How do you say no to this

Now I am a pretty low key guy that likes to come home to the company of the Barngoddess, my daughter the Shark's Angel, and her daughter, the Little Princess.
I am not the type that likes to mill about in large crowds, and have been known to not go somewhere because too many people would be there.

No phobias or anything, just life in the Navy about ships and submarines, makes me appreciate the quiet time with my family.

At the job I have, I meet quite a few veterans of all walks of life. I have made many friends that make it a point to look me up when they are at the clinic, even if only to say hi.

So the Barngoddess and I have been trying to figure where to spend 4 days in the "home away from home" to rest and relax and recharge batteries and just be with each other. Past trips have included a stint on a gravel bar on the Current River; a quiet stay at the Viola Park Campground; a couple days on the Grand Lake; always a way to just be with each other without the hassles of everyday life.

So the other day the phone at work rings and the conversation goes something like this:

Eddie: Tommy, this is Eddie, whats up?

Me: Not much just trying to get through to Wednesday when I got 4 days off

Eddie: 4 days off, must be nice... hey one of my hearing aids got chewed up by my little dog, what'll I do

Me: Send it to me and we'll get a replacement.

Eddie: Hey when you coming to Branson? You promised you'd come down sometime.

Me: Well this weekend we are still trying to decide where to go

Eddie: Get down here and I'll get you tickets to the show.

Me: Ok, Friday am show ok?

Eddie: Yep, I'll call the box office

So the Barngoddess and I decide on Compton Ridge Campground in Branson
Wi-fi, indoor heated pool, lots of great views, great privacy

and of course Friday 10 am show.

Ever heard of the "World Famous Platters" performing at the Starlite Theatre in Branson MO??

Well Eddie is one of them.

So how do you say no to something like that???

The Gentleman Farmer taught me well......

You go and be gracious and enjoy the hell out of yourself...

And by treating people as you would like to be treated, and showing a concern for them, we are rewarded in being able to say that we truly

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Talked good but didn't.......

So after a rainy day yesterday, and not getting a thing done,

the Barngoddess and I finally get out of bed around 11:30 today. Yep that's 11:30 am, almost noon time.
So I stagger into the den with a cup of java to read my horrorscope and find out what kind of day it will be.

Sitting here with that beautiful lovely Barngoddess next to me on her computer playing solitaire, (it's sometimes hard to concentrate on what I was originally going to do when she is next to me and oh so close... but I digress or degress or Oh forget it) so I asked her if she wanted to go check out that campground she has been wanting to spend a couple days at.
Now the add for this campground, and the rating, make it sound like the place to go and spend a couple days relaxing and catching up on the rest and other things.
So we leave at 1 PM and head about a 100 miles north east to check out this campground. Arriving we realized that the famous statement of the Gentleman Farmer was true to fact in this case
"Talks good but doesn't listen so well".

So we return home via Rte 66 to see if anything is worth taking the Little Princess to along that famous route. Lots of bumps, lots of Rte 66 signs, but not much else.

So I guess we'll try to find another place to R&R. But that is the best thing about being able to travel and find neat places to

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2009 National Mini Horse Show, Tulsa, OK

By George I think she's got it, she's got it, she's got it
in fact I'm sure she's got it.........

Last Tuesday, the Barngoddess, the Little Princess and I headed to Tulsa OKLA for the National Miniature Horse Registry Show. This is an annual show that brings contestants from around this great USA and our friendly neighbor to the North, Canada, to showcase thier miniature horses.

This year the Little Princess started showing minis in June at a Regional Show just outside St. Louis MO, followed by regional shows in Columbia and Carthage MO.
She was showing not only the Haven Lee Farm horses, but also showed a horse named "... Double" that belongs to the Barngoddess's good friend.

Six weeks ago, the girls got together and the Little Princess was taught the ropes to driving a horse pulling a little two wheel cart. Now the Little Princess is a quick learner and this proved to be the fact this past week.

So onto the story.........
Tuesday was a trip to Tulsa with the Home away from Home. Got there and unpacked and helped set up the stalls for the coming week. We all spent the night and I got to go back to work Wednesday am. PS it's a heck of a commute from tulsa to Mt Vernon.
Any way....
The Little Princess showed in a number of classes: Hunter Jumping and Regular Jumping along with Halter class. The Hunter Jumping is where the horse has to jump over so many obstacles without hitting the jump. In Regular Jumping the course is similiar but different... don't ask me, I thought they looked the same. And halter is where you show the horse without doing much except having the horse set up correctly. The LP didn't do too good in these classes. Horse knocked over jumps, etc.
But along came "Showmanship" and our little princess took 8th out of 20 some. This class involves the horse doing it's job, along with the LP doing her part. To come out with 8th is remarkable for a person only having showed 3 times prior. GREAT JOB SHE DID......

