Lost

I am looking for my camera which has pictures of Hannah and Joshua for their updates. Until I find it, watch this video of Days End's 2008 review. (You might want to grab a tissue, ladies!)

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7s0w6_bourse-encore-des-contrles-bidons_news

DeEtte's Update

The GOOD

It has been a month filled with good-times. Three friends from New York came for a weekend of fun. Our time together included a night of dancing at Union Jacks, a sleep-over, early morning gab sessions over coffee, a play performance, lunch out, manicures & pedicures and late nights playing Wii while eating our favorite junk food.

Last weekend was Days End's holiday party where over 300 people came to celebrate a big year of volunteering and changes for the farm. It's a fun night of "whose who?" as it's pretty much the only time we get to see each other out of barn clothes and without mud all over our faces. Everyone cleans up really nice!

These are my co-workers, Erin (left), Brooke (right) and my boss, Kathy (far right).

The BAD

My health issues continue and are stumping my Doctors. I had a HIDA Scan three weeks ago which showed that my gallbladder was functioning normally. A good thing, I guess? I am continuing to take Prilosec for the next 30 days to rule out a gastric ulcer but in the meantime I am having a CT Scan of my abdomen done tomorrow (Tues.) at 10 am. My symptoms remain pain in my right back, right front (below the rib cage), nausea and stomach upset. It is typically a problem 3 - 4 days a week with no consistent triggers (food). I will keep you posted!

The UGLY

Well....I guess related news here is that I recently had my hair done. It was long overdue considering it was JULY when I had it done last. It's much better now but it was getting pretty unsightly. *sigh*

Back on-line

I have been out of touch due to the hard drive on our computer crashing. We lost some important information but I'm not going to dwell on that.

There is a bunch to fill you in on but for now I'm going to send you to youtube to watch Josh in his first-ever movie. He spent Thanksgiving at his friend, Luke Rockswold's house in Southern Virginia. Luke's dream is to become a director and he spends a good deal of time making movies. You will see that he has a lot of talent!

Josh loved being a part of Luke's video and he even got to play two roles. Watch and you'll see Josh shooting at himself! For those of you who wouldn't recognize him, Josh is the one on the left in the bar scene and is the driver, "leader" of the swat team (where he's wearing a black hoodie).

Enjoy and I'll be back later with more updates.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zK5do-zh9EE

Crash

Our hard drive crashed last week and it will be another week or two before it's fixed.
Everyone have a happy Thanksgiving and we'll see you in Dec.!

Cork, Carma and Comeda

Steve and I are blessed to belong to a wine club that was started and organized by our good friend, Austin (he's on the far left of the photo). We meet once-a-month, on a Friday night, at rotating homes where the host couple prepares a 3 to 4 course dinner. Another couple provides the wine and the evening is spent sampling (ha! "sampling") a variety of wines that have been paired with the evening's food theme.

We have had a variety of cuisines including Asian, Italian, Sea Food, Sushi, American Grill, and Argentinian. Each course is served with a different wine and I don't have to tell you that we hardly make it through the appetizer before everyone starts feeling the effects of the great food, wine and fun of being with our friends.

There is an understanding that "What happens at Cork, Carma and Comeda, STAYS at Cork, Carma and Comeda" so everyone feels comfortable letting their hair down. We've talked about politics, religion, child rearing, sex (we have several newly-weds in the group), marriage, travel/vacations. Most embarassing moments have been revealed, we've swam in our clothes, hung out in hot-tubs and sat around a 7-foot high fire (compliments of Steve!). It's a great way to stay connected to friends and make new ones as the group consists of 12 couples.

It's a highlight of Steve and I's month. In Oct. we hosted at our house and had our first-ever fondue party. It was a big success and we enjoyed sharing our newly painted kitchen and new dining set with our friends. This month we are providing the wine which will be from Steve's and I's favorite winery: Chateau St. Michelle; the one we visited in Washington State several years back.

Good times!

Toots

That's my pet name for Hannah. Don't ask me how it came about. The natural nic-name is Hannah-Banana and we've definately worn that one out. Banana, Hannah Montana (she'll give you the evil look of death if you ever use that one!), Toots. I don't know, one day it came out and stuck. She's only Toots to me, though. Steve uses babe sometimes. He calls Joshua, buddy, as do I, but Toots it is for my Hannah.

Here she is on homecoming night with one of her best friends, Priya.

I Love My Job

Everyone knows I'm horse crazy and have been since childhood. The need to be with a horse: to feel them, smell them and touch them has never lessened or waned.

