Someone named Jim came out to the barn the other day. I wasn't there. Jim was looking for a horse to buy and came out to see Doris and Frankie. Once Diane got him out by the horses he pointed to Bella and asked about her. Wait a minute. She's mine. Don't even look at her. Diane explained she had sold Bella over a year ago. But he wouldn't let it go at that. Is that Molly's horse? (Uh huh. Who is this Jim anyway?) Well, I want a flashy one like that. (Not in your lifetime, Buddy.)

Being out in the desert overnight with the rest of the herd was exhausting. Even with her loverman, McCoy, outside the gate she needed to catch a couple of winks.



She certainly has a straight nose and heavy muzzle. Must be the Andalusian traits.
This might have been the perfect time to saddle her and do a little starter stuff. Sadly I didn't have the saddle and anyway hated to interrupt her beauty sleep.

7 Things I'd Like To Accomplish in 2008 and/or Boring Things About Me

Tracey at Mustang Diaries tagged me :) :(
A nice thing about this tag is that Tracey got tagged by Mudranch which made me go check out her blog. That was a nice find!

1. I'd really like to take this basic Spanish I've picked up and turn it into full sentences that don't sound like David Sedaris' "Me Talk Pretty One Day."
2. I'd like to keep up the exercise I forced myself to continue through the holidays. I'm sure I haven't lost any weight but doing these last 8 weeks of Pilates has really started me on the road to better strength.
3. I'd like to continue my slow training of Bella and probably get on her back sometime this Spring.
4. I'd like to read more. Books that is. I have my blogs to keep me warm but there are so many books in my pile that are screaming my name.
5. I'd like to travel a little. Last summer I had a great road trip up into Oregon. I passed places I'd like to go back to. And, yes, it has to do with wineries. But North Carolina relatives need visiting, too.
6. I'd like to spend more time in my almost abandoned house in CA.
7. I'd like to keep taking my vitamins. I'll be 60 in a few short months and am so very lucky to continue to be healthy enough to be looking forward to these things above.
   

I just cannot make myself tag 7 people after I did it in the previous post. But all/both of my readers know they are tagged.

THANKS MIKAEL
AT
MiKael's Mania

YOU TOTALLY MAKE MY DAY

I miss very few days of checking up on my Arabian Horse buddy in Washington. She writes the most compelling blogs in serial form so at the end of each one you can't wait until tomorrow to see what happens next.

Here are 10 blogs I read almost each and every day...right after I've checked in at MiKael's blog. Sometimes they post so rarely that it is like finding an Easter Egg when I find a new post, while others keep the conversation going.

Dixie Peach
Mustang Diaries
Dooce
The Geek Inside
Smells Horsey
Bike Riding Donut Guy
Helenjane who I lost for awhile when I got a new computer
Aimlessly Wandering
Equine Mine
A Velvet Cage who gets this from MiKael and me
Ami

Uh oh, that's 11. I couldn't stop. You guys are welcome to pass this on if you want to. I know it Made My Day!

Rotator Cuff

I assumed wrongly that the Rotator Cuff was a ball and joint and found myself quite uninformed. Sister Barbie has to have hers operated on due to a bad fall this past summer that dislocated her shoulder. I get to go up and play nurse/bartender since she'll be somewhat immobile and someone has to open the wine. That's Oregon in February and I don't have any winter clothes down here. brrrr
Our town is full of snowbirds and I find myself grumbling about the traffic. With no stoplights, and the ALTO signs are merely suggestions, it gets a little tangled occasionally. If I find myself behind someone who isn't moving when they should I find my hand hovering just over the steering wheel horn. When did I get so impatient?
And we have friends and relatives lined up like airliners at an international airport to come down and warm up a few minutes. It's our busy season.

OUT WITH THE OLD

And in with the new desktop picture. It looks like one of those pictures full of promise.

We all have lots of promising changes to look forward to, both personal and countrywide. We can call this a glimmer of hope.

Christmas Dinner

A friend took this on Christmas evening. After we were loaded with turkey it was time to get the horses fed. The actual picture is brighter and the afternoon sun and shadows make you need to squint your eyes just as if you were there.