Well, I know it's not the weekend but just thought I would provide an update on the barn tenants. Raphi and Pippa have adapted well. They seem happy and content and in fact by the second night Pippa came into her stall by herself once she heard me getting their supper ready in the barn. You see the feed is kept in metal garbage cans to keep creatures out, and the horses recognize the sound. I had to go and lead Raphi in, but last night he came by himself as well. Although, he didn't go into his stall but rather came to check out what I was doing .....silly boy.

Yesterday was cool and windy and they had several episodes of running around and kicking and jumping into the air. At times they jumped straight up and had all 4 feet off the ground-- they were definitely enjoying themselves. Watching horses be horses is so fascinating. Trouble is I keep forgetting to take pictures!  (too mesmerized I guess )

Raphael has reverted  back to his natural instincts- he has become the herd boss and "look out". He seems to constantly be gazing around looking for danger and doesn't seem to graze much. I'm hoping he will settle soon. I noticed that while Pippa was having a sun bath standing alongside the barn in the afternoon that he was merrily munching away. I guess he figured Pippa was now able to scout for danger so he could take a rest. He must not be hungry though as he isn't eating all his hay at night. In fact, I never thought I would see the day that Pippa was replete, but this morning she had left a bit of hay as well. 

This morning I wanted to see what they would do if I opened their doors after they had their breakfasts. Raphael just calmly walked out of his stall and out of the barn door (opening, really). Funny, but Pippa who is usually most eager to get outside, just stayed in her stall. I think she was waiting for permission to be allowed to go on her own.... such a little lady at times. You see I've been leading them out and making them stop a few times on the way to the barn doorway so they don't learn to stampede out and remember their manners. 

What an insane weekend it was! Francis worked like a superhero to have everything ready for the new "tenants" arrival on Sunday. Friday evening saw him measuring the angle iron and drilling holes in it.This angle iron is to placed on top of the wooden floor boards to hold them in place. He started installing the wood floors- got about 1/3 of Raphi's stall done.

On Saturday, Francis' friend Yves came to help with the rest of the floors. Unfortunately, they ran out of tamarack boards so we have had to order more. In the meantime, Pippa's stall had a few spruce boards put in near the back of the stall so it could be finished for her arrival. The angle iron was installed and bolted into place in both stalls.After the floors were installed, Francis made cement and filled in the gaps between the floors and the walls. You see the foundation is made of stone so there are

no straight lines! In the afternoon, I hung water buckets, salt lick holders ( wonderful ones in the shape of horseshoes!) and put down fresh bedding and hay into the stalls all ready for the grand arrival on Sunday. Yes, I needed Francis' help to figure out the proper screws/bolts and drill bits but I managed in the end.

Putting the final touches on Pippa's stall-installing the salt block holder

Final prep of Raphi's stall

Sunday was crazy! Marina and I  attended a dressage clinic at the place we were boarding at while Francis was like Cinderella back at the house scrubbing and cleaning. He tidied up all his tools and construction debris from the stall area, swept floors, installed rubber mats in the alley way, hung up our new cross-ties ( so we can have the horses tied in the alley when we groom/tack up, etc). Then he started fixing fences ( there were some gaping  holes in the fence line which we noticed on Saturday). Serge (Marina's husband) helped with the fence fixing. They installed some electric fence to prevent the horses going near the old stone well and behind the machinery shed. You see, Francis cut down all the old shrubs/weeds there in the fall and planted seed to get new grass to grow so he didn't want the horses going there yet. Unfortunately, he didn't get the fence done before the horses found the only patch of dirt ( yep, the newly seeded patch) and decided to have a good roll !! It was 845 pm before he finally finished. He had to make a temporary barricade to keep the horses out of the barn during the day and we hung a tarp across the door. Next weekend will see the start of new Dutch doors for the barn.

Marina and I trailered the horses home at 3pm on Sunday. They didn't even go for a run- just put their heads to the ground and started eating. They were so relaxed. They recognized the place I guess from our two day trips in the fall.  In the evening, around 7pm they started to rip and tear... they went to the gate we had brought them through and started whinnying-- guess they were looking to go back and go to bed. Well, we caught them and brought them inside to see their new "home"-- They walked right in, looking relaxed and happy and started munching on supper. Francis said we had to get out of bed at 10pm as we had to go and made sure they were ok--- and there they were, just quietly eating. No twirling or fussing -- they looked completely relaxed and happy. Francis had even installed a solar light in the barn so we had a light to turn on ( he really does think of everything!).End to a perfect weekend. Poor Francis didn't even stop to eat--he didn't have breakfast or lunch  on Sunday and we didn't get in for supper until 845pm... anyone want to join his diet plan they are welcome- he has lost 10 pounds over the last 4 weekends with all his hard work!

