It must be my bug...

For those of you who know me personally or have followed this blog awhile, you know that I drive a VW Bug. It's white, it's cute, it has a yellow daisy in the vase...

It also incites violence and random waving wherever I go.

Remember that game "slug-a-bug" that we played as kids? Yeah, kids are still playing it. I like knowing that I get to be a point wherever I go.

But the other side-effect of driving a friendly vehicle is that people that I don't know wave to me all the time. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to wave back or not... what is proper VW waving protocol anyway? And is there a special VW bug wave that one driver is supposed to give another like jeeps and motorcycles have?

Inquiring minds want to know...

It's good to be loved...

When I got home from San Diego it was late at night. The next morning I was running late and didn't have time to go out to the pasture and say hi to Flash and Goodwin.

So, after work on Tuesday I headed out to the pasture to give the boys some love. They are in the far pasture right now and when Flash saw me at the gate to the near pasture he called out to me and came sprinting over to the middle gate. And then when I got there he gave me a horsey-hug with a low nicker and then proceeded to stick his head in my face if I stopped scratching his itchy bits.

Goodwin was a little more reserved but still came over for some scritches.

It's good to know that they miss me as much as I miss them when I'm gone. I'll definitely be taking Flash out for a ride tonight. I know we'll both enjoy it...

Good times down South...

I'm sure you're wondering after reading about the crazy flight how the rest of the mini-vaca went? It was great. I'm thinking we need to make it an annual event, personally...

Very rarely do I get to hang out with just Flip Flop and BooBoo. And we did it all...

We napped...

We hiked...

We took in the views...

We shopped at the swap meet...

We forgot where our car was at the airport parking lot...

We even played soccer, too...

Well Flip Flop didn't, but BooBoo and I did...

I even kinda looked like an athlete (up until I crawled off the field gasping for air).

The mini-vaca was a great birthday gift...

It's official...

I'm single again. But I really don't want to talk about it right now...

And I have a lot of fun pics from my mini-vaca down in San Diego that I want to share but I don't have the energy to write that blog yet either.

Give me a few days...

Maybe it's the air at 30,000 feet...

Or maybe it's the lack of air... or maybe it's just Oakland.

Although it didn't just start in Oakland. We (Flip Flop and I) arrived at PDX a little early and decided to have lunch at the airport. However, by the time we got to the security check-in the line was huge. So we decided to walk down to the other end of the airport where the security line was much shorter. As we were walking we started power walking just to goof off. Next thing you know, some business guy declares that we won't beat him and speed walks right by us. I think he was kidding... although he did beat us to the line.

Our flight from Portland to Oakland was just fine. It was a full plane, but it was quiet (minus the crying baby somewhere up near the front).

Once we reached Oakland, it was a different story. There were about 20 of us staying on board to continue on to San Diego and we decided to move closer to the front before they started having people board the plane. The first to board were a pack of business men. They seemed somewhat normal and Flip Flop and I didn't think much of it.

Then came Cruella DeVil...

Flip Flop decided to hit the restroom before it was time to take off and put her purse and book in the middle seat and left the aisle seat empty. Cruella walked up and started putting her stuff in the seat. I explained that the seat was taken and she got all huffy and asked why Flip Flop's stuff was in the middle seat if she was actually using the aisle seat. I pointed out to her that the rest of the plane was open and available if she didn't like it. She stomped off down the aisle.

The rest of the plane filled up and towards the end the flight crew announces that the overhead bins are getting full and to put the smaller bags under the seats. Just after that, another business guy comes on board and asks one of the guys in the group in front of us if he can move a computer bag to put his suitcase in. The guy says sure but tells him it has to be close by (can't blame him, it is his computer after all). Well, the 2nd business guy can't find a close place and starts to put it way down the plane. The first guys starts yelling at him to bring his computer back to where he is at the front. So the 2nd guy hands the 1st guy his computer bag and says to put it under his chair. The 1st guy says to put it back up where he found it. Then the 2nd guy puts his computer bag in the aisle and walks off.

This causes the 1st guy to jump up and grab the 2nd guy's bag out of the overhead bin and dump it in the aisle and put his computer bag back where it was originally. Oh and to scream what a dick the 2nd guy was down the plane. The 2nd guy then marches up to the flight attendant and complains about the 1st guy moving his bag. Then the first guy yells that his bag was there first. The flight attendant then grabbed the 2nd guy's bag out of the aisle and takes it to the back of the plain. The 2nd guy, upon seeing this, then stands up and yells to the first guy about what a jerk he is.

