giddyap

I almost feel too lucky sometimes.  After a lifetime that seemed full of nothing but disaster and trauma, now it seems that every time I turn the corner there’s yet one more thing that makes me life feel even more impossibly perfect.

I mentioned before that the fact that our house is surrounded by horse farms seemed like a sign.  Kismet, even.  I could write a whole ten other posts devoted to why horses & horseback riding are kind of a big deal in my life, and what it used to mean to me.  And another ten posts after that about why I haven’t done it in awhile and why I should do it again and how badly I want to.

I own every single Walter Farley book every written, as well as every other book written about anything having to do with horses.   My Walter Farley collection  is still something I hang on to and refuse to get rid of or donate.  I’ve also kept all my Breyers, and all my horse ornaments collected over the years.   When I was younger, I didn’t get a dollhouse.  I got a barn – dollhouse sized.  That’s still in my parents’ basement.  I also still have all the pieces of paper that were pinned to my back for identification in horse shows, my trophies (of course), my riding hats, every pair of riding pants, my jacket, and my riding shoes are still covered with mud.  Over a decade old mud.

In any case, my husband told me, the other day, that at the end of this year (once we’re done leaking money on house stuff and all his bonuses come in) that he wants me to lease a horse.  He got this idea when we were talking to our neighbor, who’d mentioned that she’d done so for awhile and I responded with something about how I’d almost leased awhile back and would love to do so now.

Quite frankly, I was kind of stunned that he got what a big deal it is and is pushing me, gently but firmly, to ride again.

Well, YEAH!  You don’t have to tell me twice!

Montana, our sitter, who I’ve decided I LOVE, is coming to watch Felix for about 5 hours on Sunday so that Mr Nikki & I can just go do something together.  I’m considering finding somewhere to go riding for a few hours.  Either that, or just wander a new neighborhood in Seattle.  It’s a tough call.

I’ve gotten in the good habit of going for an almost 2 mile walk, with Felix, every day.  Our way back to the house goes past a good number of farms and today we were strolling along right behind a gorgeous Paint.  It’s no exaggeration when I say that I get a little weepy every time I see horses and yes, I’m just that weird – even the small of manure & leather makes me heartsick.

So the idea of riding again is… well.  I can barely let myself think about it until it happens.

I’m also pretty excited that the company I’ve worked for on & off for the past decade, and who I’d done all the freelance work-from-home over the past 2 years has practically begged me to start training again for them.  All online, of course.  I didn’t want to, at first, because I was still feeling pretty weighed down with all this baby stuff.  But now I feel ready and then I also realized that with the little bit of work I pick up, I can buy those Fiorentini + Baker boots, riding gear when the time comes, and right now I can pay off a babysitter extra hours so that I can go play freakin’ tennis.

Freakin’ tennis, I say, because if you knew me, it’s one of the last things you’d expect to find me doing.  I’m not athletic, by any means.  I don’t “do” sports.  I like to walk & hike, I love yoga and pilates… but that’s about it.  I suspect I could be one of those people that could really get into “extreme” sports, if I had the motivation.  I like all that death-defying, adrenaline stuff.

Somehow, along the way, I discovered I really enjoy tennis.  I forget how.  But I did take a few lessons while staying with my parents, and in Prague.  Then I played a few times with a friend (well, I use the word “played” loosely) and WOW.  I really dig it.  I think tennis is just a pace that works for me.  So that’s, hopefully, my new thing.  To tide me over until the horse thing starts up (hopefully).  Quite frankly, I don’t even care about playing playing, I’m happy to just take lessons a couple times a week to get the exercise.  Uh, and when I say “tennis lessons” I’m talkin’ pay someone $20 an hour to teach me on a free, public tennis court.  Like, once or twice a week.  I looked into the tennis club that’s within walking distance of our house and DUDE! $4000 to join plus $150/month on top of that?  Ack.  No way.

I just love being up North.  I’ve found the motivation, again, that I was sorely lacking in SoCal.  We go walking every day and the air is so crisp & fresh with just a hint of winter lingering.  Spring will be awesome, I’m sure – but being here, up North, I’m already chomping at the bit for Fall.  It’s going to be A.M.A.Z.I.N.G  There will be the dressing up of Nugget, trick or treaters on our street, wearing sweaters to go pick pumpkins. Fall.  FALL!  Seattle!  Life!