Eowyn's Ramblings

Well, THAT was a weekend. The weekend started mostly OK. Worked until 5 on Wednesday and managed to not throw my computer through a window. Got home and did some stuff, watched a movie, made some dinner and eventually Java finally made it home (just in time to kiss me goodnight). Thursday was doing some stuff around the house and trying to stay out of the way while he worked on a project. Then heading to MIL's house for dinner (NOM!) and back home so Java could work some more.

Friday, more hanging around the house, entertaining the felines and letting Java try to get some work done. Then we headed to ChessieCon and thoroughly enjoyed the Amusements of Victorians lecture with some gorgeous graphics. We checked into the hotel, got our keys, went to the room and found that someone was already in our room, got another room, unloaded then headed out to a quick(ish) dinner. We came back and I was going to turn in my key for the wrong room and they canceled both of our keys to the new room and had to reprogram them (buh?) and when we got a 2nd tumbler for cold drinks it was sort of small. Headed back up to the room and I conked while Java worked.

Saturday, I went down the street & grabbed McD's for breakfast (that one charges $1.70 for the bagel with egg & cheese, I'm used to $1.50) and brought it back. We ate then I spent most of the day listening to various members of the Clams talk and play fabulous music while Java worked. We took a break for lunch (McD's again) and I caught DM Fred's discussion of Isambard Kindom Brunel which did suffer a bit from a late start combined with no computer at first. More hanging around at Clam stuff and a wonderful visit with dglenn. Then we headed to Corner Stable for dinner (NOM!).

This morning the plan was to get McD's while Java worked, then catch a panel, check out, catch a couple of panels, then head back home, arrange to get stuff to Mr. Kathy S. and maybe catch a movie (Mockingjay Part 1). Then the phone rang at 8:30. Echo had put her leg through the wall and was badly injured and the vet was on the way. We got organized, packed up, checked out of the hotel and headed out. Hit McD's (hey, you have to eat) while calling back and forth with the farm. The vet decided the injury was too extensive to deal with at the farm and she would have a much better chance if she went to the Equine hospital in Leesburg. So, we got directions and headed off. We miss one turn but Java's phone GPS found it for us and we found Peter and his SIL changing the tire that had blown on the trailer on the trip (fortunately the trailer has multiple tires and one going bad isn't the end of the world). She was in the hospital getting checked out. Poor girl was shocky and they put her away for a few hours with medications and fluids to get her stable planning on surgery at 3 or maybe 3:30. Then her bloodwork came back and it wasn't great and she was no longer a surgery candidate.

( a bit graphic description of the injury )
She will be really sore and stiff and has a lot of healing to do but hopefully by spring she will be OK again. Poor baby. Now I'm heading up to wash the DMSO smell off myself.

After lots of rehab and a few set-backs, Echo is doing VERY well. We have progressed to the point where I have had her canter on the line and while sometimes she is very relaxed, round, and doing a pretty good 'rocking chair' canter. Other times she still needs some work. However, given that she is doing the round and relaxed means that she is FINALLY getting over associating any/all work with PAIN. I am still kicking myself for not insisting that Xpioti stop NOW when she was being 'balky'. Balky isn't really in Echo's vocabulary and if she doesn't have get-up-and-go there is probably something going on (stiffness, tired from playing, sore foot/leg/shoulder/whatever). I still strongly suspect that the chip was there and bothering her in an on-again, off-again fashion and that led to her protecting herself and blowing the suspensory (she blocked better when the fetlock was blocked, but not sound until the suspensory). GRRR

Anyway, she is showing some AMAZING movement at the trot and has a walk to die for (when she is warmed up and relaxed, her hinds are clearing the prints by the fores by a full hoof length.

This past weekend we were Outside for the first time in a long time (it will be awhile before we can be outside regularly since the ring outside is on the soft side when it is dry, damp is perfect and wet is just gross). I had to pull her in from the paddock (and tell Ellie that no, she doesn't have the right to come in first) and then deal with them yelling at each other. Echo needs to learn to focus on me more when working (esp. outside) and I need to learn how to use the whip more consistently (not to beat her but to get her to focus on me and as an additional cue when she is being distracted ... my safety and hers depend on it).

She has an excellent work ethic and is remarkably amiable about most things. Her willingness to pick up her feet has grown by leaps and bounds over the last couple of years where I would let her pull away (she worried) and then take the foot gently and didn't fight her. When she is good, I tell her (and sometimes have someone administer a goodie). Peppermints make the world go better in her book.

A friend of mine is walking in a National Kidney Foundation Kidney Walk. She is doing it because a dear friend of hers has a nasty kidney disease. I am posting here (with her permission) in memory of Betsy, Jim, and Pete. All three of them died with kidney failure (and the complications that produces). As those of you who read my journal know, I have a LOT of reasons for wanting kidney disease to be treated.

http://donate.kidney.org/site/TR/Walk/Michigan?px=1703973&pg=personal&fr_id=2252

I know that many of you donate to many causes and neither I nor my friend will be offended if this isn't an option for you.

My aunt Betsy is not doing well, is in a rehab facility and has been in and out of the hospital a lot recently and there is talk of a permanent nursing home. So there is a good chance that we will need to find a home for her two dogs. Java and I can't take them due to our schedules and lack of fenced yard. I have not met the dogs.

Below is a slight rewrite I received from Orkney about the dogs. They are currently in Florida but could possibly be shipped/driven somewhere else if a good home was in the offing. When Betsy was at home they were house and outside dogs but now they're outside.

