I have been crazy busy with pet sitting and my night time job, toss into the mixture a recurrence of my illness and it has made for an interesting four weeks. Pets and caring for them help keep me happy and now that I am caring for so many young animals my exercise regimen has increased. I would still like to get a mountain bike and bike around the shore.
With the recurrence of my illness I find happiness in horses. I love being around them, caring for them and loved with a capital L teaching riding on Sunday. I don’t know if cleaning stalls is old muscle memory for me but whenever I clean stalls it’s a meditative experience for me and deeply satisfying. At one farm I used to work at they would leave the water troughs for me to clean. I am a world champion gold medalist in trough cleaning. I would drink out of it myself when I finish cleaning it. And then teaching, when I was first approached years ago about doing it I fought it kicking and screaming. As I learned more about it and got more experience I grew to enjoy it. I would frustrate other trainers and teachers as I encouraged fun and taught positively. No yelling, no screaming, no put downs. Some fellow teachers would get bothered with me if I did not insist a beginning student post on the correct diagonal right away. I always felt it more important that the student learn to post the trot and be comfortable with it and then later on worry about diagonal. I taught on Sunday for the first time in years. It was wonderful, therapeutic and made me forget about my illness for the day.
Horses are good for the soul as are good friends. Only a few people were aware of the change in me and I value their observation. I hope to kick this soon. But in the meantime I am going to enjoy hanging out with the horses and pets. I am loving my new camera and hope to get more photos. And I look forward to teaching.
Are you looking forward to anything? Oh before I forget have you seen Venus at night not long after sunset and Jupiter before sunrise? They are so very bright in the sky.
becca's event horizon 
Horses have been my psychiatrist and my physical therapist for many years now. Sure they’re expensive, but no more so than the above-named professionals, and so much more effective! Be sure to get your dose of “equine” as often as possible! As an aside, totally agree with you about teaching the posting trot.
Thanks. I hope to teach again this Sunday. Horses are great aren’t they?
Becca, I hope your “illness” is manageable nad not serious. (?)
It’s a chronic thing that flares up every once in a while. I have managed it for many years it is just challenging at times. It usually passes relatively quickly. Thanks for thinking of me.
Ok. Be well.
Many thanks. It means a lot to me to hear from you and have the support.
Thanks Becca,I love petsitting,too,and want to do more of it,as well as teach dog training again.
I have been pet sitting for years and really do enjoy it. I admire you for dog training. That takes some patience and skill. Let me know how it goes for you. I’d love to hear about it.
Your pictures are beautiful. It is so important to healing to connect with all that we love. You take care and hopefully you’ll be better here soon!! Hang in there and keep connecting to all that you love! love, jane
Thanks Jane. I appreciate the support. I am feeling better as the days go on. I have really learned a lot from your blog and though we have different ailment I find our paths through the medical community and getting a diagnosis have been similar. I thank you for writing it. It has been wonderful.
Hope you will be feeling better soon! I have to confess I’m looking forward to spring! I am not much of a winter person! Glad that you have found such peace in your care of the horses.
Thanks I’m feeling much better. I too am looking forward to spring even though we just started fall.
Glad to hear you’re doing better Becca. I love the idea of mucking stalls as being meditative. I so understand. Take care of yourself.