A letter to the MPS

Dear Mighty PuckStar - you are such a guy! Let me count the wayz....(mebbe not...more crazy making)

1) You eff with my head on a daily basis. "Look - I'm sound! Oops....3 legged! No! Sound!"

2) Even when you are semi-out of commission, you expect the same, if not MORE attention! Thank god you can't talk - or you'd probably whine like a man too :-)

3) Its all about you, 24/7 - every day of the year!

Oh well - you are certainly better looking than most (well - with some exceptions - hello Johnny Depp, Kiefer Sutherland, Henry Cavill, Taylor Kitsch, James W. Marsters...) But okay...aside from that you're way more fun...and a MUCH higher R.O.I.

Oh well - you love me no matter how crazy pants you make me....and you never comment on a bad hair day :-)

Love your crazy pants owner

Ahh...Spring...or How the Mighty Tanked his First Show

Spring. Who doesn't look forward to that first horse show of the year? Sure, being the NW it might rain on us ...a little. But seriously; getting out the show clothes, finding an excuse to buy a new show shirt to add to your collection of 20, getting that first prize list, sending in entries...ahhh..heaven!

Unless of course, you are The Mighty Puck Star. Then, for some bizarre reason known only to yourself, you plot, scheme and dig your way to an elephantine right front leg, and cause your owner to wail, pull out her hair and gnash her teeth. All of which is very entertaining to you - 3 legged horse.

What actually happened was this. Our first show was to be a return to glorious (?!) Monroe for the Spring Inaugrual the first week of April. If you recall, we did very well at this show last year, despite the rain. About 4 weeks ago, his Imperial Highness of The Kingdom of Making His Human Crazy-Pants (TKOMHHCP - official title) decided that digging a hole to China - or at least to the property next door would be an entertaining use of his time outside. His hole was knee deep, his right front swelled up enough that I gave a little scream upon first seeing it - and that was all she wrote for April.

He has actually been sound through-out, and I was able to get the swelling down using my old racetrack tricks. He's been back under saddle (flat only) for the last few weeks, but no jumping (yet).

Sigh....so the lone peon (serf, slave, worker) in TKOMHHCP has NOT gotten out her show clothes, NOT purchased a new show shirt, NOT filled out entries, and is NOT getting the first week of April off.

Sadly for my sanity - I still love him like crazy, and am making plans (sshhhh! secret ones!) for May! But I'm not telling His Imperial Highness!

Is it possible that January is busier than December?

Travel, travel, travel - I'm hitting the road this month. First up is Lost Wages aka Las Vegas. This is actually a working trip (stop your snickering right now). I have to stay at the Rio - but will mos' def' be making a trip to Red Square for my favorite Key Lime Pie martini.

Then its off to San Francisco for another Symposium. Since I am one of the sponsors - gotta get together 400 gift bags, plus media, plus,plus,plus! I think all this marketing genius of mine would be well served marketing horse racing!

Before all that however - I get to figure out if this shoulder thing is just severe inflamation or a small tear in the rotator cuff. MRI here I come!

Rant of the Day: thanks to the tall blond (male) s.o.b. who hurried into the elevator and hurriedly pushed his button so that it closed the doors on the 3 of us right behind you. Your mother would be so proud of your manners.

Rave of the Day: the weather doesn't get many raves from me, but today was a beautiful early winter day with temps hovering at 50F.

2009 in Review

Well since everyone from Andy Rooney to Entertainment Weekly does a year in review, I figured why not me?! So I'll start, logically enough, with January (bet you didn't see that coming). I'm only doing one calendar quarter per post..just because.

Hmm...I remember spending the first part of January being very happy that it wasn't still December, with all the snow that got dumped on us. Then it seemed like there was some work in there a bunch of days, and of course as much time as possible at the barn.

I did go to San Francisco for a work related Symposium. Not only was it productive, but there was open bar! January also marked the return of Lost! and 24, as well as American Idol. What can I say, I like to be entertained.

February..lets see...scratching my head here. Yup, I'd say February is pretty much a blank; work, ride, work, ride. I *did* barn sit so Teri and John could celebrate their anniversary with a trip across the border to Canada. Most memorable moment is hoping and praying that Otto will NOT let himself out of his stall and go a-wandering. Kiersten solved the issue w/a lock and key...note...do NOT leave key in lock for Otto.

Now March starts to finally get interesting. Its the month of my birthday of course, AND we got to send in entries for our first horse show of the year (which actually took place in April).

I'm sure there are some people out there who are wondering what exactly is being recapped here. To tell you the truth, year in year out, what I remember most are times spent with my family and friends, my precious, precious barn time, and of course my life's sound track.

