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May 4, 2017: This Charmed life of Mine

It’s Thursday. On Saturday I begin the westward trek home. I’m torn. Home, good. Second home, good. I have wondered how the Uber rich do it – many have multiple homes. Are some of these places not home? And do they get homesick for their other homes?

Pete did a good job of teaching me how to be in the right place at the right time. I used to always be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Hands in pockets, I’d stare out into space, waiting for someone to tell me what to do next. I once fell off a boat ramp, standing in this position and waiting to be told what to do.

I like it when the barn chore routine is such that I go from one task to the next, in unison with the other workers. Amy and



Frank do not get my jokes, though I do laugh at their jokes. This mystifies me. Today I broke into song, sang the Elvis Costello song “The Angels want to wear my red shoes.” Both looked at me like I was nuts. Kelly, the barn manager, actually does get my jokes. I really like it when she works. She’s had a bad tooth. Had a root canal yesterday and today is going to have it pulled. Amy says it’s another chapter in As the Barn Turns.

I really enjoy doing barn chores, feeding, watering, cleaning stalls, loading up the sawdust bags for transport in the gator to the upper barn. This must be that which is in my DNA. I also enjoy being around the animals. It’s like the connection I get when I teach agility.

And I have enjoyed watching lessons – amazing, seeing others do so well with things that I struggle with. And I really enjoy being around the people here, interacting with horse people is easy. You simply ask them how their horse is doing and seconds later, you are off on a conversational roll.

Or you ask “how was your ride?” or you complement them on a horsey doing, perhaps saying “you had a really good ride!”

Karol and Sally have both told me that they would like for me to come back. High praise indeed. They have also both indicated that they are willing to work with me at the distance on my riding. Makes sense to me – and now I have an arena to work in. Maybe I’ll come back after the competitive trail ride.

Today I rode Raleigh, and had an interesting breakthrough. I did not feel apprehensive about riding him beforehand. This could be the breakthrough that I’ve been waiting for. In fact, I felt confident enough after to tell Karol and Sally that I’d like it if they’d give me an assessment of my progress after my final ride on Saturday.

Today was also quite amazing in that I realized that I acted upon a series of ideas I had, which is to do an internship in one place, and a creativity and agility clinics in another. And it all went just fine. For this, I should give myself a pat on the back.

Next: 125. 5/5/17: A Conversation with Gabby the Halflinger

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