Catching Up

I don't seem to be able to read all the blogs I subscribe to on a daily basis any more. Either I'm subscribing to too many or you guys are just writing a lot more. Actually I think the culprit is lack of time. Anyway, I did read for hours yesterday and at least got this past week caught up.

I usually ride on Tuesday and Friday afternoons but my trainer asked me to ride Saturday morning instead of Friday. No problem and I was actually kind of relieved because I'd twinged my back shoveling snow the day before and could use an extra day off. Then I had an insane idea of calling the Anchorage barn and seeing if I could ride with my old Friday night group. Then I came to my senses so didn't follow through.

There was a lovely man in the arena with his two geriatric horses when I arrived yesterday morning. I asked if it would be okay to bring "my" horse in with them and he said no, but he'd move his back to their stalls. His horses were very friendly and kept nosing my pockets for treats. They're on strict diets so no goodies for them.

The arena had not been sprinkled so was extremely dusty. My trainer watered a path that I stayed on for my lesson. My horse had his teeth floated on Thursday and any resistance to rounding his neck seemed to have been cured by that. I'd like to say its because I'm better at requesting it but I really don't think I can take any credit.

After the lesson my trainer said she needed to leave for an appointment but that I could ride for a couple more hours if I wanted to. I only rode for a little while longer because, truth be told, I inherited the "what if something bad happens" gene from my mother. There didn't seem to be anybody around and had I been thrown I probably would be on my own. Not that this horse acts up or anything, it's just the "shit happens," especially around large animals. Thus, I had most of the afternoon to myself for blog reading once I got home.

Our house in Anchorage finally rented and the family is moving in this weekend. We are driving in tomorrow to finish emptying out the garage and get a new washer and dryer installed (Are we lazy or what?)

January Doldrums

It is almost 40 degrees and raining today which turns the ground into an ice slick. Our sloped driveway looks like a challenge that I don't want to attempt surmounting. I watched our neighbor back his truck up their driveway and scatter sand or ice melt. Glad I don't need to leave the house today.

This is a dreary time of year with not much going on. I'm glad I have riding lessons twice a week that get me out and moving. Friday's lesson was fantastic and I feel like I'm really starting to ask for and get leg yields from the horse. He also stayed round for the majority of the lesson. It's so gratifying to hear my trainer say, "Yeeeesss" when I get it right.

Now that the holidays are over I need to start organizing my stuff. Everything's here and stashed but I don't know where. My objective during the actual move was just to get stuff put away and out of sight. I'm used to knowing where a particular item is located. Right now I have to search and a lot of times fail to find what I'm after. I suppose I'll need to pull everything out and start from scratch. I can't imagine why I'm not more enthusiastic about this plan.

No sugarplum visions for me

Oh heck no. I dream about day after Christmas sales and getting to the Hallmark store after everything's been sold out.

A Postal Mystery

We moved in October. I dutifully made a trip to the local post office to obtain a change of address packet (the last time we moved was 1979 when this is how it was done) But no, the USPS, a company you think would embrace the concept of snail mail, now wants you to notify them of address changes via their website. There's also the added bonus of charging a buck for this service. Whatever.

So I filled out the proper form online, paid the fee and my mail has been forwarded accordingly. I have notified friends and businesses of the change.

Here's where it gets curious. We have recently received several pieces of mail from sources we do not correspond with. These don't have the little yellow forward sticker but our name and address is entered correctly with no need for forwarding. I'm pretty sure all of them are soliciting donations. Did the post office sell our name and address to bulk mailing companies? Weird.

So today is Christmas Eve which of course led to a discussion of why isn't it called the day before Christmas since eve technically isn't until dusk or thereabouts. (Can you see why my husband exasperates me at times?) This all started because he wanted to take garbage to the landfill and I told him it was closed on Christmas Eve.

Anyway, I think I'll drive to Anchorage and take some cookies for the barn owners and carrots for the horses. I also have a friend whose Cavalier King Charles Spaniel had puppies that I'm dying to cuddle.

I hope everyone who reads this has a wonderful holiday. May Santa be good to you.

I Admit It, I Drank The Kool-Aid

I watch HGTV when there aren't reruns of House, Storage Wars or Duck Dynasty to be found. House Hunters lured me in with the worship of hardwood floors. People wouldn't consider homes with wall to wall carpeting and were thrilled to find hardwood beneath such coverings.

So, fast forward to my first glimpse of our new home - hardwood floors galore! "Ooh," I gushed. "How beautiful and oh so in vogue." Only three rooms have carpet.

Having lived with these floors for a couple of months, the honeymoon is definitely over. They have to be swept/vacuumed/Swiffered on a daily basis to stay decent looking. That's an hour out of my day. I hate being a slave to housework. Plus, you have to move the furniture every day because dust and dog hair roll under and behind every piece.

So I ask, what is the attraction? Do people like being Stepford Wives? All the advocates state that they're cleaner but it's just because they have to be constantly maintained IMO.

Oh, and let's not forget how noisy they are. I am clipping the dog's nails all the time to try and keep the click clack of little feet to a dull roar. I have spent a considerable amount of money on area rugs that they constantly displace, despite the non skid mats underneath, in an effort to secure some peace and quiet.

My husband isn't thrilled that I want to add carpeting to my short list of things we definitely need for the house. Let him maintain them for a couple of months and see if he doesn't sing a different tune.

Chicago's Got Nothing On Wasilla

Windy city, indeed. We have a patio set that has survived at least 45 years. Last night the wind picked up the table and shattered the 3/4" glass top. Needless to say the chairs are not in their designated places either. The wind is supposed to calm down by Friday afternoon so we'll wait until then to pick up the pieces.

-5, feels like -18. Also high wind advisory

Ack. I've been visiting different stables in the area. One that I've ridden at twice does not have a heated arena. Weather information like the above gives me pause about returning there. Yesterday I rode at a barn with not only a heated arena but, drumroll please, indoor plumbing! Although a veteran user of port-a-potties, I was delighted to see not only a toilet but hot and cold running water; two barn luxuries which have been sadly missing from my life. Bet you can guess who's going to be getting my business. It doesn't hurt that I liked the instructor and her horse either. The first horse I rode at the "cold" barn didn't thrill me but I rode a different mare last week that I liked a lot more. Yesterday I rode a gelding and he was a very good boy.

I've committed to ride at the warm barn Friday and then will have a lesson at the cold barn Sunday. Hopefully I will be able to locate the girth extender that I accidentally left there last week. None of the horses I've been riding have the physique of the Belgian mare I'm used to. I used a 54" girth with an extender on her, whereas the girth alone was too large for the gelding. In somewhat related news, my saddle has fit these horses so at least I don't have to invest in a replacement.

Had a great Thanksgiving. I don't know if it was due to the convection oven, but the turkey was extra delicious.

Now I'm gearing up for Christmas. We were going to hang some icicle lights outside today but the high wind warning will probably kill that plan. Guess that means I should deal with some more of the boxes still scattered about.