Saturday, September 30, 2006
Its Such A Relief
to wake up and know it's Saturday and that there's a short break away from the office! I have been working the last four days, so please excuse me from updating this blog . I find that I have had it by the time that I come home and just want to switch off... like we all do I guess.
It was lovely to be able to wander down amongst all the horses and give them all cuddles this morning. I had to laugh when I got to Maxwell and Jimmy. I noticed that Max had something sticking out of his mouth and I thought the worst until I moved closer and noticed that he had stuck his tongue outside his mouth on the side and was quite happy with himself and the world. I mentioned this to Evan and he just shrugged his shoulders and said that that was normal for Max, as well as the fact that he often ate on 3 legs with the 4th sitting in a really weird position ...
Note to Greg: maybe Max might need a tongue tie when he is old enough to race! lol
Joie and Mads continued to be entertained by Joseph and his newly awakened testosterone levels across the paddock .. he has no way of getting to them but its like with the onset of Spring, someone must of pressed a button and finally Joseph has worked out what his job should be!! Hopefully it wont be long till he goes on his way to his new home in Macksville where he will be able to try out his new skill all he likes!!!
lol
We've had 35mls of rain this last week and it was well received by all residents at Massie Lodge who are now all covered in mud, yet again. Not only that, but it was decent enough rain to start filling up the dams again. I must add many thanks must go to the lovely girl who I spoke to at Ergon Energy when our power went out three times (yes, you read it correctly!) on Wednesday last week, I started to get a little narcy but she was so nice, you couldnt get cranky! LOL
Sweetie and Libby (pictured above) are doing very well and have both started to bag-up, which is very normal at this stage of their pregnancy. We have started going down to check them once in the evening, just to make sure that all is well. Bessie Merle has assigned herself the task of our security and accompanies either Evan or myself when we go down to the stables in the dark.
Its very nice to see Massie Lodge being green again. I guess this would have to be the nicest time of the year because the transformation usually takes place overnight. Bessie and Lancey are very happy that the green frogs have started to come out again and sit on the windows; it keeps them occupied for hours!
Enough rambling! Time to go and help Evan with the feeding.
Until next time, remember, life is good!
Helen.
It was lovely to be able to wander down amongst all the horses and give them all cuddles this morning. I had to laugh when I got to Maxwell and Jimmy. I noticed that Max had something sticking out of his mouth and I thought the worst until I moved closer and noticed that he had stuck his tongue outside his mouth on the side and was quite happy with himself and the world. I mentioned this to Evan and he just shrugged his shoulders and said that that was normal for Max, as well as the fact that he often ate on 3 legs with the 4th sitting in a really weird position ...
Note to Greg: maybe Max might need a tongue tie when he is old enough to race! lol
Joie and Mads continued to be entertained by Joseph and his newly awakened testosterone levels across the paddock .. he has no way of getting to them but its like with the onset of Spring, someone must of pressed a button and finally Joseph has worked out what his job should be!! Hopefully it wont be long till he goes on his way to his new home in Macksville where he will be able to try out his new skill all he likes!!!
lol
We've had 35mls of rain this last week and it was well received by all residents at Massie Lodge who are now all covered in mud, yet again. Not only that, but it was decent enough rain to start filling up the dams again. I must add many thanks must go to the lovely girl who I spoke to at Ergon Energy when our power went out three times (yes, you read it correctly!) on Wednesday last week, I started to get a little narcy but she was so nice, you couldnt get cranky! LOL
Sweetie and Libby (pictured above) are doing very well and have both started to bag-up, which is very normal at this stage of their pregnancy. We have started going down to check them once in the evening, just to make sure that all is well. Bessie Merle has assigned herself the task of our security and accompanies either Evan or myself when we go down to the stables in the dark.
Its very nice to see Massie Lodge being green again. I guess this would have to be the nicest time of the year because the transformation usually takes place overnight. Bessie and Lancey are very happy that the green frogs have started to come out again and sit on the windows; it keeps them occupied for hours!
Enough rambling! Time to go and help Evan with the feeding.
