A horse called "Black Jack"

I belong to several Yahoo Groups featuring a variety of embroidery designers. Over the years I have gotten to know several of these gals with posting stories of our horses and families. Jericho Designs has mostly horse related embroidery's and Sew-N-2-U has a wide variety of designs and of course she has horses. Both gals do a great job with there sites. So you can imagine how heart wrenching it was to see an email come from Patty at Sew-N-2-U that her wonderful gelding Black Jack was not well. News like that hits everyone. It did not take long for both sites to have emails come in with encouraging words for Patty. It is so wonderful what the internet has done in creating friendships over the miles. With me it is not only that it is her wonderful horse..it is the name..Black Jack.

Several years ago we were lucky enough to have the chance to buy a wonderful Standard bred gelding by the name of Black Jack. He was up in years but very healthy and sound. Rod adored him..he was "his horse". A very polite easy going lad that fit in our barn like had always been there. One December our lives fell apart. Our Clyde gelding Hughie became very ill. After many vet visits and worries we finally found out that he had had a stroke. As our vet was again examining Hughie..I walked Jack past her bringing him in from his paddock...but wanted her to look at him when she was finished with Hughie. I had not liked the way he had been for a few days. The vet commented that Jack did not look right. Well that was the beginning of the end. In one month we had to say goodbye to both of them. Jack it turned out had Cancer. I want you to know that was the worst Christmas we have ever had.
So needless to say when I heard that another Black Jack was seriously ill..it hit my heart. Please say a prayer for Patty's Black Jack. I sure hope she has many more years of enjoyment and love with her lad. He is on an IV now in the hope it is an infection..but time will tell.

Back to Normal!

Whatever Normal..lol..is around this place! We had a nice Christmas. Friends and family came and went so lots of laughs. I have de-christmased the house and have most of it packed away the way it should be for another year. The tree is an issue as usual. The bag I store it in is a little to small so now to figure out another solution. At this point it may be the stand and a sheet in the baseement. I am trying to find another tree bag that is bigger than the one I have. Using that smaller bag has not helped the life of the tree..so on to find a new bag.

Rod got home from the East Coast at 6:30pm Christmas Eve. In over 30 years of trucking he has never almost missed Christmas. Boy it was close this year. The storms on our East Coast have been terrible. At one point he was not going to be here for Christmas Day. Looked like he was going to be sitting in Quebec City for the day. Thank heavens between weather and a co-operative company where he had to make a drop..it all worked out. It has been many years since I have seen him so tired. After a week off he is ready to hit the road again. Kally and Fuzzy cat will not get her treats all day long..lol..and I will go back to my sewing and take over the barn chores.

Our daughter and her family are having a wonderful holiday in the Cayman Islands. They went to swim with the Dolphins which was planned ahead. Oh my what an adventure that was. The girls were just over the top excited about the entire adventure. Can't wait to see them in person to hear the stories.

Just starting on a new quilt for Rod. The quilt in the truck is to small so here we go with another one. (The colours of the one last fall did not work out) So this time I got him to look at the fabric first..lol. The pattern has a southwestern look so hopefully this one will be ok. It is on the top of my sewing list of things to get done.

Somehow I need longer days. Between the B-Line a new sewing machine and software..I am not finding the days long enough to play with everything..lol..Then of course the horses are always put first. One day at a time.

Happy New Year To All