So many memories

Literally hundreds (or more) of memories over the course of our relationship.  Some I remember and some I don't.  Between the two of us, we've experienced a lot.  The hubby and I have been married 33 years today.  Wow.  Just wow.  It hasn't all been a bed of roses, but it's a journey that I wouldn't have wanted to miss.  :)  To celebrate, we're going out to dinner with Steve and Chris.  I'm looking forward to it.

It's also been over a month since I've posted here on my blog.  I do fall behind, don't I?  Oh well, if I can remember what I've been up to, then it's all good.

I took a week of my vacation over the 4th of July.  Actually, with the holiday and the weekends, I had 11 days off in a row.  Sheer heaven.  It felt so good to have time to myself!  Loved it.  I don't quite understand boredom because there's always so much to do.  Whether work, maintenance or pure enjoyment, keeping myself busy is not a problem.  What I really appreciate, is being able to work at my pace, and do what I want, when I want.  What an incredible luxury.

The first eve of my stay-cay was spent at the St. Paul Rodeo Hall of Fame steak BBQ.  Was a treat for my hubby for sure.  The steaks were big and thick, and grilled to perfection, with delicious sides, thick slices of chocolate cake for dessert and an open bar.  They had artists displaying their work, and a silent auction after the Hall of Fame inductees were announced.  I bid, but didn't get an amazing pencil drawing by Dirk Godby.  We have a few prints of his, and enjoy his work so much.  For the first time ever, a Brahma bull was given special honors and inducted into the pro rodeo hall of fame, first time for St. Paul anyway.  His name was Rim Rock, or Red Rock - I forget - but he was the bull in the movie, 8 seconds, about Lane Frost's career and eventual death when he was gored from behind by a bull.  Yeah, that bull.  The guy who owned him was sitting next to me, and he talked a little bit about having owned him, and how he really was a good rodeo bull who wasn't the devil, like he was portrayed in the movie.  The cowboy made a mistake by turning his back on a bull.  And the bull did what bulls do.  Tragic accident.

We went to the rodeo this year, and it was pretty good.  The last time we went, my hubby and I both thought it was possibly the worst rodeo we'd ever been to, and didn't care if we went again or not.  But this one we enjoyed.  Nobody was hurt, beautiful horses, good cowboys and cowgirls, and it was a lovely summer (although hot) evening.  We even stayed for the fireworks.

I spent some time lounging in the pool, soaking up the sunshine, reading and daydreaming.  The dogs and I enjoyed several nice walks and I spent good, quality time with my horses.  I even did a little shopping one day, which is something I rarely do.  I'm an online shopper usually out of necessity, and I don't really enjoy spending my time inside a store.  Seems like a waste of precious time, but I got a few tops that were on sale and was on my way to the beach for an overnight stay.  :)  What the heck, right?  I picked up a bottle of my favorite wine, a few food items and headed on to Rockaway Beach.  We had a partial ocean view, and a lovely veranda where I relaxed and watched the ocean and soaked in the sound of the crashing surf.  The weather was absolute perfection, and I again, dreamed about that cottage on the ocean someday.  Probably not, but it's fun to think about.  Walking on the beach, and then finding that perfect, cozy spot to sit down and just be, is one of my favorite things.  My dogs are the perfect companions and they spent their time digging holes, chewing driftwood sticks and napping.  They too, seem to really come alive when we're on the beach.  So invigorating, yet peaceful at the same time.  *sigh*

I'm ready to go back.

We haven't been camping yet, and are looking forward to that (hopefully) coming up soon.  Summers are so fleeting, and we try to cram so much into such a short season that it's easy to get overly busy, and then later wonder what we did that took up so much of our time.  Always a fine line it seems.  Finding that balance of working out of necessity, working on projects at home, and enjoying recreational pursuits, is a challenge.  And no matter what else, we always hope for more time spent with (and on) our horses.  Speaking of which, Eagle's wound is coming along nicely.  It's scabbed over and is likely a 1/4" thick over what was, the center of the wound.  It looks good and I see no harm in starting to ride him a little.  That wasn't something I'd planned on for sure, a heckuva riding derailment!  Oh well, I enjoyed caring for him, and our trust in each other is so much greater.  Always a blessing, time spent with my horse.

Hope you're all enjoying your summer.  Will try and catch up some more soon.  Until then, be well and find that joy that's waiting for you!

Lorie