As I write this, it has not yet been determined who will be President of the US from 2012 to 2016. (I am at a borough assembly meeting, and presumably taking notes.) The media has made us all believe that this is going to be a close race. We shall see.

I voted early, after going to morning yoga class. At the polls, I looked around to see if there was anyone I didn’t know, or who looked like they might be a Republican. (In our part of the world, such individuals usually have a brain dead look about them. They have glazed eyes, and tend to breathe through their mouths.) Had I seen any such individuals, I would have said in an upbeat fashion “My vote cancels your vote!” No strangers of this sort materialized. I pretty much saw people I knew, people who have an inquisitive look in their eyes, and breathe through their noses.

Alaska election results were poopy

Today, rather than stay inside and hover by the radio, I instead chose to get outside. Again, it was cold, sunny, and near windless outside. I made this decision knowing that the good weather, at a drop of a hat, could turn bad. And when it snows, things around here are going to be different. For instance, the trails will once again become the domain of the snowmobilers. But right now, the ground is frozen, and the trails, while patchy, are navigable. I was also eager to get out because the horses now have ice shoes. The one exception is Little Hrimmi, whose feet are (right now at least) far too small for such things.

I first took Tinni out. He was a bit more comfortable on the gravel. The same was true of Raudi, who I next took out. I took both horses for longish trail rides. Very interesting—never underestimate the intelligence of a horse. Raudi was the first to drive this point home. We came to an ice patch. She stopped, sniffed it, and then quite gingerly put her left front hoof on it. Seeing as she did not slide, she continued on, one foot at a time. Once on the far side, that is firm ground, she snorted. I knew then that she knew that she is wearing ice shoes.

I next took Signy and Hrimmi out. Of the three horses, Signy appeared to be the most pleased to have ice shoes. She trotted right along the entire time. And she did the same thing as Raudi when she came to the ice patch.

Hrimmi was most remarkable. She and Rainbow were vying for the honor of being the animal who was most happy to be out. I think that Hrimmi won the honor, but just by a nose. It was by now late afternoon—the sun was at a low angle in the sky. She raced along, the red in her coat the same color as that of the sky. Rainbow and Jenna, who were equally happy to be out, stayed close by the weanling. I have to add, that this, the last ride of the day, was one the best rides ever. I was sad to see it end, and I think, so were the animals. I’m keeping my fingers crossed, in hope that we again get good weather tomorrow.

Postscript: The word, at mid-meeting, was that Barack Obama was re-elected. Of course, I wanted him to be re-elected because it appeared (among other things) that woman’s lives were in the balance. At the same time, I didn’t want to have to see him and his family move. Living with all that indecision must of course be difficult. But to suffer defeat at the hand of a hard headed asshole hardly seems fair to me.

It was a good election year for woman, and those advocating gay rights. Maybe this is a harbinger of the much-touted change in consciousness. I hope so. And if this comes to be, I hope that it isn’t painful for any of us.

Next: 332. 11/7/12: Rainbow