Six years ago I found an organization that rehabilitates horses who have been seized by Animal Control due to cruelty or neglect. They are volunteer based and passionate about education and rescue. I started volunteering my time in the barn and quickly moved on to training the horses to better prepare them for an adoptive home. Soon I was leading a group of other volunteers in a team effort to help the horses through their behavioral or emotional issues, which was very rewarding and fun. I also was a volunteer member of the farm's Emergency Rescue Team and received training and certification in Large Animal Rescue. When the farm was called out on impoundments or rescues, I was called to assist.

Nearly two years ago a position was created to help the organization manage its 1200 annual volunteers. It came about at the time that Steve and I determined I needed to return to part-time work. On many levels this job was a perfect fit and I started in Feb. '07.

I LOVE MY JOB! It is such a rewarding position: to work with people and educate them about horses and then to assist in the rescue and rehab of these incredible animals.

How many jobs do you know of that pay you to lasso, sedate and vet a feral horse like the one below? This is me with my co-worker and the farm's Barn Manager, Erin Ochoa.

There were 75 feral horses impounded in late '06, many of which were stallions. This guy was one of the last to be caught and castrated this summer. Days End was called in to assist. Erin and I are holding the horse's head down to prevent him from getting up too soon. He may look harmless but horses under sedation can do some pretty crazy things!

Here was our next victim, ummm...patient! This guy had been castrated but was still too wild to have his feet trimmed, to be vetted or groomed. These these two horses and 5 others were being prepared for a trip to Texas where a rescue had agreed to put the time and resources into training them and finding an adopter.

Here we are tending to his cuts/bites, combing the knots out of his mane and tail and giving his shots. He's also having his feet trimmed by our farrier, Josh.

This is one of the most rewarding parts of my job: assisting the vet. Dr. Javier Donatelli is an incredible horseman (he grew up in Argentina where horsemanship was a way of life) and a great teacher. He has been our vet for over 15 years but sadly left the practice to go into private practice. We miss him terribly.

However, all of our vets are committed to education and the care of our horses. They serve as expert witnesses in court for the prosecution of the owners and they welcome volunteers, staff or interns to aid and ask questions.

I can't wait to go to work tomorrow. I never know what is going to happen: who I get to meet and what new experience I'll have.

I love my job!

Updates

Joshua

He saw the orthopedic today and, thank the Lord, he's okay! He has a tendon injury and is ordered to do daily physical therapy for the next 3-4 weeks. The brace and crutches are gone (much to his delight) but, unfortunately, he is done playing football for the rest of the seaon. He's mobile and much happier and we thank everyone for your thoughts and prayers!

Hannah

Is up to her eyeballs in AP studies and play practices. The name of this year's play is, "New Beginnings" and it has three fazes of which Hannah has a part in each. Her lead role will be performed on Sat., Nov. 22nd at 2:00 and the smaller roles on Nov. 21 and 22nd at 7pm.

She is ticking off her driving requirements and is determined to have her license by Thanksgiving. Two things are motivating her to accomplish this tool of independence: River and a job.

DeEtte

The sonogram came back fine so I'll be seeing a Gastro-Intestinal specialist on Mon.

Steve

Hmmm....there's not much to report, other than Joshua is beating Steve in Maryland's Fantacy Football League.

Figuring it all out

For over a month now I have been suffering from flu-like symptoms: stomach pain, nausea, etc. and pain in my right side and back. I finally reached my limit late last week and made a doctor's appointment. I went yesterday and he feels it may be my gallbladder. Apparently I have three of the four criteria: 40, woman, and family history. (My younger sister had her gallbladder removed about 3 years ago.)

So, I had an ultrasound of my abdomen yesterday afternoon. The technician said that she did not see any gallstones but I won't find out until today or tomorrow what my doctor says.

In the meantime, I continue to feel yucky but I can function.


To update on Joshua, he has an appointment with the Othropedic tomorrow morning at 9:00. His pain meds are keeping him comfortable and he's getting around better with the crutches, though all of the effort in moving really wears him out. We're hoping for good news from the doc. Something like a sprain or strain would be nice. I'll post as soon as I have word.

Joshua's injury

Joshua was injured during his game on Sat. morning. It was the second play of the game at scrimmage. Watkins Mill turned the ball over and the player blew through two tackle attempts before he came up against Josh. Joshua says that as they hit, he tried to right his balance when his leg buckled and he fell. He heard a pop and felt a bolt of pain.

The medics carried him to the bench, iced his knee and recommended to the coaches that an abulance be called. They wanted to make sure that Josh's leg was kept completely straight and felt that transporting by car was not a good option.

