Back in the Saddle again...

When Raquel was 3 years old she wanted to ride horses...always. She nagged me to no end and just wouldn't let up on the subject. She nagged me so much, that I off offhandedly told her when she turns 11, she could take lessons, thinking that a little toddler wasn't gonna remember and that the "horsie" phase would take a huge flying leap outta her brain.....WRONG!

For 8 years she continued to remind me that the day was coming AND the fact that Auntie Brenda would have her come down to the stables and help out with her various horse chores didn't help. She would feed and groom the horses and schlep hay and manure all with such enthusiasm, that I had a feeling this was no phase. So when she turned 11 with the help of Auntie Brenda and this guy...

...she started her horse riding training. This is Tom...Tom is hot and yes, Tom was her very first riding instructor and a very good one to boot. I will never forget her first lesson...it was in October and the lesson started out in the sunshine and by the time she really got into it...it was raining. When Tom asked her if she wanted to stop she replied.."No Way". As the years continued, Raquel had moved to various stables and instructor due to what and where she wanted to learn. One or two lesson per week for 2 and a half years...but that's not the surprising part. I hardly saw any of them. You see, I was extremely nervous watching her. My anxiety levels would sky rocket and I would have to leave. I would go for walks or shopping or run errands because I just couldn't deal with it. And as she got better and better which included jumping, cantor and even a little gallop here and there, I was outta my mind to the point the Dr. gave me something to take at every lesson if I choose to stay and watch, but not once did I tell her that she couldn't ride. I would explain my feelings of stress, reinforce her love of riding and that's just how it was. We understood each other.

After over 2 years of riding English, Raquel decided to try Western and ended up loving that too and took lessons for about 3 more years. Unfortunately, school became to stressful and she had
her hands full of other obligations, she had to to take a break and I exhaled, all the time knowing that she would eventually go back.....and she has.

She has missed riding English and is now picking up where she left off and actually learning a few Dressage moves too. My anxiety level has gone down due to the fact that I don't have to take her to her lessons...she can take herself...plus I've been doing a lot reading and it's helped me tremendously.

So my little 3 year old is growing up right before my eyes and it's harder that I thought it would be but I'm so darn proud of her and the young lady she has become that just knowing that, helps me to grow up too.

What's goin' on

I've been busy these last few couple of weeks with various tasks ....

Bought this hanging frame with crystal door nobs at a yard sale for $2. It was black and would have gone perfectly in my kitchen but I didn't have the wall space...hmmm, what to do

I left the back of it black because I didn't have enough paint for the whole thing and then I took out the thick vintage postal stamps pics.....and then painted it mellow yellow

Inserted some pretty green and yellow stock card of different designs and hung it in my patio and as long as Eric doesn't see all the holes I made trying to hang this...I'll be OK.

I had this gold resin shelf in my master bath for a while and been meaning to do something with it. I forgot to take a picture of it but anyways, I painted it white and connected it to my white wrought iron trellis in my dinning room. I used wire to keep it steady and only put someone light items on it. I can take it down whenever I want..

My daughter Meredith's birthday is coming up and so I kidnapped some squirrels for the day and had a secret photo shoot. I am making a photo collage for her and let me tell ya...It's hard herding squirrels and having them pose, keep all eyes open and stop talking all at the same time..

brotherly love

The infamous corn is now 3 feet tall.

and I broke down and planted tomatoes...just one plant...in a pot. We're gonna have a busy summer this year so I didn't want too much maintenance.

I've made arraignments to go outta town to visit some colleges...Yeah...I'm still in denial

here on the central California Coast

and here farther away and here even further....YIKES!!

And the most important news in our household...yep! Raquel has her license

I want my life back, I want my little girl back, I want my car back

OH YEAH!...I got my summer reading assignment...I am to read Pride and Prejudice and Antigone...but I think I'll sit this one out...and read something that doesn't require a lot of brain cells...I'm on reserve at this point...I'm just sayin'

The New V.P

Most of you know that my daughter Raquel is in the FFA. For those of you who don't know what that is, it means Future Farmers of America. Now, back in the day and when I say the day, I mean waaay back, this group was actually for farmers across America. It helped them to network and learn more about farming along with the latest techniques in growing food and raising market animals.

Now, it's much more involved and evolved. They still network and learn the lasted technical advances in raising crops and market animal but the FFA now has ventured into environmental sciences, vet sciences, Ag. bio, research, and the latest issues of our world like global warming and yes, cloning. They give out badges and pins and college scholarships. There are meetings and conventions very local and very far away in other states that include the best of the best. All this while learning and raising either an animal to show at auction at State Fair or a full out garden. But most importantly, it helps kids to work together as a team and to eventually become a leader in whatever they choose in life. Think of this group like the Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts...same intentions.

This is my daughters 3rd year and each year she gets more and more involved. Seems like she spends more time down at the farm than she does at home..which is OK because she has come out of her shell. Raquel used to be very passive (not from me) and introverted and little by little with the love of horses and her riding and the FFA she has blossomed into a very confident and assertive young lady...so much so that...


She is now the Vice President of our Chapter of the FFA




Snazzy uniform huh? Yeah, I know she looks twelve, but she's almost seventeen. We're so proud of her and all her accomplishments. All this with a GPA of 4.1 (not from me either) and the judgment of an adult. Congrats to my baby...the VP.

When I grow up

As a kid when thinking about your future, of course you have no idea as to what lies ahead let alone a career, but when asked "What do you want to be when you grow up?" I always came up with "Gift Wrapper". That was the ideal job for me. You get to play with pretty paper and bows and design and decorate other peoples purchases AND get paid for it. I remember going to JC Pennys with my mom and going to the gift wrapping area so full of excitement and anticipating the numerous boxes perched on the wall in varieties of paper. There was the happy birthday box, the wedding box, the manly box, the baby shower bow with the little plastic stork addition on it and all the other boxes that symbolize the occasion. But alas...the only gift wrapping jobs I ever snagged were the ones for my self, but boy...I must say, I can wrap a pretty mean gift.

Then as time went by, I actually developed my interests and started to take notice of my assets and thought I could be a "Concierge". I love to talk to people, love to direct them in the right direction, interested in local attractions, like helping people but most of all...I love hotels. I could live in one for the rest of my life if I had too...especially a 5 star hotel. I could wear a spiffy uniform and be gracious and very informative and everyone one in the place would just love me because I would know where all the action was and where to find a dog groomer at 1:00 am . But again...it was not to be.

So after stumbling in and out of various mindless and mediocre office jobs, my mother who was an optician, needed help at her work. She asked me if I could come in on a Saturday and do some paperwork for her and that I didn't have to do anything else, which was great because I didn't have a clue as to what she did. Well...long story short....I stayed for almost 21 years.
I became an optician. I loved my job all the while being creative and mingling with the public...and believe me..there are some doozies out there but in general, if you treat people kind and with respect, it'll come back at you.

Which leads me to this questions...If you weren't doing what you ended up doing...job, career-wise, just what would you have done? Now that your all grown up and you've experienced life and all that it has to offer and I'm gonna go out on a limb here and assume your smarter now...just what would it be?

Me? I've always thought that if I ever won the lotto, I'd go back to school and become an Architect. I love drawing diagrams and blue prints of things and if Eric ever said to me, "Hey, babe, wanna demo the house and start from scratch"....well, needless to say I'd need to find out what drug he's on and then run out and buy a sledge hammer cuz I'd be in bunny heaven.
Interior decorator and all around antique/junk dealer would be a close 2nd.
So...how 'bout you all?