Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Sleeping Through the Rodeo


My husband woke up early this morning and rounded up the pony in the dark on his way to a VIP (Very Important Proposal). He lost the dog in the meantime. But don't worry, both the dog and pony shows are back to their regularly scheduled programming around here.
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Also, because I am practicing looking at the bright side, I'll have you know my husband made it to the office with his khakis unblemished by mud or pony poop. I think. It was dark, and I was sleeping. I only became aware of the breakout upon his wake-up call to me. That wake-up call being literal, not figurative. You know, the call where your honey gets to work and you're still snor--I mean, snoozing?
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It's been awhile since Little Houdini (otherwise known as Sarah's beloved pony Dolly) staged a midnight raid on the neighbors' lawns. In fact, it hasn't happened since I was so pregnant as to add an element of clown to the rodeo as I galumphed around after the stinker.
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Ponies, Shetlands in particular, are notorious for their -- a-hem -- independent spirits. Dolly is of the age when a lady no longer wants to advertise her age, but she's not retiring gracefully into a peaceful pasture ornament. Oh, no. She's of the feisty retiree variety, jumping fences or commando-crawling under them, as the case requires.
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We were JUST DISCUSSING new-and-improved fences, thank you very much, upon the occasion of our Saturday drive. I took so many fence and gate and falling-down-barn photos that I flat wore out the Nikon's batteries. Both of them.
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The fence pictures were research. Split rail, woven wire, corner bracing research. The barn pictures are just an obsession. I have my own little barn, thanks, and it's not of the falling down variety nor am I about to aspire to owning one.
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Also I am declaring a moratorium on hyphens in this here post. Just in case you hit your limit.
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So our place needs some new fencing. There's an old farm and ranch (crikey, but the hyphen urge was strong with that one) adage that says you build your fences before you get your livestock. Also, good fences in any neighborhood, as anyone knows, make "good neighbors." Maybe because that way the pony can't eat the B&B's flowers and I won't have to delete the snippy post I put up just the other day. (Yes, I did delete it. I never should have posted it. It doesn't reflect well on me to snipe at the greenhorns.)
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I hate when I get snarky and no one smacks me around about it.
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But I sure love it when I don't have to chase the pony through flowerbeds in the wee hours of the morning.

6 comments:

QuiltedSimple said...

Fencing is an ongoing subject at our house too - especially when the fall down:)
Kris

Vickie said...

First of all.... love the picture of the barn! I'm weird like that I love the beauty in odd places.

Second of all... love the pony story and had a couple of chuckles while reading. And I know all to well about fencing problems. Our backyard is fenced. Okay let me put it a little differently it has a fence around it. But with that said I can't let my dogs out to roam they have to be put on a leash because the gates are gone. A tree has fallen and landed and smashed part of the fence. The fencing is so old that you could push it over with your pinky. I've wanted a new fence since we have moved in here and as all I can tell you it's on the long to do list.

Third of all... Thank You for stopping by and reading my long ramble. This has had me so upset over the past few weeks that I haven't been able to think of much of anything else. Thank You for your kind words it means a lot.

Take Care :)

Heather said...

love the barn. is it vacant? P.J.

Barb Matijevich said...

I didn't even think it was all that snarky. But... I know, I know. We are women of honor, snark does not become us.

Glad the dog and pony show is back on the schedule.

Misty said...

Dear God in heaven, if they don't like your chicken chilling under their porch, what must they truly feel about your pony? It'd be delightfully fun to sneak the wee little horse into their parlor one day- just for giggles.

ehem...

apparently one of us doesn't mind being a bit snarky. :) I admire your reserved tongue much more!

Katie said...

Miri, I am so sad, I liked the snarkity-snark post! Ah, well...I guess I don't live next door to the crumb feeders so I shouldn't judge. :)

Does the dog and pony show ever stop?