Within about 15 minutes the ambulance arrived. Josh was still in quite a bit of pain and was upset about missing the game. At one point he mentioned that he wished it was the 3rd or 4th quarter so he didn't have to miss playing.

I rode in the ambulance with Josh and Steve met us at the hospital. While there, the doctor examined him and took x rays which showed no damage to Josh's knee. Thank God! However, where his pain is located suggests trauma to his tendons or ligaments. We have been referred to an orthopedic and I will be making an appointment tomorrow.

In the meantime, Joshua's leg is in a brace and he is on crutches. Pain meds keep him comfortable and his spirits are good. He is hoping to be able to play in Thurs. game...never one to admit defeat, but we've all agreed to wait and see what the Doctor decides.

The coaches, both JV and Varsity have been extremely supportive and helpful. Joshua's attitude is good (did we ever doubt?) and he can't wait to get out and play again. School should prove interesting for him as the crutches slow him down considerably, but Hannah has assured me that he has plenty of girl-friends who will be happy to help him out.

I'll post updates as I get them.

Living and loving life.

River is settling into his new home beautifully. A friend and co-worker, Brittney, encouraged me to consider boarding River at her barn. She has two horses, Jack and Toby, who both enjoy trails. The moment River entered his new pasture he and Jack (Brittney's older Quarter horse) became instant buddies. It warmed both of our hearts as Jack has always been a bit of a loaner and River is low-man in the pecking order of the herd.

Another blessing of boarding with Brittney is that Hannah has the opportunity to ride Jack which allows the three of us to ride the trails together. Our first time out was last Sunday afternoon and it was also the first ride I'd had on River on actual trails. Everyone had a blast, horses and humans! It was a "pinch me" afternoon as I had a hard time believing that my dream of having my own horse...of riding with Hannah...and friends...has finally come true.

River is a super-star on the trails. He has a lot of energy but is controllable and he is very "looky" without being a spook. He genuinely enjoys going out and discovering new things, which is exactly what I want in a horse.

That first ride was followed up two days later with another ride out with Brittney and Toby. The horses get along great and we enjoyed trotting out side-by-side for an extended distance and then we gave the boys a good workout by trotting up a long, steep hill. Poor River was quick tuckered out after our ride.

I have started sacking River out to all kinds of objects and sounds. He is cautious without being a loon and very curious and quick to accept new things. It is alot of fun working with him and I will attempt to take him out on the trail solo this coming week.

That's MY Boy!!

WARNING! PROUD-MAMA ALERT!

I could just eat this kid up! He is taking his first year of High School like he does all of life: in stride. (But his "stride" is changing and he's trying out a strut. It's the cutest thing!)

His accomplisments to date are:

*Honor Roll

(maintaining 2 hrs of homework nightly)

*Captain of his JV Football Team

(practicing until 6 pm every night)

*Leading his team in QB Sacs

(we heard is name mentioned six times during his homecoming, winning game)

*Works every week to complete his requirements for Eagle Scout

(we can't wait for this to be DONE)

And his best? His SMILE!

But don't let that grin fool you....he's really a BAD boy at heart.

Everything went very smooth for River's homecoming. He walked onto the trailer without hesitation and came off just as nice.

His new field is 30 acres large and he will share it with up to 8 other geldings. The farm has an indoor and outdoor arena, a heated wash stall and miles of trails. The best part for me is sharing the barn with my good friend, Brittney and her two horses. We are going to be riding buddies and there will be opportunities for Hannah to ride one of Brittney's horses so we can all go out together. We plan on checking out the pond soon to see if River likes to swim!

Home coming

Today is River's home coming. I leave shortly to pick Hannah up from school: I could possibly go through this day without her (and she'd never forgive me if I didn't include her).

My wait is finally over and I'm excited to see what the future holds for this new relationship. Now all I need is for my friends and family to meet him, so, WHEN ARE YOU COMING??

Meet River, Part 2

Here's River today!! Isn't it amazing what food, a vet, farrier and lots of TLC will do?

River is a barn favorite. He's always happy to meet new people and is a cheerful, cheeky guy.

He is curious and playful. When he's done eating he will chew on his tie rope or a forgotten lead rope left draped on fence. He thinks it's especially cool to pull the whole rope into his mouth and bite on the metal clasp.

He LOVES his food and is motivated by his stomach. Grass, grain, hay, it doesn't matter. If it tastes good, he's all for it!

This is our staff trainer, Sara. She was the first to ride River after his rehabilitation was complete.

