SHORT PANTS... "Im a big girl now - just look at the size of my tummy???" lol 

An Inch...

of rain... can you believe it? Mind you, it wasnt enough and to do some good we need some follow up pretty quickly. And the chances of that are? ............... HMMMMM!

Lots been happening here at Massie Lodge over the last few days:-

The big news is that for my birthday (Sunday) my beautiful CENTURY mare, Silken Snooks, arrived from Conamble, NSW. She is only 15 and by saying only, she would have to be one of the youngest Century mares still alive. She is a beautiful big girl, like all of the Better Boy mares, and has settled in with the dry girls very easily. Snooks's dam, Silken Grey (by Plush) has had 7 to race with 3 winners. The second dam, Chicola Recalled is a half sister to Swift and Sure, Rue Nought. Her third dam, Chicola, is where the black type kicks in.

Anyway that really doesnt matter much to me because I have captured a piece of Australian racing history with Snooks being by the mighty colonial sire, Century. Our Better Boy breeding stock is now complete with a mare also by Euclase (Century) and a 3yo filly by Kinjite (Centaine).

Shortie Pants was weaned on Saturday and is coming along nicely, all things being equal, she should be out of the weaning yard today.

Jakey is coming along nicely with the halter training and is a good little boy.

The yard is getting a little crowed up here and Jake and Ozman will go down the back to join Lenny in his paddock. Lily and April will now be room mates and will wait for Caramel and Shorts.

I feel a small sense of achievement being able to amass my Better Boy Girls, hopefully being able to inject back into the industry something that is now sadly lacking.

Life is good.

Evan in with Short pants in the weaning barn. Shortie is thinking that the long blue monster will get her, but with alot of reassurance and pats from Evan, she soon will realise its nothing and a lead rope will become part of her life. Today (Monday) we will try a little halter on her and hopefully she can come out then. 

"Im a big boy dad" and a very hairy one at that!!! Plenty of good bone with this boy. Gotta love the Jakeman! 

Always time for a cuddle after training :-) 

Halter training time for Jakey (By Private Agenda out of Miss Independence) 

Probably not the best picture, but she is a lovely big 16hh girl. 

Silken Snooks, by the mighty colonial sire, CENTURY. 

Ummm

It's raining.

7ml at 11am and it hasnt stopped (its now 12.53pm).

My Big Boy Jakey

was weaned from his mum today. There wasnt a murmur from either mum or bubs. I think they both knew that it was time to cut the apron strings. Secretly Libby thinking "Thank goodness I no longer have to share my feed!" and Jakey stating "WOW, I get all of this!"

I must say that Iam very impressed with the temperaments of the Private Agenda babies, both Lily and Jakey have the best temperament I have seen (Ozzie would run a close second - he is just his mother all over). Then would come Lenny (Kinjite), April (Canadian Silver) and then Caramel. Caramel is just a little highly strung - but I think we have sorted that out. Last but not least will be Shortie pants who I know is going to be a handful - she and her mum Trousers, just about run the paddocks around the house. I think its because she is just so smart and has very quickly gotten into the routine of a morning.

1. Wake up Evan with calling out if he isnt out by 630am.
2. Eat mum's hard feed when she is tucking into the hay.
3. Make a beeline for the back of the Ute (where all the hay is left from carting)
4. Start hovering around the feedshed at 10.30 (when Evan is out walking Charlie) - knowing that they will be given hay to get them out of the way!
5. Hover around the weaned ones as they get hay after being worked.
6. Bolt back to my yard by 3.30pm in time for feeding.
7. Get up and do it all again tomorrow

Enjoy the routine while it lasts little one (Shorts) because soon your apron strings will be cut too in the very near future! And that will be it.

Phew! Im exhausted just writing about it.

We were lucky to have a visit from Evan's sister Leonie and friend of family, Michelle, yesterday. Leonie and Michelle are visiting Leonie's daughter and girls in Brisbane and came down to meet all the crew.

It still continues to be very windy here at Massie Lodge and any rain of any description still elludes us. Surely it has to rain soon?

No!

No?

AAArgh.

Anyone know of any rain dances?


Helen.

I really am a TIRED, BIG BROWN DOG... 

Iam a BIG BROWN DOG... 

"Now this needs to be pulled over here and... what the hell have you done to these straps?" 

"Charlie - come here and I will fix you up... c'mon..." lol 

"UM, Can someone PLEASE take these rugs and things OFFFA me!" 

"It wasnt me, I didnt do it" 

SPRUNG BIG TIME!!! Madam Trousers getting stuck into the hay in the feed shed! 

The Ozman very satorially elequent in his silver halter that is just a tad too big. No problems with this young man. 

Now WHO is Daddy's favourite boy? The Ozman! 

"Now Ozman, you have to bend it like Beckham" Hmmm not quite got the hang of it here 

Evan and the Ozman (By Dodge out of Zandrea) a very kind eye'd colt this one would be. 

Caramel (By Moon Rocket out of Havachat). This chicky is coming together nicely and has picked up the leading and turning caper very quickly. Not happy Jan about the halter though in this shot. :-( 

Missy Moo (by Kinjite) who is having a break after being at the breakers. The word is that this filly can run. Hmmm lets hope its faster than most! I guess we will have to think of a name now. 

GOSSIP CORNER, Massie Lodge - Queensland 

My little Sunny girl. By Kbenjar out of Libby (Miss Independence). She is really doing well in the paddock (as you can see by her stomach!), but she will be a compact racing machine when she does a bit more growing! 

Havachat and her second-in-charge, Jules (Summer Morn). You dont see one without the other. Havachat will be going back to that handsome hunk, Moon Rocket this season. 

This is Jules (Zeditave) who is asleep in this picture with her bum facing the wind. She is a sweetie, and is Hava's second in command. Jules' owner is thinking of sending her to Hayill this year. Considering that he is getting plenty of winners here in Queensland, is a good idea. 

This is The Princes (Afleetaffair/Audra) with her mate, Missymoo. She has really settled in and is really quite nice to me....:-)