31 March 2007

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Well can you believe that March is nearly over. How the time flies. We had a nice day today, started off raining but had sunshine by lunch time.

Still no foal, Sonny is holding out on us Sigh!

I took these shots today, the first flowers I have seen this year, they are growing on a bush that the neighbors have amongst their hedge bushes. Thought they were really pretty so took a few snaps.

Well other than that nothing exciting to report, been a quiet day. Hope you all had a good one and have a wonderful Sunday.

((((HUGS)))))

Lori

30 March 2007

Yellow Cat

Huggy Cat

Sylvester chewing on a blade of grass

We had a beautiful warm sunny day today, horses got out, mud is drying up and spring has sprung ... at least for the next few days ... expecting a temp drop next week again, but then they also told us we would be experiencing sever thunderstorms this afternoon and evening and not a cloud is in sight so who knows LOL.

Gee, the thoroughbred mare that boards with us in the off season for the track is going back to the racetrack tomorrow. I am going to miss her because she is one of the nicest thoroughbreds I have ever known. She will be back for winter though so lets hope she makes lots of money for her owner this summer.

I took pictures of the cats today, the only one I didnt get a nice one of was Wild Cat, the brown/black fluffy one. So I have posted Sylvester, Yellow Cat, and Huggy Cat.

Thanks to you all for your comments and messages. I hope I can get all caught up with my visits and comments this weekend. The cooling system is going to cost in the region of $1000 again so we are reeling again!!! What can you do.

The project I was working on has other catagories that I am getting pictures together for so have been working furiously on that.

Other than that nothing else exciting has happened. Hope you are all well and ((((HUGS)))) for those who need them.

Lori

29 March 2007

Another reasonably quiet day. It started out quite cold and cloudy and warmed up this afternoon with a bit of sunshine. Expecting another bout of rain from tomorrow night through to Monday.

I put a tarpaulin on the old barn's roof where it has been leaking into two of the stables so hopefully we wont have any storms to rip it off and it will keep the water out until I can redo the shingles on it. Another thing to add to the list.

The water heating/cooling system guy came today and found the problem promptly telling us that it was an expensive part and a pain to get the job done, in other words it is going to cost a bomb AGAIN!!!! Sheesh I hope this project I am working on comes off because I am going to need the money, although that will only start paying in about March 2008 if it goes well.

So I thought we all needed a bit more cheering up and I am posting a few flower photos taken a few years ago. The pink ones are the lillies that have just started shooting up out of the grass and the other is what they call a ditch lilly (because they grow in all the ditches along the roads), I can't remember the other name, it is late LOL. So here is my attempt at a bit of creativity.

Have a great Frida and dont forget catblogging day!!!!

((((HUGS)))))

Lori

28 March 2007

When I first started this blog some of my readers were quite surprised that horses actually had personalities and could play, just like a child would.

This is a series of pictures taken a few years ago of my stud colt with a feed sack that had blown into his enclosure. He is an amazing horse. I can't remember if I told you that when he was 18 months old I found him hanging from his one front leg which was wedged between two panels of the round pen. He had reared up and got his legs over the pen (which you can see in the background) and when he struggled to get back down must have had one leg slip between into the gap which was stopped by the latch that held the panels together. He was laying on his back in 12 inches of snow suspended from the leg with his back just touching the ground and thank heavens didn't struggle or he would have been history, broken leg or damaged tendon or worse. My husband called for help and our neighbors and his nephew came and managed to get the frozen panels apart so we could get his leg out. It was a very bad cut that extended from the front of his fetlock (joint just above the hoof) round to the back of his pastern (thin part directly above the hoof). It went three quarters of the way around. The vet wanted to put him down there and then but I wouldnt let him. I tended that wound every day (it was -6F that night and -8F the next night which was Christmas day) for over four months. He was so good with letting me handle his leg, soaking, cleaning, washing and bandaging it without any problems, he just stood and let me do my thing. He didn't come out of the stable for that whole period because we couldnt let him do any more damage. As a result I used to give him all sorts of things to amuse him. His favorite was when I tied four coke bottles (plastic) together and threw them in and he would throw them in the air, stomp on them and rub them up and down the fence to make a big noise, bite them and have a great game. So when he got the feed sack I wasnt surprised and fortunately had my camera handy. Anyway so far (although I havent done much riding with him) he seems to be sound and hasnt shown any signs of pain in the leg so hopefully he will be okay and lead a normal happy life. I dont think he will be able to do heavy work so I intend to geld him after we have used him to breed a bit, and trail ride with him.

