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Horse!

Last night's sunset - this I do slow down for

I'd like to just reflect now on what used to be a busy but organised life, one where we generally had enough time to exercise, see people and even have a bit of down time every so often. Not now though. Between the constant house stuff that we are doing (we could slow down but feels like we need to get on top of the essentials as soon as possible otherwise we'll just accept them), the kids stuff (more on this later) and then of course work, there is quite literally not a moment to spare just now. This weekend is a perfect example. On the one hand I feel like I've wasted it because I've neither ridden, run or even made it to my normal yoga class. On the other hand it's been jam packed with all kinds of variety - here's just a selection:

Saturday - lovely dog walk then off to Izzy's school commemoration morning, then home for lunch and to take Abi to local horse shop and then on to Mum and Dads to drop Abi and a chat with the Stocklinch oldies before back to do some house chores, collect Izzy and the dogs and then back to Mum and Dad's again for dinner before home and bed.

Sunday - couldn't persuade Betty to come for a walk as she thought it might rain, so good walk with Bertie, back to pick up Abi to take to Netherclay where she was helping out at Amanda's horse show - stayed to settle her in before off to shops to buy (more) horse stuff and pet food. Back to show via garage with emergency rations (I did point out she'd need lunch while we were at home and could have made some, but no, she knew better until she got to midday and realised she was hungry). Hung around again, this time to watch Amanda pretty much wipe the floor with her competitions and romp home Reserve Show Champion. Home just after 2pm (hungry as didn't bring lunch for me) to realise Izzy's suit for her formal dinner needed to be collected so back into town to do that. Home and the dogs need walking so do that then back to make beds and check work stuff for the week. Sort washing, hoover floor, help Abi finish her history project, admire the new (artificial) grass that's been finished in my absence and its tea time. Breathe and write blog before eating dinner and pressing reset to start again. Where did my weekend go?!?!?

Fionoula / Fi / Nula / Cracker -
"the horse / latest moneypit"
The scary thing about this is that this is all BEFORE Abi gets a horse on a 2 week trial next week. I can't even begin to say how excited she is (and how daunted I am!). This has suddenly all come about quickly, going from no idea of where or when one might materialise to having both a livery place and also a potential horse to fill it in the space of a couple of days. In the end it was luck of timing. We chased a local livery yard, Paddocks, on the off chance to find they had just had a space come up, so we then contacted someone we had been in touch with previously to see if her horse was still available and it is, so we put 2 and 2 together, I opened my cheque book and the rest is history / an empty bank account. Off course the horse is just the start of it - it needs a wardrobe of rugs and tack, feed, bedding, shoes, insurance, vet and the list goes on (and on). That's before we even start to think about transport. As I said, I'm very daunted.

Over and above the cost, I'm daunted about the time commitment. I have NO free time right now, how am I going to fit in a horse, even one that's not mine? Abi's response to this is two fold; 1) she's going to be doing all the work, and 2) I worry too much - I said we didn't have time for the guinea pigs and they've fitted in quite nicely. What can I say - it will be just like having another guinea pig... not! In reality of course it will fit in somehow - time is elastic and something will give. I just hope it's not all of my weekend.  The good news is that the kids are about to break up and will have (apparently) 10 weeks off (10 weeks!!!!!!) so they'll have plenty of time to play with horses. Lets hope Izzy wants to go too but doesn't enjoy it so much she wants one as well.

So back to work tomorrow and while Abi counts the days to next Saturday, I'm counting the days to the end of July when I have 2 weeks off. I'm determined I will sloe down, do some local sight seeing and recharge. Better start planning now!

Two hopeful faces waiting for me to finish work


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