Dr. Carrie's Visit

HAY!  February 7th was a sunny, beautiful day.  I was looking forward to either a ride or some serious pasture time with Texas Pete, my new buddy.  Mom said it was quite chilly but what do humans know about weather?  She decided to groom me outside since the barn was cold.  No problem.

What do you think about my mane and tail? My mane is getting thicker and longer.  Too bad Mom cannot give me bath so my mane and tail would be snowy white.  Speaking of snow, we have had none this winter but we have had lots of rain which makes great mud for rolling.

Awwww.  My adorable cheeky look just after a good grooming.  Good safety knot, Mom.  (Hope I do not regret those words?)

Who is this lady and why is she petting me?  MOM!!! Where are you???  What is the lady holding in her left hand?  Something does not seem right about this moment.  WAIT!!! I remember the lady, she makes pain for me.  Noooo...Dr. Carrie. HELP!! I need to run before it is too late.

Doc said: "This won't hurt ODIE.  Just be still."  WRONG!!!!!!!!!!  It does HURT!  Let go of my halter and stop jabbing me with those sharp things! MOM!!!!! OOOOUUUUCCCCH!

Good Grief, Doc!  Is that MY blood in that tube?  I feel faint.  MOM!!!!  This is the worst day ever.  I better get a peppermint for all this pain.

 

ODIE, little babies act better over shots than you have.  There is no way that three needles caused so much distress.  Dr. Carrie comes once a year for your vaccinations and your Coggins (the tube with your blood).  You are not in pain.  Ask Texas Pete about pain when he had his eye surgery for cancer.  

p.s.  ODIE got 2 peppermints, a lot of carrot pieces, many hugs and the afternoon in his pasture.  In an attempt to bond with Dr. Carrie, ODIE did his famous bow. 

My New Bridle

MOM!!!  This is the worst ever picture of me.  What am I doing, sniffing a dirty blanket?  I do not even wear a blanket, so whose is that??  YUCK.  ODIE, calm down.  I know this is not the best picture of you but I wanted a photo of your new bridle from SmartPak Equine.  How was I to know that you would wander over to inspect the blanket just as I took the shot.  Your bridle is very nice, lightweight soft leather and looks fabulous on your handsome head.  Look how much your mane has grown...awesome.

OKAY, I can see a few positives in this situation and I do like my new bridle.  This one is not heavy like my last one but my name is not on my new one.   Odie, you are so incredibly spoiled.  There is not enough space to have a nameplate.  Your old bridle was a combination halter/bridle which you will be wearing as a halter.  Your name is on the halter.  Maybe, if you really behave, I will buy you a bridle tag with your name.  But, I mean REALLY behave and no more whining.

Whatever...snort!

Zappo Fans (WHAT??? ODIE fans!)

 Hay!

Mom is making me add this link.This was her first blog, obviously before she found me and had interesting things to write about.  Neigh! Neigh! (ha!)  ODIE!  Be nice.  There are people who might read this Zappos' link and then return to read about "Mr. Wonderful", which would be you. Hmmm, had not considered that.  To see me is to adore me and I have a lot to say.  Plez.

 




http://wwwsisterslovezapposinfo.blogspot.com/2009/09/zapponia-wins.html

from one of MY FANS

Hay, ODIE fans!

I love having Mom read your messages to me and those BIG BOY commercials are awesome.  Keep them coming, plez.  Loved this one and it just goes to show that any horse can achieve his dream.  Mine is to be Mom's forever horse.   ODIE

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmmsr7PAhWU

regarding that "FETCH" thing

YO, Mom!  Been thinking about the "FETCH" trick on youtube.  Cute but really lame for horses.  See link below for how REAL HORSES "fetch".  xxxxODIE    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYc_PaJTk1w&feature=related

One Year of Haffie Love... 2011

January 15, 2011... I met Mom and took her for a ride.  There was snow on the trail in Liberty, NC but I was careful.  Actually, it was love at first sight for Mom.  Mom could not stop hugging me after the ride or giving me carrots. Megan, my owner, wanted me to have a forever home and was willing to give Mom a try.  Dad was only interested in holding "Fuzzy", the cat.

Megan delivered me to Mom on January 21,2011.  How do I know all these dates, well duh...Mom told me.  I am now in the mountains of North Carolina and it is cold.  But Mom loves me.  Check out my mane.

This is Mom's favorite picture where I am not only adorable but inquisitive.

I call this "my precious look" , March in Dupont.  Keep looking at my mane.  Mom's sister calls this my "military look".

Kids ADORE me!!!  Here I am doing 4-H at Shoal Creek Farm in Dupont.

Baby, I'M A ROCK STAR!!  Listening to a 4-H  talk at Shoal Creek Farm while all the kids wanted to do was PET me and RIDE me!!!

OK.  So some days I got a little (lot) dirty playing in the pasture.  Look at my mane.

Mom tried to clean me but it was too cold for a bath.  Notice her lovely safety knot!

June 2011...horse camp at Shoal Creek Farm.  Loved all that grooming from the kids.

 

All right...enough with the kissing, Mom.  You are getting lipstick on my very clean face.  Is Mom wearing pearls to the barn??? 

