Monday, September 9, 2013

Danni earns her spurs...times 10

There comes a time in every 7MSN ranchsitter's life when she earns her spurs. 
In Danni's case, that happened this weekend...again and again and again and again.

The chain of events began around noon on Saturday. My friend Janice drove out to the ranch to visit,
but somebody developed a fever that wouldn't go down, and somebody's doctor told her to get herself to the ER 
for labs to be done. So while Janice drove me to Albuquerque, Danni stayed back at the ranch to wait for Shorty, 
the farrier. On one of Danni's previous visits, Shorty had come to trim everybody's hooves, so she knew the drill; 
she would halter Lucy and Hank and lead them to the back porch for their trims, 
and she would get Alan and George haltered and penned at the barn. No problem.

Until a great big snake crawled up the screen on the dining room window. Smooch was inside the house 
at the time and made sure Danni knew there was trouble. Danni assessed the situation, recognized that the snake 
had to be removed before Shorty arrived or if Smooch was to ever go outside again, 
then gathered her wits and other necessary equipment to wrangle the snake. 



Of course she had her phone with her to take pictures. 



She got the snake lassoed...



...and deposited in the can. Just about then, I called her from the ER to give her an update. She may have been panting when she answered the phone. Said Danni, "I swear to you, I saw AND heard rattling when I was trying to catch it. Must've been my teeth."
I assured her that bull snakes are infamous for mimicking the sounds of a rattler as a defense mechanism.



Anyway, with the snake out of the way, Shorty came and did his thing.
Danni reports that everyone was on their best behavior.

Now most people would have called it a day at this point and curled up in a fetal position on the couch
with a glass of wine. But not Danni. She decided it was a good time to sweep several weeks of accumulated mud 
off of the garage floor. It may have not been a good time to turn on the garage lights to do so.



She was bombarded by bugs. But ranchsitter extraordinaire that she is, she took pictures so that I could see 
what kind of bugs they were. Then she ran back into the house, only to have the door handle pull off in her hand. What else? 
Meanwhile, back in the ER, a CT scan verified that my incision site was infected and I needed to be admitted
so that copious amounts of antibiotics could be dripped into my veins. I also learned that the surgeon would visit on Sunday
to check the site and remove staples. Bummer. I was looking forward to that DIY project.

So Sunday morning rolls around and Danni decides it's as good a time as any 
to take the can of snake to snake-release point.



Smooch wished Danni good luck, then she was on her way.



A few more of these trips and I'm betting the white-knuckle death grip on the steering wheel won't be necessary.




Says Danni, "I drove to the location you described and opened the lid. He didn't want to come out at first.
I could only get a couple shots before he disappeared into the brush. I miss him already. Just kidding.
Then I went back to the ranch, feeling pretty darn happy."



 "I may have been a bit over-zealous in the cinching of the strap.
The image you gave me of the lid opening during transit was burned into my brain."



"Upon my return from the snake release, I drove the Ranger around the perimeter of your property
to check the fence line."



"Everything looked great except for this one section, where the bottom tape is stretched and hanging low."



"And then there's this interesting hole in the low hanging part of the tape."

I'll presume the pronghorn poked his prong right through it. I told Danni not to worry about it;
we'd go over fence re-stretching and repair upon my return, which should be today or tomorrow.



Danni sent me this picture of the herd so I could play
"Where's Waldo Hank, Lucy, George and Alan?" in my spare time.



By all accounts Sunday was a less eventful day at the ranch than Saturday.
Smooch helped Danni get her clean laundry dirty.

37 comments:

  1. Danni does have the spirit in her, doesn't she? And you just tell that SOMEBODY that there are no shortcuts when taking care of an incision spot. I had three children let out the emergency exit. I know from whence I speak. No one likes an infected incision. It makes a big honkin' scar. Take care.

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  2. Lions & Tigers & Bears, Oh My!! Danni has certainly earned more than a pair of spurs! Hopefully an appropriate treat can be arranged as reward along with a diploma for the next level of Ranch-sitting? (I'm not a drinker, and the ranch-sitter does need to keep her wits about her in the interim!)

    Here's hoping for a successful treatment and quick release back to the ranch. Complications should be a 4-letter word. The mother was not a happy camper when she had to be re-admitted --- hopefully the Docs send you home pronto!

    M in NC

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  3. Awesome - another "can of snake" blog entry! Kudos to Danni for not only taking care of business, but taking pictures at the same time :)

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  4. I think I may have liked it a little better when there was the occasional dull moment! But I do want to know if Danni did a bit of screaming under her breath during the snake episode. I sure would have.
    Glad you started treating the infection as soon as you did. NOW start swilling down the probiotics to get the good stuff growing again!
    Hugs all around!

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  5. so sorry you are back in the er. i did love love love this tale... the fun never stops on your ranch... great job to your ranch sitter.

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  6. Ah G not only do you have to wrestle snakes to the ground but you have to take pics as a blog spotter. Good on ya Danni! I hope it's a smoother ride from here on in. Glad that everybody is okay and everybody has new shoes except Danni. Git yerself well, Carson.

    Best always,

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  7. I'm thankful you have Danni to help with the ranch, and I'm sorry you had the infection. Infections are bad. Keep a vigilant eye on that scar. You don't want to mess around with scars and infections...hope the drugs do the trick. HEAL!

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  8. COngrats to Danii and all fingers crosssed for your treatment and recovery.

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  9. Yea Danni. What a friend! Smooch looks a little shell-shocked. So there's a cute doc you're just not going to give up on?

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  10. A true friend.And a brave one. You've taught her well! Hope you get on top of the infection quickly and can continue your recovery safely at home. With the snakes, massive spiders and bugs:-)

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  11. Dear Danni the ranch sitter....you are one heck of a good sport eh!!! ;-)
    Hope you are home again real soon.

