This and That...

I got off work early today. YEAH!!! I'm having a hard time adjusting back to my "normal" routine...

Katie sent me the nicest "e-card" this morning. I have no idea how I came to be blessed with such incredibly wonderful children.

If anyone would like to see even MORE pictures of Italy, here's the link to another album that Katie put together:

If you STILL haven't seen enough, here's one more!


It's COLD!!! here in the Bluff Country! I'm sitting here in my sweat pants, a sweater, wool socks, a wool scarf and my long bath robe! Those of you who know me personally, know that I'm NEVER cold! It was spitting SNOW as I drove home from work this afternoon. Beats the heck out of "hot" as far as I'm concerned... ;-)

The annual MSSBO fall retreat is scheduled for this weekend and I'm scheduled to work!!! I am desperately trying to find someone to take my hours so that I can get together with this incredibly FUN bunch of Shetland Sheep admirers. We always have SO much fun: spinning and knitting and weaving (I won't even mention the food and beverages!), and this weekend we are planning on making SOAP! I've just GOT to get off work! Cross your fingers, say your prayers, wave your DPNs for me....

Dream says...

..."I like the cold weather too! Mom says I already have my winter coat on and it's nice and soft and VERY warm! I'm thinking maybe it would be OK if you stayed HOME this weekend, Mom???"

BONGIORNO!

For anyone who is interested, here is the link to a photo album I made of pictures I took in Italy! We had the MOST incredibly wonderful time imaginable. It still doesn't seem real, but looking at the pictures helps...
FOR DREAM....
That's as close as I got to sheep in Italy, but I did promise my dear Dream that I would take pictures of Italian sheep for her so here they are!









Now it's time for me to head outside and rearrange my rams. It seems that Paco and Bravo are continuing to practice their Gladiator skills and Paco's cut above his eye is not getting a chance to heal. I'm going to move him and a couple of ram lambs over to the other side pasture to put some space between the two big boys...
Dream says....

..."Those Italian sheep all look alike! I much prefer the handsome boys in our flock. I'm sure glad that Mom's home..."

OCTOBER. 1st ~ and the trip that almost wasn't!

Since I was out of the Country on the first of the month, I'll post the October, 2007 Calendar photo today. It features the three flock sires we used for our 2006 lambs; Bluff Country Apocalypse, Bluff Country Skittles and Sheepy Hollow Zorro. Zorro has moved on to his new home in Illinois and Skittles has finally made it to his new home in Arizona. You can see all the photos available in the 2007 Calendar by clicking on the link in the side-bar, to the right. Each picture is full color, suitable for framing, printed on Kodak Paper. Perhaps a 2007 "REAL sheep wear SHETLAND wool" Calendar would make a nice Christmas gift for you or someone you know....? ;-)

MY TRIP: it almost didn't happen. In fact, I was quite sure on Wednesday, 9/27 (the day before we were scheduled to leave) that I would NOT be going to Italy. Or anywhere else, for that matter!

On Wednesday morning, I was busily and happily packing in preparation for my drive to Minneapolis, MN., where I would spend the night at my Beautiful Baby Girl's before leaving for Italy on Thursday morning. I felt great. Full of joy and anticipation. Until shortly before noon, when I was struck with a horrific pain in the left side of my lower back. I was instantly nauseous and drenched in sweat. There was no doubt in my mind that this was 'something serious'. The only time I have experienced pain anywhere even close to this, was when I was in hard labor (many years ago!).

I won't bore you with all the details, but suffice it to say that the pain did not subside and I was rushed to the hospital (45 minutes away) via ambulance. I was torn between being afraid I was dying and that I wasn't dying. The pain was so intense I didn't even want to live. The ambulance crew was wonderful and supportive. Literally minutes before reaching the emergency room, the pain STOPPED. Yup. Just like that ~ stopped. As they wheeled me into the E.R. I informed the doctors and nurses that we had to hurry because I still had packing to do as I was "going to Italy tomorrow"!

The consensus was (after a series of tests & cat scans) that I had passed a Kidney Stone. I was given permission to take my trip (like anyone could have stopped me!) and sent home at 7 o'clock Wednesday night. I slept for a couple of hours, got up at 3:00 in the morning, drove to Katie's and we left for Italy, as planned!! (not that there weren't plenty of problems yet to be encountered, but that's another story....)


Dream says...

..."Rosie and I were sure scared when that noisy truck took Mom away and she didn't even say good-bye!"

Not really a secret.....

This is my Beautiful Baby Girl. (a.k.a. "Katie", my youngest daughter).

During Katie's senior year at college, I gave her (as a combination 21st birthday and graduation from college present) a "semester abroad". Katie chose Italy as the place she wanted to live and study in. She did the most remarkable job of sharing her adventure with her family! We got almost daily e-mails and TONS of pictures of her life in Italy. It was almost as good as being there!

This really never was intended to be a secret. It's just that it was SO big ~ SO exciting, that I never could figure out how to talk about it on here. I got an e-mail from my daughter, this morning, in response to one that I sent her, discussing my inability to post about this most incredible thing that's about to happen to me, that said:
..."I haven't checked it yet, but in case you haven't posted: I think just blurting
out, oh yea im going to italy, is a good way to put it. Let other people ask
the questions. Its much easier to answer questions about whats going on and
how you feel than it is to dictate a narrative. And by the way, I still have
the unreal feeling, and I've already been there! It's just like a whole-
nother world, and I cant wait to show it to you! I've met several people in
the cities, out and about, already who've traveled europe after undergrad.
college, and everyone raves about italy - - its really like magic"

A few weeks ago, Katie drove out to my house to tell me that she had to go back to Italy. And that she wanted to take me with her! I can't begin to tell you the shock/joy/excitement/amazement/thrill/disbelief that swept over me. Quite literally, for days, I walked around muttering: "Oh my God!". That's all I could say!! ME an unknown shepherdess in Minnesota, going to ITALY???? No way. But it is real. My Beautiful Baby Girl (her nickname since she was a baby) ~ "La Mia Bella Bambina" in Italian ;-) wants to share her dream with me. To say that I am honored that she would want to take her mother along would be an understatement.

I think to really understand the significance of this, you'd have to know that we are not a "well to do" family. I really couldn't afford to send Katie to Italy for a semester of college. I took out a loan (on a CREDIT CARD!) to pay for it. Don't worry ~ I got a great interest rate and the loan is almost paid off. But I was so proud of my Beautiful Baby Girl for how hard she'd worked to put herself through college that I wanted to give her something special ~ something that would impact the rest of her life. Now she's giving it back to ME.

In 13 days, Katie and I will be departing for Italy. We're going to spend a couple of days/nights in Rome and then rent a car and tour Tuscany. One of the planned highlights of our trip is staying at a B&B in Tuscany and going horse-back-riding through the mountains and olive groves! I've even "Googled" for a few yarn shops in Rome and Florence!!

It's still not real. But it is exciting. Sometimes overwhelming. But oh-so-wonderful!!!

Dream says......"I don't suppose there will be room for ME on the plane? That's OK, I'm not really too keen at the thought of flying. I'll miss Mom but know she'll have a wonderful time. Hey Katie ~ how do you say "DREAM" in Italian???"