Until next time, remember, life is good!
Helen.
Monday, September 25, 2006
What Bliss is it
to have a long weekend and knowing that you will finally have the time to sit down and get stuck into a book that you have waited to get your paws on?
So after spending some time today updating Gallopers site, I high tailed it outside to the back verandah and geared myself up to have some time to do just that. Veging out.
All the Massie Lodge residents are doing well and our preggie girls, Sweetie and Libby have settled in to their new life as resident lawnmowers until impending motherhood, very well. They are both absolutely blooming at the moment and we're very pleased with their progress with just under a month to go until their officially due.
I am not looking forward to going onto "Mare watch" hours ... and I have asked Sweetie if she could keep the same hours as last year (8.30pm) but please not on a Wednesday.
Hah! As if Sweetie would listen to my request?
Helen.
So after spending some time today updating Gallopers site, I high tailed it outside to the back verandah and geared myself up to have some time to do just that. Veging out.
All the Massie Lodge residents are doing well and our preggie girls, Sweetie and Libby have settled in to their new life as resident lawnmowers until impending motherhood, very well. They are both absolutely blooming at the moment and we're very pleased with their progress with just under a month to go until their officially due.
I am not looking forward to going onto "Mare watch" hours ... and I have asked Sweetie if she could keep the same hours as last year (8.30pm) but please not on a Wednesday.
Hah! As if Sweetie would listen to my request?
Helen.
Saturday, September 23, 2006
What a Wonderful Time of the Year it is!
not because the flies are starting to reappear and all the slimy reptiles have decided that its warm enough to make an appearance from hibernation ... What Iam talking about is breeding time!!! You know when all the little foals who have been hibernating and growing in mum's tummy for 11 months finally make an appearance into the world.
There is nothing nicer than taking the long way into Warwick down Lyndhurst Lane and watching all the mum's with their babies and also watching the Clydey mum's who sometimes have 2 babies with them! Its just beautiful and makes me realise just how lucky we are to be a party to this! (Pictured above is "baby" Shorts ... who was born here at Massie Lodge 2 years ago... I do remember her first wobbly steps when she was born... but my, hasnt she grown into a beauty!)
Um, maybe not so happy knowing that Sweetie is one of the mum's to be ... lol ... Sweetie would have to be a real no-nonesense type of mother... no fussing, with just enough caring to make sure that bubs is looked after and is kept fed. By the time weaning is due, Sweetie has had it and is over motherhood for that year.
Libby on the other hand is completely at the other end of the scale... over protective and wont let bubs out of her sight and is pretty careful and selective which humans she lets near bubs. They are a funny pair those two mares, although I have to say that Sweetie definitely was a fate mare for us.
I found Sweetie on a Racenet add, about 5-6 years ago... Evan and I were busy making plans about moving in together and moving up to Queensland and one day innocently browsing through different websites, I saw that Sweetie was for sale.
She was agisting out near Penrith and we organised to go and see her and brought the vet along to give her the once over for breeding purposes. Andrew, the vet at the time in NSW, gave her an examination and said, "nope, no good confirmation wise for breeding and that we would never get her in foal". Well, we went along with his expert opinion and let Sweetie go.
Evan and I sold up in NSW and moved up here to Warwick and we started with a couple of fillys. Some time moved on and Evan and I ended up going to the races one Saturday at the Gold Coast to catch up with some friends and Iam sitting there watching the races at Newcastleon the monitor and there she was running in a Class 1. To say that I nearly fell off my seat was an understatement because I had always regretted not buying her at the time but because of what the vet said and the fact that we were in turmoil moving etc. we decided to let her go.
She rang second last on this occasion and I was bitterly disappointed because I wanted her to do well and then I would at least know that she was ok.
After arriving home from the Gold Coast that evening, after feeding the dogs etc. once again I got on the computer and was browsing the websites. I jumped into the MM site and there she was - top listing and for sale at a price that was most affordable.
I screamed and yelled and told Evan (who didnt stand a chance to say no!) that I wasnt going to let her get away again. The rest is, as they say history.
