Monday, January 26, 2009

Monday Musings

I didn't get to see my horse this weekend. I spent most of it on the couch, fighting off a bug. The weather was also iffy, spitting snow and chilly and probably not good for a girl to be out in while she's trying to get healthy.

I missed my horse. I always feel bad when I don't get to spend time with him. There is nothing I would rather do, really.

I did sneak out to attend my friend's surprise 40th birthday party. While there, I started talking to a friend of a friend, whom I had not seen in a few years. It is always interesting to broach the "I'm a cowgirl now" conversation. It goes something like this:

"So how are you, what have you been up to?"

"Hmm, well, I'm still teaching. Living in the same place. Oh, did you know I have a horse?"

"A horse? Really? Where do you keep it?"

"I got back into riding a few years ago and ended up leasing a horse. Then, with the help of my family I bought him a year later. I keep him at my sister's place, they have acreage and a plethora of animals of their own. I spend a lot of time up there!"

"That's cool. Are you dating anyone?"

"Oh, you know, I'm dating. But I suppose how I want to live my life has changed in these past few years, too. So I'm kind of being particular, hoping for a cowboy, or at least someone who is comfortable with me being a cowgirl, and maybe living out of the city."

"Well, it's good that you know what you want. You'll find it. You just have to put yourself in the places to find the kind of person you're looking for."

I've had this conversation so many times that it feels almost rehearsed. I wonder if people think I'm a little nuts. Like what happened to her, good golly, she's gone country. The funny thing is, most of them never knew me when I was country to begin with. They never knew that I spent half of my childhood sleeping outside in the yard under the stars (by choice.) That collecting tadpoles and raising them into frogs was one of my favorite spring past times. That for my ponies, I made halter nose band covers out of old tube socks and blankets out of old floral flannel sheets. That I nailed half of the boards on their lean-tos myself. That one of my first jobs was cleaning stalls at a local barn. That I am not afraid of a little horse dirt and in fact blow it out of my nose on a regular basis.

I guess I shouldn't expect them to know, just because I don cowboy boots once in while. It's more of state of mind, a way of being. I just have to live it my way and hope they get me. And well, someday, they'll get to visit me at the ranch. We'll sit out on the front porch, drinking cosmopolitans out of my Pottery Barn martini glasses, laughing and talking girl stuff as the sun sets and the horses (My Boy and his cousins) eat their hay and the crickets began to chirp.

And if they want, I'll gladly loan them a pair of my cowboy boots.



23 comments:

  1. That's funny--we were all sick around our place, too.

    Your conversation sounds vaguely familiar--I always feel like a conversation highjacker--because people ask you what you're doing--and you have to be honest--raising a Mustang--or fill in the blank here--and it is unquestionably more interesting than anything anyone else in the room is doing--thus the conversation/s is/are easily highjacked. :)

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  2. You know even when you leave horses,even if only for a while they don't really leave you.They are kind of "in your blood" you either get it or you don't."My Boy" will forgive your W/E away I am sure and you are much more good to him healthy.Funny thing about finding "mr right" is when you are totally relaxed and happy in your life they tend to find you, I am sure he is just around the next corner! Hope you are feeling better,it sucks to be sick.

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  3. Yep,just when I vowed I was going to live my life with my animals and didn't "need no man", I found my terrific hubby. Lucky for me he is almost more of an animal lover than me, or he would have been passed on by....

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  4. Really enjoyed both yesterday & today's picture. Are you sure you aren't a Photoshopper? LOL! I'm wanting that new camera, too. Have it narrowed down - haven't decided if I really want to go with an SLR or not... but real tempted. Nonetheless, need the $$ first & there is always something else more pressing for the $$ to be spent on (and more boring!)

    I found horses again when I was 39 1/2 yrs old. My co-workers were mildly amused. For my 40th birthday, they through me a horse themed b-day party where I got horse books & socks & whatnot. Almost 10 years later, I think they are surprised I'm still at it.

    My friendships changed when I got back into horses. I just don't relate to the non-horse group anymore. My life is split between work/family/horses and if it doesn't fit into one of those categories, I have trouble making the time. True confession time - I have trouble WANTING to take the time. A Mary Kay party? Get real!

    We meet with a lot of clients and partner companies at work. It's always fun when making that connection!

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  5. Gosh, I really didn't finish my thought - as long as it was...

    The HORSE connection! When I meet clients through work who I find out are also into horses, it is fun to make that connection. It's a great ice breaker!

    PS: My co-workers "threw" me a party, not "through". Hate when my fingers don't type what I mean! LOL!

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  6. I enjoyed this post very much. Rings bells of familiarity for me too. I can definitely relate and understand your thoughts. Being true to oneself is really the only thing we can honestly do and the right people will naturally just gravitate to you. Find your happy place and breathe deep PG.
    Hope you're feeling better.

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  7. First off, feel better ok? We have all been sick at my house passing it around for almost a month!

    The perfect man will come into your life when you least expect it.

    You are SO my kind of girl! Pottery Barn Martini glasses...sweeeeeeeeet!!!

    I have something for you over at my blog....