At this point, Flip Flop and I are thinking that a brawl is about to break out in the aisle. We were just trying to not make eye-contact with anyone and keep our heads down just in case.

After the 2nd guy's bag got wheeled to the back of the plane, the attendants then decided that the few bags that hadn't found a home in the overhead bins needed to be checked. As the attendant was wheeling the bags up the aisle, they were going so fast that they knocked Flip Flop's book out of her hand and proceeded to drag it up the aisle with the bag... and didn't even notice. Thank goodness someone up at the front of the plane was able to stop the bag long enough to free the book and return it to Flip Flop.

Needless to say, we were happy to get in the air and on our way...

Once in San Diego we went to go claim our bags. At the first baggage claim, the carousel was broken so we went to the next one and waited. Then they told us it would be on the 3rd one instead so we moved over there. Then it was back to the 2nd. At that point we decided to hang out between 2 and 3 because they couldn't seem to make up their minds which one our bags were going to come out on.

Flip Flop's bag showed up right away. Of course, she didn't tell me it was hers until it was almost by us and in my haste to grab it I almost got dragged onto the carousel. Mine didn't show up until much later.

But it showed. Thank goodness...

It's amateur hour...

I swear the paper did not deserve my talent. Especially when they take something that I designed the hell out of and make it look like a 3rd grader got a hold of it.

Remember the project I hated more than life itself (TPIHMTLI)? Well I may have hated it, but I did make sure it looked really damn good by the time it left the building. And when I left the paper I left them months worth of templates to work with. It was idiot proof... or so I thought.

What the cover used to look like. Classy, clean, visually interesting...

What the cover looks like now. Crass, crowded and uninteresting...

I mean, what font is that they are now using at the top? And who slaps such visually uninteresting headers like that on a cover? And why the hell is the bar hanging out on either side? Wanna bet that the printed copy has those bars hanging out too? 

*sigh*

They definitely didn't deserve my attention to detail and talent. Glad I'm now at a place that does appreciate the skills I have to offer...

I'm starting to not like Septmeber...

Something about the last half of September just doesn't agree with me for some reason. Maybe it's because bad things keep happening after the 15th of September and right before my birthday... which is kinda crappy.

Farmer and I broke up in September (if you remember). RR and I are having major issues and it's September. School always started in September. Summer ends in September...

You get the idea...

September is just an icky month if you ask me.

Ouch...

This weekend was filled with lots and lots of riding.

It started out Friday night when Hutch and I did a dressage lesson with a local trainer. I must admit that I went into the lesson kind of smug. After all, Flash and I have competed in dressage in the past. Nothing high level or super-fancy, but still... I thought we had the basics down pretty good. Wrong.

Flash and I have both gotten quite lazy over the past few years. It was painful for us both. He could only hold frame for a few strides before reverting to his previous way of going. And I didn't do much better. We both were sweaty, hot and very tired by the time the hour was up. Thank goodness that Hutch and Anna were there to split the time with us or we would have never survived.

This is going to be a weekly thing, so hopefully I can start to improve my riding throughout the winter. I haven't told Flash yet, though. He won't be pleased...

On Saturday, Jewel and I decided to branch out and see what trails we could find. We stumbled upon the Cline Butte Rec Area which has many trails just waiting for exploration. I can't believe what amazing riding I have right from my doorstep... it is fantastic. The only downside to that ride is that Flash and I were tired.

On the upside, I took the LL's dog with us and she did great... except for getting pooped on by a hawk.

DD having a good time on the trail...

Except for the hawk pooping directly on top of her head...

On Sunday, Hutch wanted to get her offspring out for a ride. I explained that Flash was not speaking to me and needed a day off. No problem, she had a youngster that needed some time out on the trail. OK, no biggie. The only problem we ran into was Commander (the offspring's horse) kept parking himself on every bush in site and scratching his itchy belly. Offspring was fine with it. Hutch would freak out a little when he started doing it. All-in-all everyone had fun and it was a good (if short) ride.

Later that day, I went out to Mags place to ride Storm and chit-chat with her. We had a great ride too, but by the time we got back I was sore all over.

There is no denying it. I'm getting older. And with my birthday just around the corner it's more apparent than ever...

In charge...

The landlords are out of town for the next few days and have left me in charge. Silly them...

I am currently responsible for 4 dogs (2 mine, 2 theirs), 5 horses (2 mine, 2 theirs, 1 border), 1 goat (definitely not mine... noisy beast), 2 cows (theirs) and a number of random cats. It's quite the ménagère to try to keep track of.

I'm sure that everything will still be alive and kicking by the time they get back. I hope...

Far away...

Heard this song this morning and it hit just a little too close to home...

