It is almost Christmas! And all I want for Christmas is for Jaliska to go to Florida to train and compete for the winter. It would be a dream come true.
A course in Wellington, Florida looks inviting
So I pose the question to Jaliska while tacking her up for our ride. “J,” I say, “it’s up to you. If you want to go to Florida to compete with the other Grand Prix horses then you should KICK BUTT during your trial ride with DJ next week. If not, well, then you should still do decent so as to not embarrass yourself.”
I am a big believer in “if it’s meant to be, it will be” and “if not, then something better is in store.” We just might not know what the “better” is, yet. I leave it up to the universe to decide.
I bring J to the outdoor. The footing is very sloppy due to the heavy rain last night but since I am only doing a light ride “per vet orders” it will be fine. I like to ride her outside as much as possible, especially now with winter upon us and the fast approaching frigid, single digit temperatures. Once the ground is frozen, we will have no choice but to ride inside.
I love the smell of a fire in the evening.
Tonight it is a crisp 30 degrees. It is dusk. I smell smoke from a distant fire. I love that smell. I find it comforting that somewhere, someone is being warmed by a real fire rather than gas or oil, is the exception and not the rule these days.
Sidebar! There is nothing better than a roaring fire in the fireplace during the winter. I recall reading books to my kids on a blanket in front of the fireplace when they were little, around 4 and 6. One of our absolute favorites was “The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane,” by Kate DiCamillo. It was about this fancy china doll rabbit that was adored by his little girl owner. But Edward did not appreciate her or the privileged life that he led. As a matter of fact, he thought he was above it all and, for some reason, deserved better. It was only after a series of significant and tragic misfortunes that he ultimately learned about true love. The moral of the story is be grateful for what you have, it could always be worse.
In any event, I wasn’t thinking about Edward Tulane while in the outdoor ring this evening. I was just feeling the utter and complete happiness that comes from riding my horse in the chilly night air with a hint of smoke wafting through it from a distant fire. This is what makes me happy, and I want nothing more than to appreciate every moment, frigid air or otherwise.