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  12. Danni belongs on the Range. She's a natural. Isn't there a ranch for sale next door?

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  13. Well goodness sakes, you and Danni have had a bit of a trial by fire. Glad you decided to take care of that infection before it got the best of you. Too bad about the doc taking out the staples! I know you were looking forward to using the new tool.

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  14. Sorry to hear about the infection but glad to hear you took immediate action and had someone so good to be on your ranch. The bull snakes are actually good to have around as they will get the rodents and rattlers but if someone is really scared of snakes, I can see why they'd not like them either. I got a photo of a big one looking right in the eye of my cat in Tucson. I had to look long and hard to assure myself of the head shape being wrong for a rattler and no rattles. They do have the coloring.

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  15. Well now, I'd say that Ms. Danni earned her stripes big time. Glad you got to the medical facility asap. Incision sights are very hard to keep as clean as need be and do cause difficulties. So take care.
    Your ranch mates are so lucky to have such a diligent sitter who loves them so much....love the look in Smooches eyes.
    I know it was just another day at 7MSN but wow........Oma Linda
    Be well.

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  16. It's great to know the ranch is in such capable, hardworking hands. Yea for Danni. But it is not the news we wanted to hear about you. Please take care and be well.
    Becky

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  17. michelle from BC9/9/13, 8:23 AM

    I hope your infection clears up soon so life can get back to normal. Danni is my hero....goodness, what an adventure!

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  18. I'm glad you have Danni's help with ranch sitting. She's doing a spectacular job. Also grateful you are doing better. Infections as well as snakes are nasty critters and should be dealt with promptly.

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  19. Yikes !!!
    Snakes, bugs, deer, the ranch gang and infections .. no you haven't been busy at all.
    I sure do hope you feel better soon.
    Too bad you didn't get to take out your own stitches .. I'm sure it's on a lot of 'to do' lists. lol

    xo,
    JC

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  20. Wow - you do give your ranchsitters plenty of excitement! Danni and your sister belong to a great club! So very glad you got to the ER - that was a perfect visitor.

    Now, no more fooling around! Just get better!

    Nancy in Iowa

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  21. Here's hoping the rest of your healing and the rest of Danni's ranchsitting goes smoothly and uneventfully. Ok, well, a little eventfully so we can live the life vicariously through the blog! Danni definitely earned her spurs with that snake-in-a-can!

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  22. I'm going to say that Danni is worth her weight in gold!

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  23. Sorry to hear you're back in the hospital, but fingers are crossed you get home today.

    Two thumbs up for Danni!!! She's quite the ranch sitter.

    It seems like when you're gone it rains and pours with troubles, but whoever is there is Johnny on the spot taking care of it.

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  24. Danni's a Ranch Rock Star !!

    Come home and be done with that infection, Carson !!

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  25. All I have to say is I love looking at your pictures of the ranch, etc. (ALL EXCEPT FOR THOSE snakes) I am terrified of them and almost hyperventilate when I see them...and the ones in my yard here in a city in NC...
    Glad to hear that you are gong to be a bit better upon getting back from the hospital visit again...
    Love from NC

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  26. Danni:
    Girl u have more b@!!$ than I do! Carson sure knows how to pick ranch sitters! I would have been the one in fetal position with a bottle of wine on the couch if I came within seeing eye distance of any snake ... Only have garter and bull around me that I know of! CREEPY gives me the heebie jeebies!!!! B@!!$ to the wall at 7Msn!
    Deb from viola, ks

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  27. Carson,
    Take it easy girl you have great help! Just get well! Soo, Danni supplied pics and you did the byline? You girl, are so very talented! You need yor own reality show! I would watch forever! I can't wait! We need good quality reality shows not people who only have fashion and sex tapes to be on reality shows! Love u and Danni!
    Keep gettin well and Danni keep takin pics!

    Ps could u have Danni give update on her life and critters?
    Miss her so much! Sorry I can't let go.
    Deb in viola, Ks

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  28. Hi Dani and LindaI

    Its so good to hear about you both. Linda Please get well and Dani good to see you again Miss hearing about the chickens, George and Clyde. Hope all is better with you both Blessings Mary

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  29. Holy Crapola! I met my first bull snake a few weeks ago. I'm still convinced it was a rattler. Well done on counts, Danni. Damn - photos and everything. You're too much. I think a big tin star is in order.

    As for you, Linda...what the heck?! I told you to get the doctor's phone number before you left the hospital the first time. He must be awfully good looking for you to go to these lengths to see him again. Cripes, Girl!

    Don't make me come over there! *grin*

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  30. P.S. I second Deb in Viola's request. Danni, we need you back in Bloggerland. :oD

    Carolynn

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  31. Carol in N. Colorado9/9/13, 2:21 PM

    Danni, not only deserves spurs but a big buckle for her snake/picture taking wrangling. Great job!! Now for Ms. Carson, you need to get better and get the incision healed with no big scars and no more infections.

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  32. Hope you're better soon! Danni is awesome! Fantastic post!

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  33. So sorry about the infection. I hope it goes away quickly.

    Danni, congratulations on winning those spurs. You are amazing!

    Julia

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  34. I bet the Ranch-sitters-in-waiting are hoping their time is less exciting then Danni's and your Sister's. Are you sure you didn't go back just to see the cute Drs.? Take care

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  35. Hope you're back home, this time to stay and really get well, Rancher-Woman! Although Danni - not that I'm surprised - is one heck of a fantastabulous ranch sitter, Simply The Best. (Oh how I wish I could be one of the ranch sitters!!)

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  36. Wow! Danni is worth her weight in GOLD! She sure knows the ropes at the 7MSN~
    ~Cheryl Ann~

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