It's been a while since I've had a real, live, horsey weekend but I just did. And it was wonderful.
It began with a text from Tim asking me if I would be able to watch the barn and horses while he and Loni were visiting family.
Are you kidding me? I was delighted to horse sit!
While I waited for Tim to text me details, I got another text from a neighbor asking me if I ever went to garage sales. When I confirmed that I did occasionally, she told me of one around the corner from me that had "horsey stuff."
"I think you might be interested in it, but I haven't seen it. My friend, Bill, called me and asked me to tell you. But he didn't say what kind of horsey stuff there was."
Thinking I'd find mostly toy horses if anything, I hopped in the car and headed over.
Not a toy horse (or Breyer; I asked) in sight, but there were three western saddles!
This one made me misty-eyed. It is very similar to my own western saddle that I earned with babysitting money back when I was twelve.
The owner was asking only $150 per saddle, and while I did not need any of them, Tim is always in the market for a saddle.
I explained to the owner that I was sending him pictures and asked if I could have her contact info in case he was interested. We exchanged numbers and I headed back to my car.
(It would not surprise me to see at least one of those saddles in the tack room next time I am there!)
Soon after that I got that text from Tim outlining their travel plans and when they'd be home, which pastures the horses were in, and the names of the usual folks he puts on as back up if there are problems when he is out of town.
I drove out to the barn right after church Sunday. A dress and sandals are not conducive to wading through fields, but with the heat and all (we are under yet another heat advisory) I figured the herd would be close to either the water trough or the old barn.
I was right - in fact, I saw them as I was driving up and snapped this picture as I drove by them. (Isn't Eazy pretty?)
I pulled into the driveway from the old farmhouse and parked by the gate that Tim has put across it.
So much has changed over the past year - I felt a little melancholy and even disconnected from the horses. No surprise and it's not their fault; I haven't felt well enough to go health-wise or, when I did, emotionally it hurt too much to walk out and not see my girl.
But I have changed during that time, too. I am healing from Abby's death and no longer cry when I am there. I was thrilled that Tim asked me to monitor them and very, very excited to be with these three.
Tomorrow I will wear better clothes for walking through fields and bring some carrots. It's time to re-establish some old and very meaningful bonds with Sultanna and Hokey, and make new ones with Eazy.
I'm thinking that it's going to be a good week.
Stay 'tooned.
