This past Saturday Mike and I headed to the Greek Theater at UC Berkeley to see Willie Nelson. I was really excited about this show because I’ve always loved Willie’s voice. I grew up hearing my dad and his band play Willie’s songs. As it turns out, it was a pretty disappointing show. We got there a little late, but the first band (Shovels & Rope) was actually pretty good. The second band (Drive-By Truckers) was terrible. Like singing off key and instruments out of tune terrible.
When Willie came out, he kicked off his set with “Whiskey River”. From the very first note it was clear that his voice is definitely not what it used to be. He was never really a strong singer, but he definitely could carry a tune… basically every song he did the “sing-talk” thing. It was kinda sad and disappointing, but then again he’s 81 years old.
The Greek, on the other hand, was a pretty cool venue. It’s an 8,500 person outdoor amphitheater with a very cool vibe. The weather was beautiful (although it got a little windy) and the sound was pretty good!
The Greek Theater
All in all, the night was a bit of a bust. We left early because we had stuff to do the next day. Like 5 songs into Willie’s set early. Boo.
Yesterday my mom came up to help me get Shadow to the vet (Mike was at work). I was hoping that he would get his cone taken off… to be really honest, it’s driving just about everyone in the house crazy! Poor dog hasn’t figured out yet that his head is bigger, so in addition to be drugged out of his mind, he is running into just about everything.
The good news is that they took the drain out and it looks like it’s starting to heal up. The bad news is that he has a bunch of stitches and until those can come out, he has to be supervised and wear the cone of shame. Sooo… we have 6 more days. Thankfully, my parents are coming to help this weekend (we have the Willie Nelson concert) and next Monday – Wednesday. Then, Mike and I will take his stitches out… that should be fun.
Life in the Blankenheim household sure has been… well, eventful, in the last 24 hours. Yesterday Shadow jumped while Mike was opening the gate to his pen and got his paw stuck. That caused him to land funny, and he came down right on top of the latch. He limped away from it and I checked his paws. He seemed like he walked it off, so we headed out for a few hours for lunch with some friends. When we got back, he was limping even more. He let out these squeaks of pain on the stairs and I knew something was wrong. I had him lay down, and that’s when I noticed the almost 2 inch gash under his arm.
We immediately tossed him in the car and headed down to the emergency vet in Sacramento. The poor little guy was very clearly in pain… he just sat there (not even wagging his tail) when the vet came in and checked him out. He very clearly had a puncture wound. They did a chest x-ray to make sure that he hadn’t penetrated his chest cavity (he didn’t, thank goodness), then sedated him and put in a drain since it was so big – the vet said it was about 2.5 inches deep! They stitched some of the muscle together (think of getting stabbed between your armpit and chest muscles) and sent us home with a sleepy dog, antibiotics, pain pills, and a hefty bill. The rest of the night was awful – I slept downstairs with him and he was completely in pain and out of it. I think I finally fell asleep around 4am with the lights on because something about the dark freaked him out.
He has to wear the cone of shame so that he doesn’t rip the drain out… and is completely doped up. It is so hard to see him hurting (you can definitely tell when the pain meds wear off) and he hates the cone (although he’s tolerant of it). We go back in on Wednesday to have the drain evaluated and hopefully removed.
I know, I’ve sucked at posting since I told you all I finally bought a horse. Life’s been busy and I’ve been spending as much time with him as I can!
The other day I headed over to the barn after work… it was really nice because no one was there and I got to spend some quality one on one time with Sue. I pulled him out of his stall and did some lunging. I’m still learning the techniques of this, but the basic premise is that I stand in the middle and Sue runs in circles around me. Using the lead line and my voice I can work on getting him to go slower or faster, closer or farther, and different directions. It’s great for exercising him when I can’t ride (as was the case this day because the arena was too wet), for getting some energy out and focus him before we ride, or to use as a training tool. It’s definitely not as easy as it sounds… first of all, it’s very easy to get dizzy! I also have to practice my footwork and handling – I’m moving in a smaller circle as he goes around me and I’m still getting used to my spurs. That’s right, I’m that girl who trips over her own spurs!
After that, I gave him a good grooming. He had been turned out during the day and one whole side was caked with mud, so he definitely needed it! No one else was there, the other horses were whinnying, and the country music was playing (a staple at any good barn). It was awesome to just spend time with him. I bought him a new halter and lead rope – we’re going with a hunter green theme, which I think looks good with his reddish brown hair!
Sue & I
In the midst of my selfie-taking, I discovered that horses are a lot like dogs… they are very inquisitive and want to sniff everything.
Selfie Gone Wrong
I seriously love this horse. He has such a fun, young personality!
There are really not words for how I’m feeling right now… those of you who know me know that I’ve loved horses my entire life and have always wanted one. Finally, after thirty-three years my dream has come true.
Everyone, meet Sue. Sue is a four-year-old gelding (that’s a castrated male). Yup, I have “A Boy Named Sue” (for those of you young whippersnappers out there, that’s a reference to a Johnny Cash song). He is such a sweetheart and I’ve fallen completely in love with him. He’s a sorrel (that means a reddish brown) American Quarter Horse and he even has freckles like me!
Me & My Horse!