Letting go..........

                                                          Exploring...............

Well,this past week has been quite busy with not a lot of major things happening, but certainly lots of smaller ones.

This past Tuesday evening had Francis scouting out supplies at Home Depot in Ottawa. He phones home to say he had found a good deal on windows for the barn and would I go and pick them up-- please (They were 35% percent off). I said I didn't want to as I had just had a bath and climbed into jammies and my bed for evening. Then he says they have 7 in Pembroke and he could buy 3 in Ottawa and we would have 10 windows for the long side of the barn we are rebuilding-- but that at that price they could be sold by the time he came home on Friday so please, please would I go. So of I drove ( no,not in my jammies) to Home Depot to buy windows. Francis and the guy at HD say , "they're not heavy, just awkward"- yeah right! So I have help to get them in the truck at the store but had to unload them my self once I got home. Managed to get them all unloaded into the garage with no breakage- of me or the windows. I had to unload them as I worked the next day and didn't want them stolen off the back of the truck.

Thursday morning Marina and I went to bag wood shavings and bring them home to the barn. They will be the bedding for the horses. Marina's brother-in-law, Harry, has a  sawmill and we have bought lumber from him for the new support wall. He also planes wood, hence, the pile of shavings we raided. They are an excellent price! So off we go with our industrial size garbage bags and bag shavings.We get 8 bags on the back of the truck and head for home. As I pull out onto the highway, I tell Marina laughingly to watch for falling bags..........when we get home and are unloading them (also in the garage), we only have 7--- well maybe that is all we did??? So we decide to head back for another load......and what do we spy almost at the exact spot on the road where I said to watch for falling bags, but a big black garbage bag.- hmm do you suppose that is ours ?? So we load up 7 more bags and head home. We stop at the side of the road to check the other bag-- yep- it's ours! So I throw that one on the truck as well.

Francis got home on Friday and finished off Pippa's stall. The picture last week showed the front- now it has both sides.

Saturday morning Francis went around town gathering supplies- including bags of cement. He had a trailer full of wood from Harry's sawmill and proceeded to go up the lane to the barn..... well, he tried anyway. He got stuck with truck and trailer up to the axles (I was at work all day so there is no picture unfortunately, but I will take one of the huge ruts he has left).  He had to get the tractor and tow out first the truck and then the trailer. In the afternoon he drove up to a place in Quebec about 1 1/2 hrs away to buy his new toy-- a side-by-side vehicle! He figures it will be useful to drag /harrow the round pen footing and for me to lug things around outside. I told Marina that now Serge,  her husband, and Francis can come on trail rides with us-- we'll trailer our horses , and they can trailer the side-by -side and drive it!

Francis was so excited about his new purchase that he had to take me for a drive when I got home from work at 730- then he made me drive it too....
We have to find the vehicle a name now.....feel free to provide a name in the comments section!

new wet cement on the wall and floors

On Sunday Francis made cement and levelled off the stall floors. They had a  "dip" in the back and he wanted them level of course. I'm a little surprised that he did not place his name in the wet cement- I told him he should have like the previous builder put his. Oh well, there is time for that when he levels the floor for the new tack room. He also "repointed" the stone foundation walls in Raphi's stall. Pippa's stall floor had a hole repaired as well.

Francis surprised me on Sunday night telling me he had taken a holiday day and would be staying an extra day......

Barn viewed from the back- note the way the bottom
section is "leaning" outwards-- that is what we have to fix. This
is the wall that will have the 10 new windows put in it ( the ones
I dragged home from Home Depot this week)

We got a call on Monday morning to say the tamarack boards for the stall floors was ready so he went off to get that at Harry's while I stayed home and primed the angle iron that will be used to secure the wooden stall flooring. He managed to get the trailer up to the barn by driving across the lawn--- as there was no way to get up the lane through the massive ruts. I helped carry in the boards- boy they were heavy? I carried the "skinny" boards and Francis carried the big wide ones. His pile was much bigger than mine (oh well, at least I tried).  In the afternoon, Francis removed the old doors you can see hanging in the photo. We (not the royal we here- I really did help!) jacked up the beam above the door, inserted a new beam and side support posts. The old door beam was very bowed down, and it took two jacks to get it straight. The groaning of the old barn gave me the creeps- I was waiting for it to collapse, but of course, Francis knows what he is doing and hey presto it's done. Francis said that if I hadn't moved in a hundred years and was suddenly asked to change position, then I would groan too..... he does have a valid point.........I groan now! He covered it all with some of the old original boards so it blends in and looks "old" -- can't tell we even replaced it really.

