Things have been kind of quiet on the homefront. We've been hanging out around the house and just enjoying time off of work. I've been whiling away the hours reading and building puzzles online.  Sounds boring, huh?

Blondie comes inside at the end of the week, and I can't say I'm too upset about it.  With all of the ice, it's been difficult to bring her in without falling on the way.  We had more rain last week, which froze and left patches of ice all over the yard.  Taking Buu out is challenging.  Even he slipped on the ice and fell down!  I haven't  even ventured out to the barn since it rained - I think the time off will do us both some good.

Tonight we're off to Fleming's Steakhouse to celebrate the New Year.  We have an early dinner, and will be home well before most people start to party in earnest.  I will probably be asleep well before midnight - it gets harder to stay up that late every year!

I started making arrangements for Anime Expo 08, though I'm still not thrilled that they moved to con from Long Beach to LA.  Who knows - I might like the new location better.

That's about all that's going on over here.  How about where you are?

You'd be pissed if you were forced to run around in 100 degree weather, too!

Merry Christmas! 

Here's a quick run down of the weekend - Saturday we avoided all malls and shopping centers, opting to head over to our new favorite Indian buffet, Temptations.  It was yummy as always, but the service was not up to par.  In fact, it was down right disappointing.  Hope that's not a new trend there.

Sunday I was almost late for my lesson because I started playing a stupid game in Gaia.  It's my new time suck, as I enjoy building their free puzzles.  At 300 pieces, they aren't terribly difficult, and I earn gold when I'm finished - yay!  I can buy furniture for my new Gaia house! 

At the barn, I went out and got Blondie.  It was 50 degrees(!), and all of the ice melted.  Yay!  The wind was gusting horribly, though, so it didn't feel very warm.  Boo!  By the middle of the day, it was back to 22 degrees.  Hiss!

Blondie was just terrible in her stall, and I was starting to think that she would be a handful during the lesson.  For not being ridden in two weeks, she wasn't bad.  D commented that she was really out of shape, and we agreed to bring her in next week.  Blondie's life of leisurely strolling about munching on grass is coming to an end.

After the lesson, Dean and I headed to Oishi, which is now my favorite Japanese restaurant.  It is so good!  They have delicious curry, which you can get with rice, ramen, udon, or soba.  Their sushi rolls are also very tasty.

Yesterday Jen and I had a lesson together.  I rode Jimmy, and she rode Doc.  Since Blondie's vacation will be over next week, I decided she can just play outside until then.  M & D are going to be out of town until next Wednesday, and they are going to bring her inside when they get back.  If the weather isn't too bad next weekend, I'll go ride, but if it's really cold, we'll just take a break.

M let Harley out while we were riding, and he and Doc didn't get along so well.  Jen, still learning how to steer, was having trouble keeping them apart, so M took Harley back to his stall.  It was pretty funny, as Harley was really full of himself.  He was actually prancing around, putting on a show.  Even Jimmy perked up his ears and felt obligated to step up a little.

Jen and I went and got coffee after our lesson.  Then it was back home, and time for a nap!  At about 3, we started getting ready to head out for Christmas Eve dinner at my parents.  Now, I'm feeling a little sad because Christmas is almost over.  I won't miss all of the food, though.  Even I am getting tired of eating.

Yeah!  The holidays are almost here!  Four days off of work, more opportunities to eat out with Dean, and only a three day work week next week!  Beautiful!!

Wednesday's lesson was again all about leg strengthening.  I rode Jimmy, and while the new assistant instructor was working with students on the rail, I had a 10 minute lunge line lesson.  When that torture was done, I moved to the rail, and one of the other students moved to the middle of the arena so M could give them some personalized attention.

I hate to say it, but my legs were already tired by the time I moved Jimmy to the rail.  Then A was just mean!  We trotted in two point, dropped our stirrups and posted at the trot, and moved into the two point at the trot.  We cantered a lot (with stirrups).  She told me that my upper body was flopping around and my hands weren't steady.  I don't normally worry about my rein position, as I don't ride equitation, but A wasn't satisfied with where I kept my hands.  Sigh.

Tonight I rode Harley, as he hadn't been worked today.  The warming temps also caused a coating of melting snow to cover the layer of ice, making for pretty treacherous walking conditions, so Blondie is getting a nice break.  I think she's coming inside at the end of next month, so her days of leisure are almost over.

We again worked on leg exercises, with lots of no stirrup work.  Then we worked on canter leads, and hand galloping down the rail in a two point, sitting the corners at a slower pace, and racing down the rail again.  By the time we were finished, I was feeling very sorry for Harley.  M thinks he spit out his medicine, so he wasn't breathing very well again.  

I wish Blondie's head set was this high...

Another chilly night for horseback riding! At least I wasn't suffering alone.  Jen had a lesson, too, on trusty Doc.  I didn't want to try to wade through all of the snow and ice to get Blondie, so she had yet another day of lounging in the pasture.  Instead I rode Harley, and it turned out to be a little more challenging than normal because he was crabby.  With a capital C-R-A-B-B-Y.

