I didn’t sleep very well last night. My Therm-a-Rest pad had a somewhat slow leak. I discovered this leak when I did the Dempster Highway trip last August. I mentioned this to Pete, but he put the pad in storage and forgot that it has a hole.

I blew it up a few times last night. This was because the ground was cold. The weather here reminds me of Wyoming when we were horse trekking. It was cold at night and warm in the daytime. And today, the temps were perfect.

At midday, Brenda took me to a café and I had a lox bagel. Then we went back to the barn where the horses were again glad to see us. I did a review of TTeam training, starting with body work basics. This was something that Mary and Brenda are very familiar with – I figure that it was a good idea to begin by doing something they both knew.

We next did some clicker training, focusing on having the horses touch a target, a float attached to a dowel rod. We started with Beaker, who was into it for the attention. Mary

Fran and her horse

arrived, and we next worked with Stormur. This horse, I think, has either done this before or likes being challenged. He picked up on what we were doing in a heartbeat. Burkni was a little slower, but he also has had some previous positive reinforcement training.

This trip is bringing my horsey-self consciousness back to the forefront of my thinking. I like the way I just phrased this; I didn’t even have enough time to think or prepare for my lessons before coming here. I hope that I can find a balance when I get home.

Speaking of which – there is a fellow here in Fairbanks who does Feldenkrais training. I’m going to sign up for his online course. This will be a re-introduction to my previous body awareness work. If I lived in Fairbanks, I’d take his course directly.

Maybe he’ll come to Palmer, and we’ll be able to do a course in our new place, the Eagle Hotel. We once did a course in the “other” banquet room, which is the one at Turkey Red Restaurant.

After we were done horsing around, Mary, Brenda, and I went over to Fran and Sarah Buntzen place. It was a breath of fresh air, visiting with the two, who right now are relocating to their summer place. There they have a huge vegetable and flower garden. Starts, in containers, were neatly arranged outside, all ready for transport.

Inside their winter home was full of artistry, some of theirs and some from other artists. On the side of one wall of their upper room, Fran has a plastic elephant collection. And on the other, a plastic horse collection. I spent some time looking at each “herd” and watching them move.

Lots of talk amongst us girls about, of course, many things but mostly horses. Fran’s horses now live at Robin Marquess’s place – she has the horsey retirement community, which is perfect for those who live in the area.

As I am writing this, I’m dozing off at my desk, a John Deere tractor seat, which is in the garage. Larry set up a cot for me this a.m. I can’t sit up on it, so I am writing my dispatch in this space.

More people should have tractors indoors.

Next: 142. 5/24/23: Paradise