Writer on a Horse
And a Dog

The world looks better from the back of a horse and the roads of life are easier with a good dog beside you.

Friday, August 31, 2012

Can I hear a Roll Tide Roll

I love college football.  I watched South Carolina and Vandy last night... I was pulling for Vandy... they could have won... just hate it when a team shoots themselves in the foot.  I started to put an Alabama shirt on Lexie and sunglasses, and get her to hold a pom pom but she looked at me so pitiful that I didn't.... after all she will growl when I say Auburn and roll over when I say Roll Tide Roll.  Good Dog!

I wish that everyone enjoyed football like Ronnie and I do... we don't have a fantasy team, we don't bet on the games we just enjoy good football.

Oh yea, sausage balls, hot wings and brats are also part of the reason we like football.

May the team you love best win tomorrow except Michigan... if you're pulling for them... well I hope you lose BIG time.




Supper tonight isn't too bad... baked chicken, hot potato salad, steamed broccoli with cheese and corm on the cob... yummmmy

I should start a blog... What's for supper Granny?

Thursday, August 30, 2012

AT last...I've beaten that old writer's block

You hear about writer's block all the time.  But what is it really??

Well for me, it was the fear of not getting it right.  This story has been brewing in my mind for years.  I've talked about it with writing buddies and even wrote three terrible chapters.  The story wasn't starting where it needed to be and I couldn't see my character reaching the plot points that I needed to make the story believable.

 So I put it away... even though an agent at a conference asked me to send it to her when it was finished... just gave her a pitch for the story and she liked it.... I was really in the pits of blank page torture.  Every night I started the story in my mind and every night I rejected the beginning.  The words would flow but they smelled worst than wet mucking boots.
So I'm doing the happy dance tonight and my mind feels liberated from the plotting plotting plotting anguish of a unhappy muse

Do I have any advise for anyone with a fear of stinking that pushes them into writer's block... just go with the flow, believe me you'll get the itch to write again.  And if you don't .... well you need writing friends like mine... ones that tell you that you have two years to get the book written or they're going to steal your idea for the book.  Thanks to all my friends ... for the added pressure... no really thanks for being there for me.



Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Death to the Chicken Stealers

Someone went to my barn and stole 15 of my chickens.  I know, you're asking the same question my husband asked... why would anyone want fifteen chickens???
Well, I like my chickens.  The chickens are gone without any trace.... a dog or coyote would leave feathers everywhere and they would only kill what they could eat.  A hawk would only kill one and again there would be evidence of kill.
My judgement is Death by Smell!  That's right, if I knew who stole those chickens... I would hog tie them in the middle of the chicken house and turn on the sprinkler system.  I would make sure they was right under the nightly roosting place so the poop would be nice and fresh.... then I would stake them out like a scarecrow and stuff raw hamburger meat in pockets, socks, underwear... okay you get the point ... anywhere I could and leave them for two days.  Every creature for miles around would come to check this feast out.  Of course I would tape their mouth so they wouldn't scare their visitors.


My whole ranting reminds me of Deborah Wiles book," Love, Ruby Lavender"  My post title would make a good book title ... wouldn't it.

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Clothes doesn't make a cowgirl.... the boots do

Went to the barn to watch Lakelynn ride last night.  She is improving every time I watch her.  Starting to click with her horse, Saban, and they looking and act as a team now.

The picture just shows that what you wear doesn't make you a cowgirl.  Lake didn't have much time Thursday night to practice.  She had basketball practice after school and then football jamboree game at 7 so she didn't go home to change after ball practice. 
Look at how relaxed that youngun is on that horse.  Saban had on his practice boots too.... they don't match but when he's at a show he wears his good pair... hounds tooth ones....:)   Roll Tide Roll

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Being good at something... can it be a bad thing???

Three months ago I went to work for Pet Depot as their fill-in groomer.  Two days a week... piece of cake... right???  Well, I now have full days on those two days and I've started working on Thursday afternoon ... by appointment only, doesn't that sound important... to handle the over-flow.

Y'all know I said I was going to start backing away from cleaning houses... I lie... picked up a new one last week.



I wonder if they will let you go to work when you're in a nursing home??? at this rate I'll be working until Saint Peter calls my name or maybe even longer... you know I might have appointments :)

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

It's the little things that count

I know if I donated a million dollars to St Jude hospital I would feel good but since I don't have a million dollars to donate... I have to do tons of little good deeds to fill my "giving" need.  Wait... it's not really a need ... no it's a happiness requirement.  I give because it makes me happy to see others happiness. 
So, I typed and copied the syllabus for the free creative writing class at the local library... 60 copies of a four page document.
I let the neighbor children ride Dixie and Scout and I even let their Daddy ride.

I helped a friend with Internet problems... but that one didn't work out ... more problems when I helped.

My point is... help others and have a better day.

Oh yes, I made a New Year's resolution... what ??? you can do that! 


I, Pat Weaver, will be nicer to call center personnel.  I will not use my "you are clueless and I know more than you" voice. 
If it helps for the next four months... I will put it in 2013's list.

