Happy St. Patrick's Day & A Little More.............

I stole this pic, but Happy St. Patrick's Day to all.............I personally do not go out and drink and celebrate..........Haven't done so in decades, but for those of you that do, please be safe and enjoy!


The girl's U-Guard I ordered has come and not a moment too soon. They always get tummy aches and are particularly "pissy" with each other during their spring heats and as usual right on cue. I find that U-Guard once started and into a week of it seems to help with gut aches and crabbiness.........Use it every spring and fall. Also Kola's Palatech (levothyroxine) helps to keep her Equine Metabolic Syndrome in check in the spring, so I will start her on that soon, keep it up for two months and then wean her off until we have to start again next year. Both of them came out of winter looking fairly good. Misty's body score a (5) and Kola a (6 to 6.5). Not too bad considering two years ago Kola came out a (9) and last year Misty was a bit under muscled because of months of stall rest.


Also, last week we went to Chicago for a Garden Show at Navy Pier, which was not quite what I expected. It was a nice day out, but the show itself a little disappointing, however, I was able to nab a marvelous Chicago style hot dog for lunch. Oh those so important things.........

Also I celebrated my (not tellin') Birthday on Monday. I received some ITunes cards which I promptly spent and some marvelous Birthday wishes, beautiful cards from my family, gorgeous flowers and lunch at Red Lobster. It was a stellar day! We have a few short weeks before we head back to England and I'm reeling! We still have to spread fertilizer and weed killer on the pasture which in spite of recent warmer weather, still has snow on it and I still need to give this house a major clean. The girls are dying to get out there and run. I can tell when they stand at the gate daily and pine. Some things will just have to wait until we are back like re-painting the extension.

I find myself depressed at my paycheck these days..............I don't know how any of the "Health Care Plans" (FED) have impacted you all, but I have to say, I'm damned pissed. Generally, since I work a weekend program, meaning I work every Friday and Saturday 12 hour nights, (I chose that) I get a bonus from my job in January and in July. Remembering I'm only allowed 6 weekends off a year including sick time. I usually claim 9 dependents between Jan. and July so that it brings home a little extra cash, which help to pay for hay, feed and whatever. I suddenly noticed that this year, claiming 9 pulled NO fed tax out as it used to do some, AND I am bringing home $250 less per paycheck, every two weeks than I did last year and I received the top raise of 2.5%. Needless to say I am pissed. It's fine to cover family and extend coverage to my now graduated daughter, however, since the Health Care Insurance Companies were NOT addressed through this Health Care Bill now passed and working, I have found that United Health Care has tremendously jacked up the prices and I am pretty much paying for it 100% . I cannot even express how pissed I am...........So a 20 year career has left me earning or bringing home $500 to $600 dollars less a month. I actually take home less than I did last year for sure and than I did prior years. Not to mention all the recent political crap that has been taking place in Wisconsin recently.............Looking at my paycheck makes me want to puke and makes me wonder, "Why frickin' bother?" I'm just sayin'!