I
am stealing a few quiet moments in an effort to get this letter
out to all of you. I want to thank Kim Cleminson for the wonderful
article she wrote about the Minnesota Horse Expo - and want
to thank all of the ASAP volunteers for being present at the
booth and sharing our program with interested persons. Extra
special thanks to Adrienne de Master and her girls and her 4-H
club, Debbie Thompson, an ASAP-adopter-to-be!, Kim Cleminson
and family, Sue Witzany, Linda Bair, and.... did I leave anyone
else out?
Special thanks
to Cinderella Farms for their recent donation of a breeding
to a Freisian stallion! More details to follow...... .and chances
to win this fabulous prize.
Whooops - just
had to get up to answer the phone here in my classroom - John
Stevenson, radio announcer for CC-106 FM country station just
called - he is coming over to talk to my class today and hand
out t-shirts! John is an ASAP adopter and honorary advisory
board member, and influential in radio in this community. I
am looking forward to his visit (their radio station provides
free advertising for ASAP) and will send pictures to put on
the site!
The Minnesota
Horse Expo came and went and, despite my best effort, I could
not be there due to a horse's illness that almost took his life.
Thankfully, he has made a good recovery, but still requires
medication administered through a catheter into a vein in his
neck (see photos)...... he had a relapse on Monday again, so
more phone calls to the vets and a late night drive to the country
vet on the ridge to pick up more dex (an anti-inflammatory).
He just had his dex cut in half and was on his last dose when
he began to get listless and didn't want to move around too
much, then began collecting fluid under the skin, so now we
are going through another series of dex treatments....UGH....
.another three to four days before he can re-join his friends
in the pasture.
The 4-H fund raiser
for Thank God for Granny up in Trempealeau brought some serious
4-H'ers, with their horses, to the Pat Parelli trainer. Most
of the horses were Standardbreds! A lot of new things were learned,
and much appreciated, as the 4-H'ers were able to see a response
to various training methods within hours. Thank you thank you
thank you Adrienne de Master and daughters and the Trempealeau
4-H riding club!
My daughter's
prom a couple of weeks ago went well - a lot of you have asked
about it - and it was fun primping and dressing her up for the
night. Special hair appointments - fake nails - an expensive
dress (another OUCH)........was all worth it when I went to
the grand march at the prom and saw my very grown-up-looking
daughter with her handsome date (he wore a white tux and a top
hat!!!). Sigh.... The only weird-ness about the whole night
was the fact that Cherie and her date parted ways at midnight
- he went to the all-night lock-in at the YMCA and she didn't
want to, so she invited friends over to our house for the rest
of the night. I made it to bed at 3:30 (aughhhhhh) - the rest
stayed until 5:00 am. I guess times have changed a little, but
hey! At least she was home and safe!
Craig just got
back from a five day turkey-hunting excursion with his best
buddy. They drove nine hours to South Dakota and hunted HARD.
All Craig got was an aching back.... only was able to call one
turkey in but the turkey wouldn't come close enough.... so came
home poultry-less. His friend Pete did score a victory with
a good-sized bird on the third day of the hunt. There was one
foot of snow in South Dakota last Thursday night - glad I wasn't
there! Craig's being absent from home left me with kids and
animals and chores and housework and...... all I can say is
that I was very strong and confident while he was gone, but
yesterday as I knew Craig was getting close to home and I was
driving home from work, I began to cry - a complete letting
down of all my walls.... just overwhelmed by Chief being sick
and my son's trip to the clinic with a sudden case of hives,
and all the busy-ness that goes with being the lone ranger in
charge. Thanks to my foster son, Greg, and my nephew Ryan, and
my mother and the ASAP board members and our volunteer Andrea,
we made it through. Now I can relax and realize how very much
I depend on Craig for every part of my life!
Our rally for
funds to cover vet expenses recently is paying off. Most recently
we received a $300 donation from two of our board members, a
$50 donation from Peggy P (thanks Peggy!) and a $300 donation
from a harness racing owner. The harness racing owners are really
becoming involved - and I can only say that we appreciate them
in their attempts to rectify a bad situation with the Thoroughbreds.
The Standardbred owners care!!! That is what makes it so enjoyable
to serve the harness racing industry. Also, we want to thank
the Illinois Harness Horseman's Association for, once again,
making a sizeable yearly contribution to ASAP. All of you who
have donated money will receive a name mention on the web site,
and a personal thank you.
Special thoughts
go out to Carmen Burth, our placement assistant, who recently
had major back surgery. Please give us a little extra time to
get applications approved for the next week or two until she
is back on her feet. We love you, Carmen!
Until next week,
Susan
