weekend recap

I realize I didn't post at all last week, but it was crazy busy and so will this week be too. I hope I can be better this week with my blogging. Between preparing for my first week of planning the theme at the pre-school, my course and working on my Stephan's immigration application things have just been nuts. We finally got the last piece of information we needed from Germany, and are hoping to get the application processed in the next week or 2. So with that, on top of everything, I've barely been finding the time to sleep and eat.

Friday was a night in, I wasn't feeling well and so I took the night off for myself just to relax in front of the tv. I went to bed early. Not a very exciting night.

Saturday I got up not too late, and did some work on my course and on planning for work. After that, I headed off to Spruce Meadows for the Masters. It was the last big competition of the season, and my last chance to stalk Ian Millar. It was a success, and the weather was perfect. I'm really glad I took the time to go, I had been looking forward to this for weeks. I have pics, but don't have time tonight to take them off my camera. After The Masters I spent the rest of the evening on paper work. Fun fun!

Sunday was church. I officially changed congregations to a different location, since its much closer to my home. Everyone was very friendly and welcoming, and already plans are in swing for Thanksgiving :) I love that holiday, and I'm looking forward to celebrating it with my new congregation :) Still feeling not quite 100%, I took a nap after church and then spent the rest of the afternoon and evening reading for my course, and doing paper-work for my job.

Now this week is more work on my course, finishing the immigration application, taking Anna to the vet and trying to set up an appointment with the lawyer...which is a nightmare because I finish work well after his office closes and trying to find a time I can fit in my schedule is almost impossible.

Wish me luck!

How was your weekend?! I hope to catch up on all your wonderful blogs! Please forgive me for not commenting or reading this week, as I do love to follow them!

weekend recap

Friday I grabbed some groceries on the way home from work to make a nice roast dinner for us. After dinner we went and grabbed a few movies from blockbuster. We had rented from there in awhile, and we figured there would be some movies out since we had last been. I made a cheesecake before we started the movies, as we had been invited to a bbq on Saturday and I wanted to bring something. We spent the rest of the evening quietly, cuddled on the couch and watching movies.

Saturday was a busy day! I got up in the morning, and we got ready to bring my car in for its oil change. While I was there I had them check over the car to make sure there was no internal damage from the accident. And.......no damage!! The only damage is cosmetic on the bumper, and most of that was there previously. And no injuries to either me or Stephan. We definitely had some angels' protection that day! So yay! Good to know that everything is ok, since my parents come this week and we are going to be doing some traveling.

Following our appointment we headed to Spruce Meadows to watch some show-jumping. I hadn't been yet this year, and was really excited to go. Best of all, Ian Millar was riding and placed third! I have to say, our new house has a much closer proximity to Spruce Meadows and makes stalking him soooo much easier!
After Spruce Meadows we stopped at home real quick to change and grab the cheesecake I made. From there we headed out to the bbq. It was a really nice evening with the guys Stephan works with, and at the end of the night we all sat around the fire chatting. A perfect way to end a gorgeous day.

Sunday I had church in the morning, and fellowship after. I ran a few errands on my way home, and then took a quick nap (since we had been up late the night before). I spent the rest of the afternoon doing some cleaning around the house while Stephan did laundry. I also started working on a couple of new reeds for my oboe, in anticipation of the big service we have in 2 weeks. We spent the rest of Sunday night watching more movies on the couch.

And now...its off to pick my parents up at the airport tonight! YAY!! I'm so excited for them to see the new house, and to show it off to them :)

How was your weekend?

Looking at old pictures....

and I found this hidden away somewhere.
"My" horse Blaze. I use quotations because he wasn't actually mine, but I'd been around him for 16 years so he was mine in a way. This picture was taken 3 years ago on May Long Weekend of 2007. That would make Blaze 26 or 27 in this picture, Yvonne couldn't remember if she got him when he was 4 or 5. He's only been gone since July, but I miss him terribly. Saying goodbye to him when I left Ontario was one of the hardest. So now I feel like talking about him. Whether you are interested or not is another thing, but its my blog so too bad! haha! :P

• Blaze was half Morgan, and the other half was either Appaloosa or Paint. Yvonne wasn't 100% sure
• He lived outside all year, not in a stable. So his coat would get super thick and long.
• He never had horse shoes, and he never had a problem with his feet.
• Blaze bucked, but I never had that problem with him
  
• He didn't like other horses behind him, so he was always last on the trail.
• Blaze and Missy (another horse at the camp) didn't get along.
• Blaze didn't like apples, he just wouldn't eat them. Oddly, he ate them from ME. But only Royal Gala apples...no other kind, and from no one else.
• Sometimes he wanted nothing to do with you, other times he followed you around with his nose in your pocket
• His favourite spot to be scratched was behind his ear, at the base there....he would just melt. He would just hang his head and his ears would droop in total relaxation, and his eyes would close. He'd fall asleep like that.
• He loved to run. We always got to have a gallop at the end of the trail. As soon as you turned him back up the road, he started to get excited. He knew that the run was coming.
• His favourite thing in the winter was for Yvonne to chase him through the snow on her 4-wheeler when she went into the field to break the ice so the horses could have water. He followed her, because he knew what was coming. It was his favourite game.
  