Morgan is something over seven and is a part black lab who looks the part. He has never overcome his shyness dating back to some bad care before Betsy had him. When Orkney and her husband were down a couple of weeks ago thye went by to see the dogs and check on a couple of things at the house and Morgan came to the gate to see who was there buy hung back a bit. They had "cookies" with them and he came to Orkney for one and then to her husband. She told him he was being silly in hanging back and was able to give him some good body rubs, which he enjoyed. His tail was wagging slowly-- Betsy said that only in the past year has he wagged at all.

Frazier is two or three and is a greyhound/chocolate lab mix. He's gorgeous--a small, chocolate greyhound. He's taller and more streamlined than Morgan and is a happy puppy with very nice manners--- no jumping up on people.

If you know of anyone who would give them a good home, please email me (blueeowyn@livejournal.com will work).

We have a Japanese Maple in our front yard and the recent big snow did some damange. Javasaurus took a couple of pictures and they are behind the cut. I am seeking advice from LJ. It is really cold so there shouldn't be too much sap (or bugs) and we hope that will help.

One of the larger branches has been ripped off the trunk (still attached by the proverbial string but I'm not expecting it to survive the storm coming today). There is another branch that is damaged but not torn off.

So, what can we do to help the tree survive the insult? We know that the one branch is toast (unsure about the second branch but after today's snow it may be gone as well) but worry about the scar and how to protect the tree. It is a lovely tree and we would love to keep it healthy and happy.

Ideas? Suggestions? Questions? This is public so feel free to point others to it who might have experience in this area.

( photos )

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/.a/6a00d83451c45669e20120a7a8552a970b-500wi - more states allow marriage between first cousins than allow gay marriages. Now, given that a lot of the wingnuts charming people who feel that gays should not be allowed to marry are trotting out the whole "marriage is about having children and raising them in a family environment" argument, this really bothers me. Having first cousins have children is potentially a bad idea from a genetic viewpoint and is (in my opinion) a little creepy.

As many of you know, I have been a fan of Peter, Paul & Mary for many years ... basically as long as I can remember. Growing up my sire's stereo was off-limits in a Big Way because it was his toy and us kids might damage it. I remember playing the album "Moving" (Side A) with such wonderful songs as Gone The Rainbow, Pretty Mary, Puff, The Magic Dragon, and This Land Is Your Land. The music, words and images moved me.

Years later, I saw the reunion concert on PBS (and taped it ... I think I still have that VHS tape somewhere) and truly fell in love with them again. The feeling of unity, respect, and love among the three of them and the passion for music and their causes was palpable.

Then several years after that, I got to see them live at Wolf Trap and the magic of singing along with them (and a few thousand fans) was priceless for me. Ever since then, when they came through, I would go and see them. We heard from her about her granddaughter and she pulled out a picture to see ... a large poster. We heard about her garden, her love and respect for Peter & Noel Paul (and Dick Kniss). We heard about her leukemia, the treatments and her recovery. When I saw them listed on the Schedule for this year I knew I had to see them again ... as you may recall, I did see Peter & Noel Paul, but by then Mary was too sick to perform. I knew then that she was dying even though the boys tried to not say it. Peter talked about the projects he was looking forward to working with her on. (http://blueeowyn.livejournal.com/376650.html#cutid5 is my very short review of the concert ... when I saw the rainbow it almost felt like a goodbye from her to her fans.

While I never had the honor of meeting Mary in person; she did impact me in ways similar to John Denver. I mourn our collective loss and wish strength to her family (both chosen and biological). I hope that her passing was as gentle as possible and that if there is an afterlife she gets to sing with John and others who have gone before her.

A strong woman who used her brains and her talent to try to make the world a better place for us all. Who made us laugh and made us cry. Who let us into her life a little bit and we were better for the experience. Who stood up for justice (Have You Gone To Jail For Justice); who pushed people to rethink their positions; who supported such other crucial people as Martin Luther King, Jr..

She had an opportunity to play on a large stage and used it well; she was true to herself and her beliefs and through the strength of those beliefs and the constancy that she (and the group) shared; encouraged others to think in ways that they had not before.

Mary, may the voice you gave remain blowing in the wind for all of us for years.

Orkney has a request. What are the good types of Soy Milk? She has been told that one brand is good and rest are not as good. So, preferences for brands (and descriptions) appreciated. This is for 2 lactose intolerant people.

A friend was talking about a meme that she put on her FB that sounded amusing and she gave me permission to post it here.

What are some of the worst songs for the bride & groom to use as their "first dance" song? Why is it a poor choice?

How many of these best-picture Oscar nominated movies have you seen?

Bold the ones you've seen, regardless of whether you saw them in the cinema, on TV/video, or on a plane even years after they came out.

Ones I know I saw all of
Ones that I either only saw part or am not 100% sure I saw

( Best Picture Nominations )

Not every movie is worthy of an Oscar. Hell, some movies aren't worthy of anything much but scorn and derision. The Razzies were born in 1981 and as long was we are all copping to the great movies we've seen, let's fess up to the not-so-great ones we've watched... either in a theater or in the private shame of our homes by highlighting them in bold.
( Razzies )

I organized a group to see Cirque du Soleil's Kooza last weekend. It is the latest in a long line of Cirque shows that I have seen in person. The first being Nouvelle Experience in Fall 1991.

Overall, it felt more like a return to some of what Cirque was with some new twists. I liked the show but it didn't move to the top tier in the way that Varekai and Corteo vaulted over Dralion.

( more detailed thoughts, possible spoilers )

All in all a good show, very fun, and I am very glad I went. However, I don't think I liked it enough to see it again in March.