Clutzy me

Well, I missed the bottom step on our stairs (thinking it was the floor-it was dark and the new carpet color blends in...) Anyway, my ankle gave way and there was a popping sound (I thought I broke it). I screamed in pain- Tom came running- it hurt so much I got all tingly and naseaus. My luck, with summer around the corner and I'm now hobbling around. I haven't been to a doctor- if it's a sprain no real point- I'll give it a few more days and if there isn't more improvement I may go get an x-ray just to be sure- but Tom's fairly certain it's just a bad sprain. we got a brace for it and I used crutches for a couple of days until I got completely annoyed with them. None the less- yesterday was a great day for yard work, and we have a TON! Luckily I can hobble to the Tractor and then sit and let it do the work! So I was able to get corrals cleaned, arena leveled, and some rocks hauled out of the field! We turned out Kaydee and Gretchen across the road to the land- there isn't much grass yet, but for those two, enough. Shakira is bagging up and should foal on or before her due date! Sage is so smart- she learned to fetch a ball in about 5 minutes! Everytime I praised her for picking up the ball she would get so excited she would drop the ball- so I stopped praising her until she was all the way back to me with it. Now she's got it down what the job is I can throw the ball farther- well as far as my girl throw will let me... My Sis spent the night Friday while her daughter was at Snow college for an overnighter/intro thing. She is going there next fall- so we'll get to see her a lot! This week was busy as I also taught an afterschool acting class on Tues, Wed, Thurs- it was so fun! The kids we're a blast and really enjoyed the improv part! I think we'll have some great actors for the play coming up!

Visitors From Idaho

Just in time for some visitors our house was (mostly) finished! Good thing because we had one of those rare times when the Center was rented out for something other than a family reunion. Of course with the Center to get ready for renters, the house to clean (top to bottom dust!), I would come down with a cold! But we pretty much got it done- I noticed after Alex & Marie left that the fridge handle had gotten skipped- we had done the inside, but forgotten the outside! Yuk! It was thick with smeared dust. Anyway, we had a fun day with Alex and Marie and gang. Grandpa Tom enhancing the museum experience. Getting Muffin and her babies to come up closer- but they were too worried about Sage- the grain helped alot to overcome the fear of sage. "What is that?" Lincoln seems to be saying. He was so curious about everything and so dang cute! Kalia LOVED Sage our brand new Border Collie puppy. And Sage LOVED having so much attention! I gave Kalia a few instructions on making the puppy sit before petting and how to teach her walk quietly on the leash "heeling." Kalia was a natural dog trainer! Even Ethan liked Sage. We also ran up to North Salt Lake to have lunch with Aaron & Caroll and their gang. We FINALLY got to meet our newest granddaughter, Siena! I feel bad that we forgot the camera- she was a doll! The boys were all as cute as ever. We had Cari's three oldest with us as she was very sick from a horrible tooth infection- her face was swollen up something awful. Luckily it was one of the few sunny days we had that week and the kids all had fun playing together at the park!

Going, going, gone...

I was driving to Provo on Monday when the Hyundai started struggling up the hills. But we made it to Hwy 6 and cruised down the mountain into Spanish fork with no problems. I stopped at Sams Culb to do some shopping, got back in the car and on the freeway. I started to accelerate and... and...nothing there. No zip, no guts, nothing. With my foot to the floor I was topping out at 25 mph. Hmmm...put on flashers and poke along until the next exit- just 2 miles that seemed like an eternity.

I called Randy and he came and looked at it and suggested we take it to his mechanic. We took all the back roads to it and the mechanic took it for a test drive and said he'd give me the (bad) news tomorrow. Well- we got the news today...$3500. to fix it up. There's just not one thing wrong (which we had guessed) but a plethora of things. It's a miracle it's kept running at all. between clogged carburetors, linking oil coils, gaskets, oh and a timing belt- all of which you have to basically dismantle the car to get to.

So tomorrow we're going to go get it and bring it home and park it, and decide what to do with it. We'll haul it on a trailer back-easier than towing- I've had my share of those adventures. So we're down to the gas hog truck- Tom wants to look for a motorcycle to just run back and forth on during the summer. I'm not overly fond of driving on the freeway and highway on one, but Milburn road or state street here locally I'm okay with.

On a happier note, Hank is doing much better- he's actually walking around and somewhat back to his ole self. But he goes around quietly bah-ing for Patches & Bitsy- wondering where they've gone.

We've been clean, clean, cleaning at the house trying to get ready to move back in there this weekend-Slowly the snow line is receding back- yah! I can see grass!

TRADEGY STRIKES

IN MEMORY...

