Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Filling the Void

Today is my little brother’s 21st birthday! Happy birthday, Will! [Though I doubt you read this.]

My weekends are full of Nat’l Ski Patrol and my weeks are full of work, but I’m doing my darndest to find a little time in the midst of it all to fit in my favorite thing – horseback riding, or anything horse-related for that manner! My life has been seriously lacking it since I sold Orion.
Yeah, I could go ride Pegasus, but I’m sorry, its just a big hassle. He’s got 15 – 20 minutes of yay-I’ll-work-hard-and-try and then its all oh-my-god-my-mom-where-is-she?! Why? Because he’s four years old and has never been separated from her. Oh, and did I mention he’s also never been socialized with another horse other than his mother? Yeah. Its like that. Buddy sour with an Oedipus Rex complex. I value my health [and life] thanks.

So to fill this void in my life I’m beginning once-weekly trail rides with my favorite kids and their ponies. And I don’t care if I look like a giant while riding a tiny Welsh pony. She needs the exercise. She’s really going to hate it. But to hell if she tosses me, its like two feet to the ground, haha! Bring it, Pearl! (I’m probably going to regret that statement as I’ve now jinxed myself.)

I also got permission [again] to ride this wonderful boy whenever I want:


I love him so, so much. And I’ve missed him greatly this past year + that I haven’t ridden him or spent time with him. We spent 5 intimate years together. He was my first endurance horse (the whole one time I did it, yes) and we did the one show [above] and so much trail riding. Showing ISN’T our thing. No siree. Stan hates being in the confines of a ring – unless there are jumps. Horse loves jumping. Gah, I’m so thrilled to start riding him once or twice weekly. Its going to be all the more wonderful now that I have all of my own tack/grooming/etc. More convenient if he’s in the lower field. I’m quite content living out of my car as far as horse things are involved!

I’m looking majorly forward to a long four-day weekend of shenanigans in Morgantown and [hopefully] at my cabin. Its work weekend up there. I’d really like to make the big family dinner on Saturday, but One Big Love will be in Morgantown for a friend’s birthday, so I kind of want to stay for that, too. I’m not sure what I’ll do yet. Ultimately its going to depend on the possibility of working this weekend. A bat researcher is starting some fall telemetry work on Indiana bats over the next month and a half and I’ve been volunteered for it, which is fine by me because I would love to gain the comp time. No matter what, this weekend will be a welcome break and mini-vaca. I can’t wait to lounge around on campus for a few hours on Friday. I have OEC stuff for ski patrol to read, maybe Ill go to the library and re-live the olden-stress times. Haha. I found my own nook in the library that I loved during the last year there. I miss my nook. Hell, I miss college. A. Lot.

Fall weather is settling into WV, I’m a huge fan. 50ºF, 60ºF at night, 70ºF, 80ºF during the day with sun and low humidity. Oh, baby, I love it! Definitely my favorite season. Definitely, definitely.

"Go take a step outside and see what’s shaking in the real world" -John Butler Trio

1 comment:

  1. I'm super jealous of your fall weather! We have a "cold" front moving in that will take us from 106 Saturday to 89 on Sunday and then we move into the mid 90s the rest of the week. I'm hoping we can get to the 70s soon! I'm SO sick of 100+ degree weather (and today was day 57 of it - ick!).

    Have fun at the cabin! And on the ponies! That's hilarious, but at least you're getting to ride! I also love your fancy riding outfit. It reminds me of a friend who had the Felicity American Girl doll and bought the horse and an outfit like that.

    ReplyDelete