My day off work

It has occured to me that working without a commission SHOULD make my work life less stressful, it seems to have had the opposite effect.  I spent more than 2 hours trying to explain to my BOSS why it has affected me as it has.  WHY losing 30% of my income is stressing me out.  She says, "Why would you DEPEND on those commissions?" I say, "why wouldn't I?".  When making commissions I am in control of my take home.  If I work hard & sell well I get a good paycheck.  This last week's check (without commissions) I had to go clear back to May of 2010 to find one as small as I received this week.  I am VERY resentful of Lowe's for cutting the commission program.  Nobody is fessing up as to whose fault it is.  Lowe's blames the vendors, the vendors blame Lowe's, either way I make 30% less & there is NOTHING I can do about it.  I need to find a way to accept this & move on.  All this stress at work really makes me appreciate the days off even more.

Today was one of those precious days off.  I got up this morning & went out to spend some time with the horses.  I have really come to relish this quite time in the mornings of listening to horses munching their hay & drinking.  I really enjoy when Kodi comes over to share my space. He tickles me with his lips.  There is an increase in pressure until he gets a response.   The other morning he went so far as to pick up his front hoof & carefully started to paw me.  I decided that was not acceptable behaviour & scolded him away.  After morning time with the horses I went to meet Susan Smith to see how she wants to devide off the arena for her liberty demo on April 7th.  She is very excited that she is getting such a GREAT turnout for this demo/clinic.  I am excited so many people want to learn about waterhole rituals!!  I keep finding ways to work it into everyday life. 

I had a bite of lunch & decided to take Macho out for a ride on this WONDERFUL spring day.  Instead of trudging off to CATCH Macho I thought I would try a different approach.  I got the halter out of the trailer & went & set on the washer basin that I sit on when sharing territory with the horses.  Within 2 minutes both Macho & Kodi were beside me wanting to know what was going on.  I showed Macho the halter & he left.  Kodi started to walk away but then stoped & backed up ever so carefully to me so I could scratch his hiney.  Anoher couple minutes pass & Macho is back over being a pest.  He picked up the halter from my lap, dropped it on the ground, picked it up & shook it, dropped it & again walked away.  Kodi stood nearby watching Macho with curiosity.  I sat playing a game on my phone & not long Macho approached me from the front instead of from behind.  His ears were up, & his head was down.  I held out his halter & he put his nose in & seemed ready to go.  Time elapsed 20 minutes.  All I did was sit & wait for Macho to come to me.  I looped the lead rope around his neck & walked to the trailer leaving Macho standing there confused.  I sat by the trailer waiting to see if he or Kodi would come over to the trailer.  Neither of them did.  I went back to the wash basin & they both came over.  I got Macho's lead rope & led him to the trailer to get him tacked.  He stood quitely & was quite relaxed as I brushed & tacked him.  Way better way to "catch" a horse, sitting wating for themto come to you!!  We went for a short ride on what I suspect will become a regular loop for us.  I used the GPS to see what the distance was.  As it worked out it is 6 mile loop that I can ride from my house!!  Macho was a bit worried going out alone today but as we returned home he relaxed & settled into a really great walk.  Once we got home Macho was such a good boy.  He stood right beside the "Gate from HELL" & I was acually able to open it from horseback. 

As I type tonight my arms are a bit sunburned my muscles a bit sore but but I am quite happy.  Even a short ride alone is stil better than any CRAPPY work day.  I only have to work 3 more days this week & I am off this weekend.  I don't have any plans for the weekend.  Just going to do some spring cleaning out in the yard & have some 1 on 1 time with my horses.