Horses and the heat

Greetings from Sanger, central California.

What a week its been.

The Giants game was great, we lost, badly but I got to experience the awesome crowd cheering, kiss-cam joys of a baseball game with Elise, and I even got to eat clam chowder (google it if you don't know what it is, San Francisco specialty).

The following day my uncle Kirk and his girlfriend Jamie gave me a lift back to central California. We went from the cool, fog hugged bay area to the stinkin' hot, dusty and dry San Jacquin valley. We arrived in time to celebrated my Grandpa Jack's 90th smurfday. Being 90 he kept forgetting that it was his smurfday we were celebrating, but he declared several times that "this is the best ice cream cake I've ever had!"

The next day Kirk, Jamie and I headed into the Sierra Nevada mountains for a spot of horse riding and a night at Kirk's cabin.

Now for those of you that don't know, I do, and always have, wanted a horse. Like really want one. When I was a girl I used to look through horse magazines where the pric

e to sire a stallion were translated in my head as the price of a new, baby pony. At the heart of this yearning lay the idea of riding (and brushing, and feeding and generally just loving) a beautiful, sandy palomino horse. But alas, I grew up and although I better manage my craving to own a horse, I still dearly want one.

So, you can imagine the squeal I let out when I met Jamie's three horses.

First off the trailer was Cody. A stunning mustang. Born wild, tam

ed with a wicked personality. I instantly fell in love. His odd colouring, his cheeky attitude, I have a massive crush on him. (Sorry Cooper)

Next, beautiful Neeva. A young quarter horse with white splotch on her face. Sweet as pie.

And finally (queue dazzling music) Aspen the, wait for it... PALOMINO! Although she is a food bag she is a beauty.

I was so excited by the prospect of living out my childhood dream and riding a palomino that I was immune to the hiccups of the day, including a broken saddle and getting the trailer stuck.

I had the best day riding horses up over peaks, through forest, to an open sky. And the experience has only rekindled my yearning for a horse (Daddy?).

Since returning to the sweat inducing central valley I have spent several days adventuring with my 88 year old Grandma, Margaret. We went for a trip into town for groceries where she nattered to some random lady in the yogurt aisle. We even went to a movie (if you get a chance to see "Our Idiot Brother" don't, its awful) which she described as "soft porn" to Grandpa- it was a comedy.

So, for the next week I'll continue to get up and ride in the morning (30km in 35 degree heat this morning- it was only 9am! and my first flat tire yesterday!) and adventuring with Grandma.

I better get back to reminding them I'm their favourite grandchild.

Tonight we're all going to a dinner in Grandpa's honour, due to all her work setting up the King's River Conservancy. Should be a lovely affair.

Until next time, sticky, hot hugs from central California.

Horses and the heat