Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Thought of the day (not mine!)

Sesquipedalianism is the verbal shield of pusillanimous eremites, hence we must eschew esoteric obfuscation and thereby obviate our opprobrium.
 
 
Translation:
 
Sesquipedanlianism - given to using long words.
Pusillanimous - cowardly, faint-hearted, timid
Eremites - recluses or hermits
Eschew - abstain, shun, avoid
Esoteric - private, secret, confidential
Obfuscation - to confuse, bewilder or stupify
Obviate - to anticipate and prevent or eliminate difficulties/disadvantages
Opprobium - the disgrace or reproach incurred by conduct considered outrageously shameful

Friday, March 8, 2013

Glimpses from the Past - Christmassy Letter 2005

Hello friends!
If it seems as though I fell into a black hole of no e-mail-ville there for a while, it was because I did! 
 
The biggest change that happened (as some of you may know) is that Sebien, my horse, broke her navicular bone sometime in July and I was told that she would have a year off with a guarded prognosis for her recovery.  After a few weeks of tears, some very deliberate scale-weighing and a lot of long discussions with my Mom, my trainer and the stallion owner, my decision was made to breed her for a foal next year from a warmblood (Oldenburg) stallion.  He's a dressage stallion out at the barn where she is boarded, and I'm hoping for a beautiful baby BOY for next August.
 
Sebien, however, is recovering marvelously, and the vet wants to x-ray her again in a few months to see how her break is coming along.  She is racing around her paddock with her pasture-mate completely (apparently) sound, so I'm hoping for the very best!  Any positive thoughts sent our way would be greatly appreciated! 
 
After pouting about the whole state of affairs for a few months, and then getting over the jitters about getting back into it, I finally rode the other day and LOVED it.  So I'm back on board with taking lessons and taking life in stride.  I am also (as of August) now the proud owner of a 3/4 ton pickup truck!! (Most of you probably know that I rode my bike for six months after crashing my car last March... I LOVE DRIVING!!!) 
 
In the midst of the hubbub, I was also relocated to the mall. So there's been a whirlwind of change in my life recently, and I'm hoping for only positive change going forward!!!
 
In other fun news, I'll be the announcer at the Equestrian Team show again this year at the Nov. 12 and 13th show.  I'm looking forward to that as I have a great time and I get to sit by the heaters while I talk over the mike!  (Great incentive right there!)  I actually got paid to announce at the Fair this summer - that was my first "professional" gig, and I hope to get a recommendation to do more shows in the future!  What better way to spend a day off than to get paid to sit and talk about horses? :0)
 
The onslaught of winter has begun with our first "real" snowfall this week.  (When I have to scrape my windshield, I say it's become the first day of winter, Dec 21st or not! *lol*)  Fortunately, my dog adores winter and will scarcely come inside at night, and my sweet horse has a brand new blanket to keep her warm and cozy.  Only Shadow cat dislikes it, but she serves as my lapwarmer and has taken up trying to crawl INSIDE my jacket to keep warm. *chuckle* 
 
I had the wonderful fortune to have my family visit several times this summer - my Mom and her husband in July, and most recently, my Dad and his girlfriend along with my brother and my 92 year old grandmother came up for Halloween!  We had a smaller party this year - only about 30 or so people instead of probably about 70+ last year!  We didn't even finish off the keg!  But it was a lot of fun to have them stay here!  I was invited to three other parties that night though I barely stayed awake throughout my own party!  (I'm gettting old!!!)
 
 Below are pictures of the stallion, Vergil. He's an Oldenburg.
 

As the mall is having (forcing) extended holiday hours I may not get to writing Christmas cards this year! Therefore, I am taking an evening to write a newsy letter in the hopes that this rudeness of mass e-mailing and the quite possible lack of Christmas greeting cards will be somewhat abated by the news I'll be writing out herein.  And if all works as it should, the possible attachment of several photos as well. (grin)