Saving for a new Horse!

Baldybear

Just found this lurking on an old e-mail, definitely brightened my day

Dear Horse,

I love you very much, and I truly cherish your presence in my life. I would never wish to criticize you in any way. However, there are a few trivial details regarding our relationship that I think might bear your consideration.

First of all, I am already aware that horses can run faster than I can. I do not need you to demonstrate that fact each time I come to get you in from the field.

Please remember that I work long and hard to earn the money to keep you in the style to which you have become accustomed. In return, I think you should at least pretend to be glad to see me, even when I'm carrying a bridle instead of a bucket of feed.

It should be fairly obvious to you that I am a human being who walks on only two legs. I do not resemble a scratching post. Do not think that, when you rub your head against me with 1,000 pounds of force behind it, I believe that it wasn't your intention to send me flying. I am also aware that stomping on my toes while you are pushing me around is nothing but adding injury to insult.

I understand I cannot expect you to cover your nose when you sneeze, but it would be appreciated if you did not inhale large amounts of dirt and manure prior to aiming your sneezes at my face and shirt. Also, if you have recently filled your mouth with water you do not intend to drink, please let it all dribble from your mouth BEFORE you put your head on my shoulder. In addition, while I know you despise your worming medication, my intentions in giving it to you are good, and I really do not think I should be rewarded by having you spit half of it back out onto my shirt.

Sometimes, I get the feeling that you are confused about the appropriate roles you should play in various situations. One small bit of advice: Your stone-wall imitation should be used when I am mounting and your speed-walker imitation when I suggest that we proceed on our way, not vice versa. Please also understand that jumping is meant to be a mutual endeavor. By "mutual", I mean that we are supposed to go over the jump together. You were purchased to be a mount, not a catapult. (hee hee hee!!)

I know the world is a scary place when your eyes are on the sides of your head, but I did spend a significant amount of money to buy you, and I have every intention of protecting that investment. Therefore, please consider the following when you are choosing the appropriate behavior for a particular situation:

When I put your headcollar on you, attach one end of a lead rope to the headcollar, and tie the other end of the lead rope to a post or ring or whatever, I am indicating a desire for you to remain in that locale. I would also like the headcollar, lead rope, post, etc., to remain intact. While I admit that things like sudden loud noises can be startling, I do not consider them to be acceptable excuses for repeatedly snapping expensive new lead ropes (or headcollars or posts) so that you can run madly around the yard creating havoc in your wake. Such behavior is not conducive to achieving that important goal that I know we both share --- decreasing the number of times the veterinarian comes out to visit you.

By the same token, the barn aisle was not designed for the running of the Derby and is not meant to serve as a racetrack. Dragging me down the aisle in leaps and bounds is not how "leading" is supposed to work, even if someone happens to drop a saddle on the floor as we're passing. Pulling loose and running off is also discouraged (although I admit it does allow you to run faster).

I assure you that blowing pieces of paper do not eat horses. While I realize you are very athletic, I do not need a demonstration of your ability to jump 25 feet sideways from a standing start while swapping ends in midair, nor am I interested in your ability to emulate both a racehorse and a bucking bronco while escaping said piece of paper. Also, if the paper were truly a danger, it would be the height of unkindness to dump me on the ground in front of it as a sacrificial offering to expedite your escape.

When I ask you to cross a small stream, you may safely assume that said stream does not contain crocodiles, sharks, or piranhas, nor will it be likely to drown you. (I have actually seen horses swimming, so I know it can be done.) I expect you to be prepared to comply with the occasional request to wade across some small body of water. Since I would like to be dry when we reach the other side of the stream, deciding to roll when we're halfway across is not encouraged behavior.

I give you my solemn oath that the trailer is nothing but an alternate means of transportation for distances too long for walking. It is not a lion's den or a dragon's maw, nor will it magically transform into such. It is made for horses, and I promise you that you will indeed fit into your assigned space. Please also bear in mind that I generally operate on a schedule, and wherever we're going, I would really like to get there today.

For the last time, I do not intend to abandon you to a barren, friendless existence. If I put you in a turn-out paddock, I promise that no predators will eat you, and I will come back in due time to return you to your stable. It is not necessary to run in circles, whinny pathetically, threaten to jump the fence, or paw at the gate. Neither your stable mates nor I will have left the premises. The other horses standing peacefully in adjacent paddocks amply demonstrate that it is possible to enjoy being turned out for exercise.

Finally, in closing, my strong and gentle companion, I would like to point out that, whatever might happen between horses and their people, we humans will always love you. In fact, our bonds with you help create new bonds among ourselves, even with total strangers. Wherever there are horses, there will be "horse people", and for the blessings you bestow upon us, we thank you.

Most sincerely yours,

Your Adoring Owner

Baldybear

Good morning, its monday :cool: but its sunny and have 2 hours out of the office driving down to Southampton, I have to drive back, probably in rush hour but still nice to get a break and get my mileage paid for so month end expenses will be healthy

Lovely long weekend, ideal home show on friday, £24 spent on train tickets and approx £15 on food and £60 odd on a new baking tray thing, but we are going to get rid of our george foreman grill, have the massive one, so thats going on ebay Came home and cut the grass, it was so long, swear spotted a few gazelles in there!