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Here he is trying to stomp on it LOL

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Well we are still waiting for the baby to arrive, this mare always keeps us guessing and then one morning when I least expect it I will go out to feed and find a baby looking at me!

It has been raining on and off since last night and has been a bit cold today. I brought them all in for the night.

Had a bit better day, although I am still struggling to feel positive. I decided to post these pics because I am getting some more pictures together for that project I was working on and came across these and thought it would be interesting for you guys to see.

Thanks to you all for your comments and well wishes I appreciate them and you all know that even though I dont get to comment every day you are all in my thoughts. Thanks so much.

(((((HUGS)))))))

Lori

27 March 2007

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Just one shot today, and another mud one, sorry not much else to shoot at the moment and I dont want to resort to creepy crawlies again LOL. Here is BB taking a flying leap while they were running and playing. She is a mud ball. I have left the mares out again tonight so this is the 3rd night, gives me a break from poopy stables and it does them good to get the fresh air and learning to be horses. When the mosquitos and flies and biting insects start they have to come in because they get eaten alive.

I have not had a good day today, still no airconditioning although that I can live with. Just feeling really down.

I have a feeling that Sonny may have her baby tonight or tomorrow morning as she was sweating on her neck this evening and although it was in the 70s it wasnt that hot. I am going to do baby checks through the night if I can. She is an old pro but this baby is going to be big and I dont want to take a chance that she may have problems.

So I am going to be short and sweet and will carry on with my visits and comments on all my other "blog buddies" tomorrow.

Hope you had a great night and an even better Wednesday.

((((((HUGS))))))

Lori

26 March 2007

It has been a beautiful day, still no air conditioning, but it was overcast most of the day with a nice cool breeze (thanks for sending that Julie-CG), maximum 78 F minimum tonight expected to be 60F. I have left the horses out again tonight, got them all lined up for they hay and grain along the fence LOL. They are such brats. I will see if I can get a shot of them tomorrow.

This is another shot of Cat, BBs mother, with all the mud on her. I love her thick mane, and she has such an expressive face.

A while back I posted shots of buds waiting to open on the trees. These are the leaves on our lilac bush starting to open. It is such a pretty bush and I get some nice shots of it every year. Two years ago we had a bit of snow in April and I have a shot of them with the melting snow on the blooms!!!! Crazy weather LOL.



Well nothing exciting to report today, I hope you all had a nice relaxing day and that the weather was good to you all. Stay well and happy.

((((HUGS)))))) for those that need them.

Lori

25 March 2007

I promise no more spiders. LOL. Sorry that's what happens when I lose focus and have nothing to shoot.

I finally got to put the horses out today although it was still very muddy. Can you believe that about a week ago we were struggling to come above freezing and today we had a maximum of 80 with 98% humidity this morning and 45% humidity this afternoon!!!! And guess what, remember the saga of the heating system and the wellpump packing in, well now the cooling system won't work, it just blows hot air!!!!! So we have been 77F inside all day and are sweltering even with the windows open. The flies are starting and so are the mosquitos already. This whole world has gone mad with its weather LOL.

This is my yearling stud colt Dream (one of the babies) after he and his brothers and sisters had roared up an down the narrow piece of field up the side of the barn which is always muddy, he has a mainly white face. You can see the barn is splattered all over with mud and the babies were all solid brown. The one filly who has a big white spot on her side I mistook for Blaze who has no white spot!!!

