This is a shocking photo ... and I shouldnt post it but I wanted to show how nice wee Jimmy is. Very much like his mother... (oh, yeah very much like Lenny, his half brother by Kinjite). The colour of his coat is not clear in this photo, but it is a chocolate orange colour, with the one motley coloured foot at the back (just like mum and his bro). Wee Jimmy has decided that he likes to crawl under the back fence and go down to the back dam on his own and drive his mother crazy..... Many thanks to Throb (aka Lightning Angel), who has become an early warning system when Jim does this... (especially in the middle of the night???!!!) 

Max is not real happy about the whole lesson idea, however, we are both very pleased with him after 2 sessions. 

... and a nice big hug for being such a good boy, ok, ok... hay and lunch to follow! 

...c'mon Max give to me a little bit.... 

.... a nice big cuddle for such a good boy...  

Its not as easy as you think teaching a horse to lead and to yield ... as you can see here! 

The trouble with Maxwell...... Max, who is by Dantibes out of Madely Miss (Maddie) is growing up nicely, but has been brought up with his mum to keep Billy company. It seems that Max passed on the cold to Billy, and because Billy has little immunity (because he lost his mum at 2 months), developed it as well. It is time for Maxwell, being the oldest of the bubsies, to start learning a few things, getting used to the halter, learning to yield and turn and to understand what "whoa now" means. Max is quick to understand and learn, however, is giving Evan a real run for his money! 

Southern, (aka Another Southern) telling me exactly what she thinks of getting her photo taken - please not the tongue sticking out! 

My littlest man, who has developed a chest infection... but is doing ok. Gotta love the little man. 

Quuenie, (aka Queen of Ziar) patiently waiting for her hay.... um, not that she needs it! 

Oscar, (aka Tannerang Baluk) having some lunch - and getting stuck into it by the look of it. Oscar will go back into work and Cindy will stay here at Massie Lodge for another month. 

*Yawn*

No, Im not bored with the blog... Iam just tired, lol.

Today has been go... go...go since I opened up my peepers this morning. I dont even remember Evan bringing me my cuppa (normally I have a sense of when he puts it down beside me ...) but this morning, when I woke up it was stone cold. Not a good start to the morning me thinks.

Now, normally when I reach over to my cuppa and its warm it means that Evan has been up and out doing the morning chores for a good 45 minutes already. However, this morning I must have been in a deep deep sleep because a) my cuppa was stone cold and b) he was actually coming back in... I heard the back gates to the house paddock shutting.... I heard him taking off his shoes at the side door... OOOOps !!!!

Do you remember back in the late 90's an innovation gadget that had been made and sold under the name of "Teas Made" ?? You set the timer and it does the rest. Hmmmm. I wonder if they still sell them? lol

(It probably uses instant tea granules...... AAArgh!!!! How revolting!!) Im sorry, but I do like my Dilmah tea and even take them with me to work to save me from the digusting brand they use there.

One thing that Evan and I agreed on when we moved intogether was that there was no substitute for quality in: Tea, Coffee, Vegemite and Toilet Paper. Doesnt matter if we are stone motherless broke... we must have the basic life essentials. (Oh, and Iam sure that if Evan were to comment right now, he would add Beer!).

Speaking of moving in together, we recently celebrated our second wedding anniversary (actually on the 24th January). Celebrated very quietly with dinner, a few drinks and... and... chocolates of course! LMAO (Do you really think that I am going to go anywhere near that?Absolutely not! ).

Where was I before I digressed badly.

Ah yes, today... we were expecting half of the owners for Cindy (Lightning Edge) and Oscar (Tannerung Baluk). So, it was time to give them both a bath and make them respectable (i.e. get rid of the mud!). The first thing they said about Cindy was ... "Look at that stomach???" LOL Poor wee girly is going to go back into work because she is so fat, lol. Same thing with Oscar.. very happy with him and he will also go back into work the same time as Cindy.

However, in saying that, we are expecting 2 new residents on Sunday; Centen and Sir Weathervain, who will be coming for a farm holiday for a month or so. I hate to think that Evan has nothing to do while Iam at work? LMAO... no, seriously, Evan works very long days when Iam at work - that was just a joke I promise!

Our guests left late afternoon and both Evan and I (um, yeah ok, I know Evan's day was longer than mine!) had had enough, so it was time for the bar to be opened and a cold beer to be had.

Tomorrow sees a few residents rotating paddocks, but hopefully a quiet day for us.

Hooroo until then!

Helen.

Evan, Charlie and the guy from Idano Transport... you can see that Charlie is not too sure about this whole truck thing... 

Safe in his stall.... the Idano trucks have camera's throughout the stalls, so there are no nasty surprises! 

Iam Charlie and I own this paddock. 

"I suppose I have to get on the truck, huh?" 

Miss Short Pants with a fat belly having a bit of lead practice (and standing still practice as well???!!) 

Me and the little fella ... gotta love Mr Farley 

Mr Charles Farley, aka Time Legend. Our little boy all grown up. I think that is one of the nicest things about doing what we do... seeing the foals grow up and become young horses, who then go on and make their way out into the world. 

