The Radio

It’s 9 p.m. at the Abbey and it’s been dark now for four and a half hours. Yuck! And when I refer to dark, it’s really dark, not like city-dark, hand-in-front-of-your-face dark. There is nothing to reflect light except the moon (which is not shinning) and the stars. Walking is difficult because you cannot see the ground. Now that’s dark.

I turned on the 9 p.m. news simply because I can’t keep awake for the 10 p.m. news. I am a real live wire! I should come with a warning: Anything said after 10 p.m. is not credible. Early rising has to do with the terrible curse handed down from my father, and his father before him. We were up before six in the morning … every morning! Dad would say, “Any one sleeping past seven was a sleeping Jesus.” I heard that quote all my life. I have no idea what it means.

The weatherman blinks on the television set and says a front is coming in; it should be here around midnight. Swell! The temperatures will drop below zero and probably stay there … UNTIL SPRING! Well actually he didn’t say “until spring,” but I read it in his face.

A bit of a shiver runs through me. I began to take inventory. First, did I have enough groceries? I think this is always the first question everyone asks at any weather change. Do I need to get out and buy groceries before it hits? Next, is the car winterized? Is there enough diesel for the bobcat? And last, are the animals water heaters plugged in? The water heaters … hum? I think so -- pretty sure-- not positive – and absolutely not positive. That being said, I put on the hat, coat and gloves to go check if the water is plugged in. Now, if you were familiar with The Abbey, the only way to get to either barn is down hill, and going down on frozen ground is always an adventure. You never know how you will end up. Well that’s not exactly the truth. You will always end up at the bottom of the hill. It’s the journey that can be thrilling. Reaching the bottom and shinning the flashlight on the waterer, I was relieved to see the heater was on. All is well and I am ready for sleep.

The morning started out with a bang – 5:50 a.m. and both dogs suddenly went into a barking frenzy. I am sound asleep and want to stay that way. “Lay down,” I croak at the dogs hoping they will just go back to sleep. I am teetering on that unconscious state where everything is perfect. But the barking continues. Even a pillow won’t silence this. Finally I stagger to the back door and let them out. Back in the kitchen I look out towards the barn; it is still dark and I can’t see anything. I need coffee! Letting the dogs back in, the frigid wind hits me. It’s cold -- the weather man was right.

Have you ever wrapped your hands around your coffee cup; it’s great. The cup is warm, it makes your hands warm, it makes you warm, and it smells wonderful, I love coffee.

Sitting in the kitchen, hunched over the coffee cup, I wait for the sun to peek over the horizon. It’s 6:30, and the sky is beginning to lighten. Looking out towards the barn, I can see the fencing … fence, fence, fence, hole, fence, fence. HOLE! There’s a hole in the fence. WHERE ARE THE HORSES? They are still in the pasture, but the fence is broken, really busted broken. Something went on, probably at the time the dogs were carrying on. My peaceful morning is shot, my coffee goes down in two gulps and I grab my coat, hat and gloves; out I go into the cold crisp morning. Something happened here and it’s vital that I get to the fence and fix it before the horses get out and decide to run in the fields.

I called Sarah on my cell phone to let her know what is going on, while talking, I approaching the paddock. The horses are milling around, nervous and rather on edge. That should have been my first clue. But no, grabbing some twine in one hand and the telephone in the other, I walked right in. The horses are at the feeder and I am about ten feet away. As I cross the over to the ground towards the broken fence, I can see foot prints … footprints … coyote footprints! They were here, in with the horses. SUDDENLY, there’s a noise from the woods on the other side of the feeder. Instantly the horses are off, spooked and on a dead run, all seven, AT ME! Now I think I have written in other notes, that it’s been said that stampeding horses will not step on you if they can help it. This is true! I know this now, I have first-hand knowledge of this; however, as they pass by they will kick back and forth and throw you to the ground. The cell phone flew out of my hand in one direction and the rope in the other; lying there I can see the dust of their hooves as they head to the other side of the paddock. I can hear the phone ringing about 25 feet away, staggering to my feet I pick it up. I’ve just manage to give my daughter a heart attack. She is freaked. Calm down, I’m OK! I am just a little shook up. They really did not have a chance to build up speed when they passed me. It will hit me later, but for now all is well.

Why is it that hind sight is always 20/20? Coyotes! I knew they were out there. Rethinking the morning, and this whole mess, it only makes sense. The break in the fence had to be done by something very powerful -- i.e.: a horse. The horses were spooky!! There were footprints all over the ground. Duh! I should have called everyone into the barn before I entered the paddock. The fence is fixed; I am a little stiff from hitting the ground, but basically none the worse for wear.

Vern, the clerk at Jemsky’s assures me that a radio will keep the coyotes away. Home I went with a small plug in radio for the horse barn. There has been some dissension as to what station horses like, for now, in the wee hours of the morning, you will hear the sound of Christmas carols coming from the horse barn, joyfully announcing, the holiday season and just another day at The Abbey.