Onward and Upward

I have a fairly high I.Q. and an aptitude for language and social sciences. I can talk to educated people or I can talk like the most uneducated redneck in the bunch. I'm a social chameleon of sorts in that I am comfortable with all different groups of people and I soak up knowledge like a sponge. I love to learn. In my library you will find everything from foal imprinting to a book outlining evidence that Hitler did not die when history says he did. My literary taste is broad and insatiable, I devour anything regarding psychology. 

My secret dear reader is that the "language" of math is beyond me. I have literally dropped out of school because of math at least three times. It is the only subject I lack to attain a highschool diploma. It is embarrassing to be perfectly honest.

Mini Chaos is having trouble facing school since Tucker has gone on to wait at the Rainbow Bridge and I went in to the local school to discuss the possibility of her redoing a couple classes online, and somehow dear reader I find myself enrolled in grade 10 math and looking at completing my diploma. How did this happen I ponder as I look at the link with dread.

 It's a different world than when I was young and I have to face the fact that a diploma isn't optional anymore, that no matter how intelligent or charismatic or experienced I am, no matter how hard I work, without that paper I'm always going to be struggling uphill. It also opens the door for better opportunities to spend the winter. Instead of waitressing maybe I can find a winter job that makes a difference to someone.    

My palms are sweating and I feel a little faint dear reader but Im about to click the link and wade into a world of BEDMAS and integers. Into the lurch.... 

Catching you Up :)

So I guess I've been a bit of a bad host the last couple months :) Just not a lot of good things happening in Chaos Country this year and I haven't wanted to post all the sad. So I'll give you the sad first Dear Reader and then the exciting stuff.

In October this year we had three straight weeks of freezing rain and the horses began to look a bit rough.
We had an icestorm that knocked the power out and that was scary, scarier still was the fact that I couldn't get to the horses for three days. We had noticed some wolf tracks around and some scuff marks on the horses and unfortunately by the time I got into camp on the Friday the wolves had claimed a victim , Nova had been killed and consumed very quickly. She was a very good horse, all summer she carried tiny humans and was shaping up to be a very good buddy to me. Losing her pushed me right back to square one in trying to heal from losing the horses this spring and honestly I have been kind of hiding ever since.

RIP Nova you are deeply loved and missed everyday. 

Of course everyone is familiar with our Tucker. He has taught countless kids about horses and gave Mini Chaos her wings. He is the very embodiment of a spunky little pony even though he is in his twilight years at over 30 years old. Tucker has been a fixture at our place for a very long time. After the freezing rain stopped and about 3 weeks ago I noticed Tucker wasn't quite himself. We put him on a supplement and bought him a heavy blanket and watched him carefully. Tucker started sleeping alot, so much that he started to get scuff marks on his legs, and in a Sunday night I decided he was going in because he just wasn't right. In the middle of the night I checked him and he just wasn't doing well. We lost Tucker an hour before his Dr. appointment and I have to tell you it has rattled our family to the core. He was laid to rest beside his lost "girls" and Grizzly, the colt he was sure was his baby. I have been both encouraged and disgusted by the reaction of people around us. Mini Chaos can't even look at a horse right now and I can't count noses without tearing up. Some people have been amazingly supportive and some people have been cruel. He was more than a horse Dear Reader. He was family. I recognize he was elderly and I should have known he'd leave us some day, it was just so dang fast and I guess that was a blessing for him. It's hard to say goodbye to a partner, a friend, a brother , a son, with no warning. Tucker is forever a part of the fabric of who my children will become and we will always miss him.

Tucker and Mini Chaos teaching a lesson

Tucker and Mini Chaos in the Parade in Pierceland

 |RIP Old Man and know that we will be looking for you at the Rainbow Bridge.

Now I promised you some good news.

You will remember that back in April when the horses were destroyed we had two weanling foals that we fought to keep and started out  bottling. Clarabelle, and Cocoa. I am over joyed to tell you dear reader that both foals are EIA negative and have been cleared by the CFIA :)

Clarabelle and her Momma, Flicka, on her birthday

That's how it goes dear reader, ups and downs, I'll try to be a better host and not make you wait so long.