Hi Babe,
Took awhile to get to sleep, like it so often does when I have a rest day, laid in for a bit as well, but finally got in gear, dressing in riding clothes, as I was planning on taking Flash out on what they call "Nuke's Trail" here, but the best laid plans, as they say. I decided to do a pre-trip check on my truck, found the tires were about 10 lbs. low so I started to fill them up, and, of course, that stupid little compressor did one tire then quit. I had to wait an hour for it to work again, even though it didn't even feel hot. I managed to get a second tire done, but gave up after that, since another issue arose that will make me have to go out tomorrow and I'll just stop somewhere and have someone with a real air compressor fill them up. I checked my oil, and water and belts and brake fluid, like I usually do, then started the truck up to check the transmission fluid. After I pulled out the dipstick, I heard a clanking sound, and when I went to put the dipstick back, I discovered the tube that it goes into had broken and fallen to the ground! I spent about two hours messing with it, trying to JB Weld it together, using a variety of different methods, none of which worked, until I finally gave up. I did some research and discovered this wasn't uncommon. I also discovered it was a relatively easy fix, but still not something I wanted to try out here, because once I took it apart I wouldn't be able to drive it anywhere if I couldn't finish the job for some reason. No one had the part in stock, but Autozone in Cheraw said they could get it for me by tomorrow at 4:30, so I ordered it, figuring at least I would have the part. I'm hoping the repair shop where I got my tire will have time to do it early Monday morning, since I absolutely, positively have to leave here on Tuesday. I can also refill Lola's prescription for antibiotics, which we finished off today, along with the last of the leftover hot dogs, thank goodness. By this time is was too late to consider going riding, so I settled in to read for a few hours, did a little bit of packing, had dinner and a rather depressing movie ironically called Better Days, which was SO not what I thought it would be. Patsy coming by in the morning to ride, so I'm heading to bed early. Good night, my darlin'! Love you!

Hiya Darlin',
Well, not surprisingly, I paid the price for last night's martinis, and woke up with a hangover and a cottonmouth. Laid in bed until I felt better, finally got up and did my chores, then spent the rest of the day in my recliner working on the computer, planning my travels for the next month. I have most of May to knock around the Carolinas, so I decided after Biltmore, I'd go back to Canebrake, where they have water, electric and a dump station. We went there a couple of times, didn't ride the first time, only got one ride in the second (and that was the week they were installing electric!), so I figure it will be a good place to spend two weeks, considering it's only $17 a night with my senior discount. From there I decided to go back to Woods Ferry, mostly because it's about the only place that has availability over Memorial Day weekend, and I figure it's been long enough since our last debacle there. Plus it's only $3.50 a night with the discount, so I can keep my costs down. Then I'll be heading over to Nathalie's house where I'll be leaving the horses and Lola while I fly off to my Red Rock Ride. I made reservations for all of that, then worked on the trail system at Biltmore, getting everything on Google Earth so I can put it on my GPS when the time comes. Watched a couple of movies, including a great one about a healing horse called Adeline, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Glad I had a nice day off, I sure needed it! Heading to shower and bed! Good night, sweetheart! Love you!

Hey Sweetie,
Woke up at 8:00, laid in until after 9:00, then got busy! Did three loads of laundry, a whole bunch of deep housekeeping, then once all the laundry was on the line (it was a beautiful morning and a beautiful day!), finally headed out at 2:00 to pick up some hay. Went into Society Hill and cleaned out the hay guy's trailer of his last eight bales, which I stored in the back of the trailer. I was hoping he had ten to get me through, but eight is all he had! Once I got that put away, I took down the laundry, finished up just before 5:00, which was time enough to celebrate a final day of work, so I mixed myself a martini or two (having indulged myself into buying some gin at the ABC store) and finally getting relaxed for the evening. I'll probably regret it in the morning, but I'm definitely enjoying it tonight! Watched a rather strange Matthew MacConaughy movie, and now I'm ready for shower and bed on fresh, air dried sheets! Good night, babe! Love you!

Hiya Sweetie!
Had a great night sleep, now that the camp is all but empty, but of course, I still felt tired since I'm crashing from all the recent activity. I got up long enough to do my chores and have breakfast, then crawled back into bed where I spent the day reading, napping, and generally trying to stay warm. All that rain brought in a cold front, so it's a bit chilly this morning, down into the forties, but tonight is going to be even colder, down into the thirties, so when I finally got up in the afternoon, I put a blanket on Apollo (Flash already had his on), when I fed them. I took a walk over to visit with Chelle and to return a nozzle she left on the hose she borrowed from me, and we chatted awhile, but then I got back to camp and settled down for the evening with dinner, a Northern Exposure and a little Hallmark rom/com. Won't be long out of bed though, I've steeped my Sleepytime tea and am looking forward to crawling back into my warm bed! Good night, baby! Love you!

Hey Babe,
Today would have been the perfect day to have a rainy Sunday, but alas, it was not to be. I was up early with the alarm, over to the clubhouse by 8:30, breakfast, awards ceremony, then on the road with Patsy all day picking up most of the signs. There were still a few left we couldn't get to, and at one point we got stuck and had to be rescued by one of the other volunteers, Calvin. We were climbing a hill on clay that turned out to be as slick as ice, and Patsy fishtailed until she got stuck along the side where all the rain had been guttering down. Took almost an hour to be rescued, but fortunately, it only took a little tug from Calvin's truck to get us out. We carried on our merry way, picked up a bunch more signs, finally got back to camp at nearly 4:00. Helped myself to leftovers in the kitchen (I have enough hot dogs to last a month!), got the horses fed, including some good handfuls of wet alfalfa that was leftover at one of the hospitality spots that we picked up, and finally settled down for dinner and a movie, with George Clooney and J-Lo. I can feel my body doing it's usual crash after the exertion of many days of exertion in a row, and now I'm crashing. Not sure what's going to happen this week, but I'm definitely not doing anything tomorrow but the bare minimum. Can't wait to get into bed, the temps, which yesterday morning were pushing the upper 80's, have plummeted, with temps forecast in the mid-40's overnight, so I'm looking forward to a hot shower and a good, long night sleep, especially now that the camp is practically empty, and no generators around. Whew! What a day! A quick Spanish lesson and I'm off to my shower and bed! Good night, my darlin'! Love you!

Hey Sweetie,
Was happy to wake up without any pain this morning, so whatever happened yesterday was just a passing thing, thank goodness! Hooked up with the team around 10:00 after chores and breakfast, solved some computer mapping issues, then headed back out onto the trail with the two FEI officials to finish putting the mileage signs out, which took a couple of hours. Got back to camp, and it wasn't long before I was asked to take some of the crew drivers out the show them the crew stops, so I took them out in a convoy, putting up the crew site signs as we went. We didn't have them this morning, so it was a good job done. Did some more mapping work, finally got everything set, just in time for the riders meeting. We finally managed to merge the two trail meetings (after some contention), then FEI split off for a second meeting specific to them. It was after 8:30 when we got done, I got back to my camp, finally fed the horses and settled down for a short evening before it will be time for shower and bed. No doubt another long day tomorrow! Good night, baby! Love you!