May 20th, 2009 by admin
I so seldom blog these days. There are a few reasons for that and they’re actually more salient then you would imagine. Some things are not meant to be shared, or they are shared face to face, voice to voice. The universe seems to expand and contract at will, sometimes it’s so small you could meet round the corner from here, other times, it’s miles and miles away, in a different time and life.
The whirlwind I suppose is work. So much of it. I’ve actually done in 4 months, more than what I did in half a year last year, which was considered to be such a good busy year for business. And they say the economy is downturned.
Today, I had some Driscoll’s strawberries. Halved, with a good lug of balsamic vinegar on, 2 teaspoons of homemade vanilla sugar, toss periodically at room temperature. Finish off with a generous grinding of fresh black pepper. It’s like the familiar taste of very good strawberries, yet with that tinge of spicyness that tingles the tip of your tongue.
I watched Dollhouse. The episode that draws me to rewatch is actually A Spy in the House of Love. You know the scene when Dr Saunders sews Adelle up and Adelle had refused anesthetic. I think of my accident when they sewed me up in the chin and inside and outside of my lip and the emergency doctor gave me multiple jabs before and I could feel it when she pushed the needle in and proceeded to angle it around.
I was talking to my cube mate about her upcoming birthday and her one year anniversary as a lawyer coming up and she reminded me, not that I would forget, that a significant date approaches. Elaine hasn’t been able to meet up, we’ve both been so busy and she’s studying for CFA but it’ll be over soon and we really hope to watch Tropic Thunder together finally. I’ve psyched up Joey as well. Can’t wait 
I’m ill at the moment. My doctor’s concerned. It started off with a sore throat, probably a virus from my brother. Then as forewarned by her, moved on to a cold. But she says it’s not normal for a cold like this. My ears get blocked and things sound muffled sometimes, especially when I take the lift down. Pressure builds in the head. She suspects infection of the sinus cavities. It woke me up this morning, unpleasantly, everytime I breathed out, I could feel mucus in my head high up in my throat move, and it sort of blocked the breathing and woke me up almost choking. It sounds dramatic but it’s more uncomfortable then painful. Very rare, I’m taking a sick leave day tomorrow. As I pointed out to my doctor, the last few mc’s she gave me may as well have been toilet paper. But I think tomorrow I can be away from the office.
I have been riding such wonderful horses. Smint of course. Ever faithful, he’s so familiar and I’ve really come to appreciate him. I remember he was the first horse who really started bringing me back after the accident. I mean I rode Buzz first, sweet gentlemenly Buzz, but Smint brought me past a barrier. Last Sunday I rode Getaway. Complicated but I always did like the complicated ones. I just started to ride a little to warm up. Then Daniel called all of us to the centre as usual and he looked at us and said “You got Getaway? Hmm”. So he told me Getaway had been on rest from being lame..after he bucked off at least 2 people, sounded like bad ones. And Daniel had ridden him last 3 days but noone had started him in lessons yet. So I was the first! Woah! Daniel had wanted to ride him that morning but was not able to. I later found out Beedee had put him in the walker when he realised it was me riding that evening and the only ride for the day.
Anyway, it actually went well. I remembered enough about Getaway to know when not to ask too much. When you walk out from the centre and he locks himself and his ears are back and he arches his neck aggressively, if you just touch him with the whip, just touch, he bucks then. He did have a little go but not as big as little Wolfman the morning before. Both of these boys were so good, they have been good to me and I’m thankful.
But really the horse that makes me smile and smile to think of riding him is my little wild boar hunter, MAXIMISE. Such a sweet boy and that little tear in his ear, oodles of cute! We think a wild boar bit it! Speedy boy, tries to understand what you want. Stiff on the right though, he rushes even more but so good natured. If I were to buy a horse right now, it would be him. His canter is lovely and flat, like riding a cloud. Which is how Getaway’s canter is described as well.
Oh I musn’t leave out Maverick, who came with Maximise form Australia. younger, taller, looks rather like Sonia. I didn’t quite click the first time, even after everyone had spoken so well about him. But by the second time, the appreciation was there. Sensitive but not overly so. Bouncy trot! But more balanced than Maximise, more activity in the back end.
We are lucky.
I must mention also that ever since November when I made a conscious effort to spend more time with Chester, he has greatly improved. And now everyone says he looks so much better condition. I really think and my friends do, that the joint supplements and weight supplements I buy for him have helped. And JP as well with his hoof supplements. I’m so happy when I look at Chester and see him happy eating his “chips” - brown leaves and the red petals he loves. And Ning and Geraint have been helping to groom him and walk him with me as well since I hurt my kneecap.
The kneecap I think is finally showing slight signs of improvement, what with the physio exercises. They hurt because my muscles are weak but at least the will is still strong. I just started riding without the knee brace to test it out.
Even though I was ill this weekend, I went to the RDA ball. It’s a must. And it’s a must that when the right music starts up, I look around and catch Barbara’s eye (we are at separate tables every year) and we hit the dance floor. Even though I was supposed to take it easy, you gotta dance at the RDA ball. It’s really charity with fun. And nice to be complimented as well. Which made me remember the last time a 15 year old held her hand out and invited me to dance.
Riding friends have been good to me. Not only do we ride together, we play guitar hero together and we eat together. And..I must mention, we boat together. I still miss Lazarus island and would like to go back and sleep on the grass in the shade on a cool day.
We are lucky.