January 2008 Largo Canyon New Mexico

January: Life in the Largo in January is harsh. Morning starts at 06:15 when my alarm goes off in my sub-zero bedroom..rough plaster walls and cement floors, I'd be as frozen as my moisturizer (I left it on the windowsill overnight) if it weren't for the electric blanket! I stay toasty warm all night (except for hurried forays with the flashlight to the bathroom a couple of times a night-I'm still not accustomed to so many cups of tea) but when I wake up my nose is soooo cold. I jump out of bed with my clothes in my arms to dress down in the living area which has a woodstove, Pat is usually up & stoking the fire. After a hot cup of peppermint tea, we begin a 20" aerobic exercise program in a very cold room next door. After exercise, it's time to pour buckets of hot water into the horse's troughs, melting the ice so they can drink. Then we feed 11 equines hay: 3 donkeys, 1 hinny (donkey mother, horse father), 1 mule (donkey father, horse mother), 2 mares, 2 stallions and 2 mustang colts. I dress in many layers, with my MEC mountain-climbing longjohns, fleece vest, Wayne's winter jacket & toque and 2 layers of gloves, one wool & one leather on top. I'm so happy that my suitcases have finally arrived as I'm much warmer now with my own clothes and my workboots.
After the horses are fed, 07:00; 12:30 and 5:00, we eat! I am always so glad to be back inside and warm up by the stove with a cup of hot tea. Mid-morning is usually devoted to answering emails and paying bills, then outside we go to train horses. This usually entails Pat telling the horses to do something & me feeding them special treats when they comply....I've almost lost fingers to over-zealous horses once or twice. Do you remember how Toby, the largest donkey, bit two of my fingers a couple of years ago when I was feeding him porridge? well, I haven't forgotten!
After lunch, ours and the horses, is usually more horse training until sunset. It get's very cold here once the sun goes down. After dinner, I'm usually yawning & in bed by 9pm, sometimes I can read but mostly I am way too tired.
Tomorrow is Saturday and Pat & I are going into the cafe..Navajo City Roadhouse.. to run the cafe for the day, Pat to cook & me to waitress. Will be a change from what I've been doing recently, hope I can keep the orders straight and run the cash register.