Keeping it in the Yellow.

My radio silence has become a prevalent theme in my life. Everyone insists I need to get my ‘katookis’ out there, do this and do that, live a little, be adventurous, etc. I swear I am. Just in a different way… that is not all that exciting. Just the way I need it!



Since 2010 the theme to DH and my life has been horse, house, buying house, renovating house, horse shows, horse everything, selling house, building house, horse shows, selling house, building house …. I think we all get the point here.

In summary, if there was a magazine for my life, should I be so star worthy, it would be titled ‘Horse & House’. The pages, prior to this past year, would be chocked full of exciting home developments, home style ideas, DIY horse bonnets, the dramas of both the horse world and world of dealing with contractor’s (ha!), how to balance budgets and tips to make your money work for you and how your money makes you work for it! Though, as of now, (and I mean literally this second… because I never know if I am coming or going, let alone which decision I will change due to recent developments), ‘Horse & House’ magazine is on sabbatical.



People often ask why I don’t sit, even my husband asks this but I literally cannot sit.



I often hear people tell me that they are “just so busy” or “I have no time”. I smile, nod, agree…. And silently give them the death stare because they have no idea what ‘busy’ or what ‘no time’ is. Followed by a mental rant which sounds something like…

“Busy. *evil smirk* Busy is when you wake up at 5AM to go ride your horse because you need to train for the upcoming show and it MUST be perfect. Busy is when you leave the barn smelling like a cow factory, go ‘home’ (ie wherever your car parks at night currently), shower as fast as humanely possibly, go to the lot where your house is being built, bark orders, make sure deliveries are on time and are correct and take attendance to make sure contractors have actually shown up on time and are prepared to work, then go to work for 8:30am until 5:00pm, whilst attempting to keep all aligned and hunky dory from 40kilometers away, OH! And make sure your job is done accurately so no one sues you next month, next year. Then 5:01pm hits, leave work, bark more orders, demand action, not apologies. Make best possible effort to maintain your professional façade, kind smile, pressed suit but yet cracking the figurative whip! (without ACTUALLY pulling out your purple jeweled dressage whip and hitting people because that isn’t acceptable and screams workers comp claims). Followed by subduing scary-angry Portuguese husband who is all but chasing contractor’s off site because they did not ‘crown the wood properly’ or whatever….. *exasperated sigh* Yes. I could keep going until I finally roll into bed, sweaty from transforming from Business Professional to Project Manager/tool getter/errand runner/general contractor until 11:00-12pm at night, but I will stop there.



‘Mental-rant-a-ria’ is what I call those internal dialogues that no one, except friends and DH will hear. :P



End all be all., truth is, the past six years I have become so engrossed in excelling, demanding, achieving that I have forgotten how to enjoy. Enjoy life, enjoy my perfect-to-me horse and be, overall, grateful.

While, yes, much of what we have accomplished and done I have enjoyed and would never take back, I have learned a lot! But if you ever hear the saying, ‘stop and smell the roses’, that is what I am doing now. What we are trying to do.



So, this is why my posts are sporadic and lacking in true equine excitement. However. I am living the posts I would normally Blog about. Much like my trail on Friday with my dear loyal steed, Palomis, I didn’t really share it with anyone but it was probably the most enjoyable and personal ‘us time’ (Paloma and I), have ever had.
After escaping the pessimism and horror-struck faces that I was setting out solo, Paloma and I wandered the newly cut trails, which followed the winding river that is outlined with perfect rows of purple and white flock flowers. We travelled to new areas with deep ditches, a new experience for both of us, which we ventured through like champions by the by. *mental pony pat*. Then we cut back the way we came to cross the river at our usual safe crossing spot, only to find it completely dried up from our current drought. We meandered along the edge of the soy and straw fields whilst getting eaten by bugs so we worked on transitions in attempt to conquer Paloma’s usual ‘take-flight’ response when breaching a walk on trails. What I found was an attentive but forward partner. 'Keep it in the yellow', I told her.

Heading home we stumbled upon a meadow with tall pines and a perfectly flat ‘arena’. Maybe it was a crop circle? *elbow nudge* Who knows, but we made use and worked on more transitions to instill ‘listen carefully'.

Finally, after a good fifteen minutes of great work, I dropped the stirrups for the cool out walk home. I kind of felt like a kid again. Taking an adventure on my ‘pony’. Except this time 'pony' was white and brown spotted, white with a rainbow mane...
Very cool!







Imagery to come next trail ride!
Sadly, I was so caught up in the ride, I forgot the number one rule, SHARE!





K