Here she is standing next to the barn wall, look at the mud, no white spot to be seen!!!!! She also has white legs.
This is BB of course having a walk through the lake still in our field. She rolled about twenty times while I was out there, her hair must be itching something terrible. Another horse turned brown!
And this is Sonny, who is getting bigger and bigger every day. I feel so sorry for her, she is really tired and heavy. This was taken from our bathroom window which ismuch higher than the field so you cant really see the full extent of the belly. She enjoyed her day out too. I have her in a seperate field.
The little girl's parents still havent decided whether they are going to take Wiggle for their daughter, but Shaun our trainer is coming over on wednesday to trim a few of the horses hooves for us so he will bring her and our older stud, Dosie, who he is also working with, for a visit so we can see how they are doing. He is also flooded so it has been hard for him to get time in on both of them since he took them in January with the ice, snow, cold and now rain. I am quite excited to see them.

Well that is about it for the day. Hotter day predicted for tomorrow, so hopefully we can get someone in to look at the cooling system. The saga continues. Hope you all had a great weekend.

(((((HUGS)))))) for those who need them.

Lori

24 March 2007

I have found very little to inspire me over the past few days because of the rain and mud but last night as it started getting dark, two cotton tail bunnies came out onto the front lawn and I managed to get some shots of them in the failing light with my 80-400 lens at 800asa!


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So as that was shot yesterday after I had posted my blog I decided I would put this one in which I shot this morning in our basement. Yuk I am terrified of spiders but I can't kill them either, so next best thing take a photo of it and let it just skulk away LOL. Would be interested to know what kind of spider it is though. Sorry if I am once again grossing you all out but these things need to be done you knowLOL.

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I hope you are all having or have had a great Saturday, and also have a wonderful Sunday.

Lori

23 March 2007

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Rain, rain and more rain!!! All day, we have already had nearly 3 inches since midnight last night and it is still raining now so all the rivers and gullies are flooding. Horses bouncing off the walls, it is very Blaahh!

I have posted a picture of our field this morning, it is even more flooded now. This is only the one half the rest goes behind the rise on the right and is flooded right up to the driveway.



Of course as it is catblogging day I had to post some kitty pics and the cats are all hiding somewhere warm and dry so no hope there, so I am afraid that I am posting an old shot of two of the kittens that were in the first litter that I had born here. The black one is Wild Cat the Black cat that I posted pics of a few weeks back. The other is his sister who went on to have her own litter of kittens, but I have since lost her too.



Well nothing exciting happening I am afraid so I will try to catch up on comments now and "see" y'all tomorrow.

Lori

22 March 2007

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I dont normally think I am dense about computer stuff but I have been trying to figure out how to put a picture on my profile so that it shows up in my comments. I already have Hello and Picassa but can't figure it out. If anyone can tell me how to do it in simple steps LOL I would appreciate it.


It has stormed and drizzled all day, been very miserable although pretty warm. Poor horses are bouncing off the walls. I hate them being cooped up but they hate the mud even more so it is a stale mate. Typical spring weather for us though, lots of rain and mud.


No photos today again I am afraid so I am going to post an old shot. This is Eb and Blaze when they were about three and four months old. Eb (the B&W colt) was quite a little tyrant. He liked to play rough and bite all the other babies. That was until the seven arrived from Iowa and they were all put together, now he is very quiet compared LOL.

I hope you all had a great day and enjoy your Friday. Don't forget Catblogging day!!!!

((((((HUGS)))))))

Lori

21 March 2007

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Hi All

We have just had a sweltering day!!!! We started the day at freezing 32F and ended up with a high of 73 F !!! We had a little bit of rain but are expecting the next five days to be round the 70s and raining. It changes so fast here, we just dont seem to see the in between seasons of autumn and spring for very long. The rain is good although I hate the mud.

I actually took this picture yesterday of my filly Lori, I forgot about them until I checked my browser today to look at my recent shots. She was standing on top of the hill in our field. I thought she looked like a lookout (sentinel). I wasn't sure if I preferred the color or B&W. What do you think?

I hope you have all had a wonderful day, that spring is arriving for everyone who has been longing for it.

Oh yes I had 55 of my pictures accepted for the project I was working on, they just have to check out the full size files now to make sure they meet the standards they require as these are going to be used for very large prints, and also four of my swan shots were accepted. I am now working on general horse pictures, dogs and believe it or not bugs (I have also attached a picture I took of a Tomato Worm a few years back). This will be a long term project as the product is only going to start being marketed February next year but if it is a success will be a good money earner over the longterm, perhaps my pension which I never took out LOL.

