sometimes all you can do is laugh....

I have a leak. No, it's not a personal problem...I mean there is a leak in my kitchen. The drip is over a cupboard, so I've been keeping one of those aluminum broiling pans on top to catch the drip.

So last Saturday it had been raining cats, dogs and gerbils so the pan had been serving its' purpose. That evening, I needed a plate from the cupboard and as I opened the door.....

... said door caught on the pan, turning the pan completely upside down and dumping the water on the top of my head, all down the front of my shirt, and to my feet. It was like something you would have seen on "I Love Lucy." What did I do? I stood there laughing, regretting the fact that there was no one else there to share in the viewing pleasure.

Horses....Kids...are they really so different?

My landlord has two horses...Handy and Slingshot. During the past year I have watched them and spoiled them and can't imagine a day without seeing them.

A few weeks ago, Slingshot foundered. Because of his condition, he's been kept up in a stall and given medicine and closely watched during recovery. He is now given a little hay and some grain with his medicine mixed in. Well, he's not too keen on the med mix. It's like he's thinking "why would someone ruin some perfectly fine grain with that nasty conconction! I'm not eating it!!"

In my observations, I've come to the conclusion that horses are a lot like children. When I went out to the barn to check on him the other day, I found Slingshot stretching his neck over the stall trying to get at some hay he knew he wasn't supposed to have. It was well out of reach, but he was trying anyway. I checked his feed bucket and there was his grain. I shook the bucket to let him know there was something in there. Oh, he was already aware and he was not having any part of it.

However....

When I put the grain in my hand, he ate it willingly, just as he does when I bring him apples or carrots. He ate every bit of it. It was all in the approach.

Yesterday while at the barn, Handy wandered into the stall next to Slingshot. He'd pulled up a long stalk of straw or weed or some such when he was in the pasture and brought it, you guessed it, to Slingshot. Handy can roam the pasture freely and since his buddy couldn't, he brought him something. Like kids do, after the nicety was offered, he reached over and nipped at his buddy. Slingshot then shot me the look "MAKE HIM STOP TOUCHING ME!" I couldn't keep from giggling. During my childhood, my sister shot that same look to my mother on many occasions as I picked at her. My kids have shot me the same look...usually Kylie picking at Jes. I guess it doesn't matter whether you have 4 legs or two, it's how we all roll :)