It's a pain. I like to see the stuff first, but alas, there are no Western tack shops around here. (I should open one… I wonder how I'd do.)
Finding decent gear can be a total nightmare. There are a ton of saddles on Ebay, most of them around the £99 – £150 mark. Anyone tempted to buy one… don't.
Even on the photographs they look less than secure. Frankly, any western saddle where you can see rivets — don't go there. The stirrup should be attached to the tree, not the leather. 
Bridles are not quite as terrible, but still bad. I saw one which looked fine in the photograph and when it arrived, the leather was shoddy, brittle and nasty. I'd use it… for decoration. Not on a horse.
The second one I got was okay, a bit dry because it had been hanging up a long time, but the leather was okay, it just needed a good clean and oil. Still took a few sessions of saddlesoap and cleaning to get the leather supple again.
It's fine now, but I had to spend time and elbow grease to get it to this point.
It's a minefield. I'm used to judging leather and knowing whether or not it's fit for use. My Granddad was a saddler and I grew up fixing my own tack (after being taught how.), so I know the difference between good, but neglected leather, and just plain bad leather, which no amount of oil and care can fix.
I look at stitching and how a piece is put together. I can tell good from bad, but how many people have my upbringing?
I'm afraid a lot of the gear on Ebay isn't worth the money, and even more of it is downright dangerous.
It truly is a case of Buyer Beware.
Okay, I haven't added anything lately, so here is an update.
So what have I been up to? (Like you want to know!)
Well, for starters, I've been looking for a horse share for ages. Nothing worked out — until last week. 
I now share a lovely, chubby Cob mare named Poppy. She's 14.2 hands (142cm), 11 years old, and has a lovely character.
I'm really pleased with her, and we're having fun hacking out, getting fit together. (We both can stand to lose a few pounds!)
I gotta say, every muscle on me aches, and I've renewed my dislike of English saddles. 
I used to ride western, so my seat is totally off for an english saddle, plus my muscles aren't strong enough yet. Sitting correctly (Which I can do) results in pain right now, and the leg strength just isn't there yet.
I'm also used to riding with a very loose rein, and I'm always afraid I'm too heavy handed when the reins are tight.
So I'm looking for a nice saddle right now — no mean feat when you ride a chubby cob — and some nice long split reins. Luckily her owner is game and will let me use it, which is nice.
I'm also practicing my braiding again, and as luck would have it, some genius dropped a 100ft rope in our carpark.
Naturally I liberated it. It made for a great braiding practice rope.
I also have one story out with the Bent Agency at the moment, and one story is out to Lyrical Press as well. Waiting to hear on both of them.
So that's pretty much it from me at the moment.
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We're all melting just a little in the UK. It's kinda cooling me too, but not a lot. I keep nipping outside now that night has settled and things have cooled down a little. |
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I tried to sit in the sun, but alas, my mad neighbors decided to do gardening today. Lawnmowers, screaming kids and people roaming around all over the place (it's a communal garden) doesn't go well with writing. So I gave up and went back inside. It was cooler inside anyway.
Yeah, I could have driven to the coast, but that would mean sitting in traffic, since everyone else has the same idea.
Still, it could be worse. I remember the heatwave in 2003, mainly because on the hottest ever recorded day, I was stuck inside a wooden building, with no air conditioning — and 30 computers in a room. You want hot? Trust me, it felt like I sat in an oven.
It was 38C outside (100F), but inside… well. Do you have any idea how much heat 30 computers pump out? We didn't measure it, but I guarantee it was close to 45C if not hotter, in that room. I practically stood in my own sweat.
You'd think they'd let us go home, considering the risk of heat stroke and stuff, but no. "It's not that bad."
Well, yeah. Not that bad for the boss, who sat in an air conditioned office!
If the temperature gets as high as that again, on a weekday, I think my boss is going to shut the doors at some point. Especially since we're sitting inside a great big tin can.
If I ever have enough money to buy a new house — it'll have air conditioning. Sod this heat for a lark, seriously.
There has been a report about nine month old twins being attacked in their cribs by a fox.
I heard about it, read a few news articles about it. Most people did, I'm sure. Now a lot of those very people call for a cull on foxes.
Reading those articles, and the accounts by the mother, I got to thinking. (Never a good thing.)
Allegedly the fox came in through open patio doors, attracted by food smells, then went up the stairs, into the twins bedroom, jumped into the cots and mauled them. When the parents came in, it took several attempts to frighten the fox away.
I have a very hard time believing that's what happened.
For one thing, why would a wild animal bypass the kitchen and go upstairs, if it was attracted into the house by the food smell?
What's more, foxes aren't exactly the bravest animals on the planet. They are timid, shy and if you encounter them, they generally run before you get close.
So why would a fox go upstairs in a house that smells of humans, when the stuff it came in for is in the downstairs kitchen?
And then there is the report that it took several attempts to frighten the animal away. I have an even harder time believing that. Make a move toward a fox and it will run.
I'm sorry for the hurt babies, it shouldn't have happened to them, no matter what did it. I just have trouble believing it was a fox, because the facts just make no sense.
Tags: Foxes
I hate needles.
Had to go to the hospital for a "Pre Assessment". If I'd known it would involve vampires and Frankenstein, I might have skipped.
So I spent my morning having holes poked into my arms and hands (If you want blood… I'm gonna make you work for it.), being measured, weighed (*faints*) and pressure tested (I'm not a tire! Stop pumping already!), before they attached a load of wires to me, allegedly to "test the heart".
