Hello from Down Under!
It's been a very busy several weeks!  Kids are back in school and all seemed to have settled in well. And with the kids back in school I picked up a third day a week at work and often do an additional half day. I'm currently working in Medical Records and like it quite a lot. I especially like getting a paycheck! With two kids needing money in the States and my horse addiction, my wee little check comes in very handy. My boss is super and my job hours are so flexible, I can still put family first. And Wednesdays Billy and I have lunch together. Sushi!!!

I'd sent my thoroughbred, Joe, to a trainer just before Charlie's fall from the cliff.  Remember this is the horse that I'd clashed with (broke my nose on) and consequently my confidence on him, or any horse for that matter, plummeted. My other two horses, Lofty and Charlie, have helped me tremendously with regaining my comfort riding again but sadly, I just couldn't get my head straight with riding Joe. The trainer, Dave, restarted him and I began lessoning on him. Slowly, I was getting more comfortable on him but couldn't really see myself just going off on a ride on him. Dave helped me alot and I realized that my biggest problem with Joe was the problem in my own head. It was time to take him home and keep getting more confident with him or sell him, which would still require me to ride him until he sold so that he could be shown to anyone who wanted to look at him. I brought him home and started on him the next day. He was so quiet and lovely that I rode him down our driveway. The next day I headed down the road! I'd had him home for a few weeks and had been riding him 2-3 times a week. I had ridden him more in the last few weeks than I'd ridden him in the previous two years I've had him! I've ridden him on the farm and up the road alone and with my neighbors. I never thought I'd be riding him confidently, let alone confidently on the road! So nearly two weeks ago I was thrilled to be taking him to ride on the beach with my neighbors, Shona and Stewart. We got to the beach, tacked up and headed off. Joe was great! He looked at things but was great. I got more and more comfortable as we went along. We were even met by some dirt bikes which had me a nervous wreck but Joe was okay. I was relaxed and enjoying an amazing beach ride on an absolutely beautiful, sunny day. Until… Well I don't really know what happened. I guess something scared Joe and he suddenly spun so fast that I was immediately put off balance and knew I'd not recover. I knew I was going so I just let myself drop into the soft sand. That would have been just fine but Joe skittered around landing a rear hoof right on the inside of my left ankle. OUUUUCCCHHHH! Stew set off to collect Joe who was now tangled in his reigns and spazzing out. Shona hopped down from her horse to check on me as I was groaning, "He stepped on my ankle." My boot seam was ripped and I quickly eased it off my foot in case swelling made it difficult to get off. The bruising set in right away, it hurt like crazy and my pants were full of sand! Once Stewart got Joe settled he carried me to the adjacent cow pasture where Billy could drive right up to get me, then he and Shona rode back to the horse floats (trailers) leading Joe. They took our truck, trailer and Joe home for me. Meanwhile, I sat in the cow pasture waiting for Billy to collect me. I made him stop at home before taking me to the hospital because as I was getting dressed to go ride that morning I'd told Nani who was in my room at the time, "I'm going to throw these undies away after today because they are all stretched out and have a hole in them." My grandmother would have a fit if I went to the hospital with old underpants on!!! After he got me checked in at the ED, he left with Nani and her two friends not wanting to sit there with 3 bored little girls. After a couple of hours and a few x-rays, I was told nothing was broken (much to the surprise of the doctor), was wrapped, given crutches, a prescription and instructed to stay off of it. So it's been nearly two weeks and I can't wait to get back on Joe! He hadn't been naughty or dirty. He just got a fright and I was caught off guard. I should have never come off and am furious with myself for it. I need to get back in the saddle!!!

Today we had Nani's 10th birthday party. Fourteen 9-12 year olds, a treasure hunt, a craft project and a Minion cake. Great fun!!! Check out the pics...