*ahem*

**tap tap**
Is this thing on???

Sorry I've been MIA. I am okay, no H1N1 or anything like that.

I had intended to put up a post today here and on CLFC but due to "technical difficulties"

stupid computer

I have been unable to get online until now. And now is almost 2:30 am. This is usually a perfectly fine time for me to be up and online but I was up at 9 this morning (guess that's yesterday morning by now) and have to be up early again today.
So if y'all can bear with me for just a teeny bit longer... I will post by later today/tonight.
I do have to add that I have MISSED you guys!!!

Lest We Forget

Today is a very special day. Today is the day that our nation sets aside to pay tribute to, to show respect and to honour those who fought on our behalf. Today is Remembrance Day.

For the last week or so these poppy pins have been seen on many a lapel, shirt, jacket or hat:

Whether or not you agree with war you should respect and honour those willing to fight on your behalf. They are the ones that guarantee your rights and freedoms. It is because of them that you are allowed to share your opinions out loud and for the world to hear.

Remembrance Day ceremonies will be held across the country and the phrases "Never Forget" and "Lest We Forget" will be said many a time. I believe Remembrance Day is important but I also believe that we should hold this feeling in our hearts not just on this one day but throughout the year.

And so to the following I dedicate my thoughts today:

the 619,636 men and women who served in the Canadian forces in World War I

and of those the 66,655 that gave their lives

and the 172, 950 that were wounded

*this from a nation of only 8 million at the time*

the more than one million Canadian men and women that served in World War II

the more than 45,000 of them that gave their lives for our peace and freedom

to those soldiers who have put their lives at risk for us, and others, in many countries such as Cypress, Korea, and the middle East.

to those who are currently in Afghanistan and the 133 who have given their lives there

and to the many more injured and those currently serving.

God Bless you and Thank you.

Last Saturday was the funeral of Lt. Justin Boyes, killed in Afghanistan on October 28th. The funeral was here in my hometown, Saskatoon. A few days after Lt. Boyes was killed Sapper Steven Marshall became the 133rd Canadian soldier killed in Afghanistan.

The service and burial were private but the procession allowed members of the public to pay there respect. It was just by chance that my husband and I passed the funeral procession travelling the opposite direction. It moved me to see people lined up on a freeway overpass and on the sides of the road waving our flag.

Lt. Boyes widow has shared with the media her husband's concern that Canada is not supporting its troops.

Recently he told her he was worried that some Canadians are undermining the military's efforts in the ravaged country.
"Justin and I believe in the mission in Afghanistan," she has said.
"One of the things that frustrated him was the lack of support from the Canadian citizens he lived to protect. He said recently, 'we're not losing this war, but if we do, it's because we lost it at home first.'

I may be only one voice but I would like to say I support our military and thank them for what they do. I will honour all of our heroes in my heart, but today I will especially honour the 133 we have lost in Afghanistan.

I've been trying to add video to this post but keep getting an error, so for those of you interested please click Highway of Heroes to visit the YouTube video.

700 miles

Took a road trip of approximately 700 miles yesterday... left the house around 7:30 in the morning and finally got home around 1 am.
Kimfer's mare, Isis, hasn't been "right" for awhile. Nothing too obviously wrong, just not right. One vet says stifle, someone else says nope. So Kimfer decided to make the big trip to Edmonton and take Isis to see Dr Charles. I was able to take the day off work (amazing!) to be her co-pilot (co-pilot/dj) and equine assistant.
The trip wasn't too bad, other than a few wrong turns due to lack of signage in construction areas. It was at these times that I reminded Kimfer that my job was co-pilot/dj NOT navigator! lol
Charlie is an amazing vet. He used to split his time between his Alberta practice and a practice in the UK. Unlike a lot of vets around here he "limits" himself to horses. I put limits in quotes because it doesn't hurt his practice one bit to provide service exclusively to horses.
Charlie works on everything from a basic backyard pony to elite equine athletes that compete internationally. And what I like best is that he treats those backyard ponies with the same consideration and thoroughness that he would an Olympian.
The good news is that Kimfer's horse will be okay. She was prescribed rest and to start taking a joint supplement. And no, it wasn't her stifle. She has inflammation in her joints. After spending the winter on light riding duty she should be ready to turn and burn in the spring :)

Happy Halloween!

Two men were walking home after a Halloween party and decided to take a shortcut through the cemetery just for laughs...

Right in the middle of the cemetery they were startled by a tap-tap-tapping noise coming from the misty shadows.

Trembling with fear, they found an old man with a hammer and chisel, chipping away at one of the headstones.

"Holy cow Mister," one of them said after catching his breath, "You scared us half to death -- we thought you were a ghost! What are you doing working here so late at night?"

"Those fools!" the old man grumbled. "They misspelled my name!"

Wordless Wednesday

Ty

09/27/08

Meant to do this sooner!

Some of you may recall (or perhaps not) that last year I flew out to Halifax because my dad was having a kidney transplant. I was talking to him today (he's doing great) and I realized I hadn't shared some stuff that I was meaning to. So without further delay...

My dad (on left) and Uncle David. We were just leaving the hotel to walk over to the hospital. (yes it was that close) The last pic where everyone has all of their original parts:

looking happy but nervous

The staff in Halifax were terrific. Really until Pie was hospitalized this summer I haven't had too great of a review to give our local medical community, so I was totally blown away by how wonderful they were! Unfortunately dad did suffer a rather strange side effect after the kidney transplant:

did someone confuse the transplant area with labour & delivery??

Actually that is a proud grandpa with his first grandson, my sis's little guy Lucas. (about 2 1/2 months here).

Dad and Uncle D did great. Both were released much sooner than expected and dad even went back to work earlier than estimated, although with a few changes. Its about time the old man started to slow down! lol

Since we started with the 'before' pic we should end with an 'after'. Here they are again, with a bit of parts scrambling! ;)

"now remember to take good care of my kidney big brother!"

Boo

Nope not the Halloween kind either. Just a bunch of stuff to say "boo, bah-humbug" to.
What a week. Wednesday I slipped at work and my back has been a pain ever since. Didn't ride because of it but that's probably for the best as I noticed that today it feels much better. (thank goodness!)
Penning got cancelled this week, because of sick cows. That makes 2 of the last 3 pennings. And honestly I don't think they were feeling 100% last week. (then again I know next to nothing about cows)
Then I watched this documentary called "The Most Hated Family In America". You can access a YouTube clip of the documentary by clicking but caution there is strong language. If you even have to wonder why I say this family deserves a huge "Boo!" then we probably wouldn't get along so much in real life. Its nothing new to have an extreme religious group that is anti-gay but the tangents this family goes off on about the military really ticked me off, I mean seriously - picketing the funerals of soldiers?!
Not such a bad week though, I'm sure there are people who are worse off.
Oh, and for those of you that requested new pics I tried. Voodoo did not feel like modeling however. Instead he was being a pouty baby because (gasp) I was giving other horses some attention too!! lol
A sort of funny story: Kimfer works at a dairy and had 2 really bad days at work in a row. (Wed & Thurs) Thursday night she came into the restaurant for supper and said "I'm so mad at cows that I'm going to eat one... I'm ordering steak tonight!" lol