There aren't enough words to say thanks...

omg what an insane couple days! hahaha So I have to say a HUGE thanks to everybody who's come to help out. It's greatly appreciated! So yesterday I started by meeting with the woman who had the farm before me and had a good chat with her. Then it was time to unload a small mountain of hay. But so many wonderful people came to help -- Rowan and her parents and random extra friend Hannah, who I think really had no idea what she was signing up for :) And I tell ya, having dads volunteer sometimes makes a huge difference. Him and David made things go much faster. I know, I know, very politically incorrect... And yes, absolutely I've done it by myself so it *can* be done. But sometimes being tall and strong is a rather huge benefit - and throwing hay up the mountain is definitely one of those times! hahaha I'll take that over girl-power leaving me to stack hay alone any day! Aileen, Amy, Margaret, Steph and Paula also all kicked in to help fill the loft! Paula, the engineer of the group, standing next to the truck comments "this'd be much easier if this side moved..." and proceeds to take it down. I, at least, felt a little idiotic at that but hey we're all a little smarter now *g* And the job got instantly much easier :) What can I say? First time doing hay without an elevator! hahaha P's lesson learned was that one should wear jeans to do hay... I think she was wearing half the loft when we finished! :) So we got all the way through one truck and everybody was willing to stick around for the second. What can I say? Awesome volunteers! Other load wasn't there yet so we went for a tour of the property. I think about half the group had seen it before, but was still fun nonetheless :) And ice glittering off the branches was somewhat stunning. Got back just in time for load two, which was more challenging to stack, but still went reasonably well. So everything being completed in record time, my wonderful volunteers left for whatever they *really* wanted to do with their Christmas vacation! Paula and Margaret stayed with me to help paint the bunkie (and Amy took charge of the taping before her ride arrived :) Between the three of us we had a coat almost done when my phone rang. Hay guy. "I can bring load 3 today after all. I'll be there in an hour." hmmmmm tricky. He had earlier told me only two loads possible today. So I asked the girls and they said they were up to one more. Ok... By this point we're all pretty zonked, but what can you do eh? Hay truck arrives and fortunately D came to help again (what can I say? Big strong guys who are willing to help are always appreciated :) and we got the first half up no problem. But the second half we were admittedly stalling, so D suggested leaving the hay on the trailer pulled into the loft so it wouldn't get rained on and stacking tomorrow. Good plan. By this time the paint was dry, so one more coat an then definitely time for home! All too soon it was morning again. And today it was my amazing family who spent all day pitching in. Dad went off to work with my uncle and cousin continuing to build my tack lockers (I'm pretty excited about these - they're reasonably impressive :) while Mum and I went and picked up a van. First stop - the mechanic's. Why? Because the beast's breaks decided to retire and I kinda need it working tomorrow. And all the wood for the boxes was in there. So we snagged the wood from the mechanic and then left them to fight with the beast. Delivered said wood to the guys building the boxes for me and had a brief discussion about spacing for saddle racks etc. All good. So off to my storage locker to collect come furniture for the bunkie. Now it was packed fairly well so took some work to unbury the specific items I wanted but we got it sorted out. And then just as we're about to go I jumped off the dresser and landed very very wrong. For a second I just froze - was like having the breath knocked out of you, but I was still on my feet. Had jarred something in my back right under my shoulder blades that was stupidly painful. This made every movement and even standing still hard. Breathing hurt. Not a good sign. Particularly not a good sign TODAY. Alright well, get locker closed and climb gingerly into the van... Every bump hurt. I'd find a position that felt ok and it'd last for a minute or so and then suddenly it'd hurt too. And moving from that position was a challenge (thank god for omg handles all over the van). Not fun. So first stop - pharmacy for the strongest drugs you can buy w/o a prescription. They helped. Quickly and a lot. I could still feel that things were nqr -- a constant twinge really, but I could move and turn and not be in stupid amounts of pain. Ok good to go. Pick up a carpet cleaner (bunkie has the most disgusting carpets ever!) and head to the farm. So Mum started on painting another coat (lesson learned - never buy cheap paint!) while I moved all the stuff that was on the carpets off so I could clean them. Got about half way through before the cleaner died. I was able to revive it slightly but there's a distinct difference in the first half of the carpet an the second *sigh* It later decided to stop shooting out water, making it slightly less than useful. Sheesh. Ok so we need to bring all the furniture in -- but just as we start to do that a student I was about to show around the property arrived -- 15 minutes early! Now usually I'm all for people being early, a good thing since I tend to be that person regularly, but w/ the list of things to do today being what it was, I couldn't be ready early and certainly couldn't abandon my mum with all the furniture! So we asked if they could hang out for 15 or so, and instead they all pitched in to help. Like I mentioned, I have awesome students :) So took all of about 5 mins to unload. Mum headed off to pick up the boxes the guys had finished building while I showed Amy and her family around the farm. Then it was time to do the rest of the hay. Particular down side as my happy drugs were wearing off about this point and I was starting to hurt again. Great for throwing hay. And they had gone with the van. Booo. I was expecting a couple people but nobody was there, so I figured I'd better get to it. Had managed to stack some (I was being phenomenally slow at it) when D saw what I was doing and came in to help. He sped things up significantly *g* A few minutes after that Aileen arrived to help out AGAIN!!! Even after yesterday!!! I can't remember the last time I was so happy to see somebody *g* hahaha so between the three of us we got it done. Sweet. Next up, arena. As we were heading there I ran into two more volunteers -- one who had been there a while but had no idea where we were, and since my car wasn't in the driveway figured I wasn't there... Entirely logical. Sadly wrong. >;-P hahaha but she was good to go for the arena. So we picked up the manure that somebody had neglected to clean after themselves, raked the track, and then broke into the magnesium chloride. The girls had some fun drawing with it (I'll post pics later :) but mostly we got it done super quick. My parents arrived with the first of the boxes (by this point we were all pretty well covered head to toe in arena dirt - it's the in look I tell you!) and we got those located in the barn. Very uneven floors -- I'm going to have to find a way to balance out the boxes so the doors can close properly! But otherwise good to go. So my parents went to get more boxes, while Steph and Aileen after helping out all afternoon had to get going. As we were pretty much done with the arena at this point, Paula and I went back to my house to pack up supplies and bring them back. By the time we got back there were two more boxes delivered, and my parents had left to make one more trip. Paula helped me unload and then headed out for her New Years Eve (I *wish* I had that much energy!!!) while I organized a bit till my parents came back with one more load that we unpacked before calling it a day. A very long day. But reasonably productive day :) And tomorrow is move in day :) So I think 10:00 is the closest I'm coming to midnight this year. And I'm so not re-reading this so I hope it's somewhat comprehensible *g* Night! And Happy New Year!!!