T’WAS the night before Christmas and all through the house….

Pandemonium reigned supreme!

Which is pretty normal here at Massie Lodge, but that’s ok keeps life interesting.

After surviving my shopping experience on Wednesday and actually recovering on Thursday, we have spent an interesting couple of days with the horses n dogs n birds (mind you, Evan would not agree that the Birds are interesting!).

Vera, our Prego mare (who I call Vera) got sick on us. Well… it seems that she is giving her all to April her Canadian Silver filly and is rundown and has a low grade bacterial infection. Ok, so up to the top paddock with her and bubs (which as made Chops a happy gelding as he is quite the “raging stallion - you know a would be if he could be). With an increase in hard feed (3 feeds a day) and a paddock full of nice picking grass, should see her hopefully recover soon. We have made the decision to retire Vera this year even though she produces cracker foals, poor old love, I think she has had just enough of it and after we wean April, which will be sooner rather than later, Vera will join “DOPEY’S GIRLYS” down the back, where the hardest decision they have to make is which paddock will they will eat out of today!!. We have them running on 2 adjoining paddocks, each with its own dam. Trust me they do not go without and all of them, Dopey included, are fat and happy, roaming the paddocks.

Vera has been a very important mare for us and, even though Evan thinks she is quite aloof, I think deep down she really does enjoy her life here at Massie Lodge and I have quite a soft spot for her.

This will be my first Christmas without my dear mate Jack. Funny, I have his son Lancey sitting here at my feet at the computer. I always remember Jack as being enthusiastic about Christmas as a child, as he always knew that there would be SOMETHING under the tree for him! (I think he had me worked out quite well). I do miss my mate.

Today saw us rushing Matilda off to the vets with a cystie type lump in her eyelid. (What a place to get a lump?). We picked her up this afternoon, complete with dome around her head. I have to laugh as poor old Matilda just cant get used to manipulating this plastic dome thing around her neck and she is forever bumping in to things.

You are absolutely right when you think that the vets love us.

Hmm.

Oriana, our yearling that was sold might be staying on for a while till the new owner decides what he wants to do with her.

Susie, in the meantime is force to be reckoned with at the stables as she really is a racehorse (in her own mind!!!). We are talking about racing her at Caloundra on the 6th January in a 1400m maiden. You really cant just step them up to 1600m. So, we will see what happens then.

Well, its time for me to join Evan in the living room. The Christmas tree is surrounded with presents (yes, even some for the dogs!), the lights are turned on and Bill Murray is on Austar. Do you think that Santa understands that we don’t have daylight saving here in Queensland?

Christmas is approaching at a rate of knots that would out sprint Australia II over the line. Isnt that scary? I have no idea when I will be honoured with the opportunity to get to the shops and think about if or what I should be buying people.

Now isnt that the pits? It must be the same time every year that I sit down and think that I must organise myself a little better so that I wont be sitting down 4 days to Christmas and wondering why I haven't even thought about Christmas presents. It is a vicious cycle and I only have myself to blame, once again. However, I guess its more due to not wanting to fall into the commercial scene of "having" to buy Christmas presents for people who are close to me.

But come Wednesday or Thursday I will be setting out to do it..... full of hate and resentment for all those others who are standing in the air conditioned comfort of Myer at Toowoomba.

But what is it about Christmas that turns normally rationally, sane people into maniacs come this time of year. Perhaps everyone is like me..... put it off, put it off and put it further off until you have to do something about it or dont do anything at all.

What is it about Christmas that turns Parking areas into a battlezone? Forget about the Christmas cheer, cause there is none there mate. Its survival of the fittest, the fastest and the biggest 4WD bumper bar. My poor little Pulsar doesnt stand a chance!

Once you get a parking space (which will take you at least 45 mins if you are lucky!), then its up into the shopping mall with all the other crazies who have been sitting on their bum and thinking about Christmas for the last 3 months.

Then when you have dragged your weary butt through every store twice looking for something mildly interesting for Great Aunt Kay, its nearly closing time and you have to suffer a gift voucher from the first store you entered 5 hours ago. AAAArgh!

