When I and all my friends had mid life crises (how the hell do you spell that???) we got puppies. No, I'm not kidding and not being funny. It was just what we needed. Friends got cute little puffy cuddly dogs. I got a heeler. Think about it.

Praying for your precious grandson.

At least once a week the kids come over with their kids for dinner here. I make sphagetti, lasagne, tater tot casserole, brisket, hamburgers, chili, chips and dips, bagels, potato soup. Done to death. What are your favorite crowd pleasers? Gluten free and kid friendly are a plus. Beef best because we just butchered. Serving around 20 people.

oooh, I forgot about Dixie Stampede, it's great. Practice your Rebel Yell.

Silver Dollar City is the best!! Might be too cold in Feb though.

That is one of my boys. He and the horse have a very special bond, but he was willing for his cousin to take him since she didn't have her own horse. He is a fantastic guy.

I dreamed oldest dd and I were eating in a nice restaurant. Some zombies came in and we had to interrupt our meal to stab them in the heads. Then we finished eating. Meaning- I watch too much Walking Dead.

I'm not sure but they look like poisonous toadstools. We have these in our yard and dh told me they are dangerous. We pick and eat morels in the springtime, but they also have a lookalike that's poisonous.

Yes! Khemosabi is Khlassic's grandsire, and his sire is Khartoon Khlassic. It's a great line.

She loves her but now she is in college and Cat is back with us. Her little sister comes by and is learning to ride her. Cat needs special medical attention so it's easier for me to care for her.

As in me not wanting her to sell him?

I don't think she could have gotten what he's worth. And he'll be worth a lot more in four years. Here he is as a lanky two yr old.

Hopefully it might still work out, in four years after college. She is going to retain ownership but at least he'll be home on the ranch.

Talked to sis this morning. Going to get horse ASAP. Everything good.

Meh, I don't know. I am done with her drama. Years upon years of drama.

Thanks, it's a tough road with these girls. Very frustrating to see the way they treat my sister. I won't go into details on a public board, you'll just have to take my word for it that they are (well, the oldest anyhow) is pretty horrid. Sister's life is sometimes hell because of her. I gave her the benefit of the doubt long enough. Part of her drama is "being terrified" of me. The worst thing I've done to her is to challenge her for lying and being disrespectful to her mother. She has a mom who does her laundry, cleans her room, pays her bills and works three jobs to support them. I think she ought to kick her ass out but she can't do the tough love thing.

Yes, it's completely my fault. FWIW, both nieces are terrified of me because I call them on their shit. Sorry, there's just not another word for it. Sis counts on me to be the hard ass that she isn't. (no husband to back her up) However I don't want to be an Indian giver. yeah, I know that's politically incorrect. Still don't want to be one. I have made the offer to take the horse back and work on it's training for her while she is in college. I'll just have to see what happens. A hard lesson for me to learn. I will probably point out to her that it is (HIGHLY) unlikely that she will ever own a horse this nice again. If she does sell him I'm done. I'm already done with the other girl because of the way she treats her mom. No problem to be done with them both. Sis gets that.

Yep. Im an idiot.

This is quite possible. This sister is the family peacemaker and I know she's upset about the whole thing, but she doesn't have it in her to be firm with her girls.

Almost 18. Going off to college next year and horse was supposed to go with her. Although she is a fabulous rider and shows she apparently is not a trainer. She came to our ranch several times to try out the horse and we felt they were a good match. Dh and I did not go into this on the spur of the moment.

Yes. Although I could happily write both my nieces off my sister and I will always be essential to each other. Her only fault is over compensating her daughters after divorcing their father. So I hope for the horse back here but if niece sells him that's it.

I think you don't know either one of us and this was a JAWM. Not asking for commentary on my sister.

And I'm sure niece is upset with me anyway because when I went to see how they were working out I told her she was just playing saddle club and not doing serious work with the horse.

Yep. Money is tight with them mostly because they spend what they don't have. Which is why dh and I gifted this horse to her. She never could have afforded him. She won't get a decent price for him green broke, she knows nothing about selling horses, who know where he might end up and she'll spend the money on crap. My fault for not making it clear in advance that he was not to be sold, so now I'm a bitch and taking him back.