A Big Saturday

Well, it's been some day.  Or, as Charlotte the Spider would put it:  SOME DAY.

To begin with, we re-homed our llama trio, Tony, Inca and Aztec.  We found, through Southeast Llama Rescue, a wonderful couple from Northeast Missouri who drove all the way here to get them in the heat and humidity today.  I have just hung up with Renee, and the llamas are not unloaded yet, they are humming, which indicates they are still worried, but otherwise, doing fine.  The loading was a Rodeo.  We had to go get Troy and his son, Middle Troy ( and yes, there is a Little Troy) to come help.  I got exactly one picture.

That's Keith in the trailer.  It was a BIG step up, and we actually ended up lifting them all in... with a saddle girth under their bellies.  If we hadn't had Troy and Troy there, we would not have been able to load them.  Tony went in pretty easily, but Inca, pictured here... bucked like a wild bronco and actually pulled Keith head over heels at one point.  I don't know how he ever held her.

Aztec made friends with Renee as she was haltered, and actually followed pretty easily once Inca was on.  We sprayed them down with water, I worry so about Tony who went down in the heat last summer.  After they were soaked good, Renee and Brian left for their 5 1/2 hour drive home.

Here is what they brought us this morning.... to stay here until Wednesday, when they go to their new home with my good friend Joani...

If these aren't the darndest most beautiful ponies in the world.  They are Hackneys. 

Blackie, on the left, has the most beautiful action I've seen in a long time, pumping her front legs high at the trot.  Rosie, behind her, the bay, is a beautiful girl with roaning on her rump.  Her action is not as high, but she is the loveliest girl, and the friendlier of the two.  Renee had re-homed these from an elderly gentleman who is trying to place his small herd.  Blackie is broken to drive, but neither is broken to ride.  They will go Wednesday to King City, Missouri, with my good friend Joani and her Amish trainer, Chris, to be trained and to be trimmed, as their feet are not in good shape.  When Renee tried to trim them, they went ballistic.  Chris is very experienced, and a good farrier, and, as Joani said, she has never seen a horse or pony he couldn't handle.  Their feet are not horrible, but just need a good shaping and trimming.  They loaded and unloaded like troopers from the same trailer the llamas left in.

Rosie, up close and personal.  How good it is to see horses in our pasture again, even if just for a short time!

This morning, very early, I went to Price Chopper in Bonner Springs, because they have very good ham salad in their deli.  I wanted to get some to make sandwiches, because I figured Renee and Brian would be tired and hungry when they got here.  (They have to have gluten-free bread, so that didn't work out).  I digress.

When I walked in the door, I half-noticed a display for Father's Day... and it said something like "Win a Grill for Dad".  I went over to the display, wrote my name and phone number on one of the pieces of paper on the table, and then stuffed it in the box and did my shopping and left.  Imagine my surprise when I was called and told I had won

THE BIG CHAIR. 

I had no idea what it was.

So, without further ado... here is Keith in his Father's Day gift from me:

The young man who helped me to my car with the prize congratulated me and told me I had won the party chair.  There are SIX cupholders on the arms, three on each side. (It folds up into a carrying bag!)  

Here am I in it, we were laughing our heads off at this:

This truly shows how BIG it is!

I had to climb up in it!

I went to church at five (not in those clothes) and then ran down to WalMart to get some things, and ran to Price Chopper to get the CHAIR.  So guess what I found out when I got there?

I had won the Weber Grill too! 

So Keith got an extra-special Father's Day gift from me. 

What a day we've had!