The doorway into the barn used to have a centre support post which makes it awkward for carrying in things and bringing in the horses, so we wanted to put in a stronger beam that would allow the centre post to be taken out. The day ended with a gaping hole where there used to be two doors, covered by a tarp until next weekend. He is building me Dutch doors for the barn and he ran out of time-- but he will start those this coming weekend. I am thinking of making the door handles out of some of the old horseshoes I painted---we'll see if it can work.Also plan to have screens made for the top section of the Dutch doors so the top door can be left open on summer evenings.

"new " doorway from the inside 

"old" doorway- doors falling to bits and support post
in the middle

You can now see a cement pad just outside the

door- Before that was all covered up with grass and mud. Eventually, I hope to have a rubber mat at the entrance and also in the entire alleyway that you see on the inside leading to the stalls.

"new" doorway from the outside- yes, there is still
a little "bow" in the old beam that you see but it is
drastically better!

the new beam ready for cutting

This is the angle iron I was painting in the garage in the morning. I primed it and tomorrow I will paint it and it will be ready for the floors by the weekend.

Well, I really have nothing more to add for this week. I am writing this while Francis is driving back to Ottawa. Just think, next Tuesday the barn will have occupants-- we plan to bring the horses home on the 26th. Next weekend will be very busy getting everything ready and making everything safe for the new tenants--- I do so hope they will love their new home.... I will definitely take a video of their arrival and post to here. And maybe even a picture of them inside their new home...............so until next week

I think I should explain why the blog posts are always dated for weekends. You see Francis works and lives in Ottawa during the week (which is 1 1/2 hrs away from home) as he is posted there at the present time (he is in the Canadian Armed Forces). Therefore, the fact that he gets so much accomplished is an amazing feat- or at least I think it is. Once he has a project in mind, he goes at it with complete gusto and enthusiasm. Despite the fact that mother nature has tried its best this spring to be challenging with heavy snow falls ( and I mean up to 20 cm) on two occasions over the last 10 days, he has persevered.

Alternative hay wagon and hay being removed- My ex-husband, Dave,  has been very helpful with loaning equipment and helping draw wagons full of hay with his big 4 wheel drive tractor when the ground has been wet and mushy and Francis' little tractor was not up to the task - that is Francis' little tractor in the picture

So on Friday and Saturday morning this week more hay was emptied from the hay loft and driven across to the neighbouring farm as the ground refroze. Last weekend Francis got the hay wagon stuck in a huge puddle and then the wagon got frozen into the puddle when the weather turned nasty. But he was loaned an alternate wagon and so he continued on emptying the loft. He did look a sight with all the dust on his face ( yes he wore a mask), but unfortunately his eyes did not fare so well- they were very red and teary by Saturday evening.

Before- although the whole left side was also full with hay when he started

After- hay all gone! floors "vacuumed" with the lawn vacuum- not a speck of hay anywhere!

And look at what was discovered under all they hay- MASSIVE timber frame beams! These must have been from another old building that was taken down at some point. We know that there was the remains of an old stone foundation /cement floor located just behind this barn. Francis had a bulldozer come in last summer to move all those stones so he could properly "lawn mow" around the barn. He loves to keep to the grass looking pristine no matter where its growing! I will add pictures of that being done when I find them (hmmm, they are on the computer somewhere).

So Saturday afternoon Francis came back from a "hay run" to find our new hay that we had ordered sitting on a trailer in the driveway. So he took on the job of putting that away in the barn. For now, it is located down in the bottom of the barn. He removed an old window and threw all the bales in through the opening and then piled them on pallets. He thought it would be easier for me to get hay from there as opposed to having to go up to the top and bring it down when I need. He says this way I can load onto a wheelbarrow( or cart)to feed....He thinks we need to buy a new cart for this purpose-- I said I can manage to carry a few flakes of hay-- we'll see who wins the argument in a few weeks when the horses come home.

Sunday was spent working on Pippa's stall. This leads into a segway about the horses that will be living here this summer in this wonderfully restored barn.

