History Comes To Life

This past weekend we went to see a little bit of history that had sailed into Pittsburgh. The Nina and Pinta replicas made a two week stop to the North Shore here. I decided it sounded like an interesting thing to do so into the city we went. We are still having a few issues making our way around Pittsburgh what with all the bridges but this time we only circled around once before finally finding our way. The weather was absolutely gorgeous! The sun was out and it was in the mid 60's. We couldn't have asked for anything better this time of year. Being on the water was also really nice. Other places we have lived there hasn't been a whole lot of water to see.

I thought this shot was neat with the very old looking ship and the very modern skyline of Pittsburgh in the background. This is the replica of the Nina, the smaller of the two ships and the preferred vessel of Colombus. He logged over 25,000 miles on the Nina. Can you imagine?

One thing that really strikes you when you see these ships up close that doesn't come through in the photos is how small these ships are. The Pinta replica has been built fifty percent larger than the original and it is still on the smaller side. It was really interesting to be able to walk on these ships and put yourself in the place of the men that sailed them here from Europe. How cramped the quarters are, how they had to live on deck because down below was used for food and animal storage. It could not have been a pleasant voyage. Carnival cruise ships these things were not. If you want to find out more about these ships and where you might be able to see them next check out there website at The Nina. My daughter was a little unsure about these ships, she kept thinking she was going to fall off them. I'm not sure where she came up with this but such is the mind of a three year old.

20 Years Is A Long Time...

What is a friend? A single soul dwelling in two bodies. ~ Aristotle

This year is sort of a milestone year for my best friend and I. We have been best friends for 20 years. Lysh and I became friends when we were assigned to the same home room in the fifth grade. I knew who she was before then. She had a pony. We had also been in the same Brownie troop in past years but had never gotten to know each other until the fifth grade. Slowly we became inseparable along with another girl in our class who was horse crazy. We played Breyer horses out on the playground, read horse books, and tried to draw horses whenever we could. Neither one of us are artists.

The next summer presented a test to our young friendship. My family was moving to horse property in the next town over. We would not be going to the same school anymore. We wrote letters, made phone calls and spent the night at each others houses and kept our friendship going. There was rarely a Saturday night when Lysh and I weren't together.

She's going to kill me for posting this picture!

Lysh was there when I got my first pony, and I was there when she got the horse that would see her into her adult years. We progressed from loving horses to liking boys. We should have just stuck with the horses. In about the middle school years we began showing at a small local club and it became an obsession with both of us. Neither one of us had fancy clothes or horses but we had a lot of fun. I think both of us still have all the ribbons and trophies won at those shows.

Lysh on Buck and Meaghan on Angel

Pairs Class August 1, 1993

Countless hours were spent riding up and down country roads or through trails in the woods. We think back to some of the stuff we did and wonder how one of us or one of the horses weren't killed. We made it through the high school years. Barely. That first winter after graduation she joined the military. I will never forget the sight of her pulling away from the curb on that cold day in Portland, the taxi taking her away to basic training. The next fall I went to school in Colorado. Completely separate time zones. We had never been so far apart. Calling cards were purchased and phone calls made. We sent letters stuffed with shiny confetti in hopes it would make a mess in the recipients lap!

Through the years we have both married, had babies and moved to various locales across the country. For awhile we might talk to each other once a month on the phone but kept up through e-mail and letters. The last few years we have come together again, talking on the phone almost daily and plotting various things that usually don't come to pass. There is something with us that just clicks. Something I have never had with anyone else.

Are we not like two volumes of one book? ~Marceline Desbordes-Valmore

Here's to the next 20 years!

Rosie's One Month Report Card

I talked to AT trainer last night about Rosie. She said my little Rose Bud is doing wonderfully! After talking with me about Rosie's teeth she decided that she would change out bits to see if Rosie just didn't like the bit she was starting her in and that did the trick! AT said she had Rosie going walk, trot and canter, with saddle and bareback with a halter. I'm so excited! She also had taken her out on a few trail rides with horses and alone and she did great at both. Didn't fuss over not being with other horses or anything. I can't wait to get this horse back in the spring! Next month AT is going to continue to ride her but the concentration will be on driving for the most part.

AT is going to try and have her daughter take some pictures of Rosie working this weekend so hopefully I will have something I can post soon. For now here is one I took back in August on the last day that I saw Rosie.

I'm Not Dead!

Yikes, I really need to update more frequently than this! First, Rosie updates. Rosie arrived in Florida safe and sound and spent a few weeks adjusting to the Florida climate. She also made friends with the ponies that my trainer keeps at her house for her grandkids. I need to call and get an update but last I heard my Awesome Trainer (henceforth I will refer to her as AT because it is just easier) had been riding her around both with saddle and bareback. This is why I love this trainer, I had been meaning to mention to her that I would like to be able to ride Rosie bareback but kept forgetting and here she is like reading my mind. Originally she was going to work on driving with Rosie first but for whatever reason Rosie wasn't taking to the bit like she wanted so AT decided to work on the riding stuff. I'm pretty sure Rosie's teeth don't have anything to do with her bit issues as I had her teeth floated and her wolf teeth pulled back in August before I left Colorado.

We are all settled in our new home in the Pittsburgh area. It has been a whirlwind couple of months let me tell ya! After leaving Colorado we spent three weeks in a hotel until we could close on our house here. Then I spent two weeks here unpacking and getting everything in order after the move and then it was on to Maine for three weeks so I could see my family. It probably would have been smarter to stay here longer than two weeks before going onto Maine but I wanted to get up there before the weather got really yucky. We had a great time up there! I was so nice to be able to see everyone and have a little bit more time than usual. I got to go riding with my best friend three times! Usually we are lucky if we can squeeze in twice. I also got to see pretty much everyone in my family except for one younger cousin who has just started college and has a very busy life right now. We were also in Maine for Halloween and everyone in my family got a big kick out of seeing my daughter all dressed up in her lion costume. I was great to be around my family and friends for so long. Even after being out of Maine for eleven years I still miss everyone terribly.

I will try and post later of the first ride that my friend and I went on in Maine. It was a blast!