Friday, September 29, 2006, 20:53
At the Speed of Light
How can it be Friday already? The last thing I knew it was Monday, and now it's Friday!
I'm going to have work harder on keeping track of the days. And one way to keep track is to try to post more frequent blog entries, I think. . .
Wednesday morning, my little black filly, Isabelle, almost broke my heart.
It was warm Wednesday morning, and since it was warm outside, the little gnats that cause the horses so much grief were flying around their heads and bellies and legs.
I had a few extra minutes, so I got out the brushes and the RepelX lotion and the fly spray. Kajun is closer to the barn, so I decided to brush him and put fly spray on him first.
I crawled through the fence and started brushing my old gelding as he stood there eating his hay. Isabelle was in her pasture. She looked up, saw that I was brushing Kajun, and came on the run. Whinnying. Not just nickering at me. Whinnying.
And right then and there, I felt like crying.
Before I started working for the newspaper, I would brush the horses every morning and pay attention to them and pet them and give them kisses on the nose and pick out their feet and all that sort of thing.
For the past couple of weeks, the horses haven't been getting much attention.
And apparently, Isabelle has noticed. And she must miss the attention. Because she certainly wasn't going to let me think she didn't notice that I was brushing Kajun and that she expected to be next.
When I finished with Kajun, I carried the brushes and fly spray to the fence by Isabelle's pasture. Then I went and got her halter and the bridle. I haven't had time to put the bridle on Isabelle for a couple of weeks, either.
Isabelle stood so still while I put the halter on her and even turned her head a little so I could get at the buckle easier.
She took the bit just like she has been for the past month or so, no arguments, just opens her mouth and then lets me buckle up the throat latch.
When I picked up the brush and started brushing, she heaved a huge sigh -- which is her way of saying 'everything's okay now.'
Isabelle soaked in all of the attention. She enjoyed getting brushed. She enjoyed having me wipe RepelX on her belly and head with a baby wipe. She enjoyed getting her mane and tail brushed. And she enjoyed kisses on the nose.
I really never thought that maybe Isabelle would miss getting the attention that I used to have time to give her. I mean, really. She's a horse. And a horses's top priority is eating -- grass, grain and hay. And getting fresh water to drink, too, I guess.
But my little Isabelle apparently really enjoys attention.
And that's a *good* thing!
Horses who enjoy attention are usually horses who are willing to try to figure out what it is that you want them to do.
Now if only I had *time* to see if Isabelle would be willing to figure out what it is I want her to do -- like learning to go in a circle around me with the lunge line. And learning to stop when I say "whoa" and learning to move when I say "giddup" and learning to trot when I say "trot" -- all those things she will need to know when I actually am able to start riding her.
LeAnn R. Ralph
Tuesday, September 26, 2006, 21:53
Where's My Decongestant?
For the past year, Wisconsin residents have not been able to buy decongestants over the counter. If I want a decongestant for my stuffy nose due to allergies, or if my husband wants decongestants because of his allergic stuffy nose, we have to go to the pharmacist, show a valid driver's license and sign for the decongestant.
And not only do you have to provide a valid driver's license and sign for the decongestant, you can only buy enough at one time to last for a few weeks. Which means that every couple of weeks during allergy season (which for me seems to be most of the year), you have to go to the pharmacist again, show your driver's license again, sign again.
The information, I am told, goes into a database that is routinely screened by law enforcement officials to see if anyone is trying to buy "too much" decongestant.
Restricting the ability to buy decongestants is an attempt to curb the manufacture of methamphetamine.
Meth has been a huge problem here in West Central Wisconsin, partially because of our proximity to the Twin Cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis.
Decongestant is a key ingredient of methamphetamine. Meth users become addicted to the stuff the first time they use it. And the more they use meth, the harder it is on their bodies, so that after a certain amount of time, meth users look like they have aged 20 years. It is also extremely difficult to kick a meth addiction.
According to the local sheriff's department, restricting the sale of over-the-counter decongestant has dramatically reduced the number of meth labs in the area.
Meth labs, places where people 'cook' the meth -- can be a house -- or sometimes they make the stuff in an R-V as they drive around and around. Sort of a rolling meth lab, if you will.
Places where meth is produced are considered to be 'toxic waste' sites and are dealt with accordingly.
The fumes from making methamphetamine has an adverse effect on the health of any children in the vicinity.
And thanks to an article link sent by Rural Route 2 subscriber Deanna, I see that the federal government is now picking up on making it more difficult to buy decongestants over-the-counter nationwide.
You can read the article here.
It seems to me that law enforcement officials must spend a certain amount of time scanning lists of people in the area who have allergies and colds. But I suppose that's a small price to pay for reducing the amount of methamphetamine that is manufactured.
Asking the pharmacist for decongestant, showing my drivers license and signing for the decongestant is definitely an inconvenience. I'm sure the pharmacies are not thrilled about the extra work that it makes for them, either. But at least I can feel as if I am doing something to help alleviate the problem of methamphetamine.
And that I *have* been doing something -- for about a year, now.
The Hills Are Alive. . .
Well, okay, the hills are not "alive" with color. Not yet. But the trees are definitely starting to turn. Right across the road there's one maple tree that is a flaming scarlet color. And I can see trees that are bright red and yellow in the surrounding hills. At this point, I would say the trees about a quarter turned.
It is a warm and very windy day here at Rural Route 2. The wind is straight out of the south, and the high temperature this afternoon was 72 degrees.
The air is taking on the golden quality that I very much associate with fall. I think part of it has to do with the slant of light now that the sun is at a different angle and part of it is because some of the leaves have turned yellow and are reflecting back the yellow sunlight.
All I know for sure is that I had better enjoy the color and the golden autumn light because in maybe as little as three weeks, the trees will have all turned as much as they are going to turn. We will have gotten a windy rain storm. All of the leaves will fall to the ground. And then the landscape will be dull and drab and brown.
How can I be so sure?
It happens every year. . .
LeAnn R. Ralph