Pippa-what a beautiful lady

Pippa is a little Andalusian/French Canadian mare owned by my friend Marina. Pippa is coming to spend the summer holidays with Raphael (Raphi). Funnily enough over the years, Marina and I have had horses at the same time, and then were horseless for a long period and fell out of touch. Our children had been best of friends while they were growing up. Our horses for some reason have always been as good friends as we have been over the years. In fact, I would have to say Marina was the catalyst for me getting a horse again. I knew something was missing and I hadn't been completely happy for a long time. I have had a lot happen over the last 12 years and losing my best friend, Romy, was part of it. As we were talking one day at her house over  a cup of tea, she helped lead me to a self-discovery. This was February 2015- she was telling me how she came to buy Pippa- how it happened, and why. We hadn't really chatted in years, and yet there we were chatting again. The universe had brought us full circle..I suddenly had a moment of enlightenment- what I was missing- a horse. THAT is my passion!! That is what I needed back in my life. Yes I have a wonderful life full of family, children ,partner etc but there was still this little niggle telling me something was "missing". I had resigned myself to never having another horse. I couldn't afford it. Marina taught me how important it is is "visualize" and "manifest" what we want- the universe is listening and we can draw things to us. So I asked my self a question--- I couldn't afford it in the true sense but could I afford not to? NO was the answer. She said when we dream and visualize and think positively, things will transpire- we "pave our road with intentions".....So I went home and posted an ad on a horse site that said "looking for Mr. Right" which then included all my wants in a horse. Someone actually replied to it saying I was not realistic, that horse did not exist..........well they were wrong. Someone else sent me a video and still shot of Raphi. And that is how I found Raphael.I talked at length via text to the current owner about him.... He was over my budget so I kept looking. I actually almost bought another horse but suddenly she developed a tooth abscess. So figured I would steer clear. Then I made arrangements to look at Raphael ( who's name was Gary at that point), and another horse. One was located in Hamilton and the Raphi was near Sarnia. And so I dragged Francis to look at horses. You should know Francis is not a "horse person" and does all he does out of his love for me (PS I am a very lucky lady). So we went to Hamilton ( 7 hrs away)and that horse was not only crazy/high strung and bad mannered, but had an abscess that had developed the day before draining from his gum.Hmmm. I'm sensing the universe is guiding me here.... So off I go to see Raphi-- well love at first sight! I watched him being ridden and then  I rode him,(although can't really call what I did riding- I walked mostly-those that know me know this is my favourite gait) and then.. before I even got on I told Francis he was coming home with me. I hadn't ridden for over 10 years....He was over my original budget but at that point it didn't matter- I was going to make it work and trust the universe to make it be ok. And that as they say is history. On the drive home, I decided his name was just so unsuitable for the magnificent horse that he was. Gary was for  a western horse- too plain-- he needed a name that reflected what he meant to me, his magnificence. So name searching kept us busy on our journey home. He had been shown under the name "Engelchen" which means angel in German. He registered name and the name he raced under was Privy Council. Well, keeping in line with the angel theme, I felt I had been guided to this horse by the angel of my old boy, Romy. I had asked Romy for help in finding a horse- yes you all likely think I'm crazy, but I talk to my animals and believe in angels and that they are there waiting to help if we but ask. I looked up guardian angel names- and I found Raphael-- the guardian angel of happiness,health and nurses! Well that could not be any better --- Raphi represents all those things to me ( yes I am a nurse). And so he became Raphael...........or Raphi for short! ( NO he is not named after the Ninja turtle).

Raphi and I at Canyon Creek

And you know Marina was right- since I made that decision to buy a horse, the universe has provided me with what I need to make this work. My happiness has changed other parts of my life including my relationship with my son and his wife and my two darling grandchildren, Rowan and Brynja. Even my feeling about my job has changed. I can deal with the stress of work so much better than I did before. Going to work means I have the means to feed/support my passion. I don't go shopping for clothes for me, but my horse has a full line of blankets and fancy tack. He even has a recent addition- a bling browband for his bridle with amber stones and pearls. Any clothes I do buy are riding related- riding breeches, riding boots, etc... 

And if you don't believe in being guided by the universe how's this for you.... I had boarded Raphi at two different stables since I bought him in April 2015 to October 2015-- he just didn't seem happy and was getting very thin. So I finally moved him to a place called Canyon Creek late October. He is much more content now. And I did a search of his pedigree after I moved him to CC...his sire was called Canyon Creek! 

