One Week to the Next

• We have had a couple of grass fires in outlying areas that have taken days to get under control.  Although there have been promises of a reprieve from the 34C temperatures we have had for weeks now, the occasional grey clouds never amount to anything. Everything is crispy.  LA's mother, who has lived on the property since 1961, says she has never experienced weather like we have had recently. 

• The beginning of June, I strained my back quite badly....badly enough that there were times I had to sleep in a chair because I couldn't get in or out of bed.  It was worth it, though.  :-) It was caused by a great riding lesson that included poles.  I was planning on taking the summer off from lessons (too hot!!), so I just stopped a little sooner.  About 3 weeks ago, I started riding again.  I needed assistance getting up, and I only lasted short periods of time, but it felt good to get back in the saddle.  I managed to get Gem up to a lope a couple of times and I was very pleased with myself.  Funny how quickly your confidence and endurance diminishes when you haven't ridden in a few weeks.....

• Just over a week ago, LA convinced me to have Gem put out at night and brought into the cool barn during the day.  DH is still out there with him.  Now for those of you who have been reading this blog for a while, you might remember that Gem is a bit of an escape artist.  He is not afraid of the electric fence and has proven that a few times now.  Initially, I wasn't fussy on it, but with the heat we have been experiencing I decided to give it a go.  It seems to be working out OK.  The downside is that when I see him to ride, he is full of beans and is anxious to get out of the stall.  Not a great combination when when you are trying to ease back into riding.  :-)

• I bought my Australian stock saddle.  I put it together last week and tried it out on Friday.  Everything is quite stiff yet, so I won't be taking it out on the trails until it's broken in. I am having difficulty in getting the girth as tight as it should be.  It is sooo much lighter than my Western! I love the seat of it - the cantle is quite high and helps support your back and it's very comfortable.  The knee pads keep you in position.  It will take some time to get used to the leathers and I am definitely going to swap out the stirrups - I find them a bit small.  

• DH's Mom just got back from a dude ranch adventure.  She went on her own.  She has ridden most of her life and this type of holiday has always been a dream of hers.  She was in the interior of British Columbia and said it was the best vacation she had ever been on.  She was there a week, along with 40 other people.  Every day there were trail challenges - riding up mountains, crossing rivers, stony paths, deep brush.  There was lots of galloping and she jumped a log....at a gallop....this was her first time jumping!  The place was a first class resort and very well managed.  The horses were terrific and the food amazing.  She made lots of friends.  She said that she learned soooo much from the rancher and the professionals that took them on the day excursions.  Some of her observations hit really close to home for me.....but I will share them in another post. 

• Jean made the decision last week (I admit that I did push it a bit) to get a professional trainer involved with Stu.  It's a hard pill to swallow, but she has come to the realization that perhaps she needs help.  I am very pleased that she has made this decision.  She met with a trainer that LA recommended and they had their first session last Friday.

• A few weeks ago, I sent an email to a local Hyundai dealership enquiring about the delivery wait for a red Veloster.  Dealers around here are only getting a few of these cars and they are sold practically before they arrive.  In my email, I said that I was interested in a base model, I wanted an automatic and I wanted it in red.  No one replied.  :-( On Saturday, My Husband and I were out shopping and he started talking about my need of a new car and he suggested we swing by the Hyundai dealer to look at the Elantra as an alternative.  As we were sitting in a floor model, I mentioned to the sales rep that what I was really interested in was the Veloster.  He said that he had one on the lot that was sold, but if I wanted to sit in it I could....yes, please!  He returned with the keys and as we were walking to the car, he said he was mistaken....this car was not sold; it was their 2013 model that had just arrived.  My heart skipped a beat.  As we walked closer, I saw that it was red.  My heart fluttered.  When I got in, I noticed it was an automatic....  I asked if this was the base model - yes it was.  My heart jumped.  So, I bought my car on the weekend!  No waiting, no fuss.  In fact, the car was so new to the lot that the price had to be verified. How weird that My Husband would suggest going to the dealership on Saturday and that the car had just been delivered and was exactly what I was looking for.  It was meant to be!!  

Have a great week!!