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  8. {Tammy}~ Seriously, I use a $99 Walmart point and shoot digital camera and edit in Picassa. Sometimes you can really tell, LOL! Other times, I'm pretty shocked at how nice the pics turn out (good lighting helps! ;-) I really want an ultra zoom, not ready for a digital SLR yet, looking at a Canon for my next camera.

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  9. I must say I have similar experiences. Only with me, I grew up with horses and never got out of them at any point, BUT, I made the transition from an english rider, showing in hunter/jumpers, etc, to a western rider, in the past 4 years. THAT is what has taken alot of people I knew years ago by surprise when catching up. I went from what they portrayed to be a sophisticated young girl riding english and attending annual galas, to a rough ridin' (or so they say, they aren't horsey people) tough as dirt Rodeo ridin' cowgirl. Really, I just adjusted my lifestyle to what truely suit me best. I don't have to work at being a cowgirl, it comes naturaly. I had to work hard to be the sophisticated english girl. And eventually, it just wasn't fun anymore. My guy sure ain't a cowboy, but he tries his darndest to be everything else to me, and that suits me just fine! And the odd trail ride together in the summer is always fun and full of laughs!

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  10. The thing is, you know what you want and you will get it! ;) Great post.

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  11. The first 7 years I had "George" my love of the cowgirl life was still a dream for me unless I was at the barn with him. Although my family and friends knew I had a horse, I still had my real
    life of board meetings,volunteering,and was playing golf and tennis at the time. It wasn't until we bought our desert home and became snowbirds and started bringing my horse down to the desert that the horse world became my world. The gradual change took 18 years for me. Most of the time my husband tolerates the "behavior". He did throw a fit about the hair on hide place matts and does not like for me to have back to back 7 hours in the saddle days and I get to go on a few 4 day "cowgirl getaways". What used to be important to me now seems empty, I would rather be on my horse or be with a grand baby than anything else. The best day is on my horse with a grand baby in the sadlle in front of me!
    Your Desert Rose Auntie!

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  12. After an 18 year hiatus, I too have found my way back to horses, at the ripe old age of 38. Oh my God, I am alive again!!!! I live in Brooklyn and bought a 6 year old OTTB, 3 months ago, he also lives in Brooklyn. My co-workers look at me like I'm high or crazy when I tell them I own a horse in Brooklyn. Forgetting the dream of home ownership, in favor of horse ownership, has been the best decision of my life. Seeing my co-workers expressions when I tell them, priceless.
    I wouldn't trade this adventure for anything in the world.

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  13. {Susan}~ That is so cool, we are almost exactly the same age and have similar back-to-horses journeys! And I'm a horse-owner, not a home-owner, too! :-) I am curious about the horse in Brooklyn, where do you board in Brooklyn? Do you have a blog? Maybe you should start one! ;)

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  14. Lots to comment on here. I wish my father had lived long enough to know that his support of my horses in high school paid off when I worked in corporate America (PR). I found I had horses in common with many executives and it frankly gave me a huge edge which non-horsey types could never figure out.

    Favorite party line once-upon-a-time for me:
    Them: What you been up to?
    Me: Working on the horse farm. Learning artificial insemination.
    Them: Nice...wait, what?
    Me: You know, breeding horses artificially.
    Them: How do you do that?
    Me: Well, first let me tell you about the artificial vagina. And the phantom....

    It was fun!

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  15. Well let's see...I have lived in the same area for years, so most of my friends know that I have always had/loved horses. Even the ones I made during my eight year hiatus. Do I have a lot of friends who share my interest?? Not really. Thankfully my sister does, and I hang around with her and her horsey pals. :)

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  16. We’ve been sick here, too, thus not much posting on my part. But that will change! Sooner than later I hope.

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  17. I like to cowgirl too. It's neat that cowgirl can be a verb huh?

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  18. Amen cowgirl! once a cowgirl always a cowgirl! I tried to hide from it my last few years of high school cuz it wasnt cool, boy was I stupid then LOL, I am glad I gave my girls horses, and that they never hid it!!

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  19. {Susan}~ If you start a blog, if should be called "A Horse Grows in Brooklyn"... a play on words about the movie "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" LOL.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Tree_Grows_In_Brooklyn_(film)

    GarlicMan76458 aka Mike

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  20. Anonymous -
    Thanks for the blog title, that would be perfect for me as I'm a librarian!
    Susan

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  21. When I was in high school a girl wore cowboy boots to school and let me just say she never wore them again. My high school was really really preppy. I rode horses all through high school, but I don't think anybody knew about it.

    When I was in college two of my cloeset high school girfriends came to visit me, and I was majoring in horse training, so I dressed like a western horse trainer. My friends thought I was so weird. They even tried on my wranglers!! LOL!!

    It's neat to see what people think, and I think it's great that you are a cowgirl, and cowboys are wonderful!!

    My good friend always said she wanted to marry a man who either knew a lot about horses and knew how to ride, or b. a man who had money to fund her horsey habbit. LOL!! I would go for the cowboy!!

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  22. Pony Girl, I believe there is a cowboy in your future. Maybe you need a vacation in Montana or Arizona or Texas or New Mexico? I'm sure that there are lots of cowboys in those places who would love to meet a girl like you.

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