Yesterday I wrote about life here in Paradise and how lucky I am to have four ponies at varying training levels. It was an uncharacteristically upbeat dispatch. I’d had a great day. In writing this dispatch, I ignored what really is the truism, and this is that the horses come first (they seem to keep on coming first no matter what), and in coming first, other equally important tasks are neglected.

Striking a balance between my horse and writing lives is quite difficult. When I’m working with the horses, I’m suppressing the persistent thought that I should be writing. And when I’m writing I’m suppressing the persistent thought that I should be working with the horses. Both are full time jobs. Both require considerable time and energy. Both take time away from

the other. For instance, I should be putting more miles on Raudi, and getting her in condition for the upcoming July competitive trail ride. And I should be working on one of several neglected book projects.

Writing dispatches is actually a way in which I, at least marginally, am keeping a hand in both games. Before I acquired ponies, the subject was writing and the composing process of writers. Now that I have ponies, the subject is ponies, and the composting process of ponies.

I am just continuing to muddle along. But at least I am muddling happily. I could be living hand to mouth, living say, in Detroit, raising grandchildren that were foisted upon me by my irresponsible children, contending with the problems inherent to having three deadbeat husbands, one who is on the lamb (baah), and two who are in jail, and holding down a part-time job, night shift in a bad neighborhood at Seven-Eleven. And while doing this, I could be dreaming about living in a rural area and raising horses and writing about them.

The day has begun. To my credit, I do have okay time-management skills – this is my one saving grace. I am writing this dispatch early because spring is starting to sprung. Pete and I will soon go for a ride, he on Hrimmi and me on Raudi. All the while I’ll be thinking about how I should instead be working on my Centered Riding portfolio. (Want to move up to Level II, am going to show it to the clinician when I’m in Vermont in April.) And when I’m working on my portfolio, I’ll be thinking about how I should be doing agility with Raudi and Hrimmi since I will be leaving here next week. I have Bones for Life training over the weekend, and I leave for the east coast on Monday. Horses and writing both will be neglected. But oddly enough, I will return having worked with other riders. And I will have even more to write about.

Comes a point in attempting to strike a balance when one just has to throw their hands up in the air, jump off the scale, and accept the fact that what is, is. This is acceptance. And I suspect in accepting situations for what they are, joy rushes into the pores and anxiety rushes out.

Next: 95. 4/5/17: On Your Mark, Get Set . . . .Go