The Updates

I will first apologize that this will be a picture less post, unless of course I get up and snap one of sleeping dogs.

The trip back to Massachusetts was well worth the do over after January's trip. The weather was nice, fairly warm and not a bit of snow. It was very windy though and that made for some reduced time on the water. My Dad is looking and feeling great, both boats were put in the water during my visit, the little skiff Ingenue and the big boat BYGONE. I loved watching them get the boats out of the yard and onto the travel lift to place in the water and it would have been picture worthy.

Mother's Day found us up north on a very chilly morning at the New Hampshire Sheep and Wool Festival. We had a grand time walking through the barns and looking at all the different sheep and the sweet alpacas. I did feel bad that it was such a cold morning and most of the alpacas had been sheared and were more than a little chilly and shivering. A lot of owners had brought coats for them, but many didn't.

There was a prodigious amount of fiber and I bought some Cotswold for spinning.

I now have the time to get to know my little Ladybug wheel better.

As always, there was great shopping ( 7 new dog collars and a harness for Pogo), lots of reading and watching baseball and hockey, eating a delicious assortment of the local bounty, good libations and interesting discussion. There was one fly in the ointment though, poor Gene had to deal with 3 sick horses, the blood work on them came back as inconclusive but five of his days were spent with stalled horses, all with catheters and dosing antibiotics and Banamine. By the time I arrived home the crisis was passed, the horses all out with their buddies and looking perky with only a little shaved neck hair to tell me something had been up.

The barn however was another story. We were both thankful that there was no hay in there allowing Gene to haul down panels from the round pen and make stalls, and to their credit, Boo, Cooper and Dandy were sweet and easy to handle. I have often thought that sometimes I go over board on the ground work with my guys but it was nice to see it had paid off.

Lastly, after cleaning and picking up, unpacking and settling in, I did get a little weaving time in yesterday on Julia and a lovely ride out on Cooper. Gene got two days of sleeping in and not having to look at horses or worry about feeding schedules. It's good to be back home.