Sweetie has been very good to us since becoming a mum (I really shouldnt put her down as I do!) and has produced 2 very fine boys (Lenny and Jimmy) - now we are ready for Sweetie to have a filly.
LOLOLOL Sorry, but for those who know Sweetie ... can you imagine another Sweetie? Is Warwick big enough for Sweetie and a filly? hahah I dont think so.
I guess at the end of the day, I really dont care what she has as long is she is healthy!
Helen
There is nothing nicer than taking the long way into Warwick down Lyndhurst Lane and watching all the mum's with their babies and also watching the Clydey mum's who sometimes have 2 babies with them! Its just beautiful and makes me realise just how lucky we are to be a party to this! (Pictured above is "baby" Shorts ... who was born here at Massie Lodge 2 years ago... I do remember her first wobbly steps when she was born... but my, hasnt she grown into a beauty!)
Um, maybe not so happy knowing that Sweetie is one of the mum's to be ... lol ... Sweetie would have to be a real no-nonesense type of mother... no fussing, with just enough caring to make sure that bubs is looked after and is kept fed. By the time weaning is due, Sweetie has had it and is over motherhood for that year.
Libby on the other hand is completely at the other end of the scale... over protective and wont let bubs out of her sight and is pretty careful and selective which humans she lets near bubs. They are a funny pair those two mares, although I have to say that Sweetie definitely was a fate mare for us.
I found Sweetie on a Racenet add, about 5-6 years ago... Evan and I were busy making plans about moving in together and moving up to Queensland and one day innocently browsing through different websites, I saw that Sweetie was for sale.
She was agisting out near Penrith and we organised to go and see her and brought the vet along to give her the once over for breeding purposes. Andrew, the vet at the time in NSW, gave her an examination and said, "nope, no good confirmation wise for breeding and that we would never get her in foal". Well, we went along with his expert opinion and let Sweetie go.
Evan and I sold up in NSW and moved up here to Warwick and we started with a couple of fillys. Some time moved on and Evan and I ended up going to the races one Saturday at the Gold Coast to catch up with some friends and Iam sitting there watching the races at Newcastleon the monitor and there she was running in a Class 1. To say that I nearly fell off my seat was an understatement because I had always regretted not buying her at the time but because of what the vet said and the fact that we were in turmoil moving etc. we decided to let her go.
She rang second last on this occasion and I was bitterly disappointed because I wanted her to do well and then I would at least know that she was ok.
After arriving home from the Gold Coast that evening, after feeding the dogs etc. once again I got on the computer and was browsing the websites. I jumped into the MM site and there she was - top listing and for sale at a price that was most affordable.
I screamed and yelled and told Evan (who didnt stand a chance to say no!) that I wasnt going to let her get away again. The rest is, as they say history.
Sweetie has been very good to us since becoming a mum (I really shouldnt put her down as I do!) and has produced 2 very fine boys (Lenny and Jimmy) - now we are ready for Sweetie to have a filly.
LOLOLOL Sorry, but for those who know Sweetie ... can you imagine another Sweetie? Is Warwick big enough for Sweetie and a filly? hahah I dont think so.
I guess at the end of the day, I really dont care what she has as long is she is healthy!
Helen
Sunday, September 17, 2006
How Sweet Is It
to be able to wake up and know that its Sunday ... a day of rest? Very Sweet indeed. By the time I had actually gotten out of bed (I was allowed to sleep in today), Susie, Evan and the girls had pooh'd- up, fed-up and were coming back inside about to throw together a yummy breakkie of crumpets and/or muffins with honey, followed by very sweet and ready to eat Packham pears. Today I was very spoilt indeed.
Not to forget of course dinner last night which was a beautiful leg of Pork (cooked to perfection by Evan), with all the baked dinner trimmings, dessert to die for (a very rich chocolate cake made with sour cream and raspberries, topped off with strawberries) and all washed down with a glass or 5 of bubbles (well, we had to help celebrate for our owners, Rob & Jane Koch and Nick Brown, who as you know both had wins at Eagle Farm yesterday!).
