Now that the deck is repaired, I can look outside without fretting about needing to fix it….
That feels really good. So do wool socks, and fully lined wool trousers.
Stay warm today!
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It’s no secret that Ella loves horses. Is there any little girl who doesn’t?
Being only four, no matter how tall she is, limits our resources when it comes to riding lessons however, so we were thrilled when my mom arranged a visit for Ella to a local barn with her friend Debbie and Debbie’s Daughter Lisa, an award-winning Hunter-Jumper!
We drove to the barn and Ella was quietly excited on the ride over. Grandma Bonnie and Grandpa Roger came along to watch – which was perfect, because Ella loves an audience! She posed for a quick snapshot in her adorable helmet before meeting her pony for the day:
“Skittles” is a former champion, but in his twenties now, and so gentle, he makes the perfect introductory pony for a little first-timer. Doesn’t it look as if they are sizing each other up?
It’s important to brush the horse before saddling up, to remove any dust or loose hair that might cause the saddle to irritate him. I was so surprised that Ella was willing and eager to jump right in and help groom Skittles!
Lisa led Ella and Skittles over to the corral to have a ride around:
Look at those curls bouncing! Ella was happy to try a trot (naturally, she was talking the entire time to Lisa!):
She spent about 20 minutes riding and was not interested in dismounting. Here she is with the gorgeous Debbie and lovely Lisa on her final lap:
Debbie asked Ella if she wanted to lead Skittles back into the barn, and Ella couldn’t have been more willing. Look how tiny Ella is in that big barn:
Finally, it was time to brush him again and offer some snacks to the sweet Skittles. It amazed me how quickly Ella bonded with this pony. We also met Lisa’s Thoroughbred “Mac” which she rides on her local High School’s Equestrian Team. He is SO huge and SO beautiful, but all my photos turned out a bit blurry, so I’ll have to wait until I get some files from my mom so show you Mac.
We were really fortunate to have had the opportunity to introduce Ella to horses. As soon as we bid farewell to Lisa and Debbie, Ella asked in a quiet voice, “When can I ride horses again?”
Saturday and Sunday I’ll be giving a little demo at Maker Faire Detroit at The Henry Ford in Dearborn, MI.
I will be on at noon each day, demonstrating the Let’s Go Fishing Hat from my book, Sewing for Boys, and giving out the pattern for FREE!
I’m excited and pretty nervous. I get so flustered when speaking in public! Thank goodness it’s a laid-back atmosphere. Please stop by and visit the demo area if you’re at Maker Faire this weekend.
…and now for the Personal Compromise part… As thrilled as I am to participate in Maker Faire, this means that I am not running the San Francisco Half Marathon this weekend. It was an excruciating decision to make, but I just haven’t come far enough in my training. I’m a little sick about that, actually. It’s painful to give up on my first big race – announced in public – already paid for – and yet I have not been able to keep it together enough to train consistently; what with injuries, kids out of school, fewer babysitting days per week for the little one, and not least of all my moto crash.
I have been running. I missed 4 weeks in May/June, but I’m back to it consistently: 3-4 times a week (a solid 9-12 miles each week) and I now have a solid foundation to build upon for the Detroit Free Press Half Marathon this October. I feel like October 16 is a more realistic timeline for me. Ella’s going to Kindergarten this fall, J is in start-up mode, and all the kids will be on a schedule I can live with. It’s difficult not to feel like a complete failure at this running thing. I have to remind myself that I started this because I love it, and I committed to do it because I feel great about myself when I’m done each time I run.
Ella woke me today with, “Did you know that today we’re going to Lake Superior???”
How could I forget?
We sat on the porch, sheltered from the morning rain, and Ella made footprints.
…and boot prints…
…and marveled at moths and spider webs…
Jack and John and I went for a ride while Peter played with his sister back at the house.
…and I had my very first CRASH. It was a big one. Riding over a tree stump, I turned the throttle while reaching for the brake and ran head first into a tree. I was ejected from my seat and landed on my beautiful helmet, then fell flat on my back. I felt a little like a slapstick comedy star. You know the kind, where the patient goes to the doctor, complaining that his head hurts and then the “Doctor” delivers a wallop to the patient’s foot, quipping “But doesn’t your head feel better now?” So, sore head and bruised back and arms aside, at least the sciatic pain I’ve had seems to be gone.
We drove to Marquette, MI for dinner. We shopped at my favorite grocery store in the world (The Marquette Food Co-op) and ate pizza and beer for dinner (Well, I had a salad sandwich but the beer, an Arcadia Brewery Rye Pale Ale, was great!) We made a quick stop at one of the book stores we love in town, and then headed for an evening at our favorite beach in the world (save the pink sands of Barbados, naturally.)
Ella insisted on providing guidance via the TomTom – our best backseat driver.
With the annual “bury Jack to his neck in the sand” neatly underway, Peter built sand architecture and thoroughly enjoyed the frigid lake. John and I stayed on the beach towel observing the kids.
Sunset came and went quickly.
I walked in the sand while Ella “swam” along the lake edge
For vacation this year, as for 4 of the past 5 years, we headed to the Upper Peninsula for a dirt biking, hiking, beachy, small town, majestic National Forest kind of family vacation.
Ella is clearly no longer “the baby” as she planned the countdown to vacation on her calendar. I know the boys were excited, as they always are, and Julia was happy to stay at her mother’s with her dogs and friends and 20 year old activities, but nothing could outshine the enthusiasm of Ella. She helped pack the bikes on the trailer, and was over the moon to place her booster seat in the “way back” row of the CX-9 — right next to her very own bike (and in front of my Bernina!)
It’s a long drive up here, and every year I am plagued by distant childhood memories of my own: fighting in the car, at home, on the boat with my sister. Feeling angry, lonely, or resentful any time I wasn’t in the water or on the water, and I remember a dominant theme in the word “No.” Sara and I were terrible to each other, and to our parents. As I remember those times, I feel a hot wash of shame and want nothing more than to have a big fat “do-over” of those years for my sister and I to show my parents how much we appreciate what they tried to do for us.
Today’s travel day was nothing like that, however. We packed far less gear and clothing to simplify our prep time. We tried to remain calm as we packed the kids and their stuff into the vehicle, and tried very hard not to look at the clock as we did so. I even slept in until 8 a.m. which is unheard of on a travel day!
Once underway, the kids fell into a nice rhythm. Peter and Jack each listened to their music, I read magazines, and Ella played with her magnetized princess “paper dolls” and a sticker/activity book for many, many hours. John drove the entire way, which in hindsight may have been unfair. Poor guy rose at 5 a.m. to run before packing.
The boys spent the past couple weeks at their other parents’ homes, and Ella missed them so much…after the kids were fed and watered, they were ready to reconnect. It warms my heart hearing how gentle the boys are with their little sister. We stumbled upon a bluegrass station on the radio and enjoyed gas station snacks and intermittent naps for the rest of the ride.
It’s hard to stay sleeping when there’s so much to see up here:
We rent the same house every year, and it’s interesting to feel settled in after only minutes of unpacking. The local grocery store carries more and more of the foods we like and need. (The U.P. isn’t the most veg-friendly). We can ride the bikes right onto the trails from the yard, we enjoy a beautiful pond, and we each have our own space for when we need it.
Hallelujah, Hiawatha National Forest.