Oh and dont forget that you HAVE to have your gift covered in the best wrapping paper and ribbons and bows that money can buy, its back to Crazy Clarks so that you can get some good cheap paper for $2.50 a roll.

By this stage your arms are full to falling off. Your fingers are red and numb from the weight of the bags inside bags full of goodies. Your stomach is beating out Beethovens 18th trying to get your attention. Your eyes are tired from all the a/c. Your feet are screaming with tiredness and its as much as you can do to put one in front of the other. And what have you achieved? A very worn out credit card, endless amounts of money out of the savings (hah! what a joke that name is..... it should be the "spending account") account and one very, very tired Human Being.

And the upside to all of this is????

I dont know (after all of that).

Christmas used to be a very happy time for me as a kid growing up with my mother and father and 3 older brothers. Lots of very good memories about our time decorating the tree, who was buying what for whom, wondering why my present from my eldest brother rattled when shaken, mum slicing the leg of ham for ham on toast for Christmas breakfast.

Out came the chocolate nuts and lollies.... mum in the kitchen cooking a baked dinner even though it was going to be 38 deg c. Basically it was a day for our family to be together. We always had a few hanger-onerers... but it was just a good day to be with your family.

These days my family structure is a little different... and Christmas day will be very different for me as I will be seeing one of my brothers that i havent seen in 10 years. Its interesting how times change and families drift apart. Not because of any reason in particular, but because family members take different paths that lead to different places.

While Iam not really looking forward to Christmas and all that it represents , what Iam looking forward to is finding something from the Christmas of old.

Family.

Merry Christmas everyone.

CRIKEYS........

It has been a while since I have written down anything….. most remiss of me!

Well, Susie has had her first start
Evan and I finally got to have a night away from Massie Lodge
Oriana, our yearling has been sold

And a most courageous start was made by Susie, (Star Ferry). What a gal she is. She ran her first race ever last Friday and didn’t put a foot wrong. Stood up nice and still in the barriers even though one of the other starters broke through. She jumped out with them but they were running like scalded cats, and wee Susie was chasing them. 1000m is way too short for her. I noticed that she started to get going before the winning post, and while not coming last, made up some ground.

We will be looking for a 1400m maiden for the girl next start. GO THE GIRL!

Evan and I took the opportunity to have a night away (actually it seemed like it was out honeymoon as we never really got one!) up at Caloundra.

Isn’t funny when you plan to go away somewhere? You get soooo excited with the prospect of going somewhere different and there is all that build up of anticipation to get there… but once you get there and have settled in… you start thinking about coming home again and how much you miss being at home with all the dogs and horses (not to mention the birds!).

After getting up early on Saturday and going over to Greg’s to watch track work, we headed back to the Hotel for breakfast and then made a beeline for home!

Today we sold our first yearling. I am going to miss Oriana… she is such a sweet girl however, I am hoping that the guy that bought her will love her as much as we do. Crikeys, you can only hope that they do!

Oh well…. That’s business I guess.

1,000 apologies as this blog is only going to be a shortie… Iam tired from getting up early and then going out for lunch at Marburg with the Telstra crowd.

Hoooroooo till next time!

Star Ferry.... Getting ready to approach the barriers

How exciting.... after a long time away from home, our Susie girl will run her first race at the Sunshine Coast on Friday the 17th December. Granted it will be her first time and it will be more for the experience, but the thrill of owning a horse that makes it to the racetrack is second to none.

Whether it is a $6million yearling having her first start at Rosehill or, like us, a $500 girl I fancied in a Magic Millions catalogue the excitement level doesnt alter.

She will be presented like no other time. Her coat will be gleaming, her hooves will be painted black, she will have a star brushed on her rump. Her bridle will be blue. The Jockey will have our silks on blue with a grey diamond band, blue sleeves and his cap will be blue/grey quartered. Her mane will be brushed to shining and her tail will be cut straight and without a knot.

Greg will insist on no photos before the race. I will be pacing up and down and as anxious as. Evan will be watching the fluctuations.

Down to the parade ring and all the beautiful horses walk around and its there you can see how the horses are really feeling about themselves.

