Rafting, riding, and work.

I mentioned our rafting last blog. The day turned out perfect weather and perfect water. The rapids were better than when the river was higher. Mike took Jackie, Marc, Jonathan and Benjamin down. They dumped at the big kahuna rapid and rode through the next rapid in the river. I picked up the girls and then we met them at the take out to hear their adventure. Benjamin (8) did not want to go again.. So he and Marc went home. Mike went fishing (excellent) and I took Kelsey, Sara, Jackie and Jonathan for another trip down the river. Jackie tried to demonstrate the first trip to us and fell out again on the same spot as before, but we managed to save the boat upright and pull Jackie back in before the next rapid. Well they left the next morning for LA with storied to tell!

Jackie, Marc
Benjamin, & Jonathan Zev

Mike has been working on the house. The downstairs is almost finished. The Zevs stayed in the new family room with a working bathroom (even if it didn't have a door!), but progress is being made and we hope to start the additions soon. Mike has also been taking some time for fun and went out fishing both Thursday and Friday last week while the kids were at Riding camp. The fishing has been great. Better than I ever heard from him. The kids also enjoyed the riding camp last week. They got to do "poles" (whatever that is), barrel riding, cantering, and trail riding. And the best part for them was that they got to take our horses Wed, Thurs, and Friday, riding to the lessons and back. Wednesday we were a bit unsure and so we trailered the horses over. I wasn't paying attention, and the girls were being slow getting the lead ropes, and Mike was just working on getting the horses out.. anyway the back got opened up before the horses were detatched and Sonny tried to back out. When he couldn't get out he FREAKED, which is exactly what we were told would happen if we did this... Oh well, we will try not to make that mistake again. We also were a bit concerned about them loading in the trailer again. But we decided to give it a try on Sunday. We went to a canyon near us and Mike fished and the girls did some trail riding and I worked. It was a beautiful day and the horses loaded without incident, and even though I was a bit nervous sending the girls out on their own into the woods, they did great.

So now that the Zevs are gone I am on the home stretch for our Carribean trip. Wednesday (after I got back to work after my play day) I was told that my main client expected the drawings for his building to be done by August 1 (in other words before I leave on vacation). This is laughable! Anyhow, I agreed to crunch as hard as I can in this two weeks and see what we can accomplish. It won't be done, but I'll do what I can. Maybe this means getting organized so someone else can work on it while I'm gone. The office doesn't do real well at teaming up on projects.. This has advantages and disdvantages. This time it's a disadvantage. So rather than writing this blog I should get working. Now we are 8 days from leaving for vacation, and I still have three more sewing projects. Don't think I'll need to write another blog cause you know what I'll be doing!

Well we rode the horses!

We had to get the horses shod before we could ride and couldn't get that until yesterday, so while Jackie Zev (aka Jackie Schuster) was visiting we found an opportune time to get out. She and I went for an early morning ride and then after breakfast her kids rode a bit around the yard, first time on a horse not in attached to a pony pole. Then Jackie and her husband Marc went out for a ride. The horses did beautifully, we were really pleased. Beautifully that is aside from the one interesting incident when Jackie wanted to take an extra jaunt around the block and lope a bit. Sonny, whom I was riding did not like being separated from Jane, even for that brief few minutes and started SCREAMING and screamed and screamed until she got back. Jackie also had an interesting ride on a particularly prancy horse... My girls did not ride because they were off to horse camp this morning.

In the mean time Lila (my office manager) has given the girls chores to do at her house in exchange for lessons with the horses, that are mostly (at least until this point) ground work so the girls have things they can do when we are not around. They love the arrangement so it works good for all.

Jackie and Marc are visiting during their summer trip across the West and to Yellowstone, etc. Last weekend we were able to join them in Yellowstone. We appreciated the opportunity to go to Yellowstone and camp and of course are thrilled to visit with them. They saw lots of wildlife including a grizzly. Maybe next time for us.

This afternon we are taking the Zevs white water rafting, another activity weare happy to be able to provide them and another chance to get out on the river. Mike might even do a bit of fishing today :-)

And now for something completely different.

Well, we bought two horses yesterday. Never really knew I wanted horses, but I guess it all started because we bought land..... Actually Mike has had horses before and was interested in having them again and I guess that was all the encouragement I needed. I tried to find alternative to owning (leasing and offering boarding, renting etc.) but it was looking like nothing was going to work out so we realized horses are not so expensive, we could buy a couple and if we didn't like it we could always sell them again. Anyhow, Friday the girls and I went to Idaho Falls to do our final shopping before our trip to the Virgin Islands and instead went horse shopping. We stayed the night in IF and since the horses we bought came with a trailer, we could bring them home with us Saturday. They are happily munching our grass now, which we like to see as it is now over waist high.

The horses are both 15 years old, one (white one) is an Arabian/Quarterhorse cross gelding. The Mare is a Quarterhorse. We tried to pass on the trailer.. since it is so funky, but the guy essentially threw it in. I'll throw another photo on of our newly mowed grass, since we buckled down last week and each spent an hour for three days just to get about 50% of the yard mowed. We need to consider a riding lawn mower.. oh yeah I just got two!

Other news of the week.. We went rafting on the white water section of the snake last week, which was fun, even if not a long thrilling ride. And I had a court hearing with my ex. He agreed to let me take the girls to the Virgin Islands, but is fighting to require Sara to change schools. This garbage never ends.