Who is the most handsome Haflinger in the world???  Obviously, I am from the look on Mom's face!!  Go, ODIE!!!

Styling and walking calmly with Mom.  Summer 2011.  Aunt Kim, from Scotland, took this picture.

Handsome ME at Cross Creek Stable in the fall.

Check out my mane and the beginnings of my winter coat.  Hope I do not have to wear a blanket.

If you look deeply into my eye, you can see Aunt Kim taking my picture.  Cool, huh?  If you look even deeper, you can see how much I love Mom. I hope we have many, many years together.   LOVE....ODIE the Haffie Horse

I AM NOT A DOG!!!

Mom,

You are awesome but I totally refuse to learn this trick.  Only DOGS fetch.  Let's practice more bowing for carrots, 'K??

neigh,neigh,neighxxxxxxODIE


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qe7rzCeA46U&feature=youtube_gdata_player

NEIGH!!! HAPPY NEW YEAR

HAY, ODIE fans!  HAPPY NEW YEAR from your favorite Haflinger in North Carolina.  This is my best photo and makes me look a lot younger. I am 20 this month, seriously.  On New Year's Day, I was sunning in my pasture when Mom & a lady arrived with a horse trailer.  Now, it was a perfect day for a ride but somehow, I did not think that was going to happen.  However, I like to take trailer rides so I trotted right inside and settled down to noshing on some yummy hay.  Any time without that dreaded grazing mask is good.   Mom & the lady get into the truck and off we go. BUT...wait. Where are we going????  

It was a short ride on the BIG road (I love the BIG roads with all the trucks whizzing past) to my new home, Hickory Hill Stables.  Now tell me again, why we moved?  [Ok, ODIE. Your new barn is just 4 miles from my home. That's great because I can visit you all the time]  HMMMM...this could be bad. [ODIE...you are being such a brat.  You will have tons of time with all your new buddies and the best part, no grazing muzzle until Spring.]  Ok, new buddies & no muzzle are good.  Back to the barn...large stalls, great hay and full of horses, which means gossip.  Mr. Perry owns the barn and thinks I am cute.  Liza is the manager and thinks I am adorable with huge, happy eyes.  So far, so good unless Mom tells them about my ability to slither under fences. [They already know and are prepared for your Houdini tricks. BUSTED!]   First, I inspect my new "room" and taste the water...refreshing.  Then Mom takes me for a tour of the barn, the pastures and a walk with a spotty horse with big eyes & a short tail & his nice owner.  [ODIE!! You can be so rude. "Spotty horse" is a special breed called Appaloosa and their tails are supposed to be short.  Lakota is his name. He is wearing a fly mask with eye protectors because he had eye surgery.  You have to wear a fly mask ALL the time because your eyes are so sensitive to sunlight and dust. Behave, please.]  Whatever.  Lakota's owner was nice and wanted to let us eat grass on our tour of the property.  But, OH NO!  Mom snapped my halter and informed me that I was working.  Working?  Thought we were doing a friendly stroll around the pastures??  When Mom is in work mode, no grass, no treats and I had better follow directions.              Now this is a cool pasture! Look how much room there is to run and play.  But the best part is NO MUZZLE.  [Now, ODIE, remember you will have to wear the muzzle in the Spring but that is a long time away.]  Whatever.  My first day, I was in the pasture with Lakota.  In the next pasture was this tall, brown horse who wanted to run & play.  He was so much fun that I just slithered under the fence onto his side and left Lakota. Nobody yelled at me so I stayed there all day having a great time.  The best part was that the next day this became "OUR" turf since Mr. Perry thought we bonded.  This is my new, best friend:     His name is CHAPA and he is a Thoroughbred.  Chapa was on the racetrack once and loves to run.  Chapa's "room" is across the aisle from mine which means we can talk all night, too.  How cool to have a best friend, at last.  Chapa's mom is from Argentina & she makes him behave, too.  Life in 2012 is looking good.

 

 

 

Nepal #2

Keep reading...Nepal Part Two follows Key West.

Celebrating SIXTY in Paradise!

Some "Catmas"!  The parents went somewhere and left me & Lucy.  Of course, we had our cat sitter but that doesn't count.  Notice my sad face...Abbi

Yep, the parents certainly did leave for somewhere else...Key West, Florida. We were celebrating my 60th birthday, Ron's birthday and holiday time with the family.  60...that cannot be correct???  The view from our room at the Parrot Key Hotel.

Sandy relaxation area below our balcony.  Since there are no waves in the Key West waters, no sand is produced.  Sand is imported from the Miami beaches!

Our balcony...the four of us were sharing a townhouse with an ocean view.  Parrot Key is not in the "old" town area and taxi rides were $40 daily for the round trip. OUCH!! There were four pools and a small cafe on the grounds.  Lovely and quiet but a long way to Duval.

Paul & Ron at D.J.'s Clamshack on Duval.  (Reminded me of Costa Rica in the small villages, complete with chickens.)

Chicken!  D.J.'s is known for its lobster roll.  Other than Maine, truly the most awesome lobster roll ever...no fillers, just a lightly butter bun stuffed with lobster.

