Dates and Numbers

It is hard to post after one like that last one, about the passing of our dear King dog. I have come here and tried to compose a post but did not have the heart to push that post down the page.

But time marches on. Dammit.

I have had a couple of significant things happen, the first being new number on the scale. Now mind you this is not my "official" weight, what I weigh at meetings on Tuesdays. That weight is fully clothed and with shoes on. No, this new number occurred during my daily "NW" as I think of it -- my "nekkidweight". I weigh myself first thing in the morning every morning and write it on a calendar. That way I can see at a glance if I am trending upwards or staying the same or losing (!!). I know, started this paragraph talking about a new number and that number is...2. It's real significance is its position sitting snugly in the tens column of the weight I wrote down. Ok, I will just come out and say I have broken the 120's!! Granted the number after the 2 was a 9 but WOW! to see that was extraordinary. That was Friday, and I have gained a pound over the weekend, but still.

The other thing is my trainer and I were talking, and she said that if I did a couple of unrecognized events and horse trials, it is entirely possible I could be ready to ride in the Aspen Farms Horse Trials over Labor Day weekend. Finally, a goal. And a totally attainable one at that. I do still have the problem of being without a truck and trailer. That really makes things much harder to get to. I am at the mercy of others in my barn going to Unrecs, and I am not sure anyone is going to do that. They are all busy going to the recognized shows. I need to figure out a way to get mobile. Humm. Regardless, I am looking forward to tonight's ride.

And tomorrow's weigh in.

Taking Care

Kingdog
Originally uploaded by yvettef.

So, there is nothing like huburis

My last post was all about how great everything was, and now the fickle Fates have slapped me right back in to my place.

Our dear dog, King went sick last Saturday evening. I was thinking of turning in, and Scott came into the room and told me King was acting sick. Sure enough, he was panting heavily, and in obvious distress. Was it Bloat? Heart failure? Pain from his hips? He was 94 in people years, so it could be anything. We spent an anxious night, hoping for a morning miracle. It was not to be.

We took him to the emergency vet on Sunday morning, and nearly four hours, an MRI and many x-rays later, we had a diagnosis of right mid-lobe pneumonia. We were sent home with antibiotics and a directive to take him to our regurlar vet by Wednesday. We ran the humidifyer 24/7, gave him a pill melenge -- but he was not eating or drinking very well, by the time Scott took him in on Wednesday. Our great vet, Dr. Heino, had chosen this time to retire, and pass his practice on to other vets - and Scott was not impressed with them. But they gave us anti-nausea pills, so we could get him to eat, so he could continue with the antibiotics. King had a little rally, and he and Scott were able to go for a walk around the block, something both of them enjoyed very much; King with the added pleasure of sniffing and peeing on things.

By Friday morning, He wasn't eating though, and again very distressed and uncomfortable. He asked Scott to put him on the bed, and we did so -- I was happy to move to the couch, becuase there simply is not enough room for two people and a 110 pound dog on our bed -- and I knew dear King needed some comfort. We took him back to the emergency vet, because they were great when we took him in before, and we needed advice from people we liked and trusted. They were great, and quickly made room in Dr. Cuthbert's schedule, so we could be seen right away.

Again waiting in the exam room, we waited for the x-rays, blood work and what ever else they needed to do to find out what was causing King's distress. When the news was delivered, Dr. Cuthbert told us that the pneumonia was clearing up nicely, but that he found a tumor high up in King's intestine, and he had peritonitis. Our path was clear, King needed us to take care of him one more time, to make sure his suffering did not continue, and to help him on to his next journey.

He passed away quietly and with dignity, with the people he loved there with him.

Good dog. You are missed.

Hello 2011

I have to admit, 2010 was a great year for me. I feel kind of bad, because it was really terrible for so many. But I worked hard, and things turned out well. I know hard work won't fend off cancer, or make mean people suck less, but it can do some things.

I started the year with a very handsome gelding who I was trying to bring along, and if sheer force of will were all it took, he'd be a grand prix jumper by now. But he was not interested in work, and he took a very scary fall giving me a mild concussion. Alas, he had to go back to his owner, and I needed to look for a new horse.

I was determined to get the right partner, come hell or high water. I had had two horses who

were unsuited for eventing, and dammit, I was going to get one who wanted to jump and was not crazy. Other people had found such critters, and I would too. However, I did come into this process with some prejudices. One was no Chestnuts. I know, no good horse is a bad color, but come on. Most Chestnuts out there that are not TB are a failed experiment in Spots. Then there is the red-headed reputation -- that they are dingy and hot. I just wanted a nice bay gelding, chrome totally optional. You can tell the way this story is going, that I found a Chestnut, can't you? I could not have found a more perfect eventing partner, Kip! He is perfect and I just love him and we have such an amazing partnership that grows with every ride. Words cant express his fantasticness.

I also got a handle on my weight this year. I kept hearing ( and telling myself) that women just gain weight as they get older, that at least it was only a couple of pounds a year, and that I ate very healthfully - and I did too. But I also ate what and how ever much I wanted. In August I joined Weight Watchers. I was very skeptical, but I was at a point of desperation, with the scale registering a unacceptable number, and I was terribly depressed and felt horrible in my own body. I have to say with the zealotry of the converted, WW is awesome. It has taught me how to eat, what portions are, what really makes me gain and loose weight. And I have lost weight while not being hungry, I have kept going out and to parties the whole time. So far I have lost 20 pounds, and have four to go to make Lifetime. These last four are the hard ones, which brings me to the next awesome thing that happened in 2010:

Running. With the weight loss, I suddenly found myself able to run

again. Before, my knees and shins just couldn't take it, and I would get terrible shin splints even at the slowest pace. But I am happy to report I have trained for and completed my first 5K, the Resolution Run. I finished in 42:01, with a pace of 13:33. Not bad! I have signed up for the Big Backyard 5K in May. The Resolution Run was so fun, especially because I did it with one of my very best friends. The best part was just hanging out with her.

I also finally stopped biting my nails. Jeeze so disgusting.

I am looking forward to 2011, there are so many exciting things on the horizon: the first showing season with my wonderful horse, new 5Ks to conquer, projects to knit, sew and paint and a few other exciting things that might happen, but I don't want to jinx it.

I hope to complete an Event, get a truck and trailer, to weigh what I did in High School and get some landscaping done on the spare lot. I don't know if those things qualify as resolutions, but there it is.