Out come the jocks from their dressing room and after a quick word from the trainer, its up up and away.

Thoroughbreds. There is nothing like them. Once they get into your blood, its something that just never, ever goes away. Dan Fogleberg wrote a song about them, and the words truly bring tears to my eyes...

Born in the valley, and raised in the trees

Of Western Kentucky, on wobbly knees

With Mama beside you, to help you along

You'll soon be a-growing up strong

All the long lazy mornings, in pastures of green

The sun on your withers, the wind in your mane

Could never prepare you for what lies ahead:

The run for the roses so red

And it's - Run for the Roses as fast as you can

Your fate is delivered, your moment's at hand

It's the chance of a lifetime, in a lifetime of chance

And it's high time you joined in the dance

It's high time you joined in the dance

From sire to sire, it's born in the blood

The fire of a mare and the strength of a stud

It's breeding, and it's training, and it's something unknown

That drives you and carries you home

The last two lines of that song rings so true.

It's breeding and its training, and its something UNKNOWN

That drives you and carries you home.

How true are those words?

I dont care if Susie doesnt win, or place for that matter. Just as long as she arrives safe at the other end.

GO THE GIRL !!!! :-)

Heaven Knows...

when we will get more rain. Even though we had over 2 inches a few weeks back, it seems like an eternity and you can see by the paddocks that the time for some more is now. Granted we got 5 drops this morning and a further 5 drops this afternoon, we really do need some more ground drenching rain. BRING IT ON!

This weekend has been one of reflection and decision for both Evan and I. With all 6 babies safely on the ground, the time is coming where we have to decide who stays and who goes. Not a very nice time for me as I get attached to the whole dam lot of them.

Nanna (Splendid Feeling) and her filly who I call Lily are definate stayers here at Massie Lodge. I fell in love with Nanna when we first saw her at the Magic Millions all that time ago. I still cant believe that no one wanted her then. Nanna's 2yo colt by Knowledge, "Flying Dollar" won his maiden last week. We have had the pleasure of Makka (Flying Dollar) staying here at Massie Lodge in the past. It was a very quick lesson is learning to keep your trap shut and letting the paying customers have what they wanted!

Nanna has since been confirmed in foal to Canadian Silver last week, so we are both very pleased with that. Surely we will get a grey foal out of that mating? Although in saying that, Miss Lily is now going from Dark Brown/Bay to Black.... and hopefully to Grey. She is the sweetest of all the babies.... so very much level headed.

Lily's parents bring the best out of Octagonal with Private Agenda on the sire side with Centaine's (by Century) Group Winning daughter, Kapchat on the dam side. Nanna was initially trained by John Hawkes in Adelaide and bred by the Inghams. Nanna won many races in South Australia and Queensland. Nanna is not just a city winner herself, she has produced 4 city winners , including Lavross and Tirrol Tavern.

Nanna is my favourite and we love her dearly, not just because she is well bred and can produce city winners, but because she is a sweet, sweet girl that loves to be loved.

Sweet Air (by Air de France out of Clearly Best) and her darling colt by Kinjite (by Century) who I call Lenny will be coming home this week. Thank goodness. Sweetie has been confirmed in foal to Private Agenda. Sweetie has been a most reluctant mother.

Funny when I start to talk about Sweetie, I think about our other mare, Havachat, who was also a maiden mare this year, and was a most accepting mother to sweet Caramel (who is by Moon Rocket - Zabeel/SkyRocket). They are all very different.

Miss Independence (who I call Libby) who is my beautiful Euclase (by Century) girl, had a beautiful baby boy who we have yet seen (for all sorts of reasons), Libby is to be confirmed in foal to Dust in the Wind (by Sir Tristram). This should be an interesting mating as Libby's dam, Declaration is by Sovereign Red, an important sire son of Sir Tristram. Iam hoping to get a real strong Sir Tristram cross with this baby.

Libby's 2yo colt, Sunovamaizcay, has since won his maiden at Doomben and Glenlogan have high hopes for him. We are thinking that we will send Libby back to Our Maizcay next year. In saying that, Libby's current foal to Private Agenda has a beautiful double cross through Century, Better Boy and Sir Tristram. Pity he wasnt a girly!

