Crash Day

It wasn't planned, but today was about the crash, mon.  Crashing on a horse farm means you do all the chores, but you just ride one horse.  And you don't run errands though you do lots of laundry including all the saddle pads.  And you get a nap, much to the approval of the cats.  Trouble, the little tortie polydactyl kitty, has been sacked out next to me all day.

Lots of cold, strong wind out there--more so than yesterday--but Capria never pays much attention to Weather.  The Girlz do.  They love to play games of Eek! bolt!! especially if Capria is being worked around them.  Capria ignores them. She's in the Zone, doing Dressage.

Gaudia is now so big that I have to look twice to tell her and Ephiny apart.  I guess Pook is not into making small babies.

I did not have the energy to ride him, and my body was not cooperating, either.  Capria put up with it.  Pook is less forgiving.  So, he waits until tomorrow.

The year's end is shaping up to feature Work.  Proofs of another story--the one for the Sprague de Camp tribute, which is so late I've written and long since published the novel that grew out of the story.  It seems the anthology is called The Enchanter Completed. I also have a proposal to hand in on the 3rd--book 3 of the LUNA series.  It's drafted already, just needs to be tuned up.

Christmas week.  Yes.  The coming week will be much too busy, as always, with baking, decorating, partying, a last bit of cleaning, and all the usual.  Two kinds of cookies this year--spritz and raspberry strip cookies--and our family quick bread (we call it Irish bread but there is no caraway or yeast in it) and the Infamous Eggnog Muffins.  And pies.  Rhubarb (I have a freezerful of it) and apple and pumpkin.  My mom is making the tortieres--the French pork pies that are a must on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve and at various points throughout the holidays.  We are getting a free-range turkey.  It's my annual splurge.

Joni said she wants to teach over Christmas this year, too--usually she takes a break--so we'll be having lessons at some point.  I'm up for it.  We'll be getting lots of lessons over the next few weeks--she'll be doing a bunch between January 3rd and 10th, too, when the Ladies from Texas come with horses to ride and study dressage.

I'm looking forward to it--actually, I confess, more than I'm looking forward to Christmas, which has sort of left me feeling eh this year.  I'm not Grinchy, I'm just apathetic.  Tired, probably.