See y'all tomorrow (((HUGS))).

Lori

20 March 2007

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A little bit of a change of pace again. The horses are mud balls so aren't too attractive to photograph at the moment, believe me I have tried LOL.

This little family I took photos of a few years ago on a pond down the road from us. Only the one egg hatched. When I first arrived the baby scrambled onto mommas back, I was quite surprised at that. The baby stayed there until the momma relaxed and realised I wasn't a threat. The other one is momma left and daddy right.

I am slowly catching up on the chores. The "babies" are growing so big, I really have to get some ads out to sell them, the ones I have out currently aren't working so I am going to have to invest some cash in the online sites that host ads for horses.

Hope everyone is well and that spring is on its way for you all.

Lori

19 March 2007

Hi all

It has been a hectic day, rained until just after lunch and we had a doctors appointment for my husband which is a trial in itself because he has to go in an ambulance on a cart, which is time consuming. Our home health aide called off this morning so by the time we got a replacement in we were already running an hour behind.

We got the doctors appointment over which was running half an hour late and eventually got home at 3.15. I then had to go to the pharmacy and get all his medications and do a bit of grocery shopping and of course it was 5.15 by the time I got home and time to start feeding horses!!! Wheew wat a day.

I had 55 images shortlisted for the project I was working on, it is quite exciting. It will be a long term project which will start off slowly but if it pans out will be a long time income earner hopefully.

I didnt get time to shoot anything so this is a picture of my bottle baby Wiggle and another filly born the same year, Cayenne, playing.

Have a great day tomorrow everyone, after a few days of really cold weather we are looking forward to a warm up tomorrow but more rain. Rain and lightening are good for getting the grass in the field growing though so we wont complain LOL

"See" y'all tomorrow.

Lori

18 March 2007

This is our young stallion Blue. He was out in his turnout and saw his mares in the field opposite, he put his head up and whinneyed like crazy at them which is what he is doing in this picture. I love it but my husband says he looks like a Llama!!!

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One of my visitors asked to see the color version of the shot I posted yesterday. The horses are so dirty and the mud is so unattractive, so I thought it made a better B&W.

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Still a bit cold 24 F this morning but in the 40s now. Horses are loving the sunshine. Expecting rain tomorrow. Not much happening today, I have taken it a bit easy, cleaned a few stalls and got some e-mails out for my husband who is putting a magazine together.

Not much to report. Hope you all had a great weekend.

Lori

17 March 2007

Hi everyone,

I am earlier today, nearly didnt make it yesterday for catblogging day, I think I had half an hour to spare!!!

Thanks so much for the comments yesterday, I will try to catch up again.

Nothing too exciting happening today, it was very cold again, low 20F high 40F but no rain so I put the horses out and they were very happy nipping all the tender tips off the new grass that has started to grow. They drove me crazy trying to get shots of them, every time I looked out the kitchen window they were bucking and playing and running and having a ball, by the time I got out there they stopped, then half an hour they would be at it again and after the third attempt to catch their antics I gave up!! They are usually quite far away so it may take me a minute or two to get into a place where i can get a clear shot of them. Cat did one of her cow hops today which she did as I came out of the door, but she was behind a tree. She must have been three feet off of the ground with all four feet!!! I will get it one day.

I have posted the other two shots of those little buds that looked like christmas ornaments. Each tree must be a different variety because the buds looked the same and there were three different varieties when they started opening. I posted the one a few days ago so here are the other two. I also posted a shot from today of the four mares AGAIN!

Thanks everyone for visiting, I promise I will catch up, I do scan everyone's blogs every day but dont always have the time to post.

Lori

16 March 2007

I am very late tonight, got involved with my husband's niece who I am mentoring on photography at the moment.

Catblogging day!!!!

Here are two shots of yellow cat or ginger cat whatever I call him on any given day LOL. I caught him yawning here, it looks hilarious.

Had a very cold day again today but there is a warm up on the way again hopefully.