At the end of the day it doesnt matter what sex, as long as they are healthy!

Kwila's Ambition (by Mister Kwila) is more than likely in foal to Irish Royal (a son of Danehill who is out of a Roberto mare). This boy is throwing absolute stunners. Let's hope that they can run! It will be an interesting foal as Kay is as black as the night. Kay isnt a light weight either as she won a few races up here in Queensland before being retired.

Mariko's Star (our Star Way mare), is playing games with us at the moment and we are all holding our breaths to see whether she is in foal or not. If not, she will be retired as this will be her third year of missing.

Mind you, its not a bad place for the old girl's to retire.... they have heaps of room and feed and dams to swim in down the back and they have male companionship in the form of Dopey and Eric the Horse (who is much happier out of Cheeky Chop's paddock)

We have decided that we will part with 2 yearlings in due course, Charlie, our Immovable Option boy, who is growing up into quite a good looking type. Very much like his dad. The other being Oriana, who is by the NSW sire, Sports Works out of our mare, Ophira. She is quite a sweetheart that girl and I will be very sorry to see her go. Still, I know that you cant keep them all, can you?

One of the things that I really love about being out here at foal time is the fact that you can spend hours watching them. Its fascinating at this time of their life to see them try and bend down with their giraffe like legs to pick the grass!

One of the other things about new born foals that makes me laugh is watching them come to terms with their tongues! I dont know how many times this year I have seen them stick their tongues out the side of their mouth because they just were not sure what to do with it or where to put it?

Or just how to manage a piece of lucerne hay and get it all into the mouth, with the tongue and eventually down the throat??? :-) Talk about a very beautiful time in their lives and infact, ours.

I know, I know, I have been bitching and complaining about the very long hours that we were keeping when the mares were due to foal... and we have been very blessed this year to have 7 healthy births. Still I wouldnt miss any of what we have been through for anything.

A quick Update on Vicky.

Miss Vicky is indeed a much happier girl since Chops has gone back into his paddock (Chops' paddock backs on to the young girlys paddock). Chops and Vick have spent many hourse cuddling over the fence with each other. She still is not the girl I knew before, but she has come a long long way since coming home from "that place".

A Quick Update on Susie.

Susie (Star Ferry) came 4th in her 1000m Barrier Trial at the Sunshine Coast last week after being hunted up on to the pace when she should of been ridden quietly. Not long now till a race start. Although Iam thinking that Greg wants to see her ridden quietly before her starting in a 1200m.

A Quick Update on Rusty.

Rusty, our 2yo gelding by Canadian Silver out of Mariko's Star was quickly moved out of Chops' paddock when it was realised that Chops was attacking him. He is currently in a day yard on his own getting over the bad experience and all his wounds are healing nicely. Rusty is settling down into a very nice gelding.

Meanwhile, Back in the Colt's Paddock...

Mazwell and Charlie are doing just fine without Rusty. In fact they are both doing exceedingly well! They both get their full feeds, there is hardly any fighting between the two of them, in fact there is hardly a cross word between them They have both settled down since the Rusty factor (and balls!) have been removed.

A Quick Update on Lance, Bessie Merle, Matilda and of Course, Millsie

All dogs are well although have been finding the heat a little unbearable. And the, Jack Pharpie Memorial Vegetable Garden is indeed a healthy, growing concern with tomatoes and pumpkins. I can count at least 12 tomatoes on the vines and there are pumpkin flowers everywhere. All very good signs.

A Quick Update on Nigel No-leg, Missy (his Mistress) and their child, NoName.

All 3 Peachface parrots are alive and well at this stage. Although Im not quite sure how much longer No-name will be with us as 2 is company and 3 is definitely a crowd in Peachface land. Iam unfortunately starting to think that Iam going to have to get a partner for NoName and move her out of Nigel's cage.

More eggs have been sighted in Missy's box. AAAAArgh!!!

Well its off to Telstra land tomorrow so I had better end this epistle. Hoooroo until next time!