Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Harv's birthday! 22 years of being a good boy...

It's Harv's birthday -- he's 22 (March 5)!!! Here's something I wrote a bit ago -- guess this is a good time for a blog entry that's 100% Harv.

Fun with fabrication
Bob and I talk about Harvey a lot, and it's part of our schtick is to invent all sorts of things about him. When Bob heard about layoffs at his company, we had a serious talk about finances. As the conversation wound down, Bob leaned back in his chair and put his hands behind his head. "Ahhh, it's a good thing we can fall back on the Harvster's financial resources." I gave him a questioning look. "The Harvster dabbles in the market, " he went on. "He has investments of his own -- offshore holdings, a Swiss annuity, but also domestic preferred stock." Bob took a swig of coffee. "Yeah, I found the documents in his feed bucket," he explained.

Well, I think it's cute.

Harv's checkered past
When Harvey moved to a new barn last year, he encountered Skippy, a little donkey. The first meeting was dramatic. Bob and I were leading Harv into the barn, and as we rounded the corner we ran smack into Skippy. Harv stopped in his tracks and went rigid, then he reeled backwards and tried to turn and run. He was shaking slightly and we had to take him back outside.

At the time I didn't know that many horses are afraid of donkeys. So, on the drive home, Bob and I analyzed at Harv's terrified reaction. I wondered aloud if he'd had a bad experience with donkeys. Bob thought about this for a minute.

Bob: "I didn't want to say anything, but Harv told me something of this when I was cooling him out this summer."

Me: "Hmmm?"

Bob: "It turns out, Harvey and Skippy go waaay back. But back then, Skippy was 'Manuel.'"

Me: "Manuel?"

Bob: "Yes! It was on the Mexico-Arizona border. Harvey was still with the FBI then, and Skippy was on the wrong side of the law. Some things happened. Things Skippy knows about. Things Harv isn't proud of. Harvey came to eastern Pennsylvania to forget those days. Lead a simpler life."

Me: "So Skippy was -- a drug mule? "

Bob: "Well -- not a mule, but yes, there were drugs involved."

Me: (musing aloud) "And Harvey told me he'd never been west of Ohio."

Bob: "We mustn't let on we know anything. Skippy is in the witness protection program."

Me: "No wonder Harv was so shocked to see him."

In retrospect, something in Harv's expression on seeing Skippy -- er, Manuel -- was tinged with recognition. Maybe it's my imagination but the moment of panic fit completely with the scenario Bob described. I haven't felt the same about Skippy ever since.

Coming soon -- digging up your horse's past

Well, that was fun for me, but you may wonder why on earth I'm sharing this. It's an intro to Part II which is coming up in the next few weeks. I'll be doing some research on how to track down real facts about your horse's past...


18 comments:

  1. That was wonderfully funny! Your husband sounds like a gem. I'd love to know more about my horse's past--are you sure this won't involve more conversations with the animal itself?--so looking forward to that.

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  2. Well Happy Birthday to Harvey! Way to go big guy,and well sorry about the boarder thing,is it still a sore spot for him...er...them? They seem ok,but are they? hahaha Love it you two seem like tons of fun,can't wait fro more!

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  3. Happy birthday to Harv!!

    Good to know that my hubby and I aren't the only silly ones when it comes to the pets and horses!

    Those conversations were hilarious!

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  4. I love this story. Hubby has a great sense of the absurd. I can't wait to hear more.

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  5. haha..Happy Birthday Harvey! Great stories and I hope his real past is a little less checkered than the one he tells you about. Can't wait to read your post about finding more. My horse was a rescue and I would love to learn as much about his past as possible.

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  6. Happy Birthday HARV!!! Do you get a special carrot treat on this day?? Or maybe a carrot cake? ;)

    Love the pictures with the donkey too. Those little long ears are just SO special!

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  7. Always a carrot cake, this year a special carrot cake from a local caterer who promised lots of raisins/walnuts and REAL cream cheese icing. Last year's grocery cake was a bit of a disappointment (cc with whipped cream icing???). Harvey was polite but this year he will be wowed with quality. I don't object to lots of raisins either.

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  8. I loved your txts--I'm not creative enough to come up with any of my own. You and Bob sound just like me and Handyman. Very funny. Looks like Harv and Manuel have patched it up a little. Must be some kind of grain payoff going on.

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  9. Happy birthday to the Harvster. Wonderful stories. I hope we get to hear more.

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  10. That was great! I have a 32 year old horse...he has plenty of deep, dark secrets he thinks I don't know about.... :)

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  11. That was great! I love your husband's sense of humor!

    Happy 22nd birthday Harvey, and many, many more!

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  12. Lol dialog! Happy birthday to Harv. My girl will be 22 the end of June.

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  13. Happy Birthday, Harvey! That was funny! Harvey doesn't look like such a bad boy. He hides it well.

    I'm looking forward to that upcoming post. If you have any advice about tracking registered Quarter Horses (Huey) I could use it. :)

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  14. Happy birthday to your boy! I've never given Kaswyn a cake. Maybe I should try that this year - he's 18! ACK!

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  15. Happy birthday, Harv! So, Stacey, can Harv do anything about my shrinking portfolio? I'd be willing to take a meeting in his stall if necessary. I'll bring the calculator.

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  16. Happy Birthday Harv!!! and many more!
    Love the story, too funny!
    My Gilly has a donkey for a buddy but he wasn't afraid of him at first meeting; he couldn't wait for Pokey to come on in the field and play! They are the best of buddies and Pokey thinks Gilly great too.
    Gilly is a rescue, was bought by a rescue farm from people that were letting him starve. I got him next so I don't think he has too many dark secrets. He was treated very well at the rescue farm. The first owners where he was born just didn't feed him and didn't seem to care, but yet they brushed him and lead him in halter??? Strange! He has a great home now and is loved and well fed, he will never leave here as long as I live!

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