The day after Christmas would be anticlimactic if I’d been looking forward to it for some time. The feeling would have been akin to finishing working on a book or article after working on it for some time. After, you look around and say now what? Much of the joy comes in anticipating the event, or in anticipating being done with that particular project.

I had not been thinking a lot about Christmas: visiting friends, gift giving, gift receiving, so today I didn’t feel any post-holiday malaise. However, I did take the day off, so that which went undone yesterday had to be done today. Horses had to be exercised, goats had to tended

to, wood had to be brought in, and gift wrapping items had to be put away. Add to this, Pete is sick. He is not ill. Illness refers to a long protracted bout of something chronic. Pete just has a nasty cold and lung inflammation. He will get better if he lays low. He is laying low, and for this reason I am missing having him around.

This year, the holidays also coincided with promoting Raudi’s Story, which has taken a great deal of time. I’ve been taking a rather grass roots approach to this endeavor, by letting family members and friends know about The Book. I estimate that I’ve contacted 250-300 people, sending each a personal note, and via email, letting them know about the Frontiersman article and attaching an email post card. The response has been very favorable. Pam Nolf, who is on the Icelandic Horse Magazine Quarterly committee, has even ordered two copies. Did my heart good to hear this.

All that still needs to be done in terms of publication promotion is overwhelming. And here I am, beginning work on a novel. It’s fiction, and has nothing to do with horses. Bits and pieces keep coming into my head. I figure, for now I can work on it for a short amount of time each day.

I (as always) feel less overwhelmed when I’m tending to the animals – even the goats. I enjoy spending time with them, and cleaning their pen, which I do twice-daily. Today I took Tinni for a walk. No complications with his surgery – his forehead looks really good. Pete actually went for a walk with me – we took Hrimmi and Siggi out. Hrimmi is now walking very nicely on-lead. Then I rode Signy. She’s like a powerful locomotive. Once she hits her stride, she maintains it. We have not had enough daylight for me to take her for a longer ride, but it’s coming.

As for Raudi, I will be getting her out tomorrow. She’s acting like she wants to get out. So maybe whatever has been ailing her is now better. I hope that whatever it is, is related to saddle fit issues.

If it is, then I’ll have what a former teacher of mine used to call a happy problem. I’ll then be dividing my riding time between the two horses. I’m also now thinking hard about which one I’d ride in the summer competitive training ride. Right now I’m leaning towards riding Signy because she’s so steady on her feet. We’ll see.

I’m writing in the evenings. We’ll get Raudi’s Facebook page up when Pete’s better. This way, Raudi can begin indirectly communicating with her fan base.

Next: 380. 12/28/12: A Visit with Katie Long