Talk to you all tomorrow, i am getting behind on my commenting again!!!!

Night

Lori

15 March 2007

Hi everyone, hope you are all keeping well. We had a reversal in the weather, yesterday record highs, today raining and in the 40s. One good thing about it though, I can literally see the grass starting to grow. I am keeping the horses in, hoping it wont be for too long before the hot weather returns and dries the mud up again so I can put them out, by then there should be a little bit of grazing for them. There is nothing like rain and a bit of warmth to get grass growing.

It is amazing when I think of the little things that make me happy now, my priorities sure have changed over the years. Now I get excited when I get a new pitch fork LOL. I find I am just so much more aware of the things that happen around me that I normally wouldnt have given a second thought. My sense of appreciation has changed dramatically. The same with my photography. I can't look at a book or magazine or book without scanning the photos first and wondering what they did to get the shot or admiring a particularly good one. I may get to reading the print eventually!

Todays shots are of a few Robins on the muck heap (manure pile LOL). I had to crop the picture quite a bit because they were quite far away. The second one is an update on those buds I posted a picture of on 10 March that John said looked like christmas ornaments. This is just one of the varieties that have started to open. I will post the others when I have edited them. The original buds all looked the same but now that they are opening they all look different, colors and form. Froze my hands off getting these today!

Well that's it for now. I eventually got my stock submission finished and mailed off. Keeping everything crossed that it will amount to something.

Have a good evening all and for those of you waking up good morning and have a great Friday. Oh yes I mustn't forget Catblogging day!!

(((HUGS)))

Lori

14 March 2007

Have you ever had one of those days where you have all good intentions to get stuff done and then the everyday normal unexpected things crop up and bang that is the end of all of your good intentions? Well I had one of those days.

It rained last night, and it is raining right now (8pm) so I didnt put the horses out because everything that was drying out nicely is now a slushy mess again. Not that I am complaining because there is nothing like rain to make the grass (and weeds!) grow and I need some grazing for these horses!!!

I am keeping my fingers and toes crossed that I have sold my bottle baby Wiggle (the pictures today are two of my favorites of her, some of you may have seen them on DPC). My husband spoke with her trainer today and he says that he has a 12 year old girl who is interested in her, she has been riding her and done a bit of barrels and pole bending and cones on her and he is taking her the horse and her mom out trail riding this weekend to see how they fare. This will be a perfect home for her (I hope I trust Shaun to get a good home for my horse, he knows how I feel about them). I just can't imagine my juvenile delinquent brat baby horse is being a star LOL. Here's hoping.

I am going to make this short today.

See ya all tomorrow, keep safe, dry and warm.

Lori

13 March 2007

We had an absolutely fantastic day today. Indianapolis topped out at 80 F (a record high for this day), we are about 60 miles away and were probably in that region too. You gotta love Indiana, if you dont like the weather just wait an hour or two and it will change, from highs below freezing 4 or 5 days ago to record highs in the 80s!!!! Needless to say I spent most of it inside getting my submission finished, but I did pop in and out to enjoy the beautiful sunshine. The grass in the field has not started to grow, I am not holding out my hopes too much because I have so many horses sharing half of the area. So I have posted a picture of my four mares looking up towards the old barn where Girl Sonny (The pregnant mare) is. She is staying close to home and I have her in the other field on her own. From front to back, Piglette, Cat, Lori and BB. They are absolute mudballs! Expecting snow this weekend again LOL oh boy the cycle starts again but this is normal for this time of the year and I can handle it. I hope everyone is getting better weather finally too. I am going to try to get my commenting and blog browsing up to date over the next two days.

Be happy and stay safe.

Lori

12 March 2007

Thanks everyone for visiting yesterday even if I havent been getting to half of your blogs. I am seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

Here are a few snap shots this evening of my mare that is expecting her foal. She should have at least a month to five weeks still to go but I am not sure she is going to hold out that long. She would be safe having it up to three weeks early, but any earlier than that and it could cause problems with the baby not having fully developed. This mare is 17 years old now and has had at least 10 babies so she is an old pro. Do you see what I mean about that HUGE belly!! I didnt get a chance to brush her off and she is standing in the mud eating her hay from the feeder. Her stable has a door into the one field (it is normally the shelter for whoever is out in the field but I have converted it into a big stable for her) so she comes and goes as she pleases. You can see that she enjoyed her new sawdust, she has it all over her and must have rolled in it because it is right up on the centre of her hind quarters LOL. Poor thing.