5 Things I Think

1) Politics is a dirty business, and so are those involved in it. It doesn't matter what side of the aisle you are on - the bottom line is all about power. Power to make people do and say exactly what you like. Power corrupts, absolutely. And for those who insisted on seeing who signed a certain initiative here in WA state - how pitiful. Its like your vote - if you want to reveal how you voted - great. If you don't - it shouldn't be made public. One day this will come back and bite the folks who pressed for it in the a**; something they signed or did that should be confidential will be released, and I will laugh my a** off.

2) I miss Ireland. It was so easy to forget how obsessed with PC'ism the Seattle area is (people can't even laugh about something that's TRUE without someone getting up and huffing out of the room w/some bizarre sense of hurt). That's why no one talks to each other anymore - so worried that someone somewhere will take offense - even if whatever is said is absolutely true. The other thing I definitely did NOT miss is the Passive-Agressive (ism) that the Seattle area has turned into an art form. Say what you mean to say - back it up, and go to the matt for it.

3) I can't emphasize enough how much I am LOVING my New Orleans Saints. I have rooted for you (the team) all my life - and no matter what happens, this has been the most exciting 7 weeks in the NFL EVER for me!! Drew Brees for the Nobel Prize! He's at least as qualified as the last recipient. And given his work for the city post-Katrina - quite possibly more so.

4) I forgot just how good the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series was. Great characters, storylines, and all around entertaining. Just saw Zombieland this weekend - and enjoyed that too! I think those rules could apply to multiple situations...!

5) I want/need to carve out more horse time somehow...(don't I say that all the time?!)

Last Day in Ireland

Monday, 28-Sep
The sun certainly shown on my last day in Ireland. I was trying to decide what to do last night, and realized that my next trip here will most likely start in Wicklow. So we booked a day tour of the Wicklow area, including Glendalough (Valley of the 2 Lakes).

The driver's name was John, and as it turns out he owns a riding stable and livery in Kildare, which you may remember, is one of the areas I have narrowed down to my most desired living spots. I immediately offered him my services as barn manager, and we have in fact exchanged email addresses. Stay tuned!

The ride out takes you through Dublin; very urban, congested and, well, a city. You then travel through Enniskerry; more charming 'suburb' like and starting to get out towards the country. Finally you arrive in Glencree (Valley of My Heart), home of the Peace and Reconciliation Centre (hoping for peace between north and south) - housed in a former children's reformatory.

Then it was up into the Wicklow Mountains, which are wild and beautiful, covered with heather and mist, peat bog and sheep. Then it was on to Glendalough - St. Kevin's monastic settlement dating to the 10th century. Cemetaries, round towers, ruins galore - just my sort of place.

On to Avoca - a charming riverside town, and all too soon back to Dublin.

Those of you reading along may have noticed that I never mentioned the Book of Kells, Guiness brewery or St. Patricks (among other tourist destinations in Dublin). Its because I never saw them. I walked past Trinity every day I was in Dublin, and went past Guiness twice, and "saw" St. Patricks. But the truth of the matter is this; I wanted to spend my time seeing the country, talking to the people, not doing the tourist shuffle past these things. And I did exactly what I wanted to do.

I've made some wonderful friends on this trip; Derek and Gerarda, Helen, Niamh and Claire, John, Cyndi and Maureen. And I've truly fulfilled everything I set out to make this trip be for myself. I fell in love, and found my place and I can't wait to come back.

And they're off - -or a day at The Curragh

Sunday, 27-Sep
Today we headed out to The Curragh. It was about an hour bus ride from Dublin, back toward Kildare (home of the Irish National Stud). Today was Ireland's richest day of racing, with the Goff's Millions, and the Million Sprint, as well as 5 other group races like the Boodles Diamond Cup, etc. I bought a Racing Times for the bus ride and away we went.

It was overcast, but luckily not raining! As we arrived, the car park was filling up. Ladies in the most extraordinary outfits and hats were everywhere. Keep in mind - this is the home of the Irish Classic races, and playground for Sheikh Mahktum, and all that sort. Brown Thomas (their version sort of, of Neiman Marcus) sponsored the most stylish lady competition - and it was fierce.

But of course I came for the horses. As I practically sprinted over to the saddling enclosure, I was practically salivating. Lovely beautiful groomed to within an inch of their life horses! The first race was 30 horses going 6 furlings (3/4 mile). One the bus ride I had selected Irish Heartbeat, and now I was determined to go experience the bookmaker's stalls.

I wandered a bit, and finally made my choice. I talked to the man for a few minutes and finally settled for a 2 Euro wager. My horse ran 2nd and I cashed and was thrilled! They run strictly on grass here - Lynn was enchanted with the divot replacing crew. So exciting!

I also cashed on the 2nd race I selected, then decided it was time to go to the gift shop, and get a bite to eat and people watch! What a great day! The feature race had the top 4 finishers seperated by less than a horse length. There was a prize each race for best turned out horse (EVERYone who grooms should take note of this...!) All in all - a great great day.

The traffic jam getting out of the parking lot was not so great - 45 minutes just to get out. But finally made it home and trying to decide what to do with our last day in Dublin!