"You may have grown up big and tall Charlie, but we still like to give you big hugs and kisses..." Evan and Charlie 

Back to School..........

for Charlie........

Charlie (aka Time Legend) left Massie Lodge today and has gone to Dale Sutton and his team at Wadham Park to learn how to gallop so that he could take his vet test to go to Hong Kong. Charlie will be there for about 7-8 weeks and then will undergo the vet examination - which is quite intensive: gallop up, then xrays to be taken of legs and feet; scope of throat - the whole gambit. So this morning was spent cleaning him up (getting the mud off him) and making him respectable.

IDANO Horse Transport (who came when they said they were going to.....lol) were very good with him, getting into the float. Just quietly I think that Oscar and Throb are very happy that he's gone because they can now relax at feed time and get a full meal!

Vera and Trousers have gone down the back to have some paddock life for a little bit after doing a magnificent job with the lawnmowing. (If you need a lawnmower for around the house, send me an email!).

We have brought Sunny and Cindy up as Sunny has cut the back of her foot again and we need to get on top of the cut and neither of them are happy about this situation. (Neither is the little man, who loved the company of Vera!).

Today, being Australia Day, has been pretty laid back for us... in fact after the work outside this morning (which included looking for a black snake that was on the back verandah two nights ago!!!???), I took my book onto the lounge, read a few pages and then closed my eyes for an hour or so.... after the last 3 days at Telstra, some down time is exactly what the doctor ordered! No more Telstra till Tuesday... phew!

Adam, the farrier was out yesterday to do Cindy, Oscar, Maddie and Libby's toes and will be back next week to do some more.

Caramel's new owner came over to see her today and brought with him 10 bales of first class hay for her to munch on for the rest of her stay with us (Tuesday). He was off to Young but wanted to come by and see her and give us the hay, which I thought was a nice gesture.

Now, on to my favourite $1.00 horse, Adavale Hornet!! Well done the lad who won a 1615m race at Doomben today. Go You Good Thing!!

Well, time to go and hop back up on the lounge, have a few drinks and enjoy the cool breeze that has just blown up. Tomorrow sees some work with Caramel in getting her used to the crush in readiness for her trip to her new home ... not to mention the bunfight in Woolies....AAAArgh!

Helen.

What is it....

about Sundays that make you want to sit back and just watch the day go by? Lazy Sundays just make you want to sleep in and forget that you need to get out of bed and go and feed the hungry hordes who are impatiently walking their yards as if they hadnt been fed for weeks.

How come the dogs dont know that Sunday's are days for not jumping on the bed and waking up their owners with ugg boots and socks and various other bits and pieces of clothing apparel?

Today has certainly been one of those days here with both of us enjoying a sleep in (much to Vera and Trousers' chagrin who were on alarm clock duty and wanting to know where the hell was their breakfast?) and a day to go and meet up with some local people who wanted to advertise their 3yos on Gallopers.

Gallopers has been a great way to meet people in the thoroughbred industry, not just the high flyers, but people like John Gordon (pictured above with his 3yo Knowledge Gelding), who loves his thoroughbreds with a passion. John said to me today that he had always been a local in Allora (he had been the local printer for 40/45 years) but he always had a real soft spot for his horses and always liked to have one in work. I guess its people like that, that really make the industry what it is ..... no, Im not talking about the "cream" at the top of the game, I am talking about the battlers, the people out in the bush, they are the people who really capture the essence of racing.

After spending a couple of hours with John we came home ( and guess what, it was feeding time again!) and then veged out and watched a few DVD's.

Let me give you some free advice.... dont spend money to watch "Mr and Mrs Smith" ... what a waste of time! Whatever Brad Pitt was thinking when he did this movie, I have no idea.

*Yawn* After a big feed of Chinese for dinner, I can see that it will be an early night. It's "Telstra-time" tomorrow (lucky me) and Gracie is being picked up to go to her new home with Paul Moody in the morning. The fun starts again on Wednesday with Adam coming over to do some trims (what a pity I will be working!!!).

Caramel has been sold and will be going to a nice home in Dalby. She will be with us for another week or so. When she goes, it will be time for some big paddock moves. I am a little sad, but glad that she is going to nice people.

Well, time for me to take my overloaded stomach and go and feed the canines who believe that they are living in a third-world country. Go figure!

Helen.

Our beautiful little man who is losing his foal hair. He is his mum (our Nanna) around his eyes. "Splendid Bill", "Splendid Silver", "Canadian Star" .. just some of the names we have been tossing around although Iam sure that when the time comes, we will think of something perfect for him. 

"Me and my dad". Our little man with Evan. 

Quiet and mild mannered Caramel after her bath. 

Our Kbenjar filly, Sunny... has been very quietly growing up in the paddock... and is turning out to be a beauty. 

"They told me that this was in the Jenny Craig diet, and after all, Iam a growing girl!!" (Short Pants) 

Evan and Caramel engaged in a deep and meaningful discussion as to why she should keep still.