Long Time No Blog

 Oh hey blogger world, it's been a minute. 

This summer flew by, and I've been so fatigued with life and decisions and everything that every time I've opened up a post to write something, I've instead closed it out and gone to read a book. I know that sentence is dramatic, but honestly I feel like most of you can probably relate. I'm feeling the weight of the world these days and am just trying to coast. In a bulleted/picture format, here's what's been going on, with more pictures than you probably want: 

• Goose went lame for a few weeks in June and July when our ground turned to rock with lack of rain. He was super fit at the time and I was riding a lot and working on some lateral things, and right when I was about to back off his workload because of the ground his left front swelled up a bit. Couldn't figure out what exactly it was, he wasn't super off so we didn't call the vet, but then he was fine so I think when the ground is that hard the big dude just can't really work. He did something similar last summer.

Still the best purchase ever: my compression ice boots.

You can see on the inside of that left front it's a bit swollen from about halfway up his leg down into his fetlock. No heat and kind of hard swelling.

• The dogs and I have settled into our new house. This yard makes us so, so happy.

• We went to the Outer Banks with my parents and their two dogs in June. The dogs had the best time on the beach, and they met some crabby friends and had delightful beach romps when no one else was around. The section of beach we stay on with the dogs is not nearly as populated as other parts of the island, and all the beaches are dog friendly. Sorry NJ, but I really don't miss your beaches, NC will always have my heart.

• Goose is pretty cute when he wants to be! Lots of bareback meanders and random photos of his giant noggin.

• While in NJ in July, Zuzu's face blew up from what was likely an infected spider bite. $1500 in vet bills and 20 days of antibiotics later, she's good as new. If you don't have pet insurance for your pups, please go get it. This particular emergency (well, multiple emergency visits) only cost me $250 when all said and done, insurance reimbursed me for the rest of it.

• When not dealing with Zuzu's poor swelling, we had a great time hanging out at my parents' in NJ in July. The girls love the pool, and Franny's Summer Crush photo ended up getting featured on Yards Brewing's Instagram.

• Back in NC, I found a snake hanging around the yard that looked to be tangled in netting. Since last year's incident with the copperhead, I've joined five snake ID Facebook groups and I knew this was a harmless king snake, a docile, good guy who likes to eat copperheads. I put him in a bin and realized he had a pretty wicked skinflap from the netting. I was able to take him to the Caroline Water Fowl rescue, made a donation, and hoped for the best. Unfortunately I don't think this little dude made it but I'm glad I was able to give him a chance. 

• I've read 34 books this summer. In an effort to lessen my screentime, I've barely watched TV and have instead been reading books. A good mix of light series from Kindle Unlimited, mixed in with a bunch of really excellent reads from best seller lists. Ruth Ware is a favorite author, currently. We have, however, enjoyed a few movie nights. Franny's favorite thing is to prop herself on the couch like this, which was convenient for movie night photos. 

• Penny turned eight! 

• In early August, my cousin Meghan and her husband Eric came to visit with their pup, Millie. We took them on all kinds of adventures, including my new favorite trail that leads over a suspension bridge that straddles the NC/SC state lines. We've done a lot of walks and hikes this summer, which has been so good for our mental health.

• I've made a few fun house purchases this summer, including a wheelbarrow and a ladder (not pictured). In true horse girl fashion I was genuinely excited about the wheelbarrow and made the dogs pose with it. 

• One of several trips over to Robindale where a few of my friends board. Brenna, pictured here on her super cool dressage TB, Happy, I actually met at the first barn I boarded at in Rock Hill. Now she's working for an awesome local dressage trainer and taking Happy up the levels. So fun to get to ride with her again!

• Some of our bareback rides have included halters and fly masks because we're lazy.

• Amanda was away for a few days, so she let me ride her mare, Zena. Zena is a Friesian/QH cross and is absolutely delightful. She is so fun, and I had a blast riding such a lovely, educated mare who actually moves off my leg and does what I want her to do when I ask her to do it. Take notes, Goose! Also really fun to ride with Kalyn, I've missed her since she moved barns but her and Hannah are doing great at Robindale.

• During hurricane Ida, my dad and brother were in the basement trying to pump water out of it when they heard an unholy crack and ran for their lives. The basement wall collapsed with all the pressure from the rain water. Everyone was fine and they ended up being able to stay in the house, but it's been a nightmare. Hurricane Ida wreaked havoc on the east coast, so many friends and my family had unimaginable amounts of damage and it was horrifying to watch from afar, let alone to have had to live through it. They're currently fighting insurance, a lot more than just the wall was damaged, and they had to throw out 85% of everything that was kept in the basement. Don't you dare say climate change isn't real, because many of us are living it. 

• More bareback meanders. He's been so, so good this summer. 

• Labor Day week, a bunch of my college friends and I rented my uncle's beach house in Outer Banks. My summer was bookended by OBX trips and we had an absolute blast, so much so that I booked the same week for next year. 

• Some smiles with the Goober! We've been practicing his tricks more lately for fun, and he's been enjoying the extra snacks that come along with practice.

• This photo popped up on my timeline last week. Eight years ago last week, my Grandpa met Penny for the first time when he picked her out a few weeks before bringing her home. She was so cute, this photo made me so happy and sad all at once. So glad I could keep my promise to him and take care of Pen when he couldn't anymore. 

• A few weeks ago, Amanda and I went to a "ladies' night" at a local ranch. An hour walking beautiful trails on horseback and then a fire and wine and snacks after. Super fun and well-run.

• Our local horse blanket cleaner has gone up to over $35/blankets, and between Abby and I we probably have nearly 20. We decided instead to buy some blanket wash and hit up the local Laundromat in my town and see what happened. They actually came out great, and while they were drying on the back of her truck we sat at the beer garden across the street and passed a few hours in good company. Had to crack up when she sent me this snapchat as she went to load up the blankets to head home. 

• The past few weeks have been really, really difficult. I've been trying to find moments of calm and happiness, and sitting in the sunpatch in the yard with the girls when possible has brought me some peace. COVID is still very real, and very dangerous. One of my coworkers and good friends died on a ventilator a few weeks ago and I am still so very shaken from it. He was young and healthy but unvaccinated. His sister and son pleading with everyone to go get vaccinated at his funeral service is something that will always haunt me. I'm so very sad for his family, and for us who knew and loved him. Truly he was the most wonderful person and he didn't deserve to die this way, I wish he had been vaccinated and I wish black and other communities were given the resources they need and deserve, but there's always a lot more to it than that. In short, I'm still feeling devastated by this and don't think I'll be over it for a long time. 

If I find the motivation in the near future, I'd like to do an actual riding update and explore the wonders of bareback riding in a post, and also do a way-overdue melanoma update. Hope everyone is hanging in there, it's a rough world these days (or these last few years, however dramatic you want to make this last sentence).