The intense leg strengthening exercises continued.  My left leg is rock solid, but for some reason, the right leg flops irritatingly about.  I can't figure it out.  It's my stronger leg, yet I have less control over it.  I also can't roll in on my leg very much, and that sinking down into your ankle?  Forget it on that side.  All of the muscles are too tight.  I don't know if it's because it's so cold, or what. 

M had a meeting after the lesson, so Jen and I were left to put the horses away.  The riders got warmer than the horses, so it didn't take long to get them brushed and their blankets back on.  Then we trudged out to let Doc out in the pasture with the lesson horses.  It was so funny after Jen unhooked the lead rope - the other horses thundered up, freaking her out.  She ran out of the pasture and slammed the gate shut, accusing them of charging her.  That's how I feel every time I put Blondie away, and DeeDee races over to investigate.  Stay away!  Eat your grass!

Well, I actually did the intelligent thing today and canceled my riding lesson.   Normally I would bundle up and and at least make an attempt to drive to the barn - it is just down the street about 8 miles.  However, when I opened the back door to take Buu out, even he was appalled by the amount of snow covering the ground.  And it's still coming down!  I don't think I would be able to get out of the driveway!  I'll have to sweep the mound off of my car later, so I don't have to do it tomorrow morning. 

Nope, no horses here, just big, smelly pachyderms

Been a little busy the past few days, but it's ok, Mom, I'm still alive!  Just tired and looking forward to next weekend, and two long weekends in a row.

Wednesday's lesson started with a possum sneaking into the arena.  Sara and M tried to guide it out with a rake and a pitch fork; I just played blocker and made sure it didn't get further into the arena.  After chasing it out, we got the horses ready and had a chilly lesson, focusing mainly on leg strengthening.  I rode Jimmy because it was so icy out, and M had brought all of the lesson horses in earlier in the day, when it was 35 degrees.  The temps plummeted quickly, and I was freezing by the time I had Jimmy ready for beddy-bye.

Last night, I went Christmas shopping with a co-worker who shall remain nameless.  You know who you are!  You even ate a piece of deep fried sushi!  Maybe next year you will try something that isn't breaded and cooked.  Oishi is my new favorite place to go for Japanese food; I wonder if I can talk Dean into going tomorrow?

Tonight's lesson was a lunge line lesson on my favorite horse, Ritz.  Argh!  She was a lot more challenging than Doc, and it was her first lunge line lesson, ever.  I wasn't sure how I felt about being a guinea pig.  We didn't try any no stirrup work, thank goodness, and I was worried the whole time about falling off.  I don't know if these lessons actually help me, as I am so tense and stiff and my form just sucks.  I get forward and just kind of hang on for dear life.  Sigh.

Picture that has absolutely nothing to do with my post.

Well, Buu has managed to do it again.  He's licked a sore on his leg, this time on his paw.  Oh, on the bottom, so he's limping because it must hurt to put pressure on it.  I don't think it's infected, but he's irritated the hell out of it.

Hello, Buu, this is Mr Cone.  You remember Mr Cone, right?

Let's just say that this is one unhappy Rottie.  Hopefully, a few days of being a conehead will give his paw the time it needs to heal up.  Otherwise, we'll be off the vet's, and then he'll have even more time in the cone!

We're having a bit of a heat wave! It was about 32 degrees! There's a threat of sleet tonight, and since I'm always afraid that we'll lose power during an ice storm, I hope that the forecast is wrong.

Worked on leg position tonight.  My legs felt weak after not riding for almost a week.  Blondie was also not on her best behavior, and she didn't appreciate the new lavender saddle pad that I gifted to her.  Ungrateful beast.

Another resident of the Cleveland Zoo. I wish I could go back again!"

It was a quiet weekend. Spent most of it trying to catch up on reviews.

Dean gave me a digital picture frame for my birthday, but I haven't done more than glance over the instruction sheet.  I want to get a bigger memory card before I start loading anything on it.  He also gave me a gift certificate for SportHorse Saddlery, so I can buy Blondie another blanket since she's totally trashed the one she has.  I'll wait until she comes inside again before I do that, though.

I'm starting to panic about not having any Christmas shopping completed.  Hope I can get it all taken care of next week!  IOU's work really well, but I thought I have progressed away from those...

Today is Buu's birthday! Not really, but since we don't know when it is, I decided that the day he came home with us is his b-day. He's sure changed a lot since he's moved in. Gained about 70 pounds, loves fruits and veggies, and digs taking naps on the bathroom floor. Being the head of security is a tough job!

I want to thank Arlene at Rottweiler Rescue again for saving my little baby, and for trusting us enough to send him home with us.  He was so sick when we picked him up!  He slept all the way home!  Now he's happy, healthy, and has the sweetest eyes you'll ever see!  Ignore that they are glowing like devil eyes....