The End of a Long Day

The kids and I are back home after their swimming lessons, and our usual Tuesday night dinner at my brother Tom's house.  This week we had a surprise visitor. My Dad, Terry, visited out of the blue.  Typically, we didn't know he was coming until the last minute (ie - late'ish this afternoon) and he's only here overnight and working all day tomorrow, and too busy to evening grab a coffee (decaf for me of course).   But that's just how things are with my Dad.

While it's been a pretty productive day, I admit that I am feeling just a little bit like I've been run over by a truck.  My mind still swirls with activity, and I am desperately tired.  I'm not sure that sleep will come easily tonight (not that it comes easily most nights).  I have a bit of a headache, and I'm trying to get my head around completing the final forms that we need to lodge.  These forms are at best confusing, and at worst, really hard to understand.  It didn't seem this hard when they were being explained to me this afternoon.  I don't even know if I have the right forms! I guess there are a couple of phone calls I can make tomorrow that may help with this.

I am conscious that I have 2 days left before I have to hit the road and do an 8 hour drive.  That's making me feel tired already.  I am hoping to sleep a little bit better the next couple of nights, to help me get there in one piece, but sleep isn't coming easily at the moment.  In fact, it hasn't come easily for some time now.  The house has suddenly descended into looking like a tip again (how does this happen within 2 days of the children coming home????), and I haven't packed for Scone yet. 

I called in to see Snips today.  I am feeling unhappy that it will be difficult to ride him tomorrow and on Thursday. And after this I am off to Scone for 3 days, which means I am unlikely to be able to ride him again before Monday of next week.  I'm feeling like I'm getting so much fitter, and better coordinated, and better in tune with him.  He's listening to me now, and we are bonding.  He's trying so hard for me (as am I, I'm trying to hard to ride him well), and I think we are progressing nicely.

I am still hopeful of getting on him on Thursday afternoon, and if I manage that, I'm hoping that the truly evil weather we've been having will have passed.  The wind has been wicked, noisy, strong, and bitterly cold.  And the mountains just beyond Freelance's paddock are covered in snow.  On Thursday I'll have to work this gorgeous looking bright bay fellow in the downstairs arena, so I'm hoping that those gale force winds have eased and that the ground is a little less treacherous.  He slipped a few times on Saturday and Sunday, but we kept our feet.  

I put my bridle on him.  He's got a very beautiful head, and I can't wait to take some proper headshots of him.  The bridle fits him, although I may yet go searching for Freelance's other bit, because it's a thicker bit, and softer in the mouth.  I'd like to see him a very soft bit, to try to encourage him to soften through the mouth, just as I would like to get him out of the martingale.  These are all things we can work on though. 

And yes, before I set off, I will remember to check Dan's oil, water and tyres..  Good boy Dan, good boy.  The lovely Dan simply MUST last for a little while longer.  He must...

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