Day Off

Today I was able to spend some much-needed time with my sister Meggan before I leave for a couple weeks. I really should have spent the day practicing, but instead we went up to see our horses in Carnation. They are taken care of by friends of ours out there. After giving a couple of their kids some impromptu riding lessons, Meggan and I went out on a trail ride. There are lots of old logging trails in the back of their property, so we went on a couple mile trail, out to an overlook of the Cascade Mountains. The sun had finally broken through the clouds by the time we started, so it was a perfect day for it. The forest floor, mostly dominated by ferns and low bushes, was flooded with the light that shone through the tall fir trees. Covering the lower half of almost every tree was a thick moss, illuminated by the sun. There was absolute silence, except for the heavy breathing of my out-of-shape horse, the noise of his feet, and the occasional song from the passing robin or nuthatch. We saw a hawk circling overhead, but that was the extent of the wildlife.

My horse, as I have mentioned, hasn't been used very much, so he was horribly slow for the last part of the trek out to the lookout. He tried to turn back around three times, being very stubbuorn about obeying. He was also holding his back feet up at different times, as if they were hurt. After close examinaton revealed nothing, we concluded that he must have been sore from the fresh hoof-trim he had received only a few days ago. Also, he just didn't want to exercise. Once we turned back home, he left no doubt in our minds as to his health, since he charged ahead at a quick pace to be able to return to the pasture as soon as possible. My horse... (Becky, we have to do something up there when I get back)

I have just finished my packing a few moments ago, because the family and I just finished watching John Adams. I really liked the last episode with all the letters that were read... it's as if we're hearing them from the authors afreash. My goodness, what an ending. And I am glad that they didn't show anything from that, um, proceedure they had to do on his daughter... In all, it was an excellent series! Wow! And the music is inspiring too! :)

As Hilary says in 'In the WENN Small Hours', well at this point, I don't see any point in going home - or to bed. I've got to be up in 2 or 3 hours... So, I'm going to take a shower and work on my music unless I fall asleep first. I've got a long bus ride to Vancouver, BC, and then a long wait, and then a 12 hour flight to China. I think I'll be able to rest some time in there. I hope. :)

So, hopefully, next time I post it will be from my hotel in Beijing!

Until then,
Jp