OMG Its been a crazy month!!! At the end of November my 84 year old mother became ill. We thought it was a chest infection, so being the only child I began visiting daily ( hour long round trip). I abandoned the Show-jumping classes and just did The Top Barn Fancy Dress classes with Charlie. (We got a 5th and a 6th and received some massive rosettes). Apart from that Charlie languished in the field becoming feral, while I raced around in Headless Chicken mode.
Then I lost the plot slightly and decided to take him to a Livery Yard and put him on full grass livery. It seemed the only option in my new Time Short Life!! Christmas Day I went to Mums, and 'enjoyed' a Pot Noodle for Xmas Lunch! I've had some dodgy Xmas Dinners in my time, but this took the prize! But, never mind. Boxing Day lunch was booked up with Mark The Mechanic and Part Time Horse Whisperers family at our local Sports Club. But upon ringing my mum, I discovered she had collapsed and an ambulance had been called. Lunch abandoned, I got warp speed out of the Astra, and arrived just behind the Ambulance, running up the stairs and bursting into the flat, gasping for air. The poor Paramedic!! He was just about to give me oxygen as well and book a second ambulance, but I managed to gasp out that I had a long-standing heart and lung condition, and I would be fine....eventually. Having extremely low oxygen sats, Mum was taken to hospital with Blue Lights and all. My life then revolved around a booked in visit with daily Lateral Flow Tests, for a week, until the Hospital suspended visiting. Turns out she has blood clots on her lungs.
So the day came to take Charlie to his new home. He has always loaded fine. In fact any time we have had a trailer or lorry open, he has loaded himself just to check for food. He wouldn't load. When I say wouldn't, I mean he violently refused, rearing, knocking me over. He couldn't have said No more clearly. It got dark. We gave up. When I arrived the next morning, Lu was curled up like a dog. Charlie was flat out, snoring and leaning against Lu. When they got up, I realised Lu had Colic. Jo and I went into nurse mode, like a well oiled team. A few hours later, Lu was feeling better and I went home, thinking. I don't generally think much. I kind of Do, and sometimes React, but never overthink. However my brain was in Full Thinking Mode. I realised the Ponies had spoken loud and clear about my decision to move Charlie. They were not happy. I also realised that I had had a knee-jerk reaction to the changes in my life. I have always had a habit of doing a thing I call 'Chucking The Balls In The Air'. When things change, I react without thinking and change everything, and see where the balls land. It has rarely worked out. So this time I followed my heart and Charlie's feelings....and we are staying put.
And so the Top Barn 12 week Challenge has begun. 2 days later my Mum was released into the wild. As weak as a kitten, living alone, but apparently not feeble enough for any help. And so I am again racing over to cook her meals, shop, clean etc. But I will not give up the Top Barn Challenge. The answer has been simple! Get Up Earlier!!! Plan each day like a Military General. Forgo the PH induced afternoon nap. Ignore the Side Effects from my meds. Oh and ignore the state of the house (Its NOT the end of the world if I don't hoover daily...after all the doggo makes a mess daily). I have in fact discovered if I ignore the Washing Up long enough that Mark The Mechanic and Part Time Horse Whisperer does it!
And so the first week of the Challenge has gone surprisingly smoothly. Charlie has forgiven me for trying to move him and is entering into the spirit of the Challenge with enthusiasm. We have mostly been working on the next Top Barn Competition, and re-visiting our trick training. We belong to a Trick Training Group, Horse Tricks 101 and are completing our levels. Who needs Sleep?
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