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March 13, 2017: Giddy Up

Pete and I are getting over our respective colds. There was some overlap. When I was sick I thought I’d never be better again. What most scared me was my having the chills. My lack of energy was also daunting. I recall being out in the horse pen and thinking – this is what those who have chronic fatigue syndrome or have had extensive chemotherapy/radiation treatments feel like.

Yesterday I had no giddy up. I felt anxious and my ability to concentrate was nearly non-existent. I talked with Susan Harris in the a.m. for about two hours about creativity and horses. And I talked with Colleen Hanly in the p.m. for about two



hours about creativity and administrativa.

I also worked with the ponies, Tyra on scent training and Hrimmi and Raudi on agility. I became even more anxious when I could not figure out what the underlying problem was. I figured it out this morning. First of all, the wind sprung up again, and so I did not do any riding. And secondly, it was Daylight Savings time. It’s an adjustment of sorts for me. I must now get used to doing indoor things in the evenings when I think that I should be doing outdoor things.

We don’t really save any daylight; rather, it’s lighter later. It’s sort of like cutting off one end of an apron and tacking it onto another. I’m okay, just so long as the evenings are the time in which there is more light.

Writing dispatches helps me to regain focus. In a manner of speaking, it reins me in. Giddy up.

After I finish writing this I am going to make a video of Hrimfara doing agility. Fun stuff, things she wants to do – I’m going to set up obstacles that she might like – she can, if she wishes, toss cones around, ring a bell, toss the hula hoop, hand me my glove; all things that I discourage her from doing when she’s preparing for a competition. I do not think that this will detract from her ability to do as she is normally supposed to do, but we’ll see. Giddy up.

I’m also going to do some scent training with Tyra, maybe have her knock over a few cones and find the correct object. Giddy up.

And I’ll get Raudi and Tinni out for rides. Giddy up.

Inside work – I need to get going again on revising the goat poems and get the eBook together. Giddy up.

And I need to look at my February poems and see which ones are worthy of revision. Giddy up.

And (sigh) I need to come up with an evening reading schedule. I am least focused in the evening. My readings need to be applicable to my April plans. I would like to take a look at my anatomy book and the section on the brain – and I have a few other brain/anatomy related books that I should check out. This is because neuroplasticity is at the heart of the Feldenkrais and Bones for Life programs. The more familiar I am with the anatomical/brain theory, the better a riding instructor I’ll be. My focus is still on returning riding and making the Feldenkrais/Bones for Life connections. Giddy up.

Perhaps I should have entitled this Alys’s “Pie in the Sky” ideas because it seems like my making a living in assisting others in making these connections seems so tangential. Poor Pete – he has to live with me. His life would be so much easier if I would just . . .giddy up.

Next: 73. 3/14/17: The Non-Writing Life: Mired in Administrativa

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