Then came the costume classes. She was with a group that took Reserve National Championship on Firday night and returned with a different horse and costume on Saturday Morning and took Grand National Championship.

But the cream of the whole show was when I got to watch as she drove for the first time in a show, no less the National Show. She drove "Double" the gelding owned by Viola's friend. Our little girl took 5th place overall. One judge even rated her as #2 (but the other Judges didn't..who cares) she came away with a 5th at her first show driving.... what an honor.
Here we see her getting ready for the big event.



and here is a picture of her actually driving...... too bad this old man can't take pictures that are in focus.



What an honor to watch the Little Princess driving. She was better than some of the others, in fact a lot better, but as we are an unknown name and not some big fancy trainer....... well the Little Princess was indeed #2 in driving and will show it next year when she drives somemore.

So home finally late sunday night and back to the rat race again today.

The Little Princess and the Barngoddess are still on cloud nine from a 5th and then an 8th showing, along with the costume classes..... but to take a 5th after only 6 weeks driving, and at her first show driving (the NATIONAL EVENT) indeed makes us really

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to the fullest.

Congrats Little Princess and I look forward to watching your excellent driving skills next year with your own horse.

Good Pic of Barngoddess

So to see a good picture,
go to

www.news-leader.com/

for the 7th of September 2009.

Top left corner is picture of our stagecoach and 4 up, with the Barngoddess smiling as usual, and the Bus shoveling shit again.

This is what ALLOWS US TO


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Watch out Boys

Here is my Little Princess and Fabio.....

This was taken at the July American Miniature Horse Registry Show in Columbia Mo.


After looking at the mail (see previous post), I found this picture and all is now well at the Haven Lee Farm...........

But watch out boys, Grandpa has a twelveguage to keep you all in line.

Remembering this show, and the trails and tribulations of showing makes me

definitely want to

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Sharks angel or Long roof, how do I make this scan full page, vice 1/4 page/////???
who cares, this gal is great and I love her so much.......

AM I ONE OF THEM NOW?????

So today is Thursday, I take off and at 8:15 am the Barngoddess and Little Princess and I head to the City for a couple doctor appointments and pick up some parts for the "Home Away From Home", in anticipation of next week being in Tulsa all week.

Big Bad Bob is very familiar with that town, and probably can give me some pointers.. ie: where the local speed traps are... etc....

Anyway, trip was good, got the parts we needed, came home and put them on that "Home Away From Home" and then came in and looked at the Mail.

A*L*E*R*T*********************8

ENVELOPE FROM INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE............

PANIC TIME YET?????????????????????

With great apprehension I slowly opened the envelope and dicovered "HELL HAS NO FURRY LIKE THE IRS OWED AND A WOMAN SCORNED"

The great IRS has determined that my Military Retirement is now TAXABLE......
effective in the year of the Lord, 2007.............

Reading this multi page document I find horrors..............

YOU OWE THE IRS $2,910.00 plus interest and penalties.................

You should have heard this ex-submarine sailor's utterances upon reading that....
glad the Little Princess wasn't around.

So Now I have to get with the Accountant and figure out what the hell the IRS is attemping and what are they doing?????

I feel like I should be nominated for a Cabinet Post for I too am delinquent in my taxes........ or so the IRS says.......Heck maybe I can run for Roy Blunt's seat and get elected (he too owed taxes - that he didn't know he owed ... yeah and I got a bridge for sale).........

and the kicker...... I have till 9/30/09 to make the payment or get more penalties and more interest.............

I now know how Charlie Brown feels every time Lucy moves the football when he is ready to kick............... augggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

So to the Bus I say, your insurance was cancelled... but the IRS hitting me up again makes me madder.

Remembering back in 1990 I had to write a check for $24,500.00 m/l to the IRS after we returned from Hawaii. Capital gains was the word.. Accountant made a mistake that time too, and I had to write another check to the IRS for $8,800.00 m/l.

Damned thought I was finished with all that owing crap....

A poorer horsefarmer can only hope the IRS is wrong and I can again remember to

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