I have only seen two foals born out of the 20 odd that we have bred. They will normally have their babies very early in the morning and you can stay with them for days waiting and watching and the minute you go out to get a cup of coffee when you come back there is the baby!!!! Cat for instance has had three foals since coming to us, the first one she had two and a half months early and I found it dead in her stall in the morning which was very upsetting. No chance that it would have survived it was just too early. Her other two BB and Eb were both born at 10 in the evening BB had already been born when I went out for the last check at 10 and I saw Eb born because she showed signs that I now recognise that she is about to give birth. I had to help her with Eb because when the baby is born the two front legs and head come out first stretched out together but his one leg was bent at the knee and she was having trouble so I had to help her straighten it out and whooosh out he came LOL. The other foal I have seen born was my bottle baby Wiggle which is another reason I am so attached to her. Her mother had no problems though. The mares in general really just want to be left alone and a lot of breeders now use a foalcam to watch what is happening rather than being present in the stall, that way if they see problems they can get there to help. There are a lot of foalcams on the web that you can watch different breeders' mares who are about to give birth. The site is called http://www.marestare.com, there are stacks of cams there. http://www.marestare.com/twins.htm is the cam for one of my fellow bloggers whose mare had twins last year. If you love horses her blog is a definite must to visit and the story of the twins is amazing. I have just visited her foalcam and see that her mare has had her baby!!! Must have happened today or last night and I missed it. You will see her comments on my blog to link to her blog, her name is MiKaels Mania and she raises Arabians.

As far as the mud on the horses coats go, you can help them shed with a shedding blade and when there is a lot of mud to scrape through it helps to pull out the hair, just like if they roll with the dried mud on them.

Okay that is my babble for the day. Cant wait to get back to normality. Sorry for the snapshots today, will do something more creative tomorrow I promise. Thanks to everyone who visits and for the great comments. John you are right horses are a lot of work LOL.

Stay well and have a great Tuesday.

Lori

11 March 2007

Hi everyone

We had a gorgeous day, in fact a very nice weekend in general weather wise, with cold starts round freezing but we went up to the 60s today!! Boy does this make me feel a lot better, it is amazing how a little bit of warmth and sunshine can cheer one up. (downside they say to expect snow next weekend and colder temps again, but we always have one or two or three cold snaps before the end of winter which I can handle).

I put the horses out again today and they had a ball, in fact you can't see their spots anymore they have rolled themselves full of mud (clay) which dries grey. This is great for them to shed their winter hair because when the mud dries it cracks and the next time they roll when the mud pulls off it pulls the dead hair with it. No time for the camera today I am afraid so I have edited a few of the lichen pictures I shot on the tree trunks yesterday.

I spent the day split between the stock submission and cleaning the big foaling stall for the mare who is due to foal in the next two to four weeks. I have a feeling it will be soon though. She has been early the last couple of years and is looking really tired and uncomfortable so I am watching her like a hawk. Anyway I stripped her stall and put rubber mats into it from a few of the other stalls (they weigh a ton!!!) and now feel better that if she has her baby it will be in a clean dry stall. Had to get the riding mower going by replacing its battery so I could drag the mats from the big barn down to the barn that she is in and got stuck in the mud LOL. The one neighbor his brother and Dad rescued me thank heavens. I will take a picture of the mare tomorrow after I have given her a good brush so you can see how huge she is. Her babies are amazing, she is the mother of my filly Lori, the filly we recently sold Cookie and the gelding that we sold to a chap here in our home town. They have amazing dispositions.




Well that's it guys, I am dead beat so am going to get an early night so I can finish my submission tomorrow and mail it. Please forgive me for not getting to your blogs to comment, not much longer and I will be back into the swing of things.

(((HUGS)))) for all

Lori