Round Trip

Right after we started our long drive to Canada to pick up my stall mats I received a text about the train derailment in Dupont telling me I'm lucky to be heading north.

Yes, lucky indeed.

My heart breaks for everyone involved.

It took about 3 hours to drive up to Canada and find the place we were going, Karen was navigator and I drove the whole way. She did back the trailer into the loading yard. There location is on a island in the middle of the Fraser river.

The yellow roll on top is mine & is now in my trailer.

Here is a ton of stall mats.

We had all the paperwork to return to the states with it but Customs & Border Patrol decided we needed extra attention.

So we went and stood in line for a half hour & then spent 15 minutes explaining what they were & telling them this was indeed made in Canada. They wanted us to pay an extra tax.

After an extra hour we left with all our money in MY pocket, not the nations pocket, and we were on our way. This handsome guy agreed to let me take a selfie with him. I thanked him for keeping us safe.

It was a 13 hour drive R/T, I totally went off my diet and ate 2 huge BAD/delicious meals but it was still a lot of fun. The mats are still in the trailer as I write this since I got up at 3am to spend a couple minutes with Lan before he heads to work. He will unload it this afternoon and it will be stacked in the barn.

About the barn:

The roof is finished and he is ready to start installing stall fronts. After we have the first two in, I can start with outer walls and the divider. I had planned to put the soft stall mat in the first two stalls and have the divider wall come right down to it but Karen pointed out that a horse could still cram a hoof under it. So I'll plan on putting the divider boards in with a 12" spacer on the bottom. They can still nose each other but not get hurt that way, I hope.

I hope.

We will be using plywood on the inside outer walls and 2x10 or 2x12 boards as dividers between only the end stalls; for the wash rack it will have permanent walls.

I'll use white hardboard panel boards like this photo so its light & bright like my old barn had. I'm even going to paint the ceiling white.

I found this photo on the internet & really like it; its got so many things I like. Small shelf for cleaning items (except we will have an outside door on that back wall), overhead sprayer like I'm going to install, drain, bright lights. The cross ties are recessed so the horse can't step so far forward into the aisle. I might make the overhead shelf a little bit bigger to accommodate the small hot water heater. I need to be able to reach it easily with at least a broom handle as its got an on/off switch so it isn't on all the time, no use heating water I'm not using 24/7. 

This is another stall I like, its got an overhead heater installed. Ours will have a stall front so it can be used as a stall if needed so probably any shelving will be temporary.

I picked up one of these IKEA metal carts for the barn

and am currently using it for the Christmas wrapping supplies. Its sturdy and strong, might be perfect for holding soaps and wash stuff... horse hair, dirt, broken hose nozzles...

I should just plan on getting another one for in the house because I really like it.

Picking Up Stall Mats

It's going to be a long day

But totally worth it in the end

Its like going to another country

Tomorrow I'll be driving to Canada to pick up the Stall Mats I have purchased for Joey & Wifi. These are actually one single mat but will be used as two 12x12 stalls with the ability to make one 12x24 stall simply by removing the divider. My ponies will be sleeping in comfort.

Now that the entire roof has been replaced (I keep saying its a new barn but its just a fixer upper of the old barn) we will start installing the stall fronts. We aren't going to sand blast them & repaint because the process of sand blasting it too time consuming and difficult. Next summer I'll pressure wash, wire brush and repaint them.

Stocking Stuffers

I have a huge pile of gifts all wrapped with colorful paper, ribbons & bows. I had most of my shopping for main gifts finished before Thanksgiving but I've been having a great time finding stocking stuffers for everyone who will be here on the holiday. 

Mom

Don

Terry

Jean

Brandan

R2

Sarah

Heather

Ashleigh

Lan

Me

I've got a stocking for each person & hung them on a jute rope but they are all so heavy now that I'm going to need something much stronger. Today I found a couple CUTE R2 & BB-8 units, wrapped them right up for R2 & Sarah. Lan is getting a big box of shotgun shells (hope they are the right kind), Mom is getting a box of car cleaning supplies. 

