I'm still here, though to be honest I truly just don't know what to write about anymore. Life is at a strange point.  My kids are great, my 7 year old seems to be a genius and my 2 year old is lucky that he's cute as can be. I still have 3 dogs & 2 cats, and yes... I will be getting a 4th dog whether I like it or not.  Most advice I got from my readers was that I needed to tell my son "no" and that he was old enough to understand... but (no offense to anyone!) I just feel as if while he may be old enough to understand, he shouldn't have to.  He shouldn't have to be too mature yet, and he shouldn't be made sad because people he love give him a gift and I tell him no.  So as much as it sucks, the puppy will be here in a week.  I am still looking for a job, seriously, I have a minimum of 75 applications out there. r.i.d.i.c.u.l.o.u.s.  I did finally get an interview last Friday, and I have an interview tomorrow, and supposedly will have 2 more this coming week as well.  But until I actually get the call with an interview time, I don't believe the "little birdie" that says I'm getting an interview.  My fingers (and of course toes) are all crossed that one of these jobs will come through for me. And if I'm extra lucky, I'll get more than one offer and I'll then be stuck with the dilemma of which job I want! Sounds amazing doesn't it? (btw I always thought dilemma was spelled, dilemna... apparently I'm wrong, at least according to my computer... totally confused my brain).  Oh and I'm happy to let people know that today was nearly 60 degrees, and this entire week is supposed to be just as beautiful! It's wonderful, I'm praying that spring is coming early!  I know this sounds bad but seriously, I need away from my hubs.  I love him to pieces but we've been stuck together for so long! When neither one of us are working we are forced to spend lots of extra time together, most of the time (when we're both employed) we feel that we are blessed to have that extra time with each other... but lately, holy jeez I feel as if I can't breathe! I'm moody and I find myself picking fights.... distance makes the heart grow fonder.... ;)

lasty to my horse friends, hope you managed to make it through this blah of a post.  Question for you... my gelding has been kept in the barn for the last few weeks.  He gets fed 6-8 flakes a day and 3 scoops of grain.  Today I asked the barn owner to cut his grain back to 1 scoop a day.  My reasoning: when I went and "test-rode" this horse I jumped on him after he'd spent the last 8 months in pasture with being ridden maybe once.  I climbed up and took off like he was an old pro, and he really was! We walked, trotted, loped, galloped, backed, side pass, yada yada, he did it all and he did it all calmly.  The last few months, calmly isn't happening.  All I do is walk and we can't walk without prancing nearly the entire time (45 min to an hour), or tossing our head everywhere.  So, I've dropped the grain because that's the only thing different that I know of.  He didn't have grain where I bought him from, just open pasture.  Thoughts on graining? He's normally in a pasture/turn out but it's completely ate down and I'm not sure if there will be a round bale in it come spring... but he'd still be given at least 6 flakes of hay a day... is just the hay enough?  He's not used in competitions... he's completely a recreational vehicle... ;)