I love riding on trains, and I hope that I again get to ride on a train in the future. I also like riding on Greyhound buses, short distances. I like going for road trips in cars. Literal movement is good, all good. And figurative movement is also good.

It was a really good day, all the way around. What follows are some of the highlights.

I didn’t have a whole lot of time to exercise the ponies. And I didn’t want to go far because I was afeared that the snow road crew might come by. I need not have worried – they seem to have decided to take a long weekend. The road surface thus remained perfect for riding – there was a nice base so the horses weren’t slipping on ice or hitting hard ground with their legs.

First walked Tinni. Next rode Hrimmi, then Tyra, then Raudi. I had this revelation as I was riding Hrimmi that I can take advantage of the trail lull, and on the road, which is to work on things that are more amenable to going shorter distances.

Today, with Hrimmi, maintaining a good strong trot. With Tyra, a fast walk, and some trot. With Raudi, a combination of walk, trot, and canter. I discovered that if

1953 Anchorage City Directory

I take them past our place and turn around and head back home, they are all more forward. Long trail rides don’t lend themselves to energizing movement, but short jaunts do. I’m also now going to work with them on whoa and move forward quickly, serpentines, sidepassing, and backing.

Going past our neighbor’s place I saw that he was having problems with his snowblower – there was a cloud of blue smoke surrounding him. I thought oh oh, he’s going to be in a bad mood when his blue heeler Addy darts out into the road and starts following the horses. But no, he actually repeatedly apologized for yelling at Pete and me the other day. A good sign; I don’t want to be on bad terms with neighbors.

Next, I came inside, there was a message from the Mat-Su Health Foundation. Well, we got our $5,000.00 grant. This of course bodes very well for the Bright Lights Book Project. Most importantly, this means that we’ll be able to pay a stipend to the meeting house, as Pete says, further rooting us there.

I next went to town, and talked with Lee Heinrich who co-manages Big Cabbage Radio. I have found that talking with others about this project is a way of generating ideas. She had a lot of good ideas, one of which is, next Tuesday, she will interview me and perhaps Bill, and it will then be aired a few days later.

Lastly, I attended Nan’s writers’ group meeting. There were just three of us present, Pete joined us later. Pete talked with the waitress who works at the meeting site, the Sunset Grill – and as soon as we get the revolving book racks, one will go in the hotel lobby.

And yes, today it was sunny and warm.

Next: 86. 3/27/21: Gone with the Wind