August 1, 2009

Avalo had two boarders for a couple days. Two cute little non-yappy (thank goodness) dogs. We also had two additions to the feline family. One kitten was picked up at Full Gallop last Saturday. His name is Hoyt. The other is named Wink and is a much younger kitten who is missing one eye. He seems fine with it. After both kittens got a bloodtest at the vet, they were allowed to mingle with the others.

We finally convinced (coerced might be a better word) Leanne to tape her online audition. It was fun to watch the creativity come out and see her go from nervous to relaxed, and see Kip go from Bracey to relaxed. She will retape the segment, but at least we have an idea of what we are doing now. We hope she can get both Level 2 auditions before she leaves. Leanne and Michelle leave this weekend for Karen O'Conner's in Virginia. Leanne will be dropped at her home afterwards, on the way back through. We will miss Leanne. Kip too. Hope they visit and stay a while again.

Also this week, Zanzibar, a training horse, went home. Amy and her daughter and granddaughter arrived to see Michelle show what Zanzibar could do. And Zanzibar can now do a lot. After only a month of training, he is going well under saddle and has been on a few trailrides. We all (Michelle, Leanne, Reva, Dachia, Brittany and Amy) went for a trailride with Amy aboard Zanzibar for her first such ride. We had found a new trail a couple days before that and were anxious to visit it again. I was wonderful to have everybody out together, and it was Brittany's first trailride, too.

This weekend, we hope to get some mowing done (Steve will be repairing the mowers), water put in at Dachia's, (that would be Steve again) website updated, a couple horses worked and get a few round-bales (in which Steve will find dozens of crickets to feed to his lizard... whom he travels with... in a 10 gallon tank). Steve will also cook some. Reva is a pretty good cook, as well, so between the two of them, we will be well-cared for on the home-front. Hopefully, Leanne will be videotaping Michelle and Karen so we can all learn from the experience.