Sad News

My friends baby mini horse didn't make it. He colicked - this can be for a variety of reasons, but it turns out that his intestines were twisted.
He was only about 5 months old.
So sad.

Orientation, but not the kind you might think

Quick update: Yes, still losing weight. s l o w l y. Did I mention SLOW? S L O W. But it is happening. S L O W L Y.

Now onto bigger and better things:

Do you read http://crappypictures.com? It is freaking hysterical, written by someone I actually know. She used to make wooden toys, I have several of them. Her name is Amber. Now she has a book deal.
ANYWAY
She wrote this very funny post recently about McDonalds, but that has nothing to do with this story. During her anecdote, she mentioned toilet paper orientation. I was curious, as I'm not particulary concerned with toilet paper orientation.
Ah Ha! It has to do with the toilet paper appearing at the top, or at the bottom of the roll. Something that is very important to my husband. I couldn't care less.
But - did you know that there is also Paper Towel Orientation?? Our paper towel holder stands on the counter. So the paper towel stands up. If that makes sense.
(I hate paper towels, and use them rarely. I prefer to use cotton towels, which are truly rags, because Buster (big dog) pulls them off the counter and munches on them, until I discover him. Then I wash it and put the ragged towels to good use, again. Until he eats them again. But I digress.
I was recently chastised by my husband, for putting the paper towel roll on backwards. I'm still not sure which way it is supposed to go. So, if it is empty, I leave it standing there. Naked.

Just saying.

Losing

Weight, that is.

I've done it before, but it didn't last. Now I'm doing it again, and it has to last.
 I started having some health issues - possibly brought on by the extra pounds - maybe.
 And I felt like crap. I felt fat.
I've been committed since June 16th. I've lost 9 pounds, as of last Saturday. This isn't a fast thing.
It is a slow, life-long commitment type of thing. It's a changing of the habits type of thing.
 So, I'm hoping, it is a slow but steady kind of thing.
Clothes are starting to feel a little bit loose. Hunger feelings have changed.
I just read an article on a favorite blog about pie-making. I cannot make pies, just now. I love to bake. I will bake again....just not right now, not today. And when I do bake again, I will savor that deliciousness, but differently. I will not eat 4 brownies (I have the very best brownie recipe ever).
We will see.
It's funny - putting this out there on my blog makes my commitment public. Makes my commitment more - committed.
Wish me luck, and strength.
Feel free to share any tips, or yummy (low-fat) recipes!
Thanks!
(I am not going to post any fat pictures. Sorry...)

Summer Break

We escaped for a little while, from the Tucson heat. From the furnace that is the long long summer here.
We go to the ocean - the Pacific. And bask in the ocean breezes, the endless crash of the waves, the salty air.

We visit the sea lions, and watch the dophins feed in the ocean, just off-shore.
Glorious. Can't wait to go back.

Desert Dwellers

Meet Dos, the desert tortoise. You can read about him here. I am so excited to see him eating. We planted sod, we also planted seed, which hasn't started to come up yet. SO happy he is eating!!!!!

We cover our hay for our horses with a tarp, maybe one day we will have a big hay-shed. It's monsoon season, and looked like it might rain the other afternoon. I went out to make sure the hay was covered. Nope, the tarp had blown off. So I flipped it back over the hay, and found a little furry friend! Meet a tarantula! He was gigantic, bigger than my hand. :)

Monsoon in Tucson

Utterly fabulous rains, floods, storm. I love this. Our horse arena flooded, our street flooded, utterly wonderful.

New Family Member

If you read my blog, you might recall that a desert tortoise came to live with us, last October. October is when desert tortoises go into hibernation. We built a fabulous habitat for our tortoise, complete with den. Sure enough, she hibernated. However, before she fell asleep, she had me very worried. She didn't seem to be eating. She seemed agitated. I called the experts at the Sonoran Desert Museum - they gave me some tips. I watered her well.
Sadly, she didn't make it through the winter.
So, her habitat has remained rather dead. All the plants we planted for her, died too.
Should we adopt another? Should we give up on this idea?
The decision came rather abruptly last night. I got a phone call from a friend. Someone desperately needed a home for their tortoise. They were moving far away, couldn't bring him. They were moving in a matter of days.
What do you think I said?

Meet Dos. (Spanish for #2)

He's resting in his den - way in the back where it's got to be cooler than it is out in his habitat, where I think it is 110 degrees today...

Here's a view of his home. We planted sod, hibiscus and other plants that he will eat (I hope), and more to plant tonight.
He seems ok.
Wish us luck!!