haha rr - delicate is not the word, SUBTLE or INVISIBLE aids is more like it, they do wonders for your stomach muscles and legs and seat, if you dont have rock iron stomach muscles its tough and riding once a week would make it hard, but with all that labouring you've been doing you should have toned up SOME muscles! - so you have family coming from the US, is that good or bad?

Poor fishies are NOT happy in their shallow water and we are going to buy a new tank in the morning, it's going to be a VERY busy day tomorrow!

Have been out for dinner and now feeling pretty weary so am off to bed , ciou all talk to you tomorrow.

Hi AMM, just got back from a very slow jog...Yes, I have sort of let myself go the past year or so...Working construction(or restoration as I am doing,) doesn't build you up really...I just have been doing the minimum of just about EVERYTHING(except working on the house,) so as not to get totally out of shape...Once too far gone, coming back, after a certain age is rough(and coming back after the major accident was hard enough...) Whatever...

Yes, at least riding lets one "understand," if only scraping at the surface what champion riders go through to do what they do and make it easy. In college I took a boxing class(for the fun of it,..have a few stories,) anyway one of the first things that one remarked was, even without being hit, just holding your gloved hands up all the time...IS DOWN RIGHT TIRING. I wonder how many boxing lovers know this?

So I ran and did pull-ups,push-ups,sit-ups,etc yesterday. Today I will just do(done) my shorter jog and ride Incarna this afternoon(yeepee) I havn't ridden him during the week for at least a year! Hope he's not Union, he might protest at the change in hours...rr

Oh that feeling sounds so incredible, AMM! I have felt glimpses of it from time to time, that total oneness and fingertip control. But I have not been riding much for several months and now it all feels totally cra**y. Last time I rode, my horse felt sluggish, I was having trouble finding my position, it was just a bad ride, then DD comes along and says, "Let me get on him". Of course, for her he was smooth, collected, beautiful. She is such a better rider than me, but I work so much harder!! Life is not fair... As you said, RR, the road back is a hard one.

That is such an incredible feeling! I've ridden glimpses, but that's about it. My older gelding could get pretty light and collected and I felt like I could do anything with him, but his views differed from mine. He doesn't have very "showy" movement and lateral work was hard for him, so we schooled second level and showed first. Another horse I started was pretty nice for me, but an incredible ride for my best friend. Now, THAT'S not fair!

Still hungry for pasta? We love this supper. It's quick, easy and flavorful. Brown some chopped garlic or shallots (the amount is up to you) in olive oil. Cook whatever kind of pasta you want, plate it and cover the pasta with the cooked garlic and oil, fresh ground pepper and grated fresh Parmesan (NOT the stuff in the green can). Tada! Simple and easy. Make a salad, get some good bread and enjoy.

Great. Now I'm hungry again!

Cindy

RC, yes, and getting older, doesn't help either! One thing I have tried to be careful about,..starting back, on a clear, sunny spring day,....and overdoing it. Injury comes quick when, in my thoughts, I am still 40...

I will be reheating the pasta I made last night. I made a tomato sauce with onions,girlic(everything fresh,) concentrated tomato paste, preservered tomatoes from the garden(like jam,) and then spiced with just about everything but the kitchen sink...Good for 3meals when I am alone...

Dinner time...rr

Hi Lucy, I can't believe all the stuff you are going through with these surgeries - I really hope you are satisfied with the results. But I have heard many people talk about the wonders of Vit E on the skin so maybe you can check it out.

Starz - how are you doing with the weaher - it is about 15 here with a cold wind - that makes it about -10 C for you foreigners .

Which reminds me - don't think FHM has checked in today - maybe it is such great weather where he lives that he is out horsing around.

RC I know what you mean about losing the feel if you don't ride often enough - it used to be like that for me but now unless it is a REALLY long time between rides ( which I don't willingly let happen), it is still okay. But you are having an OFF day it is really OFF. I think the balance and rythm from dancing help me a bit there though both to feel when I am off and figure out how to correct - just for myself, not the horse.