Saturday was a mixed bunch, went early am to meet a recruitment agency, for a possible new job, so keeping fingers crossed, filled up with fuel £61 out of budget, came home and did some more work on mums fence, nearly finished. Bad thing was OH was not successful in getting the job he went for the other day so looks like 30 April he will be made redundant. There is still a wee bit of hope that his contract may be extended for month or so, we wait and see.

Sunday was beautiful, did lots of washing, line dried and cleared the rest of my garden so now ready to get some plants and some room for growing some veg, not done this before so will be interesting, but hope to save a few pennies by doing this Went out for dinner in the afternoon for sisters birthday, did offer to pay but parents paid, but was chaffeur so didnt feel too guilty.

With OH's job possibly going its another reason to get rid of this darn debt asap as we would be so much better of per month, I pay around £300 out of my salary alone just servicing debts so that would really helps us, just need to keep going! £15 ish made on ebay over the weekend so that helps, and re-listed things that didnt sell. Going to try and put a few more bits on during the week, still keep finding the odd bit in the house so the pile is ever increasing which is great

Piquant_2

I'm glad you enjoyed the Ideal Home, I'll bet you were tired out at the end of it, it's very large.

Fingers crossed for the recruitment agency, hopefully, something will come of it.

I wish I was as focused on eBay as you are. I have three items on there, one has a bid for 99p!

Piq

Baldybear

Interest on cards, damm them £33 on one and £30 on another, luckily paying over the minimum on most cards just very frustrating. Of the 4 we have only got 1 on 0% interest, time to investigate if we can move a few more balances around. OH is away this week now so will have to wait for the weekend as probably get him to do as he has spare capacity on his cards.

Tired today after nearly 4 hours of driving yesterday for a grand total of just over 1 hour spent in our other office for a meeting :cool: Seems a bit daft but hey ho. £56 worth of mileage claim though so not as bad as could be.

Need to see if I can look at restaurants today as going to see Rock of Ages on Saturday with sis and going out for dinner after

Not going to be a NSD need to get some milk for office, which is reclaimable and some cash for weekend spends. Just checked bank and the money I spent at the weekend doesnt look like it has come out of this months budget, was in last months so that is great, sounds complicated but it all works out ok.

Baldybear

Freebies and Surveys

Really impressed with the surveys that I have been doing recently and the freebies, they are boring most of the time but the payouts are doing well.

Yesterday was a fab day, got some dishwasher tablets, some tights for testing and some crisps for testing :j

Sometimes get really bored of these and never see the end in sight, but have now renewed enthusiasm.

Baldybear

3 times in one day, this what comes with an overactive brain and only me in the office today

Worked out my fuel costs £15 going to our other office and back, claim £56 for the journey based on private mileage so not a bad profit mark up, know this includes for insurance etc but pleased with my calculations. Yes I am sad doing this but been wondering for a while :cool:

Just had notification one of my shoes has been returned so awaiting the other one and then £38 back to my account.

Also had mobile bill, my phone I sent back has been credited to the account so nothing to pay this month so £30 to go to cards, and looks like next 2 poss 3 months will be free too

Baldybear

Ended up being in the office all day so didnt get a chance to go out so a NSD Have company today so will get the few bits today.

A good day moneywise for debts:-
£26.25 refunded from one pair of shoes to card
£150 parents loan has gone out
£62.60 mininum payment paid on card
£27.40 overpayment paid to target card (the money budgeted for mobile bill this month)

All looking good

Need to check spreadsheet this evening as should be some money in paypal sitting from surveys and ebay to withdraw.

Piquant_2

Baldybear wrote: »

Just had notification one of my shoes has been returned so awaiting the other one and then £38 back to my account.

...only one shoe? did you not send the other one back?:rotfl:

Piq

Baldybear

Ha Ha yes, fab typo!!

End of the month update, have updated signature and have managed to pay of a total of £384.30 of the debt (excluding mortgage) not as much as I would have liked but also managed to pay £560 which was the camera lens so not as bad as could be.

Total today excluding mortgage stands at £19,374.40 :eek:

Still way too much and not a level I am comfortable with so really need to keep my head down and plough on.

Some microwave rice came through the post today through for testing so that helps.

Have looked through the freezer and made a meal plan for the next 2 weeks, only need to buy some fresh fruit, veg and yoghurts. Got £100 budgeted for food this month so hoping not to use this at all. Got a £10 grocery voucher on the way too so can put that towards it.

Checked paypal and withdrawn £20 so a wee bit more to send to the target card.

This card currently stands at £2,753.97.

Baldybear

Morning world, its still sunny, its near the end of the week and on my own most of the day today so nice and quiet

Payments from yesterday have gone through so the balances I updated on signature yesterday have gone down a bit

A positively fab MSE day today :money:

A NSD, normal stuff daily clicks, surveys etc.

Food is, breakfast porridge with milk provided by work, lunch is some corned beef which was hiding in the back of the fridge in a sandwich with some bread I picked a wee bit of mould of this morning :cool: and crisps which came a few days ago for testing. Dinner at sisters is free as payment in lieu of babysitting duties. So not a bad day :rotfl: