reception was AWESOME thank you very much. 

Thank you to people who sent good wishes, people who travelled, people who said they wished they could travel, and all the friends and neighbors that (I think) don't actually read this.

My next step is talking to a gallery, to get my stuff out into the world on a more regular basis. Andpossiblygetpaidforit.

\o/ wictory!

two horses (Kaboose and Ruby) all walking, all lateral to forward to lateral again
one physical (healthy, but pudgy)
one flu shot (virtuous is me) (also pained shoulder is me)
one child to circus, and two home (good trick, that)

Plus some of the angst seems to be receding. I was blindsided by the anger in the distress of Bully's owner on Monday, just before I had to hang the show, and I guess I sat on it kind of hard, and by yesterday I was a shaking weeping wreck.

Al talked me down, and I got to visit with one of my oldest riding friends, and she was so sympathetic about Bully (happened to her too, and another one, both awful, and unexpected, and devastating)that I could feel my issues slowly melting. I am better than I have been for weeks. Witness, riding two horses. Which also serves to improve me, and it goes around...

Reception on Saturday, for which I must make tiny fabulous bites of food that will not make crumbs in the library. I am thinking tiny shortbreads, and tiny crackers with cheeses, and then I will rely on the kindness of Nonie's baking people. That is my task for Friday.

whoa - that looks familiar.... oh. right. nevermind.

hung.

labelled, and then the labels were restuck with that strange putty after they spent the night curling off the walls and rolling part way down which was funny looking if frustrating.

poster in front case. (is gorgeous, if I do say so)

guest book, with poster shrunk down for cover. (also gorgeous, need to tie a pen or pencil onto it)

artist's statement. (more putty)

my name in big print.

done.

amen.

Dear Universe -

May I please have another horse?

I did not take the last one for granted. I rode him 5 or six times a week, and I loved doing it. I loved him. I was learning things about how to ride an upper level horse, and how to be a better rider. I miss having those conversations with a horse with that kind of training. It isn't that I don't miss Bully, because I do. A lot. But missing him is not improving my riding, and while the Canadians are teaching me things, they are not helping me compete at the level I want to try.

I am hoping to find a first or second level school master for free lease or shared lease in a 30 mile radius. Age, gender, size, shape and color are all negotiable, but the training is not. It would be nice if the horse was comfortable and fun on trails too, just to keep us from going bonkers with boredom in a ring. I was looking forward to competing in a few small shows, and working on some clinics with my previous horse. That would be nice to anticipate with a new horse too. 

I do come with references. I took good care of Bully, and took pleasure in doing so. I keep working with the Canadians to make them better horses, and with their owners to make them happier and more confident riders. I am dedicated, and determined without (I hope) being too rigid. I like to goof around with my horse, and I am good at stepping out of the ring, and away from expected behaviour. I have no dignity. I keep my pockets stocked with carrots. In return, I ask for a horse that might recognize me, and work with me on my riding, accept carrots without looking for fingers as well, and be open to goofy behaviour from the rider, including lots of trails, splashing in water, the possilbility of galloping on a beach and bareback riding, as well as basic schooling work.

I promise to continue to keep looking for my next horse, and ask people who might have a lead on a good horse for me. If you could help me by bringing that horse to my attention in a timely fashion (like in the next month or two) I would be grateful.

That is all

Thank you very much

Lee

Oh honey - - it makes me want to go find it and bring it home....

This cracks me up

that is all

as I said in an email to a friend,


The latest is that I can make it look right, a page at a time, and save those pages to PDF files, which then print. Since there are only 5 of those, it isn't so bad. I still need to beat it, or beat my head upon it, to get the thing to print all the records in a seamless fashion, but some of the stress is relieved having the PDF files for a back-up plan.

In other news, I was reading The Dazzle of Day by Molly Gloss, and I couldn't figure out why it felt so familiar, when I realized it had a structure and rhythm very similar to Pamela Dean's Dubious Hills, a book that consists of Arry (mostly) walking up and down the hill, and running errands and living her normal life at the same time that every part of her normal life is changing. Dazzle of Day has several characters walking around and around the generation ship they are in, and living their normal life, at the moment they are deciding what to do about living on the planet they have arrived at, and their normal life is completely changing, out from under them. I loved the balance of the book, between Quakers In Space, and the tech they could maintain and support, and the feelings they were having about the change in their lives.

I had long, detailed dreams last night of walking with people, living their lives, while their lives were changing.