I loved that horse, and for the past 6/7 years he was the only horse I would ride at the camp. He was my horse, and I miss him terribly. I love this pic of him, I'm glad I stumbled upon it tonight.

goodbye to an old friend...

I spent the afternoon at Spruce Meadows, in the cold and the rain, freezing to the point I couldn't feel my toes. I found it very fitting for the news I received on my way there.

I spent some time talking to Yvonne, a friend and previous employer who owned the camp I worked at, and where I met Stephan. She also owns the horses I've been riding every summer since I was 10, including my beloved Blaze who I kinda consider mine as well.

Blaze is old, 29 or 30. But he's hardy. He's lived his whole life outside, even in the winter. He's never had shoes put on, but he's never had a problem with his feet. He's never sick, although he has problems with his hips but that is due to his age.He was my horse. I was the only one who could get him to eat apples, and a very specific type at that (even though he wasn't supposed to like them). He had a tendency to buck, though never with me. He looked like a bear in the winter. And I knew the spots he liked to be scratched. I refused always to ride any other horse but him on the trails, and we loved our gallop at the end.

Today, I found out that, from old age, Blaze was put to sleep. My horse is gone. And it hurts, its hard because I'm here and not there. It's hard because I didn't find out right away, its been a little bit since I talked to Yvonne. I knew when I moved, when I said goodbye to him that it would be the last time I would see him. After all, at 29/30 chances are he wasn't going to live forever anymore.

So, my Blaze is gone. He had a full life, and I'll miss him dearly. I just can't imagine the camp without him, or any of the horses. It was such a big part of my life. I know he's just a horse...but he wasn't just a horse to me.

This is one of the last pictures, when I was saying goodbye.

This is from my graduation weekend, 2008.

IT FINALLY HAPPENED!

And no, its not what all you female minds are thinking, I am not engaged!! lol.

This weekend, we had plans to go to Banff on Saturday. We borrowed a pass from Johnny and Rachel and we checked the weather. We woke up bright and early on Saturday, and checked the weather....Calgary was still cloudy with sun, and nice and warm. Double checked Banff...and all of a sudden they were calling for rain and thunderstorms for the next two days.

So we decided not to go to Banff. We went back to bed and slept until 11am (hey, I get up at 5am everyday, Saturdays are MY day). Once we woke back up, again, we tried to figure out what to do. Stephan suggested the Zoo. But we found out they were only open until 5. Once we got dressed and ready and drove there, we wouldn't get there until noon at least. We figured we would need a whole day for the Zoo.

The weather was too nice to waste indoors. Stephan, the best boyfriend EVER, suggested we go back to Spruce Meadows for a 2nd weekend in a row. NO PROBLEM WITH ME! I checked the schedule, quick (and I mean quick, I didn't look at in detail). I saw that the International Ring wasn't being used, and assumed that meant no big Olympic riders today. But that was ok, we would walk the grounds and explore, watch some of the younger riders and get something to eat.

Well, little did I know that there was Olympic riders competing that day in the Continental Conoco Philips Canada Cup....and, of all the riders, GUESS WHO WAS THERE?!!!

IAN MILLAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Even now I'm doing a little happy dance. Stephan let me stay for the show, jump off, award ceremony and victory lap. EVERYTHING. 3 hours of it. I was pretty excited. This has been my dream for 16 years, to see Ian Millar jump live. I met him at the Royal Winter Fair once, when I was in grade 10. But I didn't get to see him jump. Ian Millar came in 3rd, his son Johnathon in 2nd, and Eric Lamaze in 1st. 1, 2 and 3 for Canada!And all because Stephan suggested we go back to Spruce Meadows.

Lord how I love that man, who tolerates, supports and facilitates my horse affair, and my love affair with Ian Millar. Now that is a man that loves me.

We left Spruce Meadows at 5ish, and went to pick up some groceries for a quick supper, and rented some movies. We spent the rest of the evening together watching a couple of movies, having dinner and then some ice cream. It was a wonderful day together, and one of the best days ever.

And to end things, here are a few more pictures of Ian Millar (who cares about the other riders when its IAN MILLAR?!).