Slowly, ever so slowly, trip plans are materializing. We have a month to go before we pull out of here and head south. And yet, we still have a great deal to do. In fact, we have so much to do that I wonder how we’ll get everything done. Maybe we won’t. Maybe we’ll have to postpone the trip until next year. Well, two years ago we managed to get out of here May 2. How did we do this? Well, slowly we progress.

Weather is now a motivator. It’s been cold, damp, rainy, and yesterday also snowy. There’s still snow on the ground. And where there isn’t snow, there’s mud. The horses have been lunging for the few

small sprigs of grass that have Materialized by the roadside. Spring comes to Siberia, Alaska. This is really hard on the soul. There’s no vitamin D to be had. I am not complaining; rather, I’m instead making note of the way it is. I’ve been doing a good job of ignoring inclement conditions. Weather, of all kinds, is something one should rejoice about. However, there’s little to rejoice about here, but little is big. We now have 17 hours plus of daylight, and birds are again singing.

Trip plans – Pete’s now in Washington. We’ve been playing one way phone tag, him leaving me messages. I suspect that he’ll pick up the three horse trailer and hay sometime today, and then head home. By my calculations, he’ll be home on Monday. We sold the two horse trailer and its new owner will come and get it sometime this weekend.

I have been dehydrating food over at a neighbor’s place since Pete left on Sunday. I set up a work station in Keith’s basement. I began by dehydrating fruit – bananas, apples, pineapples, peaches, and apples. And yesterday I got some lentil stew going. I will get going on spaghetti sauce this evening.

When Pete returns we’ll resume trip planning. This will include determining where our food packages will be sent. We’ll also be sorting trip and personal gear. Signy’s pack is going to need to be refitted, and we will have to train the horses to be accepting of their new three-way hobbles. (By our first trip’s end, the horses had become very adept at getting around in two horse hobbles). We also have to get our camping gear in order – this will include checking the tent in order to make sure that we have all the poles and the fly, and getting our sleeping bags cleaned.

There’s also still plenty to be done on the home front. The hoop house garden still needs to be tended to – and we have to get the place ready for Brandon, our house sitter.

We’re still waiting on Pete’s saddle. The original fit Siggy great, but it didn’t fit Pete, so we sent it back to Synergist.

As I wrote this, more and more things came to mind that still need doing. For instance, we need to make and order trip postcards. I guess it’s best not think too hard about what needs to be done; rather, just avoid unnecessary distractions, and proceed as if there really is going to be a trip.

Next: 136: 5/16/13: The first Trail Rides of the Season