Rain is a Good Thing

Day 2 of H&W Stables is in the books. Today was a very productive day of work. We started at 7:00 with the feeding and cleaning chores. As soon as this portion was over it was time to get down to business. I started spraying down the back stalls while Michelle and Ruthie started the pruning process for the many plants around the property. At some point the pressure washer was cranked up getting the exterior of the barn ready for some new paneling and paint. Tyler stopped by and was immediately put to work. It wasn’t very long into the day when the rains started. They stayed throughout the day but really only chased us inside a couple of times. With all the pruning came much stacking of debris in the back of the truck to be hauled out to the road. I think we ended up having four truck loads and three mule loads of plant debris. We all stopped for lunch and today I refused to eat fast food so Michelle and I headed to Fat Boy’s for a little BBQ. I really enjoy a good pork sandwich and I wasn’t disappointed today. After lunch the pressure washing resumed, the weeds were pulled from the arena, and Tyler and I started to move some dirt around the stalls preparing for the upcoming painting. One of our odder tasks for the day included a hammer and a drill. We walked around the property and either pulled, nailed back in, screwed in, or screwed out, every random nail or screw we could find. Although this seems frivolous we must consider that we will have little kids and large horses wandering around and nails can do a number on the body of a horse. I have seen that first hand and it isn’t pretty. Once Ken showed up later in the afternoon my focus shifted to prep work for tomorrow. We are going to replace the paneling on the front of the barn and Ken and I discussed what I need to get done first thing in the morning so we can start nailing the new board up tomorrow. We finished up around 9:00pm tonight and I was so happy to get out of there at that time. We all need some rest as we are busting our butts to make this place a beautiful facility for people to come and enjoy their horses. We are working hard but we also need some rest just to recharge so we can hit is hard each day. Tomorrow is another day with lots to do but with today’s work we could actually see some of the transformation taking place. This is good to see because it allows us to see we are going in the right direction. There is a lot do and we are getting it done little by little every day. If you are in the area, stop by and check out what we have gotten ourselves into. Then come back in a month and see if you can tell any difference. You will and you will come back again and see more differences. We have a good team and the facility will be great. Oh yeah, maybe the most exciting thing about today was finding out we are getting the pastures fertilized before the end of the week. That’s a really good thing when you need to feed the horses and they really like grass. Rain, rain, rain, grow, grow, and grow.

Taking the first step even when you can't see the top step

Day 1 at H&W Stables is in the books and what an interesting day it was. Of course it started early with feeding and then scooping poop. After that was done the work began. Wait, we had guests and had to run to Tractor Supply for some things. While at Tractor Supply we met up with my mom and Pea Pod went with her and the kids to go watch a movie. Back to the barn it was for Michelle, Tyler, and me to begin the cleaning and evaluation process. We started cleaning odds and ends, let the horses out to graze, and got ready to pressure wash the facility. Second bobble of the day was just about to occur. The pump for the solution sprayer would not work. We went and got another sprayer from one of the houses and it too was not functioning. Guess what that meant, you got it, another trip to Tractor Supply for a new pump. We decided to kill two birds with one stone and grabbed some lunch while we were out. Trip two was a success and to add to the humor of the day the girl at the register asked if she should be expecting us again today. When we returned to the stables we moved some larger items and began the spraying process. It’s always wise to use a bleach solution when there is a great breeze. What wasn’t spotted will get spotted when the winds of the ridge are involved. This minor setback was not stopping the progress we were making. When all was said and done the main barn and the first seven stables were complete and ready for the next process. Michelle and Ruthie took turns working in the feed room and that too is ready for service. The day wasn’t completely smooth but when it was over late this evening progress was seen by those involved. We did take time to eat some pizza brought out by Ken and Stella surprised us all with some chicken and fixins’ from KFC. I really think we will be eating quite a few meals at our new second home. In all reality there are so many little stories that could be told throughout the day but the hours mix into one another and at the end of the day the only thing that really matters is that we are making progress towards having a great facility to be shared by other enthusiasts. One of the highlights of tonight was turning on the arena lights and realizing how bright they made everything. Tomorrow is another day and I am about to fall asleep while writing this so I am going to cut it a little short. There will be many ups and hopefully only a few downs while this process moves along throughout the summer. We sized up some of our larger tasks and when those are being done the evidence of progress will become evident. A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. We just keep taking steps.