Moving The Farm

Well – we did it!  Packed up 35 years of life  on the farm in Humboldt and moved over the mountain to a new smaller farm in Camp Verde.  Oh what a chore and one that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy.  It is unbelievable how much one accumulates over the years.  But we boxed and crated and took numerous trips to Goodwill and then, thanks to the the help of several good friends we managed to get most everything over the hill in two days.  The furniture movers (firemen working on their off days) arrived with the things we couldn’t carry a couple of days later.  I had ordered enough new things so we were able to move in on the 17^th of November as planned.  I lived out of a suitcase for a few days and we ate off TV tables, well actually we do that all the time anyway, but all is in good order now – or mostly!

 

Oh the things you don’t notice until you move in.  I didn’t realize how noisy the place would be.  My old farm was way off the beaten path and maybe four cars a day went past – all neighbors.  Here the house is set back about a hundred yards from the road but it is still noisy as the road is what I would call busy.  Well, maybe not busy busy, but 10 cars or so an hour but is a lot more than what I was used to.

 

The water here tastes awful.  The house has a water treatment so it has good water but the poor animals…. It has been unseasonably cold in Arizona the past month and the house was cold – really cold.  Turns out the air filters were filthy and of course since my old house had electric heaters – I had no idea what was wrong and had to call for help.  It is much warmer now.

 

The cute little barn that I just loved, even if for some reason they only built four foot dividers, we haven’t even been able to let the horses in.  Once we took a closer look  – well, it just wasn’t built by a horse person.  The stall lights may have been out of reach of his pony but my Tbs would be electrocuted in minutes.  Above the concrete block wall is unfinished wood and since my horses are termites at heart – it would be demolished overnight.  Even worse, are the big re-bar ends sticking out of the concrete walls.  Maybe they were going to hang something and never got around to it – but all I could see was a visit from the vet.  It is all being fixed but until then the horses have to live outside.  Luckily it is warmer here than in Humboldt and they have marvelous thick winter coats.

 

Mostly the house and property is wonderful.  The house is way to big, (it echos) and we practically need an intercom because you can’t hear anything said from one end to the other but we have great lung power and it is doable.  We are getting the cosmetic things up and the pictures sure do help make it more homey.  Matt has been working really hard as around here we have to keep up with the Jones and they all keep their grass one inch tall. I am not kidding! So he has raked and weeded and trimmed and mowed and spread the manure and takes great pride in the grounds and the house.  I sure do appreciate it because the older I get – the less I can do – or want to…

 

The dogs and horses weathered the move nicely – the cats and the chickens not so much.  We have been here a month and the cats are just now coming out of hiding.  The chickens won’t leave their coop, which is large, but it also has a nice big yard which they haven’t even set foot in.  Maybe they are afraid of the huge Ravens which are everywhere.  The Ravens are so comical I quite enjoy watching their antics.  Luckily the zillions of Canadian Geese hang out in the alfalfa field across the road because they are really noisy and messy.  Farmer Frank lets them stay because they fertilize his fields.  Pretty smart!

 

So on to the horses.  Leo’s Lookin couldn’t manage to win four in a row but I am still really proud of him.  It is so hard to win any in a row, especially if you are a claimer, and he tried really hard going head to head with the favorite after a class jump.  He finished fourth in that race and then we dropped him back down to his comfort level and he ran a big second but was claimed.  I was sad because he was such an honest horse but he went to a good barn and will be well taken care of.  He was Canadian bred and they want to take him to Canada next summer for some of the big breed purses.

 

Likely Story’s tendon didn’t hold and she is coming home again.  She came back after a bullet work, she ran off with the rider, and was just a hair off.  We ultra sounded her and found the tear so she will be blistered and turned out.  I was very disappointed but that is the way things go with race horses. She will get a year off and come back as a 4 YO.  She seems to be a very nice horse and will hopefully be worth the wait.  If not, she is pretty to look at and maybe she can find a new, less strenuous job.

 

Aperitif is doing well.  She had the same bullet work as Story (3/8 in 36 flat).  Boy, were those two riders yelled at by the trainer as they weren’t supposed to go anywhere near that fast for their second timed work.  Anyway, Tiffy managed to stay sound and is moving right along with her training and maybe around February she will make a race.

 

My other 2 YO hasn’t started yet either.  I claimed Sorta Mine so I would have a 2 YO to run and it doesn’t look like that is going to happen this year.  She already had started 5 times so when we claimed her I figured she would start before the first of the year.  My trainer worked her 5/8 since she had never worked over a half and she started out like a house-a-fire and came to the turn and went straight.  So back to square one with her – I swear – I have the worst luck!  She seems to be going well now and has made the turn in her last few works so maybe she will be entered before she turns three.

 

With all my bad luck I probably should have stayed away from the claim box but with Story out – I went ahead and claimed a filly named AP Pepper by AP Warrior.  She finished way up the track on the day I claimed her so that didn’t make me very happy – I don’t care what trainers say about saving the condition – but what’s done is done and my trainer is very good at turning horses around.  She will run right on the bottom and hopefully soon.

 

The three horses at the farm are happy and seem to like it here.  Secret will go back to the vet that leased her around the first of February as she is due to foal in March – or maybe it’s April – I can’t remember.  Barilla and Nae Doot just hang around but there is lots to see – cows, Ravens, farmers, geese and there is a burro around here somewhere because I can hear it in the mornings, so they stay happy.  They will like it better when they can get in their barn.

 

Well, the holidays are here and I am done with the decorating and baking.  The presents are bought and wrapped and I am having family and friends over to celebrate in my new house.  It should be a memorable celebration as the dining room chairs that were supposed to arrive before Christmas are now, not coming until after.  I was going to buy a picnic table anyway but try to find one in December.  I finally found a guy that makes them and hopefully he can make me one before my Christmas eve party.  He said he could but that is a lot to ask of someone two days before you need it.  If it is not ready we will be using the TV tables.  Oh Joy!

 

Well, that’s it for now.  I wish each and everyone of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.