Virtual Brush Box

Fit To Ride

Awareness of the outside world. “A portion of race proceeds will benefit the Nancy N. and J.C. Lewis Cancer & Research Pavilion at St. Joseph’s/Candler.” SBR: Official Charity.
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Enmarket Savannah Bridge Run, Virtual 5K
McCallum Park (Bham Wiki)
Sunday, November 28, 2021
Time – approx. 1 hour 18 min
Results – none for virtual, AFAIK
Map My Walk

Not a course for a fast time.

Fortunately more trails than indicated on map, above. So I didn’t spend the entire hour walking back and forth across the bridge.

Loot included shirt & bib. Race shirt theory. Long sleeves, as here, in XL for husband. I don’t do long sleeves. When the weather gets cold, I go straight from t-shirt to sweatshirt. Cute/special shirts, such as Flying Pig in XXL for lounge/sleepwear. Garden variety &/or horse-related, i.e. Breyer, in L for barn. With so many walks, I have resupplied my barn t-shirt stock for years.

IRL Walk

Third of three local parks I wanted to check out. Chosen for this walk since it has a bridge. [Little Walking, Little Walks]

Listed with monthly walks. [The Next Step, State of the Fitness, November]

Last year [Strolling In Another Park Another Day, Walk Report, Savannah Bridge Run, Virtual 5K, December 2020 & Bridge Bling]

A Plan That Didn’t Happen

Found the perfect place to do this walk. Bridgehunter: Bridgeport Railroad Walking Bridge. A mile-long pedestrian bridge over the Tennessee river. Long, straight walk. Lots to look at. Historic.

But.

As with Baltimore, it was several hours away. [Wandering Around The Water]

Plus, the Internet was hazy on whether or not it was still open to the public.

So, I stayed around here.

Onwards!
Katherine

Riding

Awareness of the outside world. The policy wonk in my household thinks the supply chain issues are partly due to people buying more stuff instead of spending the money on going out. It doesn’t take much of a shift to throw the system out of whack.
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The next day, we trailered Milton over to Stepping Stone Farm. Husband Greg took a lesson. Got to be at the barn to take care of horses. Might as well teach a few lessons. [Holiday Adventures, Rodney at FHF]

It’s not my story. I never know what to say. Since I am capable (so very, very capable) of saying too much, I overcorrect by saying too little.

I’ll repeat my comment from last year. Still true.

“Since the Virtual Tevis, my husband has been riding Milton. They seem to get along. At least he (the husband) doesn’t look at him (the horse) and tear his hair (either husband or horse) out in frustration and despair. Unlike some people.”

[Miracle Boots, More Of The Story, Milton History]

Lesson Report

Milton (taking one look at Coach Courtney in the middle of the ring): Yes, Ma’am. Right away, Ma’am. No one here but us exceedingly well-behaved horses.

No media because I got all wrapped up in watching and forgot.

“The next day”, as in Friday, as in December 24. Dunno which is weirder. Spending Christmas Eve at the barn, or spending Christmas Eve at the barn and not thinking it’s weird.

Onwards!
Katherine

Riding

Awareness of the outside world. Ancient Alabama, part seven, “That process formed hematite, which is Alabama’s official state mineral because of its economic importance.” AL.com: Birmingham became the Magic City thanks to an ancient bacteria, Pillion, 1 Dec 2021.
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Last Thursday, we took Rodney over to Falcon Hill Farm. Hunter Barn was unavailable over holidays. So, I figured I’d go over to FHF and trot around their lovely ring.

Might as well schedule a lesson. See what happens. Coach Molly had kinda gotten thrown out with Milton bathwater.

An excellent time was had by all.

Hunter Barn has a program that they put all their horses through. My lesson with Rodney stayed low and focused on accuracy. FHF lessons are more flexible. I had more input into our exercises. Christmas Tree trot poles? Sure. Canter pole? Not quite yet. Both approaches work. Just different.

Although I wasn’t ready to wrap my head around canter poles, we did canter in both directions, which we need to do more of. We also did one set of trot poles so often that Rodney started looking for them as we came around the corner, which is awesome.

Onwards!
Katherine

Horsekeeping

Awareness of the outside world. Track the telescope. NASA: Where is Webb?
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As seen on EQUINE Ink: Gua Sha for your Horse.

I absolutely, totally believe that the best body work comes from a good pair of hands. Gadgets can make up the difference if you don’t have access to an equine massage therapist. (Or you are one, or at least have the training, and managed to work on the ASB lesson horses back when that was a thing, yet can’t seem to get your act together on a regular basis at home because the shoemaker’s kids go barefoot. But I digress.)