Instant gratification vs. long-term satisfaction

This is something I've talked about in the past, but it's always a good topic to revisit.

Wildflower has started dating someone new.

*wild applause*

I'm glad that she has left the hairy, inconsiderate bear behind and is moving forward. Her new guy, Coyote, is not someone she was head-over-heels with the instant she saw him but instead they cultivated a friendship first and their relationship has grown out of that.

They have been together for a little over a month now and still haven't slept together... which as you know, I see no problem with. They have chemistry but are not in a rush. Wildflower's friend, however, seems to think that just because she hasn't immediately jumped into bed with him that she's just not that into Coyote.

*rolls eyes*

People like this drive me nuts. This girl (can't call her a woman) thinks that great sex and having nothing in common is a great foundation on which to build a relationship. Uh huh. Sure.

However, those of us who have lived those relationships know better. Sex is a great perk, don't get me wrong, but it absolutely, positively cannot hold a long-term relationship together. It. Just. Can't. Sex is meant to be the icing on the cake... not the cake itself.

I'm glad that Wildflower is sticking to her guns and developing the parts of the relationship that allow it to be long-term versus just jumping into bed and not bothering with the rest. I think that's the only way to really make it work...

When good cereal goes bad...

Is anyone else as disturbed by this commercial as I am?

It makes me wonder who looks at those story boards and then approves a commercial like this? Disturbing...

Personally, I don't think cannibalism and breakfast cereal really go together. But that's just me...

Two weeks...

This can be considered a short time. Or it can feel like a lifetime. I guess it depends in what circumstance you're in as to how long (or short) 2 weeks really is.

On vacation? Too short...

Waiting to sort things out with your significant other? Way too long...

But that's what he asked for and that's what he's going to get. Am I happy about it? Not. Even. A. Little. But it's what he felt he needed and therefore it's the only thing I can do. If the situation were reversed, I would want him to respect what I felt I needed and not harass me about it...

But still... 2 weeks? Really?

*sigh*

It's not that I mind being independent or out of touch (for a little while). What I fear is that we'll both have way too much time to think. I think that is just as dangerous as not putting much thought in at all. And with no communication for the next while, I have nothing better to do than dissect what happened over and over again. There is no way to get confirmation or clarification while that is happening... which I think can be dangerous.

Not a good situation. And I'm not really seeing a good solution...

Reflections...

As I am faced with the possible end of my current relationship (I hope not, but it's a 2 person thing and right now there is very little communication from the other side) I find myself looking back at not just this relationship but the ones that have come before.

Farmer remains my favorite ex. We fought long and hard to make sure that our friendship succeeded where we, as a couple, had failed and I love him for making the effort. It wasn't easy. At. All. And he could have told me to fuck off many times and never did. He's always been willing to pick up the phone and listen to me bitch and then show me a side of the problem that would have never occurred to me. He is one of my dearest friends... still.

The Biologist is a difficult relationship to sort out. I'm pissed he cheated (and that I didn't listen to my instincts) and that he wasn't straight up with me about it until much, much later. At the time, though, he was what I needed to get out of a bad marriage. So I'm glad about that. He also gave me confidence again. He's now engaged and doing well. I wish him the best...

Ex-hub is by far the most frustrating and difficult relationship to work out in my head. On paper, it was a great marriage. We had many good things going for us. Unfortunately, paper didn't match real life. As my sis once wisely said... you either grow together or grow apart. And we grew apart. Ex-hub felt that the wedding day was the finish line. After that, he figured he didn't need to put in any time or effort. And those of you who have long-term relationships know this not to be the case. It is work. It's like a garden. If you don't tend to what is planted and keep it growing, it withers and dies. And that is exactly what happened with us. With very long-lasting effects. There are feelings I still have about that whole situation that are unresolved.

And perhaps this is part of the problem with my current relationship. Old baggage resurfacing until I figure out a way to put it to rest, once and for all. Or maybe baggage never entirely goes away. It does become a part of who you are, after all...

As you can tell, my brain is all over the place. Jumping around hither and yon...

I guess I'm just tired. It's been 2 nights of very little sleep and I've never been so glad to see a Friday. Hopefully this weekend I can get a few things sorted out. We'll see...

Should vs. Actually...

How my night should have gone:

Get off work. Pick up RR and drive over to Mags. Take a wonderful horseback ride. Snuggle and cuddle with RR. Sleep.