Friday, August 17, 2012

It's Friday... last day of summer for kids

School starts Monday and that means my grandbabies will be busy with their social life... when I was their age a social life was going to Granny's for dinner on Sunday.  Sigh... but as I've said before ... we have to let they fly.

The first picture is for my friend Irene... if you wore t-shirts I would search the web to get you this one..... I smiled and thought of you when I saw it.


The second picture is me... if you've read my blog much, you know grammar is not my strong point... and I do have many good friends that hug me and point out my errors...I would be so lost without them.

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

I'm a redneck chicken owner....

My friend Lezlie clipped these pictures from a Southern Living magazine.  She said, "Did you know it's the in thing to have chickens?"
I answered, "Well, yea.  I have chickens and I'm always in tune with the in thing."
Lezlie: "No, really every magazine says that it is the going thing to have chickens.  Here I clipped these out for you.  You need to build a chicken house like this."


Oh, don't you know I'm going to spend more on those chickens' a house than we did buying Saban... most likely double.  But thank you for thinking about me, Lezlie.  Love ya bunches.






Now some pictures of my redneck county chicken house and my chickens don't have runs... they have a pasture.

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Slow down and show your love

I spent the afternoon with Ronnie... just doing nothing.  We talked like friends and I rode with him to the barn to take the lawnmower back.  We doctored Saban... Lake's horse has a sore foot... and didn't have a time limit on anything.  Lazy time doing nothing and I so enjoyed it.  Sometimes we get so busy with work, family, chores etc that we forget to show the ones that love us most that we love the the most too.  The words are easy to say and don't really mean much if the action isn't behind it. 

I feel blessed today. 

Hope your day is a good one too.

Friday, August 10, 2012

What a great lazy day

Summer is winding down and soon the grandbabies will be going back to school and the sleepovers and ball practices and life in general will cut into Granny's time with them... yes a little sad but that is life... they grow up and you're not the center of their world anymore... you're like the Tanaga Island... a tiny little place off Alaska coast
But today we made memories... well the day did get a slow start... they didn't get up until noon but I had homemade biscuits ready and chocolate gravy... then off to the barn.  Lake, Kane and Ella went out into the pasture, caught their horses (Scout was a little hard to catch but I talked them though it and didn't just rush in and take over)... we had a little protest about saddling the horses themselves... can you guess who did the protesting??? :)  but they got it done and took off riding.  No I did not go with them because it was already hot and Sandy is in heat and I really didn't feel like getting dumped so I reared back in the camping chair and listened to a book and took a little nap but don't tell the kids that I drifted off.
A couple of hours later I had the best time listening to them talk about their ride and watching them laugh and tease each other while they unsaddle their horses, hosed them down and walked them out.
They have laughed and talked with no cell phones or IPods all day.

Now, I'm cooking supper and Jase and her boyfriend are coming for supper... Lake and Ella are spending the night with me again... Kane wanted back too but had told a friend he would come over to spend the night and I told him you should always keep your word.

What am I having for supper:  Chicken fingers, cream potatoes, English peas (for Lake and Ella) fried okra, steamed squash/onions/peppers/Zucchini, biscuits, fresh tomatoes



A good day!

Monday, August 6, 2012

Another day older

Had a very nice birthday yesterday... I have good kids and grandkids and great friends.  The most jarring present I got yesterday was from my chickens.... yep, they didn't want it so they wrapped it up in their nesting box for me to find..... and yes it was still very much alive when I looked in to see if there was eggs in the box. 
Doesn't Lake look happy about holding it so I could get a picture.

I know it's just a chicken snake and... they can live anywhere but in my chicken house... if they get in there, well they have a death wish.

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Those Creepy Minutes before Sunrise

This morning I was outside at 4:55 am ... thanks to my dog Lexie, who must have seen a deer or something when I let her out... bark bark bark and the whole world except me is asleep... anyway back to the minutes before sunrise... it's like night is taking its last breath before leaving ...making room for a new day.  All the frogs and crickets are silent.  I looked up at the awesome display of stars and streaks of light just hinting in the east and the complete silence when ... Whoooo whoooo made me jump out of my skin.  An owl was in the tree just above my head.  You know their eyes really do glow in the least amount of light.  I figure he or she... had been to the barn to see if I forgot to shut the chicken house door. 
Y'all do know how an owl... that is much small than a chicken ... can fly off with one don't you???  Owls can only get a chicken from it's roost.  It flies to the roost and get next to the chicken... chicken will not leave the roost until light.  Once the owl lands on the roost it starts pushing and shoving the chicken until it pushes it off the roost... the owl will catch it in mid air and fly off with it.  That is how owl's catch rabbits too... they make the rabbit run and catches it without touching the ground. 
I think they're beautiful but for some reason they make me uneasy.  I have this feeling I need to run... maybe it's because I was born in the year of the rabbit. 
Lexie cracked me up... she sat next to me and would look up at the owl until it whoooo then look at me like I was suppose to answer... I don't speak owl.