Sad News...

Okay, everybody.  On Saturday I got called into work and it was all fine and dandy.  My supervisor let me off a bit early because I charmed him with my feminine pleas (more like really big puppy eyes) and they didn't really need me there.  I called my parents but they didn't come for a while, so I read the hymns I'd brought with me and twiddledeedummed around.  When they pulled up I was startled because Mom was crying and Dad looked very grim.  I got in, thinking it probably wasn't much, seeing as most things make my mom cry.  I got in and Dad told me that they had something to tell me.

Kate took the dogs for a walk on Saturday evening, when my mom was at a baby shower and my dad had gone to visit my grandpa with most of the older kids.  Both dogs saw something, slipped out of their collars and ran for it, Katie chasing behind them the whole way. She eventually caught up to Dahlia right by the canal (whew), and looked around to see Daisee sniffing at one of the fences lining the canal.  A lady who lived closeby started talking to Kate, saying that she would come and help catch Daisee, and Katie was talking to her, but when Kate turned back, she couldn't see Daisee anymore.  She ran up to the fence to see two enormous white Huskies attacking Daisee.  The owner eventually got out and managed to control one of them, but the other one wouldn't listen to her.  By the time Kate got her out, it was really bad.  She ran her home to Mom, who was back from the baby shower by now, and Mom tried to get her to my friend Landon's house, who works at the vet's office, but by the time she got there it was too late. 

Kate is completely traumatized, as are the rest of our family, including poor Dahlia, who keeps sniffing around the house, trying to find her sister.  We're all very, very sad right now. 

Daisee was the sweetest dog you'll ever meet.  She endured Grcie picking her up, sitting on her, pulling her ears, and tugging her around on her leash without so much as a growl or whine.  She wagged her tail and jumped up on you no matter if she knew you or not.  She would give you kisses and beg for belly rubs and attention, and sit on your lap with that air of "you're my person, I'm your dog, now pet me". 

Love you, Daisee!  We miss you!



WHERE ARE WE??!!!

Hey ya'll! Where is everyone now? I know that Kimberly is a SENIOR!!!! And Abbey and Tianna are Juniors, and Erica and I are Sophomores!!!!! Whoa. That is pretty crazy. How is school for everyone? I happen to be taking a million (not really, just 3) AP classes. The classes themselves are not very hard, but I get homework every night. So I am doing homework everyday. Except for Friday nights, when I want a night off, and Sunday or oblivious reasons.We need to get together!!!!! Like, when we all have a day off, or on a Friday night or something. What is going on at Paradigm? Anything exciting or different? How is your school going Abbey? Is it hard coming in a little later than everyone? I want to hear from everyone soon!!!!!!

the inevitable

Every horse-back rider will fall from of their mount at some point in life. This is unavoidable. This is destiny. This is learning. This is painful.

If you haven't guessed, I have taken that leap in experience to fall off of Big B. Want the bloodsome and gutty story? Here it is:

Lisa (the person who owns the horses I ride) and I went for a trail ride on Labor Day. We had a blast and the horses enjoyed it too. We also had adventures, like running away from an evil-man-(and)-horse-eating horse fly, trees hitting faces, rocks, echoy tunnels, mud and streams to splash in--especially Big B. After the trail ride, Lisa let me lope Big B around a loop while she took the equipment off of Scotch started to load him up. B was very buddy sour and anxious about leaving Scotch. When we came around the bend he started going faster than I wanted and then galloping. With the warning of speeding up, I gained control easily and we got back on track. But, alas, Big B is not a stupid horse, and when the rounded the bend again, he took off as if he was running for his life to get back to Scotch.
Now, neither I nor Lisa even new B had it in him to run this fast because he is so soooo lazy all of the time. He wanted his buddy back. When I was trying to slow him down he didn't like that, so he bucked. Not a full on rodeo sized buck, but a pretty good one. This sent me forward, and the second kick put me out hanging way to the side of the saddle.
In this moment I had a choice: to go get kicked off and go flying, or drop off as safely as I could.
I chose the latter. Watching Big B's front legs so I would go underneath or the way of them to get trampled, I let go and....






SMACK! Ground snatched my breath and sight. I tumbled and turned, rolled and somersaulted! It took a few moments to stop--just like it might if you had to drop from a fast moving car. Sitting up the first pain was my bum. What a kind bum to cushion part of my body during the flight down the sloped ground!
Poor Lisa, who was brushing Scotch gets surprised by a calling, neighing, riderless horse. Hopping up she rode back to me.
"Are you alright?!" she asked.
"Yeah," I said weakly.
"Did he buck you off?"
"Yeah...."
"I'll be right back. We're going to have a little meeting."
I don't think Big B enjoyed that meeting. Lisa ran him as hard and fast as he could go. If he slowed even a little, he got a reminder kick to keep his legs moving.
When I stood up I realized it was my leg that hurt. A few steps and I felt dizzy, my vision grew splotchy. Great. I thought. I'm going to pass out. Just great. Not willing to pitch over and fall again, I used up the remainder of my adrenaline to get to a bench and take care of myself.
Big B and Lisa rode up, B drenched in grimy sweat.
"Is your elbow okay?" Lisa asked me.
"Elbow?" Sure enough, my elbow was bleeding and packed with dirt. "Oh. Yeah."
I then had to get back up on Big B and do my own reinforcement after Lisa's, so B would get the message that what he'd done was not okay. Mounting up with my cracked helmet, Lisa walked beside me just in case.

Come the next day I hurt everywhere, but no broken bones or even bruises! Just a scab on my elbow.

THE END