How my night actually went:

Get off work, kinda. Go to town for cocktails with the co-workers and chit-chat about work and other stuff. Come home to an empty house (RR and pups out walking). Get that uncomfortable feeling upon RR coming back that something isn't quite right (but ignore it). Read. Try talking to RR but end up bickering instead. Have bickering evolve into a full-blown meltdown (and then realize too late that sugar has definitely been introduced into RR's diet). Cry. A lot. Get maybe an hour of sleep.

Part not on the best of terms...

I have no idea what will happen now. Our relationship is in serious crisis. Can it survive? I'm not sure what the answer is to that just yet. What I would like is for RR to pull through to the other side of this so we can actually have a discussion about it. From what I'm hearing (and seeing) it's probably going to be a few days before that happens. And patience never was my strong suit...

I'm mad, sad, tired, frustrated and very scared. It's going to be a rough day. For both of us...

Nothing better...

There are few things better in life than a great bf and a fabulous bff. Over the holiday weekend, I had both...

RR was already in town (and his car is, thankfully, working again) and Bff and her offspring wandered in on Saturday afternoon.

Before they got there, RR and I attempted a ride. I say attempted because we were only out about a 1/2 hour. I was riding the LL's (landlord) new horse, which was supposedly a very broke, kid-type horse. Um, no. He's not... And Flash, unfortunately wasn't helping matters. He was feeding off of Scoot's energy and getting all frisky too. So, RR was having no fun and neither was I. I had my hands full... and that's saying something. And then the bridle broke. I decided to dismount and just walk back. Seemed safer that way.

I'm bummed for LL because she thought they had a winner. And he's great from the ground... a perfect gentleman. Unfortunately, someone forgot to continue his education under saddle. She's trying to get back into horses after a long layoff and wanted something she could just hop on and ride. Scoot, unfortunately, is not it...

Anyway, on Sunday RR, Bff, her offspring and I decided to hit the river for a day of floating. It was a blast. But before we hit the river, we made a stop at Walmart first...

And found RR some new accessories...

Then it was off to the river. Bff and offspring decided to do the tubes...

Boy that water looks cold...

While RR and I stuck to the boat...

This is the life...

A duck came by to see if we had any nomzy stuff to offer her...

You have nothing? You people are worthless...

And after the first few times down the river, it started to get a little crowded...

It was like a traffic jam. Only with lots more drunk driving... or floating... or whatever.

RR had to use his special skills (and paddles) to navigate through traffic...

Yes, Birkenstocks count as paddles...

We thought there was food being freely offered on the river...

Turns out they're just cattails and not edible (really) at all...

We weren't the only ones finding interesting ways to paddle around town (and the river). Check out this party bicycle built for 14...

It even comes with a bartender to serve you libations as you peddle.

Now that's my kind of bike...

It was a good weekend. RR is still in town so we're going to load up the horses and head over to Mags to ride tonight. Should be a way better ride than we had on Saturday. At least, it'd better be. Or I'll kick Storm and Flash both...

Just add a little grass...

Well, a lot of grass, actually...

He's starting to look like a horse...

Rather than a sad sack of bones...

And it's only been a week and a half. I haven't even started him on grain yet and already he's put on visible weight. Which, of course, just tells me that there is nothing wrong with him except his ex-owner. All he needs is food... 

I also got a good pic of the fire that is still raging to the North and causing all sorts of problems.

A beautiful sunset but makes it hard to breathe...

Well, RR arrived in town last night. Unfortunately, his car did not arrive with him. It gave up the ghost with about 30 miles to go. He's out taking a look at it today and I'm hoping it will be an easy fix. Otherwise we might just be looking for a new vehicle for him. Soon...

I hope that extra 15 seconds you saved was worth it...

For the most part, I'm lucky. I live in a pretty rural area north of Bend and work in a very rural area east of Bend. I get to skirt around most of the traffic and usually have a very uneventful drive to work...

Until I run into some asshat on the road trying to pass a long line of cars... coming from the other direction.

This happened to me this morning. Although typically I can see them coming and can slow down. This time, I popped over a small rise and there was a car trying to pass in my lane. I jerked my car onto the gravel shoulder (nearly losing control of my car) and barely missed getting hit head-on by the absolute asshat in my lane.

Needless to say, I just sat there a while regaining my composure. It was a very close call. I could have reached out and touched the hood of the car as it went by me.

I just don't understand why people do this. Maybe he (and it was a he) saved a few minutes of drive time, but at what cost? We could have both died... If I hadn't seen him in time, we probably would both be bloody smears on the road. I'm not sure which car would've won out. He was driving a mid-size Honda and I'm in the VW. I'm kinda thinking that all the airbags in the Bug would have given me a chance, but who knows?

Life is precious, people. Remember that. And I will try to, too...