So now you know a little about why we are restoring the barn- yes it needed to be done for years but I had found the barn a sad place. One that held all my old memories of my past life, my past horse.... Now I see it through different eyes... ones looking forward with hopes and dreams and seeing possibilities and a future with happiness/challenges instead of sadness and memories. The barn itself seems to have different energy- like it knows we are trying to bring it back to its former glory- that it is loved again. Again, most reading this will likely think me a bit "batty", but this blog is about my journey as much as it is about the barn itself. My journey with life.... what I have learned and what I am learning as we go along. 

Back to the restoration.....

So Sunday afternoon saw Francis working on Pippa's stall- my contribution was helping hold up the track for the sliding door while he secured it...

Pippa's stall-- just needs a few more boards on the side and the grill work added

So this is the front view..at present you will see Raphi's stall is home to some of Francis' tools. The stalls are awaiting the wood for the floors, which will be tamarack. There will also be a new window going in at the top of the wall in Raphi's stall- currently that window is broken and boarded up to keep the snow out.

So that's all for this week... Sorry if I bored you with all the details not directly related to the barn restoration, but it is all still part of the story.

People may be wondering why we are starting with the interior and not the exterior structural work.... well two reasons- First, is that it is still winter here and ground is frozen which means impossible to do any digging to put it the sonotubes for braces/supports for the outside wall. Second, the structure where the stalls is going is minor fixing or joists which are interior work......and of course...thirdly, because I need somewhere for my horse to come home to in a few weeks. He decided he could do the two stalls while waiting for spring to arrive and meet the goals of having somewhere for Raphi by end of April.....We are also waiting for lumber to be readied. We have ordered lumber from a local sawmill as we don't need to pay for planed lumber, we will be using rough lumber for the support walls etc. This will help our budget a lot! However, we are using retail lumber for all the support posts and stalls. We are reusing the old stall lumber as it was in perfect condition.

April 1-3

Well, Francis made great progress on Friday. He finished off the first stall and then"cleaned up". He removed the old wall that had been part of the old feed room. This is necessary as the second stall will be going here. He repaired several joists, removed some old posts and put in new ones for the new stall. Weather turned cold and so he used the opportunity to remove more hay from the hay loft above and transfer it over the field, through the ravine to some cows that belong to the neighbouring farm (for anyone who know's me I mean Dave's cows- my ex-husband). He has been very helpful with this project as he found us a hay wagon to us to put the old hay in, and is letting Francis dump the hay at his property for his cows. He also pulls the loads of hay with his 4x4 tractor when Francis' little tractor won't pull it through the muddy ravine or he gets stuck- like he did yesterday.

Hay removal from the loft-- this is after nearly all the hay has been removed

It was a cold and windy, miserable weekend but Francis solution was to tarp off the area he was working in and put on his propane heater.......no stopping this guy when he has an agenda!

I was sent on an errand late Sunday afternoon to get more post plates before the Home Depot closed so he could finish getting all the new support posts put in for the second stall. Meanwhile, friends dropped by to check on progress and Francis even roped Serge in to  helping with the posts......as I was gone to the store.

My part of the weekend was ensuring I left supper ready for him for when he came in ( I was working 3-11) and making banana muffins for snacks. I also painted horseshoes that will become the bridle and halter hooks and am going to use them as hooks for the barn equipment, such as brooms, shovels, manure forks etc. Francis taught me how to use the grinder as some of the old shoes had clips on them, that had to be ground off..... I didn't lose a finger but Francis says I am a messy painter, and the proof is in the photo on FB of me with paint on my nose! No idea how it got there....oops

There is a long narrow window at the top of the stone wall in the first that is currently boarded up as it is broken. This will be replaced by a new window. Francis is being driven crazy by the fact that the stall grills and the sliding door grills don't align!! I am sure he will take it all apart at some point but it has to do with the height of the beam and not having room to hang the track any higher. I'm fine with it and really don't notice it. This stall will be Raphael's (" Raphi's") new home in a few weeks. I've started my shopping list of must haves:manure fork, broom, shovel, garbage can, bucket hooks and of course wheelbarrow for all the poop!. I have ordered salt lick holders in the shape of horseshoes... they should be here this week-- ;they are made of black plastic.

First stall completed! There are no floors yet-- waiting for the tamarack wood

New joists ( "sistered")- old joists were raised, straightened and then sistered

So this is the wall that was taken down, the freezer was moved and all the old hay swept up. There is a "hole" in the ceiling above the wooden "ladder" against the back that was used for throwing hay down from the loft. Two joists were repaired, the steel posts were removed and new support posts installed

Beginning of the second stall! 

My horse shoes........

Before............

All of them painted.......ready for wooden blocks ( PS I need Francis to cut those for me)