Monday, December 21, 2015

Oh happy day, Ladde's better

Finally!  And in answer to my prayer, Ladde blew out a huge, (bloody) abscess in the front of his left front foot, just at the coronet band.  He still has the bruise on the tip of the sole in that same foot, but I'm hoping that's it.  We took an x-ray the other day and could see the line of infection travelling up the foot.  Why UP???  Talk about going against the grain?  Gravity?  I don't really care!  He's so much better and I'm so glad...him too! His whole facial expression is brighter, and he has lots more energy from being pent up.  That will have to remain for a while, I'm afraid.  At least until the hole heals up some.  And our weather changes for the better.

Good grief our weather!!  Rain levels continue at record-breaking amounts, and today we're getting strong wind gusts.  You know what happens in the land of the giant evergreens when the ground is supper sogged and the winds come up?  Well, it ain't pretty.  When a tree comes down on your house, you know it.  We're fortunate in that we don't have any very large trees right by our house, but the old walnut right by the barn worries me some.  It's a heavy, old tree.  If it did come down though, it wouldn't hit the horse barn, or at least not much, but it could wipe out our main hay barn.  Wouldn't want that!  No sense in worrying about it though, I can't stop a tree from falling.  Worse than that, are the landslides.  So many people being dislocated from their homes.  Sad, especially this time of the year.  The only good news about this is the quantity of snow falling in our mountains.  That hasn't been the case these past couple of winters, so we need it.

Finished up with Christmas shopping last night.  Hubby's shopping.  We went to Cabella's.  My first time there, and I have to admit that I wasn't impressed.  They have some cool camping stuff and they sell fudge, but it's a spendy store that was crammed with lots of people who seem dazed, like I was.  Stuff overload!  It's definitely a guy store.

My personal least favorite thing about Christmas is wrapping.  I really don't like it much.  I buy pretty bags and have fun making bows and such.  That's about as fancy as I get.  :)  I was actually quite surprised at how quickly my few purchases added up to.  I can't even imagine how expensive Christmas with little kids would get.  Fun, yes - exciting, yes...just wish goods weren't so much these days.  Maybe that 's what people through the ages have been saying.  Anyway, we're spending the afternoon and evening at my sister's.  Dinner, lively conversation, and our annual gift exchange game that's always nice.  Then if all goes as usual, we'll sit around the kitchen table, well fed, sleepy, relieved; and reminisce about Christmases past.  Of our dear, loved ones who are no longer with us.  And we'll smile with tears in our eyes at how much we miss them.  And we'll laugh at fond memories with them.

Then we'll one by one express our best wishes and our goodbyes, as we head to our own homes.  Amazed, once more at how quickly Christmas came.  And went.

How will you spend the holiday?  Whatever you do, I hope you laugh, make merry, eat and talk, surrounded by people you love and who love you just as much.  Even if just for the day.
Merry Christmas everyone!!

If you get snow, please share those beautiful pictures with us soggy, Pacific Northwesterners...kay?

p.s.  thanks so much for the goodies Claudia.  we love them!

from drier days

12 comments:

Linda said...

That is wonderful news about Ladde!! You're getting rain, we're getting snow--lots of snow! I have to keep Old Red and Beautiful in until the weather gets better,too. Can you come wrap my presents? I don't like to do that either.

Grey Horse Matters said...

So happy to hear the good news about Ladde! Can imagine how much better you both must feel about that.

So much rain. It must be depressing. We've been lucky so far and have no snow. And unheard of warm temps in the 50-60's range. It's starting to get colder though.

Christmas Eve is a family night with my three kids and four grandchildren over my eldest daughters house. It's so much fun to watch the kids they all still believe in Santa except for the ten year old. They're so excited they can't wait for Santa to come. There will be a few friends and relatives too so we all have fun and eat too much. I'm bringing the spinach dip, fondue and cheesecake. Then starting back on my diet the next day!

Merry Christmas to you and hubby and all the gang.

C-ingspots said...

Oh yes, thank you - we are sooooo relieved! Big guy had us worried for a while. Hoping his problems go away for a good, long while.

Gail said...

So glad the worst is behind you!

Denise at Autumn Sky said...

Good news about the hoof relief. Not good that he still has healing to do, but good that the nasty infection blew out of there. It's drizzling here again today with some rain due tomorrow, then again on Thursday. It's hardly coming down in buckets like you've had but at least it's something.

Merry Christmas to you!

T.L. Merrybard said...

Go Ladde go! Remembering just how much an infected splinter under your fingernail hurts, I can only imagine what it feels like to blow an abcess out from under a hoof!

It is the time of year for thinking of loved ones. I made a similar post on the very same day you did, and it wasn't the post I meant to do at all. :)

We are having Christmas Eve with family, then Christmas day will be spent quietly here, unless we get called out to a bushfire! :)

T.L. Merrybard said...

Ps. You're welcome to send some of that rain Downunder!

Anonymous said...

So glad Ladde's gotten some relief, and hope he continues to improve.

I've been watching the weather maps, and your rain sure is continuous. We've been much warmer than usual and have had a good deal of rain too, but nowhere near as much as you.

Hope your holiday is wonderful.

Lori Skoog said...

Good news about Ladde. I've had abscesses blow out at the top too, at least it provides relief.
We have rain here today, but no snow yet, giving us a very unusual winter. Thanks for checking in, nice to hear from you. Hope you and your family have a great holiday season. (I don't wrap presents anymore...prefer the nice bags).

Calm, Forward, Straight said...

Wrapping gifts is my favorite part. I like to watch A Christmas Carol while I do it, and then the pile of wrapped gifts becomes decoration until they're distributed.

It's always good when an abscess finally bursts. I've taken to painting Val's feet with Keratex when it looks like monsoon season is coming. So far so good.

Happy holidays!

baili said...

looks like you live in a really beautiful place ,seasons have their each color unique and enjoyable keep sharing lovely stuff from you lovely world god bless

aurora said...

So glad to hear sweet Laddie is feeling better & mending. I dislike wrapping presents, so much that I typically avoid it until the last possible minute and end up late Christmas Eve finishing...every year my hubby says all he wants for Christmas is to not do that (he ends up helping me)! This year he got his wish :) all wrapping was done early. It helps that we've stopped much of our exchange gifting, and focused on what really matters. Spending time together. It certainly has been an odd winter weather year, always makes me wonder what is/will be "off". Hope you had a wonderful Christmas Lorie, thanks so much for thinking of me & checking in!!