Yesterday was my birthday and Lan made me a great surprise.

He cleaned up the light fixture that was in the barn,

put in new wiring

& an Edison light

and gave it to me. I almost cried. 

I DID get tears when Mike & Karen were here for dinner & he was shaking his leg, just like Denton used to do. 

I miss this guy.

That Christmas Feeling

Christmas

feels so good this year because for the first time ever I have all my shopping FINSIHED and its not even December yet. I actually had it all done before Thanksgiving. 

I've got stockings for each person who will be here plus a couple for special friends, I've already got stocking stuffers and treats just waiting to be stuffed. Some very nice gifts will go into these stockings and I can't wait for the big day.

Our tree is going to be fun, I want a TALL and skinny tree. Usually we go out to the woods and cut one down, its a tradition for Lan & I. But a wild tree will be too fat and that's not in the cards. I might go buy a fake one but we'll see... I heard there is a local tree farm that has live ones like I want.

I have a few things on my shopping list, I've put the hints out on facebook in plenty of time but whether or not I get them doesn't matter, What I really want is for my family and friends to have a great holiday.

I've got my great job where every month I can decide whether I'm going to take my days off of offer to work them & this month I'm taking Mondays & Tuesdays off so I can have my birthday and Christmas day off. 

That Was Different

When we decided to not take our bikes to Vegas, it opened up a whole new world for us. 

This trip wasn't about getting up at 4am, loading out backpacks and packing the bikes on the bike rack, it was about sleeping in, sitting around doing nothing, enjoying the sunshine. We went to the hot tub every day & jumped into the lazy river to chill and splash each other.

Went out to Lake Mead on the one day it was 86*, got lost in the desert, enjoyed an absolutely gorgeous sunset at the top of a mountain at the perfect time.

While in town we found other things to do, like meet up with friends from home and have a drink. Erik & Sharon were there for the Rock n Roll half marathon so we went out onto the strip to cheer for him as he ran past. 

We went to the 

I hadn't previously known about this museum so we decided to go and learn a little bit. Instead we learned a lot. We're going to the guided tour at Mercury and testing site next year and going through the museum before hand taught us  some of the things we will be seeing.

I felt kind of weird being there though. These bombs killed so many people.

The weather in Vegas was perfect, mid 70's most days, up to mid 80's. One day we went out to Blue Diamond area and hiked/rock scrambled up into a valley where a lot of rock climbers go. It was 54* at start but in the sunshine & dry 'heat' it felt warmer to me. I didn't take a jacket and within a couple minutes was warmed up perfectly. Once we were climbing the BIG rocks I was thankful I didn't have to carry around a jacket.

When we've previously visited Vegas we've only gone to the strip once, to enjoy the sights, eat at 1 buffet and see a show. This trip we went to the strip more, no shoes but a buffet every other day. Our reasoning was that once we got home, we would be going on a diet.

Now we are home and on that diet. I have lost 6 lbs already and my goal is a LOT more.

So Much Going On

We will be leaving for vacation in a few days, going to be gone a week or two, not exactly sure. We're not even sure how we're going to get there but we DO know we're going to Las Vegas.

I farmed out the horses and made arrangements for the chickens to be let out each morning and locked in for the evenings. I'm concerned for the hen and chicks that are in the barn now, I don't want to inprison her for the duration but she can't get her chicks into the trough at night and I'm sure if I left feed out for her the rats or other vermin would get to it. Might need to farm her out also.

We have48 hours to get to Vegas and might head down through Bend, Oregon. On the way home we'll have up to 5 days, might come up through Idaho. These are the best vacations, not much plans so no worries.

More Barn

I went ahead and ordered one 12 X 12 Stable Comfort stall matt for Joeys stall. We will have to go to Canada ourselves to pick it up but it's OK, Lans cousin lives in Abbotsford so we can make a long weekend of it. Or go in November while I'm on vacation. Or have Kari bring it to us. Lots of delivery options.

Its going to be nice for his body to lay on a soft floor.