Christmas Opportunities

It was a cold afternoon out Christmas scramble shopping before the holidays. I was home from grad school just a few days before the big day, and didn't have my shopping done. Mom and I spent the day out spending my money I didn't have on gifts for everyone - so no one in the family could say "Jennifer didn't bother to think of me this holiday - she was too selfish, I suppose", or some other ill-intentioned remark... especially for the poor grad student who was earning below the national poverty level...

We were checking out in line at Wal-Mart. All our spoils were settled on the rolling rubber mat that auto-scrolls up to the checkout. Two women filed in line behind us, setting down all kinds of toys & little clothes. One was older, one was younger. I heard the younger one say, "Mom, we can't afford all these gifts this year. We've already explained it to the kids, and they said they understand. Santa has to take a year easy to catch up."
The older woman said, "No bother. We're doing this anyways. I don't know how, but we'll figure something out. Those kids shouldn't have to understand what hard years are. We will figure it out, sweetheart, don't worry."
I was heartbroken. Here I was, using what little tuition stipend I'd saved, and I was buying half-decent things for family that didn't need a darn thing, while this mom was trying to buy gifts for little kids with a harsh reality to face.
I leaned into my mom, and said, "Mom, did you hear that? I know I shouldn't eavesdrop... but it's sad." I explained what I'd heard.
As the clerk scanned our things, she gave me the total, and I paid up in full. All cash. Mom looked at the clerk, looked back at the two women, and dug through her purse. She pulled out some amount of cash, I didn't see how much. There were at least three twenty-dollar bills in the pile. She folded it up neatly, and, as we walked off.. said to the clerk, "Here. Put this towards the next people's bill. Don't tell them where it came from, and have a Merry Christmas."
We left the store. I was nearly in tears. "Mom, that was so sweet. I can't believe you did that."
Mom said, "I do that every year. Each Christmas, I end up in line in front of somebody like that. I hear what they say, like you did, and I reserve Christmas money every year for that situation. Take note, and do it yourself. You will be blessed Christmas morning thinking of the kids tearing open gifts that were really from Santa."

And I have. Each year, I look at how much I have to spend for the holiday. I make a list, include all of the family and close friends. I handmake some gifts, I personalize others. I set aside a little cash, and stick it in a safe spot in my purse. Each person gets something that is useful, or necessary. I don't buy "hang it on the wall without a use" gifts often. I eavesdrop, I listen in, and I stare at what's on the checkout lines around me... And for the last five holidays, I've had one of those families behind me in a checkout line, and every year, I've been Santa.

Charity - Whose Responsibility Is It?

I'm going to preface this... If you don't wanna argue politics, skip the details. If you do, keep your response comments clean enough small children can read it & not ask questions. Cheers!


Who do you give to? How much? How often? I'm a regular giver, but at church mostly. If there's a toy drive, or a food drive, or a physical "giving" campaign, I try to participate. When Hurricane Ike blew in, I organized a gift card drive at work, and participated.

All that being said, I get bent out of shape sideways when I see begging. Begging on street corners, begging in restaurants, begging in grocery store parking lots. Begging on the internet, too. I reguarly see folks that, while not Bill Gates or Oprah, aren't suffering; however, because they don't have the nicest house on the block, or the means to have high speed internet, satellite cable with premium movies, or the latest Blackberry cell phone, beg. It burns my bum! I hate seeing people begging! I hate it more when they beg on the internet - behind this wireless curtain where, I can't see if they physically need what they say they need. "I'm starving and might be stuck living on the street, so please feel bad for me." I can't do it! How do I know you're bad off? How do I know for sure you're not sitting on vacation in a nicer house than my double-wide, lapping up cable-speed internet, surfing the web all day roving for sympathy?

It's not the government's responsibility to provide charity-care for those able to work. It might not be a fun job, it might not be a high-paying job... But if you can physically think for yourself, there's work to be had. I'll admit, it ain't gonna pay for high speed cable & internet... but it will keep beans & rice on the table and the heat on low. If you need help, seriously need assistance, get your rump to a church, and get involved. If you've got the calories to beg on the internet, there's certainly some calories there that can be burned entering data in the church computer, or visiting the shut-ins in a nursing home.

This concludes my rant of the season... I usually get one neat God-driven opportunity to help someone every Christmas. It's a tradition I picked up from my mom, and I've done it every year since I've had a full-time job. See the next post.. If I've offended, or caused you pain, I am sorry. I am entitled to my opinion.

You know what they say about opinions? They're like armpits - Everybody's got at least two, and usually, one stinks. Cheers all.

Friday Fill Ins

1. The last band I saw live was Newsboys.
2. What I look forward to most on Thanksgiving is friends & trail rides.
3. My Christmas/holiday shopping is not even started, but I have a mental list for most family and friends.
4. Thoughts of what to do after work with the horses fill my head.
5. I wish I could wear regular jeans without folding the bottoms up.
6. Bagpipes blow. (That is funny!)
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to Riding Romeo in pasture, Chewie in the round pen, tomorrow my plans include shopping for new jeans & helping at the memorial roping and Sunday, I want to get off to a great start at my new lesson!

11/20/08 Chewie

I think the shoulder was a game to get out of work. Anyways, it was an unsuccessful effort with me. I did wrap his legs with polos before work, hoping any scuffle temper fit he'd throw in the round pen would be muted by the leg protection.