I’ve known for the past few weeks that I wanted to buy him (I’ve been riding him in my lessons since then) and today we went to his pre-purchase exam. Since horses are not cheap endeavors, you take them to the vet before you buy them to make sure that they’re sound. It was a little nerve-wracking because I already love him, but thankfully he’s healthy as a horse!
SueSue Grazing
Now I need to go take a nap… I’m exhausted from all the excitement of the day! More pictures to come on Facebook!
A couple nights ago Mike and I rented Out of the Furnace. I vaguely remember hearing about it, but didn’t remember the story line. It was actually really good!
Plot Summary: (from IMDb) Russell and his younger brother Rodney live in the economically-depressed Rust Belt, and have always dreamed of escaping and finding better lives. But when a cruel twist of fate lands Russell in prison, his brother becomes involved with one of the most violent and ruthless crime rings in the Northeast – a mistake that will cost him everything. Once released, Russell must choose between his own freedom, or risk it all to seek justice for his brother.
Rating: On Demand
This movie was really good… until the ending. I think they ruined the story with the end, but that’s just my humble opinion. I’m curious if anyone else felt that way. I think that Christian Bale is a really great actor – he was awesome in this role. Woody Harrelson was really good as well… I don’t normally see him as a bad guy, but he did well!
Ratings Explanation:
Theater: This means the movie is awesome. Go see this movie in the theater – well worth the $100 you’ll spend for a night out to see it on the big screen!
On Demand: Since no one actually rents movies anymore, this category has changed to On Demand. This means it’s a great movie, but it is as good at home as it is in the theater and worth seeing a little sooner.
TV: This means the movie is ok. Wait for it to show up on HBO and see it for free.
I can’t believe it, but it’s finally happening. Everything is in motion for me to check off “buy a horse” from my bucket list. This has literally been a lifelong dream of mine, at the top of every Christmas and birthday list. Our pre-purchase exam is Thursday afternoon… I can hardly wait!
This weekend I got my spurs. I had been joking that I felt like the baby at the barn – I was the only one without spurs. My trainer had been out at Ricotti Saddle Company, saw them, and thought of me. They’re absolutely beautiful! She picked up the dark leather spur straps, which I absolutely love… I think I may aim for all of my tack to be that same (or close) color – it will look beautiful on him! I haven’t revealed the horse or his name yet because I don’t want to jinx it… the minute he’s mine I’ll share with everyone!
I took Mom, Dad, Kati, and Chloe out today to meet him… as always, he was a gentleman and loved getting carrots from everyone. He’s got the greatest little personality and I can’t wait to continue to bond with him!
My New Spurs
Hope you’re all have as wonderful a weekend as I am!
Hi everyone! Meet Charlie and Kenzie, our new cats! They’re barn cats, meaning they live outdoors and will hopefully help us with varmint problem! Charlie is the tabby on the top of the picture (he’s 8), and Kenzie is the little black one trying to hide at the bottom (she’s 5). They were surrendered to the animal shelter together, so I thought I’d keep them together. They were both outdoor cats before, so perhaps they’ll keep each other company!
Charlie & Kenzie
We’ve tried a lot of different things to rid ourselves of the moles, gophers, and mice, but now we’re trying the truly natural method! They’re getting settled into their new home down in the pump shed where they’ll stay for about a week before we let them out to explore our property. Hooray for new pets!
This is a very special post because it’s both a book review and a movie review of 12 Years A Slave. I read the book by Solomon Northup first (as you always should, in my opinion) and absolutely loved it. Mike and I rented the movie the other night (all of the Oscar movies are now on pay-per-view), and it was good, but as I often find, not as good as the book.
Plot Summary: (from IMDb) Based on an incredible true story of one man’s fight for survival and freedom. In the pre-Civil War United States, Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a free black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery. Facing cruelty (personified by a malevolent slave owner, portrayed by Michael Fassbender), as well as unexpected kindnesses, Solomon struggles not only to stay alive, but to retain his dignity. In the twelfth year of his unforgettable odyssey, Solomon’s chance meeting with a Canadian abolitionist (Brad Pitt) will forever alter his life.
Rating: Theater
Let me start with the story line. People suck. Like a lot. It’s amazing to me how awful we can be to each other, because of the color of our skin, our beliefs, or what God we worship. This is actually based on the true story of Solomon Northup, and what an amazing story it is. Lupita Nyong’o deserved every ounce of praise she got for this role – it was raw, heart-breaking, uncomfortable, and hard to watch. Chiwetel Ejiofor is an amazing actor as well… he was believable in how stunned he was not only by his captivity, but the unspeakable cruelty that was done to him and to those around him.
Here’s why I liked the book so much better – it went into a lot more detail, as books tend to do. I think some of the things in the movie almost didn’t make sense without some of the back story, or at least were made more clear in the book because of it.
This is both a must-read and a must-see!
Ratings Explanation:
Theater: This means the movie is awesome. Go see this movie in the theater – well worth the $100 you’ll spend for a night out to see it on the big screen!
On Demand: Since no one actually rents movies anymore, this category has changed to On Demand. This means it’s a great movie, but it is as good at home as it is in the theater and worth seeing a little sooner.
TV: This means the movie is ok. Wait for it to show up on HBO and see it for free.
Down The Road I Go 