As much as Milton loved the Bemer Blanket, the massage was better. (I have not gotten back with the people on their preferred level of publicly. Hence vagueness. End second digression.) [Beaming with Bemer Blanket]

So, the best thing for me to do is get off my ass and work on my horses.

And yet.

I still fail prey to the lure of a shiny new object, In this case, literally a shiny object. The belief that this gadget, this ointment, this technique, will solve all my problems, will turn me into a brilliant body worker, will be the missing miracle step.

Ah well, it wasn’t expensive and perhaps it will help.

Onwards!
Katherine

Blogging About Blogging

Awareness of the outside world. LEGO® Build Day & International Day of Epidemic Preparedness. How’s that for a range of human experience?
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At this point, I usually get fired up to spend a week recapping the year: horses, blog, fiction, fitness, and anything else that comes to mind.

Meh.

Not feeling it this year.

This is weird. I love lists. I find them to be an amusing recreational activity.

Nor is it a reflection on the quality of the year. I managed to recap last year, and that was no SR 1420.

Personally, 2021 was non-horrible.

Globally, well, you were there.

I’m ready to move forward.

Lead photo repost [Wishing]

Quick Roundup of Recaps

Horses. One show. Virtual Tevis. Started H/J lessons. Everyone is ears up. Added, Mosely clinics. Overnight team trip.

Blog. When I say I’m not feeling the retrospective, I’m serious. Last Wednesday was the 10-year blogaversary. Again, meh. I’m happy with the blog. I’m pleased that it has lasted. Didn’t feel the need to mark the occasion.

Fiction. Already keep a running list. [Posts: Fiction]

Fitness. Still liking the park project. Will continue to search out new. Will probably draw up a comprehensive list at some point.

I’m sure there is more.

For now, I’m looking ahead.

Onwards!
Katherine

Images

Words

Writer: Hello, Muse.

Muse: Hello.

Writer: It’s that time of year again.

Muse: Time to write the holiday movie.

Writer: Yup. ‘Tis the season. While everyone is in Christmas mode, they want a draft script to get started on next year’s movie.

Muse: What have you got so far.

Writer: A lot of questions. Animation? Live action? Historical? Present day?

Muse: Have they given you any direction?

Writer: The same thing they say every year. Give them another Diehard.

Muse: Well, it is a good movie.

Writer: Sure, but why is it considered a Christmas movie? It could be the corporate 4th of July BBQ and Hans Gruber would still fall off the Nakatomi tower at the end.

Muse: Barbecue grills in a high-rise?

Writer: So, they got takeout. Work with me here.

Muse: It has a great cast.

Writer: Yeah, I can’t do anything about who gets cast. We’re not going to get the equivalent of Rickman & Willis in a made-for-TV movie. BUT. A good screen play will attract good actors. I can’t control what happens after, but I can control that.

Muse: That sounds familiar.

Writer: See, I listen.

Muse: That’s good. Back to the task at hand.

Writer: (in monotone) Stay on target. Stay on target. I wonder what holidays they had a long time ago, in a …

Muse: You are getting distracted again.

Writer: Arggg.

Muse:

Writer: This is where you jump in with the brilliant idea.

Muse:

Writer:

Muse: How about Christmas in Mongolia?

Writer: They don’t celebrate Christmas in Mongolia.

Muse: Exactly.

Writer: ooooh … or Africa or Asia or the Mideast … some non-Western country … avoid places Christmas is banned … too political … are there places it is still banned? … (clicks on tab) … no, look that up later … a country where Christmas is sympathetic but not a big deal … young person … working abroad … alone-on-the-holidays sympathy … maybe a small village … heartwarming scene of kids surprising the main character with tree decorations … maybe a big city … bound to be other Christmas celebrants if the city is big enough … local church if we want to go religious … maybe a Christmas friendsgiving with other expats … scrambling to find decor … food … maybe has to work that day … maybe celebration includes someone the main character doesn’t like … enemies to lovers if we want to go romance …

Muse: You will have to make choices at some point.

Writer: No, no. I mean yes, absolutely, I’ll need to decide on a story line. But they like it when I provide options. I’ll give off ramps at key points, change of characters, change of venue, different genres, different countries. This is great. I can work with this. What do I owe you?

Muse: Same as always. Do your best work.

Writer: Merry Christmas, Muse.

Muse: Merry Christmas.

(Sounds of rapid keyboard clicking.)

~~~ curtain ~~~