Not only were we celebrating for our owners who did so well yesterday, but our celebration was also for Sue's grandaughter Tahnika's 13th Birthday today . Tahnika also celebrated her birthday by bathing in some Massie Lodge Mud (pictured above with her sister, Cecelia who tried the mud treatment on her face!).
Today saw a few movements around the place with Sweetie and Libby coming up closer to the house (which they are really not very happy about), and moving Trousers and Vera down the back to their previous paddock. Joseph was not happy about the movements of the ladies ... mind you, he was more worried about Joie who seems to have come into season and decided to move out of his range of vision to pick on some grass!
With Susie and gals on their way back to Brisbane, its nearly time to go out and feed the horses and make sure that Sweetie and Libby will be ok ... Iam a bit concerned about Libby as she is one horse who does not take to change easily and hopefully will look to Sweetie for confidence (as Sweetie has an over abundance in that department!!!).
Life is Good. Go and Get Yourself Some!
Helen.
Not to forget of course dinner last night which was a beautiful leg of Pork (cooked to perfection by Evan), with all the baked dinner trimmings, dessert to die for (a very rich chocolate cake made with sour cream and raspberries, topped off with strawberries) and all washed down with a glass or 5 of bubbles (well, we had to help celebrate for our owners, Rob & Jane Koch and Nick Brown, who as you know both had wins at Eagle Farm yesterday!).
Not only were we celebrating for our owners who did so well yesterday, but our celebration was also for Sue's grandaughter Tahnika's 13th Birthday today . Tahnika also celebrated her birthday by bathing in some Massie Lodge Mud (pictured above with her sister, Cecelia who tried the mud treatment on her face!).
Today saw a few movements around the place with Sweetie and Libby coming up closer to the house (which they are really not very happy about), and moving Trousers and Vera down the back to their previous paddock. Joseph was not happy about the movements of the ladies ... mind you, he was more worried about Joie who seems to have come into season and decided to move out of his range of vision to pick on some grass!
With Susie and gals on their way back to Brisbane, its nearly time to go out and feed the horses and make sure that Sweetie and Libby will be ok ... Iam a bit concerned about Libby as she is one horse who does not take to change easily and hopefully will look to Sweetie for confidence (as Sweetie has an over abundance in that department!!!).
Life is Good. Go and Get Yourself Some!
Helen.
Saturday, September 16, 2006
More Congratulations...
for Massie Lodge horse owners and our friends, Rob & Jane Koch with their filly, Dirtiere (Special Effects / Pollution), who won a Class 6 at Eagle Farm today. Special Effects, by Salieri stands for $1,100 and is a local boy (34: 4/5/4) and was trained by Debbie Newham.
It may be on the cards that Dirtiere will be coming to Massie Lodge next week for a well earned rest.
And the news doesnt stop there!!!
Even more congratulations to ....
CENTENN, aka Bob, also won a Cl6 race today at Eagle Farm. Congratulations must also go to our friends in the connection of Giacometti - who placed third in Bob's race.
Some shining stars at Massie Lodge!!
Helen.
It may be on the cards that Dirtiere will be coming to Massie Lodge next week for a well earned rest.
And the news doesnt stop there!!!
Even more congratulations to ....
CENTENN, aka Bob, also won a Cl6 race today at Eagle Farm. Congratulations must also go to our friends in the connection of Giacometti - who placed third in Bob's race.
Some shining stars at Massie Lodge!!
Helen.
Monday, September 11, 2006
Rainy Days and Mondays...
I realised that when I woke up this morning and found Spikey-man drinking my cup of tea, that that had set the tone of how today was going to be. Hmmm. First thought was to go back to sleep.
As you all know, that first cup of tea is THE best cup of the day ... and to find Spikey the dog drinking it did not make me feel all the terrific.
As I unhappily came to terms with the fact that I had to actually get up and make my own cup of tea this morning, I saw Evan take off in the ute down the road.
Had a horse got out? (Dont even go there!)
