke again!!!

[HairOfTheDog]

Bay was hurt in his fall.... his knees both swelled up like grapefruit.

I am glad she was fine!

[Wneighbor]

Gee. I didn't know Elijah sang.

[HairOfTheDog]

I am gonna try hard as I can to stay up for SNL.

I have only 4 days now to re-set my body clock to be conscious for a midnight show!

[HairOfTheDog]

He is singing?