Tuesday March 15, 2011 - Change of Plans and Catch Up Day

Well, it's been awhile since I've written, primarily because we've been doing so many "non-equestrian" things. Mostly we've been working our tails off, washing and waxing and polishing and Windexing and changing oil and fixing tires and doing repairs, barely noticing the perfect weather around us, though without it we wouldn't be able to do all these things. Essentially, we've worked ourselves to near exhaustion, and yet there are still things on the list to be done. Originally we had only planned to stay here for a week to ten days, but now it's been over two weeks. If we stay much longer, it will be too late to get to our job in DC in April, but that was essentially going to be a logistical challenge as well. We were going to board the horses at a place in Maryland, do the job in VA, then drive home with just one vehicle and do some necessary work and doctors' appointments there, leaving the horses behind, then when we got back, heading further north after an undetermined amount of time. I suspect we'd end up being at home even longer than we hoped, simply because it always takes longer to do everything than we think, so we'd be away from the horses for too long. Anyway, all that changed today. We decided, with my Brother's permission, to just stay here through April, fly to DC for the job, leaving him to look after all the critters, then upon our return, traveling at a more leisurely pace back home with the family intact. Then we can get everything done without any pressure of being separated from the horses (not to mention paying board in MD all the while), and leaving when we're ready. Then we can simply enjoy the summer at our own pace, like most of last year. Logistically, a much more sensible and affordable option (especially the recent rise in fuel prices due to the various Libyan and other Middle East uprisings), not to mention the fact that the weather here continues to be perfect, though getting a bit warmer than we like, but better that than the freezing weather they're still having in most of the country! With the decision made, we finished off a few more chores today, making preparations to go out to Dupuis tomorrow for the remainder of the week and weekend.