Worse. One of our neighbours down the road had "accidentally" slashed the pipe that ran to our bore and there was no water to water the horses with. Evan was not happy. Neither was I because the alternative was to connect up all the hoses and run water from the house tanks until our neighbour decided to replace the 11m of pipe.
I got to ask the question, was he on some kind of pills yesterday that made him go out in the torrential rain and slash his yards? What was he thinking? (Why wasnt he like most normal people content to be indoors when we have a day of consistent rain?).
Im not even going to try and wonder why. AAAArgh!!! (I say in frustration!!).
I also have to ask another question why Shortpants decided that today she had to get out of her yard and go picking in the lane way when her yard has some very tasty green pick in it? The question of "how" also pops into my mind ... perhaps its better not to go there? The laneway is a very safe area as it has a secure steel fence at the top of it and is always closed. Perhaps its because she saw her mother, Trousers and her mate Vera out in the laneway on Saturday enjoying the sunshine and the pick?
I think that girl thinks too much. Hmmm.
We had over an inch of rain yesterday ... how brilliant is that... and as I said to Evan that this is getting the ground ready for the October storms around Rodeo weekend! It really has made a difference to the place, not just because there is a lot more mud (?), but because the green shoots are coming through thick and fast and the three paddocks that are being rested will come back with a vengence over spring and summer.
When I think of the October storms ... all these images pop into my mind, electricity blackouts, cold sandwiches for tea by candlelight, washing by the light of a torch ... now, where did I put that number for my contact to Ergon Energy???
Oh Fraser...... !!! Remember me? LOL
Helen.
Sunday, September 10, 2006
I Have
but one excuse for spending most of today on the lounge watching the Star Wars Marathon on cable...
It's been raining all day!!
We have had 17mls so far today ... its been a real blessing!
Some more good news from the Massie Lodge residents who are currently racing .... Oscar, other wise known as Tannerang Baluk won his race yesterday at Thangool. Oscar, also owned by Nick and Jason, recently had a short stay with us as he had a niggly back problem, that we sorted out with the help of our local Bowen therapist.
Well Done Oscar!!!!
We had contact with Nick and Jason this morning - who were both absolutely over the moon with Bob's (Centenn's) win and both are nursing quite a hangover !!!! Kaye Tinsely will be seeing how Bob pull's up and if ok, will have 3 weeks rest between his next start.
Well, not much more to report - except that the fire is on and Evan has poured me a drink ... time for some more Star Wars?
It's been raining all day!!
We have had 17mls so far today ... its been a real blessing!
Some more good news from the Massie Lodge residents who are currently racing .... Oscar, other wise known as Tannerang Baluk won his race yesterday at Thangool. Oscar, also owned by Nick and Jason, recently had a short stay with us as he had a niggly back problem, that we sorted out with the help of our local Bowen therapist.
Well Done Oscar!!!!
We had contact with Nick and Jason this morning - who were both absolutely over the moon with Bob's (Centenn's) win and both are nursing quite a hangover !!!! Kaye Tinsely will be seeing how Bob pull's up and if ok, will have 3 weeks rest between his next start.
Well, not much more to report - except that the fire is on and Evan has poured me a drink ... time for some more Star Wars?
LOL
Helen
Helen
Saturday, September 09, 2006
Big Congratulations must go to ongoing Massie Lodge resident, Centenn (lovingly known as Bob - pictured above), who today at Eagle Farm ran down the favourite, Sea Zulu, to win a 1200m NMW race. Woooohoooo!!!
Congratulations to his owners, Nick and Jason ... well done! Not a bad price either!
What a star!!!
Things have been a little hectic over the last fews days with Evan and next door neighbour Leo finishing off the fencing yesterday - which is terrific to say the least.
Negotiations are still under way for Joseph who is headed to a lovely life in Macksville in the next few weeks.
*Sigh* I get so attached to these horses.... I'll miss Jo when he goes.
Otherwise all is good and everyone is well. Only a shortie today ... got to go and help Evan with feeding.
Helen.
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