WHERE I'VE BEEN

The past few weeks have felt a lot like this...

At times like this...

And even this...

My parents, in their mid and late eighties are experiencing serious health issues. They live an hour away and since Christmas I have discovered there is not enough of me to go around. I am so grateful for the support of my husband and children, cousins, my dear MIL, and others who are too far away for hands-on assistance but keep in close contact by email and phone. So important to have a sympathetic ear at the end of a long day, particularly last week, when they were both in hospital at the same time. 
On the upside, my Fitbit is very happy with me. That hospital parking garage allowed me to rack up some serious stair step points.
Anyway, I'm not telling you this to whine, just wanted to explain my absence. I've missed you and this blogging thing terribly, and hope you will bear with me while I sort things out. 
I did manage to start working on this, before things got crazy.

Because I am feeling so stretched at the moment, I was delighted when this happened. I intended to make a early start yesterday, but...

A neighbor, of the "not a horse person" variety called at 7:30, to say he'd spotted a horse in his backyard. "Quite large, with tan and white spots, and a braided tail." My first thought was whew, not ours, and then...what to do? After some calls and texts around the neighborhood, we established who it belonged to, but couldn't reach them, and so I set off with a bucket of grain and carrots, and a lead. It's quite a hike to the neighbor from here, but I made pretty good time (pleasing my Fitbit again), and shook my bucket of grain in the direction of the last sighting. This adorable little face peeked around from behind the garage, and made me laugh out loud. The stray horse was a mini, which had looked much larger to the neighbor who hadn't yet had his first cup of coffee. I brought her home and stashed her in a stall, leaving a message for the owners to pick her up at their convenience. I was secretly hoping she'd still be here when I returned from visiting my folks, but she was gone. Still, it put a little button on my day. In the past few months, we have found a kitten, two beagle pups, and now a miniature horse. What next?

Don't you just want to squeeze it?
I'm off now, and I promise to be back before long. Nigel misses you, too. XO