Coatesville, PA
Oct 10, 2009
After a grueling 3 day trip across the country we’ve arrived at our home away from home, Bea Cassou’s farm in Coatesville, Pa. Though I was driving by myself, I was able to caravan with Kristi and Randy Nunnink. This didn’t make the trip any easier, but at least I had company if something were to go wrong… but that would never happen to me! All kidding aside, I can actually say (now that we’ve safely landed) that for once I didn’t win the award for worst luck while traveling. All in all, I really didn’t have much trouble. Kristi and Randy, on the other hand, blew out a front tire on their truck which sent them careening across the road in a horrifying shower of sparks and smoke. They were behind me and I saw the whole thing in my mirrors. Fortunately it was sometime around midnight in the middle of Iowa so the interstate was relatively free of other cars. Randy managed to make it safely onto the shoulder where he proved his worth as husband and hero. He changed the tire and we were back on our way in 15 minutes. I hate to think what would have happened if there had been other traffic on the road, but as it was, everyone was ok other than a few gray hairs for the Nunninks.
We got in late Thursday night and I quickly situated the horses before collapsing in my bed from complete exhaustion. I set my alarm for 6:00 AM so that I could finish unpacking and clean up my trailer before Bea was out and about. At about 10:30 AM I was lifted from my coma by Bea’s beautiful daughter Marina and her friend at the foot of my bed. I guess I overslept a little! My poor horse was staring at me through the apartment window, wondering what was going on. Luckily he had the same hung-over look that I did, and I don’t think his appetite was near as ravenous as usual. If it had been, I imagine he would have seen to it that I got up earlier. When I put him out in the field yesterday afternoon, he was a swirling, snorting, ball of excitement and I barely made it inside the gate before he was off like a rubber ball. Bounding about in an artistic show of bucking, kicking, leaping, and his favorite, jump in the air and kick all four feet out in opposite directions. For about five minutes he spent more time in the air than he did on the ground. When he was finished stretching his legs, he meandered around and ate grass for the rest of the day.
Today we’re going for a nice long relaxing hack through the country side…or, considering his display yesterday, an adrenaline pumping, crash-hat and seat-belt required, ride at your own risk, adventure that’ll rival any theme park roller coaster. I’ll try my best not to make a scene, but we are infinitely good at doing that. They’re already blaming me for bringing yesterday and today’s unpredicted rain, we really don’t need to do anything else to announce our arrival in town!
We have a few more days to get settled and organized before we move down to the event at Fair Hill on Tuesday. It’s not nearly enough time for everything, not to mention time to catch up with the many friends I made here this spring.
For now, I’m off to the rodeo, I mean, my nice peaceful hack! 🙂