I didn't warm him up as fiercely as Les did, but eventually got him at the same high gallop. One thing Les wanted him to do was at "whoa", stop going at the rail, come to the pen center, and stop. I needed to remind Chewie of the game with a lunge line, but after a few minutes, he remembered. He went forward nicely, and on "whoa", came in, licking & chewing. One time he got out there really fast, tearing around the pen kicking up dust. I said, "Whoa!", stepped just in front of his shoulder, and he came in, breathing hard. I let him stand for a few minutes, rubbing him all over and told him what a good boy he was. After he caught his breath, we went back to it. The "whoa"s were easier after that. I took off the line, worked on it some more, and also worked on transitions up & down. Put his french link snaffle in, climbed on bareback, and worked on neck reining at the walk, and rode a while at trot on the rail. I was searching for the lameness Les described, but there was none to be found. I think he was messing with us...

One friend suggested saddle fit. I mentioned it to Les, and commented, "I didn't feel anything bareback, so that might've been it. You have other saddles.. Let's check those out, huh?" He agreed to try others.

Romeo has a busy weekend ahead. Let me dig up some hot coffee somewhere's... I'll find the Friday Fill Ins, get that accomplished. I've got a rant in my head I need to phish out, so ya'll will have to tolerate my temper tantrum. Sometimes society baffles me, and if I don't type it out, someone over the holiday season may hear my opinion too loudly.. that would be bad.

where's the coffee???????

11/18/08 Respecting the Bit

Tacked Romeo in my Western saddle, English bit. I love my hunter bit - It's a loose ring snaffle, steel with a copper french link in the middle. It's so flexible, and the copper brings out nice happy horse-spit!

I wasn't really sure if he'd obey me in the bit, stopping on "whoa", without a lot of bit pressure. His go's and whoa's were great! His neck reining, well, that left a gap. I think the english bridle, with the nice cotton web reins (I Love holding onto, they're so soft!) wasn't enough. I have english leather reins, and it might be time to use them, or pick up a pair of rubber reins.. something. Anyways, Romeo didn't want to obey neck reining cues for flip, even with added leg pressure. I think it was that the cotton reins weren't getting through his winter fuzz to his skin. Not sure... But I cantered him neck reining, and direct reining. Had my elbows bending on light contact and all. Both leads, both directions. It was a pretty neat feeling. Reins in each hand, legs securely on the horse, his mind totally on me. He had his ears turned on me more last night than he has in a while. We wrapped up with a walk down the road, plagued with goofy redneck neighbor whistling (at the deer, I assume, looking for antlers to shoot at; sad for him, they're a herd of does.. he doesn't know that I guess), and another neighbor trolling behind me in his 4-wheeler. I waited a couple times, thinking he'd pass, and Romeo could get a look at the ATV. No such luck... Oh well. Total work about a half hour. Not as much as I'd wanted, but good enough.

Talked to new instructor Miss Susan. Western saddle, western bit (tom thumb), and fat-jeans. Les was asked not to attend, so she can see me all for herself, without any fear of me "worrying what my friend might think of my riding." She doesn't know that Les has seen me at my worst, and has a knack for forcing me a bit past comfortable just to develop more confidence. That's okay... we're still on schedule for noon Sunday. I can't wait!!!

I think Chewie was faking-me out. I poked his shoulders.. both sides, in fact. He gave, but it was more a "Gimmee a cookie, witch" give than it was a "owwie that hurts, stinkie!" give. I think he isn't in pain any more than normal on his ever-changing right front.

need hoof pictures need hoof pictures need hoof pictures... if I type it over and over and over I'll remember, right??

Ya'll have a ducky good day. If you live where the snow flies, bottle some up for me. It's been cool here, and I wish there was white stuff to go with it... better than just "cold" with no particular purpose.

11/17/08 Update on All

Chewie's shoulder still sore. Dangit... I'm having serious "sell the horse" thoughts. He's great, when he's great. Those are far between. Les insists I sell him online. I don't want to do that... There are a select people or three I don't want anywhere near him, because I know he won't be treated well. I don't even feel like discussing the matter with them, or having their notes in my inbox... Might shoot an email to the lady I got him from. I don't know... I'm almost getting too much pressure from Les to "get out of the habit of feeding a horse I can't use for anything or get any benefit from." My real hesitation is I don't want to give him away for nearly nothing, and I don't want him in an abusive cowboy home where he winds up with spur marks all over him... Hard to ferret out evil people...

Shorty came home. Report is he was staggering & weak wandering around the pasture, but ate supper grain & breakfast hay. Vet said "get him a salt block so he'll drink more." UM! Great idea, but if the horse won't drink because of cold weather, salt won't convince him. Anyways... he's back home & I look forward to seeing him again soon. I hope he isn't ridden in a while, but that's incredibly out of my control, and I hate that.

Romeo and I worked in the pasture before dark. Walk, Trot, Canter. I put a ground pole out, and asked him to canter over it. He was a little stickie, but eventually did it mid-stride without fuss. It was pretty neat to get him over it, and give him the reins in front of the fence. Sort of let him figure out where to put his feet. Total work about 45 minutes.

Shorty Goes Home Today

Les called the vet for an update, and they said, "Oh Yeah! He's good. You can come get him." Just like that... No details, no updates, nothing. I had utmost respect for these people, they were so polite, so kind,, all of that.

They called us once Sunday to let us know he was comfortable... that was it. Then suddenly today, it's "all better".

Is that normal? Are vets normally that uninformative?

Anyways, D's going to Bay City to pick the fellow up today. I'll be happy to see him standing back in the pasture at Les' house munching on grass & hay.

Chin up, Shorty.. I missed ya!