Very sad post today. Yesterday I was driving to Provo when I got a call from Tom. He had just been contacted by the Sheriff- 2 large black labs (from over 10 miles away no less) went on a killing spree and ravaged some of our neighbor's goats and then came and got ours. Apparently the Sheriff was contacted after the first incident and was looking for the dogs when he found them at our house- but it was too late. They had already killed sweet little Patches and Bitsy! The dogs turned on the Sheriff and he shot them both. They had also gone after Hank- but he wasn't dead. Tom checked him over and thinks he'll make it if the shock of it all doesn't kill him.

We will really miss sweet Patches- the Grandkid's favorite- she was so gentle and friendly. Both does were pregnant and due to deliver next month. I'm just grateful Muffin and her babies were still at the Center.

Our house is finally finished so we will be moving in this Friday and Saturday- it will be sad to look out the kitchen window and not see Patches frolicking with her babies in the Spring :-(

I also feel bad for the dog owners. They had to come get their dogs (2 large black labs). They moved to the area last year- I don't know if they realized how important it is to acclimate city animals to livestock.

This, (along with the skunk problem) has convinced us to invest in another good dog. I have missed not having one. I wish we still had Jack- he was the best, but I'm going to start looking for another really good Border Collie. They are so smart, loyal, and yet gentle for the kids.

Muffin and Hank make "little cookies"

About a month ago, I noticed Muffin "bagging up" and pulled her out of the pasture and set up the "birthing room" (the horse trailer) for her, complete with heat lamp and pine shavings. It was still very cold here at the time and I did not want to do a birth watch in 2 feet of snow and 10 degree weather. Hank was sneaky and must have jumped the fence- because I wasn't expecting babies until April....

Anyway- because this was here first time, I wanted to be sure and catch the delivery in case there were any problems. So 2 weeks ago we had Stake conference and Muffin was kind enough to wait until that afternoon and I was there to help. Good thing because the first one had a shoulder hung up on her way out and I had to bring it forward so she could get born.

Muffin did a really good job from there on out. We ended up with 2 does (worth a lot more than bucks) so I was happy- and they are adorable. One is Oreo and the other Chocolate Chip.

They are really friendly (even after disbudding) I think because Muffin is such a sweetie. She thinks she's a dog and even comes when you call her!

Opening Night...

Well... we had opening night for "Blythe Spirit. " All in all it went well. The local Community theater group does a dinner theater once a year every spring and they usually do some kind of murder mystery/comedy theme.

This year they did Blythe Spirit- and I was cast in the role of Madame Arcati- the psychic who brings back a man's first dead wife. (Angela Landsbury played the part on Broadway.) It's pretty funny because the man is now remarried. There was a full house and although the play is a bit wordy (it's British) and long (2 1/2 hours), we had rave reviews from the audience. I get to do all kinds of fun stunts and some pretty funny bits on stage.

We had a full house Friday and last night night. Tomorrow (Monday) is our final performance. Cari & Bill came out last night with their kids. We got them a sitter for the kids and they all stayed the night and went home this morning after I made breakfast and we got to visit. Tyler and his friend, Katherine also came (and brought flowers!) but drove back home last night. Of course the night they came was when one of my bigger scenes got messed up- but if you didn't know the play you wouldn't have known it. Oh well- that's live theater for you!

This is a picture after opening night taken with my friend Jill and her daughter, Annika. This youngster has seen something like 35 plays already and most of them on Broadway or in Salt Lake watching the touring Broadway company! I'm Jealous! She told her Mom that she is now going to call me Madame Arcati instead of Sister Fuhriman when she comes to Activity Days. Her Mom said she was totally into the show- and they loved it! You can see our cool set in the background- notice the pictures on the wall- this was just part of what the "ghosts" did to the set at the end of the play- the stage builders really put in some fun special effects.

Tom was asked to be the host and help serve-so he got a free dinner and saw it both nights. He sneeked back stage and took this picture of us getting ready opening night. This new theater is really awesome! There are 2 dressing rooms, a green room, (both with piped in sound and video from stage), and all top of the line sound and light equipment.

Found the Battery charger...

So here are the pics I couldn't share before. Bunny tracks and one of our resident bunnies...

"Our herd" of deer at the Center- they are there every day hanging out- sleeping on the patches of grass under the pine trees.

Update on house: flooring, tile , and paint are done. Waiting for a cabinet to get built, then the plumbing reattached. Started cleaning- what a dusty mess. We probably won't get it all done and moved back in for at least 2 weeks- but it's getting closer...pictures when it's ALL done.

Play rehersal is getting SERIOUS- we have 2 weeks till opening night-ACKKK- I always hate this time in a production when you knows your lines, but not solid and you have to perfect your role- but we'll be ready!