Riiiiiiiight.
Seriously though. If any vampire came to bite me, he'd starve to death. Apparently I don't have any blood. Either that, or my body realizes a needle is here, teases with a nice vein… and then goes "Gotcha! You fell for it, didn't ya!" and hides the nice fat vein.
I wish it didn't do that.
The inevitable result is that I get turned into a sieve.
I had one particular instance, where I ended up with 17 holes in my arm.
Not my idea of "Fun".
And I'm overweight. Gah.
Gotta do something about that. Not like I didn't know, but well… I'd rather not think about it.
Looks like I have to. Oh Joy.
But at least one good thing might come out of this visit today.
The very nice nurse I saw took a look at my scars and went "There really is no reason you should have to put up with those. I know a very good plastic surgeon. Would you like me to give him a call?"
Would I ever!
So I might have an appointment with him to get my belly scars fixed. That would rock.
Tags: Me, Me myself and I
As some people might have noticed, I collect the Silhouette Nocturnes.
I usually preorder them months in advance, to make sure I get them when they come out.
Well.
Apparently Amazon "can't source" them anymore.
I've emailed Amazon — no reply.
I've emailed Harlequin — "We're looking into it", since then, nothing.
It annoys the crap out of me. I collect the series, have done since book #1, even the ones I know I won't like. I have every single one of them, nearly 90 books so far.
Now Mills & Boon release them in their own covers, and I'm guessing this is the reason why I can't get the US covers anymore via Amazon.
The trouble is, the numbers differ, the covers are complete rubbish over here. Keep your icky covers. I haven't bought a single M&B release in years, because of those covers. I'd rather go and get the US version of the book. (Especially those disgusting pink things.)
So where does this leave me?
Up the creek in a wire mesh canoe.
Thank you so much, Amazon, M&B and Harlequin.
Sort it out, will ya?
I can't be the only UK customer who prefers the US releases!
Tags: Amazon, Harlequin, Mills & Boon, Silhouette Nocturne
I'm melting.
Well. I would, if I went outside.
For once the sun is shining and it's hot.
Unfortunately, it's too hot for me.
I'd love to sunbathe, but I don't do heat well. (Sunbathe in a spot where no one would be shocked at seeing this white elephant lying in the grass, that is!)
I used to be able to cope with it, but not anymore. Heat makes me miserable. I prefer cold.
I mean, I can always add layers — but it's kinda hard taking off more than you got lol.
I think they'd object if I came to work in a bikini. That's if I'd wear bikinis. Which I don't. Ever.
It's funny really. You know on your passport application they ask for "Distinguishing Marks". Well, I lie. Every time. I put "None".
Which really isn't true.
The trouble is, I've always put none, and never really thought about it. But I have them. Marks completely unique to me. If I listed all of them, I'd need new pages in my passport.
I mean… I have two birthmarks on the side of my nose. A scar on my forehead. A scar at the top of my forehead. A scar at the back of my head. A scar in the crook of my left arm. A scar on the ball of my right hand. A scar on my left hip. A scar at the top of my left thigh (several, actually). A scar on my right hip. Another birthmark on my right hip. And a minefield of scars on my belly. (And all but a few of those scars are from one bout of appendicitis…)
There are more, less visible scars, but dang… I'm not listing all that! I hide them. (Hence no bikini.) I'm severely self-conscious about them to the point that I will never ever wear anything that shows my belly.
I truly don't like summer, when all those beautiful bods come out and show off their unscarred smoothness. Hate it.
I once asked my doctor if there is anything they could do about those belly scars (Trust me, we aren't talking about some piddly 1 inch scar here.) and I was told "Well… there's no guarantee they can make it look any better."
Frankly?
I've lived with it for 40 years. Better looking is relative. To me, being able to get rid of the dent in my belly is "better". To me, lifting up those holes I got everywhere, is "better".
This stuff isn't just deep, it's wide.
I know it's vanity, but knowing those scars are there is depressing, especially in summer. I don't like being stared at, which would happen the second I wore a bikini.
So I don't.
*sigh*
It's annoying, you know.
We have stocktake coming up at work, and low and behold… there "magically" appeared a big hole in the warehouse wall. The copper also "mysteriously" disappeared. Must have levitated through that hole.
Yep, we got done again.
And to add insult to injury… we had palleted, strapped down radiators sitting in the yard, ready to be picked up… but NOT by the man who drove in, cut the straps, loaded some 7 or 8 radiators on the back of his van and by the time we made it out of the door… slammed his van out of the carpark, doors open and made a run for it.
Seriously, what is it with people? I know times are hard, but come on!
Nuts, I'm telling ya. Twenty grand worth of copper and a bunch of radiators. Not to mention the repair to the wall and the paperwork it generates.
The brickie is hard at work at the moment, and we're picking up the pieces. (Quite literally.)
But it makes me angry. It's the 4th time in 6 months, and it's getting kind of tiresome.
Tags: Thievery
Added the latest Nocturnes to the book list.
That's pretty much all for the moment.
I've been busy on my writing blog (http://www.evilauthor.com), and neglected this one a bit.
Bad bad me.
I've now updated some of the lists (Silhouette Nocturnes are up to date now), and will update the others soon, too.
I've stopped reading Christine Feehan's "Dark" series though and won't be adding to that one. Sorry, I just got bored with it.
Still reading Sherrilyn Kenyon, and adding a few new authors to my 
list. G.A. Aiken being one of them, I totally adore the Dragon series.
Anyway… will update more soon!
