Julie, Joe, and I adventured back to a Rhode Island horse farm where the second of three rabbit shows is being held this spring. Julie adored the horses, Joe adored reading Stephen King's the Stand, and I , well to be honest I cannot say I adored my time there. First, it was cooooooold. Second, very early before the show even started Julie and I were setting up the raffle, when I took a simple half step backwards and for whatever reason my lower back went into a charlie horse kind of tremendous muscle spasm. It was so bad that it wrapped around my hips and eventually affected the upper muscles in my legs. Youch!!!
Now I have not really had any back trouble worth mentioning in a year. But boy did my back make up for lost time. Of course I had no muscle relaxer, nor did anyone else. Eventually a friend gave me a pain reliever, but I am going to have to use a past due flexeril tonight, very shortly as a matter of fact because those muscles are still seizing.
The third thing that happened during the show is what really brought the day to a sobering stop. One of our New York rabbit friends, died unexpectedly the other day, and when the news hit those of us at the show the place silenced in shock. This woman was only 47 and had been showing for longer than I have. She was a quiet unassuming, honest person with wonderful rabbits and a kind sportsmanlike manner.
All of those competing in Netherlands today at the show have her rabbitry animals in our pedigrees, every one of us. It was a shock, to hear of a death so suddenly and out of the blue.
3 weeks ago a dear friend and mentor suffered an aneurysm and she is still in ICU. Another friend was diagnosed over the weekend with Guillian Barre and is undergoing intense treatment. Now our rabbit friend Wendy.
The whole drive home I listened to my young kindergarten friend sing Disney's Let It Go song and rattle on about important 6 year old things and it was rather comforting. Then when Joe and I got home (Julie stuck around in RI to visit a friend) we tackled the unloading of the rabbits together. Of course with my back still in spasm I lifted nothing heavier than a 2 pound bunny. While we returned them to their cages we bred various breeding pairs, fed and watered rabbits, chickens, baby chicks, sheep, and goats. In addition Joe cleaned out the travel cages and I gathered eggs. We tried to let the young goats out and about with us while we worked but as I have mentioned before, goats think they are a greats help with chores. They ARE NOT.
Listening to Joe's joy at the antics of the goats and his ducks, pausing to marvel at 7 year old Ginger (an ancient hen) who decided to fly about the yard like a young chick, plotting with Joe about our fortunes to be made this year with bunny sales, debating the best breeding pairs, planning hen-house and barnyard improvements, chuckling at Mama's ever increasing girth (twins twins).... the first hour home was so full of important conversation, contemplation, and companionship. I treasured every moment, poignantly aware of my three women friends and the worry and grief that their families are going through.
My back is a major inconvenience, and right now extraordinarily painful. But I am lucky to still be able to muddle through my day and do the things I love with people I love. If you all could keep my 3 friends and their families in your thoughts and prayers that would be nice.
I am off to take a muscle relaxer and a nice warm shower. I am as always grateful for my treasures, which today included an honest to goodness egg hunt because the lady hens have taken advantage of these 2 sunny days to run about the yard and lay eggs in all sorts of hidey places.
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