Cutting it close

My man is so awesome. He spent the day yesterday driving from hardware shop to hardware shop buying the supplies to put a light in my new stall, so we'd have lights before we leave for America. (I leave Tuesday, he leaves 9 days later.)

I didn't hide my disappointment that it was dark long before he got everything he needed yesterday - remember, no stores are open on Sundays in Germany.

When he finally returned his sister came over to learn how to care for our animals. I'm composing a multi-paged summary that encomasses pretty much everything I told her, in case she forgets. Obsessive pet owner, here.

So today as soon as we'd had breakfast we got to work. Church bells were ringing. I yelled to my man, "We sure know how to spend the Lord's day, huh?" and later we cringed as we used a power saw which is illegal on a Sunday. I decided to try to finish cutting and fitting the stall mats. A very dirty job, since they both were and are being used. We have no where else to put our horse as we work now.

My man began by asking me where I want my lightswitch. I said, "Given any option, I'd love to have it outside the gate, (up high on the old barn front) so that the new stall is lit as I make my way into the horse area."

That involved installing new electric cables in both the old barn and greenhouse! I had no idea it would be so complicated.

Something about the old wiring having only 3 wires, and we need 5 to have a switch and option to add more switches and more lights later. He chose to run the power from the greenhouse to the new barn because it would involve less overhead cable-hang. (And the greenhouse has its own breaker box.) This involved fixing the greenhouse roof which had warped from the snow and misconstruction of the former owner. It also involved removing the old wires in the old barn entirely. Just getting ready took forever.

I cannot say I enjoy cutting stall mats. These are the super thick ones, and you cannot get even a brand new box cutter through them. But I've got a method now. I'm a professional stall mat cutter. First you measure, then you score a line with your box cutter, as deep as you can manage. As straight too--those lines on the backside do not help very much. Then you go back and start cutting at the start, and then you pry the pieces apart with your left hand and right foot, while cutting thru the scored area. I have no idea why sometimes it goes smoothly, and other times you fight and pull and cut ineffectively. Old mat, new mat, or direction? New blades help. *sigh* The hammer is for pounding them into place once cut, puzzle piece by puzzle piece, it is a joy when they fit, and a total frustration when they ALMOST fit and you have to cut a tiny bit more, all over again.

I spent all day on my knees on icky dirty used stall mats. I must recommend that if you ever want to mat a stall, do it without or before the horse. It is so much nicer when they're clean. I took this photo when I was almost done, only 3, no, 4 cuts to go (with spare pieces). I was so thrilled at this point.

Helping my man later in the greenhouse, I left dirty marks all over the transparent walls wherever I touched. And my knees were stained in pee through my jeans. My shoes may not be allowed on the flight Tuesday, they are toxic. Notice how much less snow we have! That is party due to me climbing up there and scraping it all off, and almost getting submerged in an avalanche, and partly due to the rain/hail we've had. Thank God for RAIN - I yelled Halleluja when the snow turned to rain yesterday.

He did a great job, not only did he get outdoor cables and light and converter boxes, he got those cable protector tubes.

Even though there is no earthly way a horse or mouse could reach that high to nibble.

He left some extra cable available in case I wish for another light switch or outlet in the barn someday.

Poor Baasha had lots of time at the Patience Tree today, because he kept trying to get in our way and we were racing against sundown. He settled down finally but then it started hailing. Feeling guilty, I tied him in the new stall with the new tie-ring my man installed. He was fidgeting like crazy in there (the hail sounds strange) and so I finally tied him to the tree again.

I've never tied my horse all day but so it went. Finally I thought he might eat so I tied him in the stall again and he relaxed and ate. And jumped everytime I drop/slammed a too-heavy stall mat. In this photo I'd just placed the last two (tiny) puzzle pieces, and I was done. I was so happy!!!

That Dirty Jobs guy needs to cut (used) stall mats for a show.
















Cutting around each and every support post sucked. But the end result is satisfying.

I was working against his heels at times, hoping to not cut myself or get pooped on. Lookie that, am I good or what!? *strut*

My man was thankfully under cover - either in the greenhouse or hay loft the entire hailstorm. Whenever I see these distribution boxes I think of Geocaches.

Oh, and I built a hay trough for Baasha yesterday!! While my man was out shopping for electrical supplies, I went to work on the new trough, via my man's new design with posts and clamps and such, to make it more stable. My man had to use the electric saw though, that was too much for me.

I feel pretty proud of my trough, and it is doing its job of keeping the hay where it belongs, and my horse's head down while he eats. I like that I can tie him right next to the trough, safely, so he can eat and stay tied if we ever need to tie him.

Nearing the end my man said, "OK I just need to connect the black power wires, and, oh, tell me, is the light to the barn going on when I do this?" YES -- STOP NOW! I said, "Can't you spare 5 minutes and turn the power off for this step? I know you'll probably be OK, but I'd feel better if I didn't have to administer CPR again unsuccessfully." He went up and turned off the power which caused our sewage pump to BEEP BEEP BEEP until he was done.

It wasn't 2 minutes later that I had LIGHT IN MY NEW BARN!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOO!!!!!!!

There is nothing better, I tell you, in Wintertime. I was too tired to get a picture of it ON, actually, oops!

We're even thinking of putting solar lights in there because it's SO dark in comparison to the old stall. Baasha doesn't love it like he did the old one, and we're convinced it's the darkness.

But there is LIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Those of you with horses will understand the necessity of light in a barn! Those of you without horses, try to imagine your garage has no lights, and you have to go out there every night after dark to clean it and get things and put things there. It would be incredibly frustrating and impossible to hold a flashlight cuz you need your hands. A head light is not adequate, you need overhead LIGHT!!!!!!!!!! It's my Christmas present from my man, and I'm totally satisfied.

I'm exhausted but my man moreso. I made his favorite meal tonight, spaghetti bolognese, and we both scarfed down a lot of it! Ich liebe dich, mein Mann.

We got done none too soon, tomorrow I have to pack and do housework (ugh, so much worse than barn work!). Tuesday morning I fly home which will take 13 hours. Lord help me!