Another June Mish Mosh (Things are Busy Here!)

There is so much going on around here; I need to write a second mish mosh/what's doin' post this month. (Or is that the third??) Five topics that are not big enough for a solo post, but which work together when brought into one.

Ella Noise!

Most people from Illinois, including my own children who were born there*  pronounce the name of the state with a short e, not an i: "ellinois".

And so, when Ella Masar was playing soccer for the University of Illinois, the crowd would chant, "Ella Noise! Ella Noise!" to cheer her on. She's gone on to play professionally including on the US National Team, and now is coaching the Chicago Stars as well as is an assistant coach for the US Women's National Team. 

The Chicago Stars recently honored her by posting a milestone memory on Facebook. It was one I did not know.

Look closely and you will see that both Curt and Cole took notice of the post, too. 

Ella - Noise indeed!!

*Sarah was born in Michigan but came to Illinois when she was two. Yep, she pronounces it, "ellinois," too! (Craig and I do not.)

The BreyerFest Blog Series

I knew it would take a lot of time and research to write this series, but never did I think it would be this involved! I have so much to share and BreyerFest is rapidly approaching. 

(Whoohoo! I've been waiting for a chance to use this clock again!!)

One post has been started but is so long it needs to be split into several posts. The original outline I'd made for the project is not even relevant anymore and needs to be redone. I was planning to go year by year, but there's simply too much to share. (Not that I am complaining.)

Here is a sneak peek of something I found as I went though boxes.

Early NAN cards! Look how they were typed out and signed by the show holder. That would have been a lot of work to do, and then the show holder would have needed to sort them all and mail them to the entrants.

 These two models were not entered in the 1995 NAN show, and I had put their cards away when they expired. A piece of historical ephemera I am glad I saved.

Happy Trails V Update

The pony party isn't until November, but I am still working on it when I get a moment. A Facebook page is up and people have been invited. 

Swag bags for the entrants to be filled.

Happy Trails has always been simply a fun show/pony party, and the fifth one will continue that tradition. 

The difference is that it is being held in the Dan Messner building (breeder and first owner of Dan Patch) in Oxford, Indiana. (About ten miles from me.) I am so excited about that opportunity and to be there and share the Dan Patch sites with hobby friends!

Tim's Tornado - an Update

It's been confirmed, it was a tornado that took out Tim and Loni's trees.

It passed right alongside their home and luckily was an EF0.

Our vet is also out by the barn, and as I was driving home after Pepper's appointment Friday, I got some photos of the damage. It was sobering.

One side of the road as the tornado approached the Gibbs' home. 

The hole in the tree line is where the tornado plowed through after crossing the road. Tim and Loni's home is just to the right.

If this is what an EF0 can do, I'd hate to be hit by a stronger one. The Gibbs were very lucky. (So were the folks who lived on the other side of the road. Their trees were badly hit, but the house, just out of range of the pictures, did not sustain any damage.)

Hard to Believe but True

Craig looked at me yesterday and said, "This is unbelievable!" He had just gotten home from a funeral in Illinois for a friend, checked his email, and discovered notices of the passing of two more friends.

Truth be told, I had not shared here on the blog that we'd lost three more friends since the passing of Alice, Bob, and Neil.

Tom worked for Craig when we lived in Illinois. He'd been battling cancer for several years.

Ann Taylor, who volunteered with us down in Indy. She also had been battling cancer.

JoAnn Guntrip, a church friend, who died of old age at 94.

The notices Craig received were for people I did not know, but still... I've lost six friends within a month, and Craig has lost eight. 

"I have never lost so many friends in such a short amount of time," Craig continued, still shocked to have returned from one friend's funeral only to get the news that two more friends were gone.

Maybe it's the stage of life we are in; the time when you and your friends are getting older and life is growing short. Regardless, we are saddened by so many losses and are hopeful that the tide of passing friends will slow down.

And on that note, that's the mish mosh happening for now!

 

Masar is Here!

Look who's here! Torlinie!

Now known as "Masar" after our long time family friend, Ella Masar

who is now an assistant coach for the United States Women's National Team.

My intention to get Torlinie during BreyerFest 2022  somehow got lost in the shuffle.

In fact, I'd forgotten all about him until I wrote the blog post about Ella and discovered he had never made it here.

Luckily I was easily able to get an inexpensive one quickly and he is now ready to head over to the shelf housing most of my Stablemates.

(I'm still getting used to being a Stablemate collector and working on wrapping my mind around the idea of having a dedicated shelf for them.)

Welcome, Masar! You are a nice reminder of a gal who has been dear to my heart for many years.

Ella Redux

Second post of the day and a non horsey one.

Having just written a post about Torlinie and my favorite soccer player, Ella Masar, it was a surprise to receive some big news about Ella last night. She posted it on her social media accounts.

Assistant coach? Where? And then I saw the shield in the background.

She's coming back to the USA! And will be an assistant coach for the Kansas City Current! 

I see that the KC Current are playing her former team, the Chicago Red Stars, in Chicago in March. I may just go up with Curt and go the game. (Rooting for KC, of course!)