Well, Ron did not have enough lobster & he had the overstuffed roll.

The old movie theater which is now a Walgreen's.

quite amusing advertisement

This is a real dog looking rather sad. There was no charge for the photo.  At one point, Sister and I wanted to take a picture of a parrot perched on a bicycle.  Just as I was ready to snap, an aging hippie ran out and said there would be a charge.  He posed the bird on the shoulders of tourists for a photo op and a small fee.  Hmmm.  Have to be faster with the shutter.

Up close and personal to a Carnival Cruise Ship docked in the Mallory Square Harbor area.

Newly married and walking around in her beautiful dress.  We deduced that the groom was not wearing underwear as you could see through his white pants!

Pelican watch in Mallory Square Harbor

Key Lime pie is a big deal in Key West but the pie outlets sell Key Lime pie dipped in chocolate on a stick.  That was a little much and we passed on all opportunities.

Hmmm...is this our "watering hole"  Could not breathe for the smokers so moving on.  There is no law banning smoking in establishment that serve food or drinks.

Hanging from the smoke-darkened ceiling in Capt. Tony's

Sloppy Joe's with a window seat.  No, there are no bras on the ceiling.  The boys are looking at the massive collection of flags.

Happy husband with 60 year old wife!!  Note I am wearing my Dr. Roeder t-shirt.

Chickens are everywhere in Key West and not just in the Old Town area.  It seems that Key West passed a law many years ago that made the area a bird sanctuary.  Since chickens qualify as "birds', they are protected and it is a crime to kill one.  One of the locals said there were at least 3,000 chickens in Old Town.  (total yuck)

time to call a taxi on day one...nap time

Painting inside Santiago Bodega, a tapas restaurant.  We called this "The Red Queen"

Hay, ODIE!  How do you like this Friesian?  By the way, ODIE, there are no horses in Key West.

Santiago Bodega...5 star meal!

The lady who lived above Santiago Bodega had two dogs & owned this artistic jeep.  She walked her dogs without a leash while smoking a tiparillo.  Cigars were a large industry in Key West until the early 1960's when access to Cuba was terminated. There were lots of smoke shops with an array of cigars.

MEOW!  Many cats were roaming the streets of Old Town.  This one was the resident cat at Blue Heaven, another excellent restaurant.  Our second day was rainy in the morning and the cat is wise to stay under cover by the hostess desk.

A hungry couple waiting for their late breakfast.  The painting on the wall was most interesting with cats.

Happy Birthday to me...all week!

Breakfast for four at Blue Heaven.  Blue Heaven got its name from a former chef who was a UNC graduate...Chapel Hill, a.k.a Blue Heaven.

Lobster benedict with sauce on the side

Paul's 911 omelet...bacon, lobster, 3 eggs, cheese and tomatoes.

Trolley & Conch Train depot.  Yep, it is raining.  We were wearing our Conch Train ponchos.  Conch Train is a 90 minute tour of Old Town, most informative.  The engineer promised to drive slowly so we could snap some pictures but he never slowed down.

The END OF THE ROAD...end of U.S. Hwy 1 South...mile marker ZERO.

Bougainvillea in abundance. Did you know that the beautiful colored part is actually the leaf?  The flower is the tiny white or yellow in the center.

The southernmost point in the United States.  There is a hotel & restaurant in this area but the honor of the Southernmost, Southernmost Point goes to a residence.

Sister looks a bit anxious but  cute with freckles.

from the moving train

Hemmingway House, from train.  The place was so crowded that we decided to pass on a visit.

Butterfly girl.  The last few minutes of our train tour included a stop near the Butterfly Museum and the addition of middle school kids.  This girl had purchased "butterflies" to attach to her shirt and named each one.  When the train got to rolling, her "butterflies" started falling into the street.  She said, "Well, there goes Amy; she's dead now."  Amy was one of the kids on the train and they all just howled.

An interesting and entertaining entrance to a bar.

Read the sign.  Do you remember the days of Pan Am? 

View from the highest point in Old Town, the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Duval.  The Walgreen's on the corner is where we attempted to take the parrot picture.

Another Carnival Cruise Ship, from the top of the hotel

Sister enjoying the view and planning our walk to a Cuban restaurant for take-out.  The boys were at the hotel reading and playing on "tablets". 

Hey!  We found our own stuffed parrot for a photo op.

Which bird do you prefer?

Additional security in the event the electronic device failed.

What did we say about reading & tablets?  Paul won a Cruz Android before the trip and could not stop interfacing.  Ron brought the latest Stephen King, 11-22-63, and had to be reminded that it was time to eat.  11-22-63 is one of the best Stephen King books, I have read and I could not put it down, all 697 pages.

Our beautiful balcony

Reading 11-22-63  Is Sister bound with a strap to Ron?

An excellent Pinot Noir at Azur

A kiss for the camera and then liberal use of the germicide wipe!

Paul pronounces our wine more than acceptable

My birthday party from Paul at Azur.  The grouper was perfect and the Maple Spot oysters from Washington were divine.

Entrance and sadly, exit to Parrott Key Hotel.

  http://www.parrotkeyresort.com