"Scalpel, Please" or "The Case of the Constipated Fish"

I stopped in at the Ocean Institute this morning to catch up with my fellow animal husbandry volunteers, clean a tank, and assist with a necropsy. A Pacific Mackerel in the schooling tank had been swimming upside down for a week, so he was gently euthanized and put out of his misery. Another volunteer, Allyson, researched possible maladies and concluded that the fish might have been constipated. Constipation puts pressure on the swim bladder, which causes the fish to swim upside down. Our boss disagreed. She said the condition likely was neurological. Allyson expertly performed the necropsy to confirm the diagnosis. She made a clean horizontal incision running from the gills to the tail and then identified and removed each of the major organs. (Did I mention Allyson is in high school? Scrubbing tanks and being intellectually outmatched by high school kids will keep you humble.) The organs looked healthy, which supports our boss's theory. Chief aquarist, 1. Volunteers, 0.

Little Gremlin

Almost 13 weeks old now and spunkier than ever.

Massage or Dressage?

This morning the Wrangler and I toured the Equestrian Center at Nellie Gail Ranch. The facilities were impressive--very clean and well-kept. The Center can board 96 horses, but the buildings are spread out among several training rings and sun pens. The area feels spacious and pleasant. Twenty-three miles of nicely groomed (clear paths, fresh wood chips) horse trails run through the community.

The Equestrian Center has a soothing energy. Good vibes are abundant. As we strolled along the paths and through the barns, a happy barn cat kept an eye on things from his post. Chickens clucked at us from their tidy coop. Good-looking boxer dogs lounged in the sun. A mild-mannered trainer quietly worked with two students in the jumping ring.

When we saw the beautiful Friesian elegantly high-stepping in the dressage ring, I decided then and there that I'm starting dressage training at some point. Western-style riding is fun and all that, but dressage looks like ballet. In fact, I later learned that it's actually referred to as horse ballet. As we reviewed the pricing for lessons and training, boarding and upkeep, veterinary care and supplies (not to mention the cost of leasing or buying the horses!), it occurred to me that we probably should trim some other expenses. My spa membership is an obvious thing to eliminate, although I pretty much live for my massages! They will be sorely missed! And the irony is, after all that riding, I'm sure I'll need a massage more than ever. How very Gift of the Magi.