The Best Laid Plans

I have now been back in Texas for two weeks, and I think that it is safe to say that I have officially missed winter this year. It has been in the 60s and 70s the entire time I have been back, and I haven't worn more than a hoodie to keep warm. Most days I even shed the long sleeve shirts. The wildflowers are beginning to pop out on the roadside, and the trees are beginning to bloom.

(A tree in the park where I run daily.)

The emergence of flowers usually signals the end of winter for Texas. Sometimes the flowers don't come out until April; that's when we know it might snow in March. But this winter was quite mild even before we left for Florida. In Florida, it was almost hot, and I had to buy some emergency tank-tops before I roasted. Then I come back and it's spring. (I love winter and snow, so completely missing any semblance of winter is throwing me for a loop.)

However, it's truly lovely to go and ride every day. Dante is feeling extremely good. In fact, so good that he feel the urge to spook at every leaf and squirrel. I finally gave in and cut his feed a little, which seems to have calmed him a bit. He's still getting plenty of beet pulp, so he should be able to maintain his weight.

The show schedule keeps changing. Southern Pines is out of the picture, and Poplar is back in. I'll be running Advanced there. As a result, I didn't want to trailer twice to the east coast in three weeks; therefore, the Fork was out as well. Then it seemed my barn had several headed to Ocala CCI** (which we've never gone to), so I started to plan for that. However, that seems to be a non-starter now. 

I had planned to be done by mid-April, as I have to make a four day trip to West Grove, PA for my senior design project the weekend of Rolex, I have a bridal shower to attend the weekend of Holly Hill, and a four day long wedding/my birthday in Austin the weekend of Feather Creek/Chatt Hills in May. I'll be quite busy. I'm also moving back to SA to live with my parents for a few months starting in June before moving up to NJ to start my new career. Now, somewhere in there, I have a feeling I'll be trying to fit in Greenwood and the CO Horse Park CCI**, which is in early June. I think it'll work okay, but I need to talk to Mike and my parents before I get the okay for that.

My life is getting ready for some big changes. This season, almost every show has been up in the air....I think I'm getting some good practice at dealing with uncertainty!