This guy is unflappable! Children 3-feet tall can lead and groom him. Any level of rider can ride him, although he is on the lazy side and is a bit of a "noodle" (his body wiggles around and is not always straight). Hannah rode him bareback last week and tried a trot. Due to him becoming a noodle and the fact that it's been 6 years since Hannah has ridden bareback, she fell off. River stopped dead and stayed with Hannah while she dusted herself off, gave him a kiss and remounted. This boy won't leave you in a heap to return to the gate or barn!

River has 20 years of riding ahead of him. I think I can go in any direction I want with him: Trails, Dressage, some jumping. I'll stick with trails for the present. My dream is to do competitive trail which consists of 10 - 20 miles of riding with judged obstacles along the way. River is very curious and trusting and I think we'd do well after some work at exposing him to a variety of objects, sounds and challenges.

I have met with the barn owner of a boarding facility just minutes from work. One of our staff members has her two horses there which provides a riding buddy for Hannah and I. The cost is affordable and the ammenities are great: an indoor and outdoor riding ring, full turnout (River lives outside 24/7) and MILES of trails. Heated wash stall, once-a-day feeding, hay in the winter and the opportunity to see River every day are all in the offer.

I am filling out the adoption application today and will be working out the details of bringing River to his new home within the next couple of weeks.

Have a mentioned how excited I am? My dream of having a horse is finally coming true and River was well worth the wait!

Meet River, Part 1

In Dec. '07, Days End received an impoundment of four horses suffering from neglect. One of them was a six year old Appolossa gelding whom we named River.

Because we only take horses who have been siezed by Animal Control over 90% of them are arrive starved and emaciated. Authorities use the Henneke body condition chart to score the severity of the starvation with a "1" being described as a horse who has no fat or muscle over the skelton. The horse is in eminant danger of dieing and is often afflicted with skin funguses and infections. Of the four horses we received, River was the worst at a "one".

Horses in this condition have little interaction with the world around them. River was lethargic and depressed.

It takes months, maybe even years for a young, healthy horse like River to reach this condition. It is a deliberate choice to withhold food and water, shelter and care. River and his herd mates lived in a small, dirt enclosure and were fed just enough to keep them alive. If that were not enough, Animal Control agents learned that the horses were ridden on a three hour trail ride the day before the impoundment.

But Days End is all about new beginnings. It's one of the reasons I believe in this organization and why I love my job so much. There are so many rewards in saving a life, in helping a horse regain faith and trust in humans and learn to anticipate good things coming from our relationship.

I didn't spend a lot of personal time with River for the first two months of his recovery. Days End was in the middle of moving to a new farm and I was lucky to have 10 minutes a day kissing on a horse's muzzle, but today he eats right outside my office window. I get to see, and touch, and kiss and visit with him every day. He' a wonderful boy and I can't wait for you to see him now.....

Busy is as busy does

There seems to be less and less time spent together as a family of late. Having both kids in High School has brought a bigger change than I imagined.

For Joshua, besides the increased work load that comes from seven classes each day (different from 4 in Jr. High), he is playing on the JV Football team, as well as continueing his pursuit of Eagle Scout. Practices last until 7 pm every week night with games on a week night or weekend. There are some evenings that Josh doesn't sit down to eat until 8:00 or start his homework until 10!

Hannah's Junior year started off fast and furious. She has three AP classes and SAT prep, which she'll sit for in January. She averages 3-5 hours of homework a night. Add to that this week's theatre tryouts and this girl is maxed! She had her first stress-related cry tonight in worry over the four hours of homework and not having a dialog prepared for tomorrow's call backs.

Steve has been in his new job for nearly a month and is working hard each day to learn the ropes. It is a totally new department and his boss's managing style leaves Steve to figure things out himself. Though it is not typical for this new position, he has been traveling and is currently in Michigan. He enjoys the days out of the office but it sure puts an added strain on the household management.

With the busy dynamics we find ourselves needing to be more purposeful in finding time together. Hannah and I do daily walks...5 minutes...15....30, whatever time or energy will allow (this is also our way of keeping the dogs off the couches!). I spend a few moments every day with Josh in the car as I pick him up from practice. It's a good time to connect as the events of his day are still fresh in his mind and he's more prone to share. Steve and I have found a monthly dinner-deal that offers coupons/certificates for a different resturante of our chosing. We also belong to a monthly Wine Club which keeps us connected to our closest friends.

The scariest part of all of this busyness is that time seems to be travelling as double speed. Before I know it the kids will be out on their own...and time will feel like it's stopped. What a scarey thought!

A New Beginning

I'm dipping my toes into the blog pool to see if I want to swim.

Here's to giving it a shot!