And speaking of horses, which we don't always do on this thread, rr - did you get in your ride today? I still find it a bit surprising even after all this time that your day is so close to over when we still have hours left...

Take care all.

Since you've asked, my dear Sea Horse, I 've been on the Real Men Thread, getting my ears pulled back by the new Sheriff/schoolteacher(who is trying to take over our undisciplined little thread) I have THIS SNEEKY FEELING that suddently she wants us all to get a haircut and be politically correct, and I am having a little trouble...rr

I really can't believe you're referring to me ? What did I do? Show a little concern about someone eating frozen pizza and they go all defensive on you. Geez. Shorter hair and politically correct? Like I said before: What fun would that be?

Cindy

Hey, everyone - I'm outta here! I get to leave work early today, just in time for the long weekend. You know about those slacker State employees, they get all the holidays! MLK Day, Presidents Day, Arbor Day, Waitangi Day, Earth Day.... Have a great weekend and SeaHorse, watch my back!

Cindy

AMM... your fish tank fresh water or salt? I'm guessing fresh? I'd like to have a fish tank when I know we won't be moving for awhile. When I do you'll have to advise me on interesting fish to stock it with.

Thanks so much rr for your concern. Actually, everything has turned out very well except for a couple of puffy scar areas on my eyelids. My old doctor, the one I should have had to this procedure, says it's no big deal to fix. He just wanted to give the shots a chance first and avoid unnecessary surgery. You know... I didn't really have wrinkles so much as these awful jowels. I inherited them from both sides of my family, and... considering I'm astranged from my parents, the last thing I wanted was to see them looking back at me from my mirror...lol! So.... now the jowels are gone. Don't you agree with me that a lot of plastic surgery procedures are aimed at internal issues more than the external ones? Especially here in America, women are given all these insecurities from unthinking and/or cruel role models in their lives. Not to mention the media. But... back to the topic... a couple of scar revisions and I'll be happy as a little clam....

Hey there SH. You're so sweet. Like I told rr.... the worst is over. I'm very happy with the overall results otherwise. I'm definitely not addicted to plastic surgery. By the same token... I don't believe in aging gracefully, either. I intend on fighting it all the way!

Our weather was up to the 40's today, but awful winds. Next week is supposed to be in the 60's though. For once I hope the weatherman is correct! I tried to clean the paddocks today, and did, but some of the mess was still frozen to the ground! Not fun!

Ouch, rr - wouldn't want your ears pulled back and worn out - you might have use for them sometime soon. As for haircuts, I can't say - both long and short are good.

Cindy are you really the sherriff?? AND you get a 3 day weekend? Wow - what an exciting life you lead. I wouldn't even know some of these minor 3 day holidays if state employees didn't have the day off. Since you asked me to cover your back - are we talking sunscreen?, a nice warm sheet?, a wool sweater? - I hope we aren't talking guns - I have never shot one and am trying to give up my violent streak.

I am really glad Lucy to hear that you are mainly pleased with your surgery - and you are absolutely right about what horrid images TV film and media personalities etc present for women to follow - in more ways than one. Reality is so different from TV and if you can't figure that out it majorly messes with your mind.

Winter must be wearing on me more than I realized - I am suddenly bone tired and ready for a little reading and then falling asleep - I have to party hardy not once but twice tomorrow - wish me luck!! I am helping with a rock concert in the evening - I may never be the same!! Heaven help us all!!

Hi Luce - fresh water - we bought a new tank this morning its sitting on the coffee table all 6foot of it - OH has my flu and has been too sick to fiddle with it all - but fishies are VERY unhappy so I guess tonight wont be sitting in front of the TV woth a bottle of red!

WELL, I am back from judging, dont ya just looooove parents, I was judging the pony ring, the very first class, led pony, had some nice ponies, ribbons to 5th only 4 in the class, anyways the pony I placed 4th, walked out of the ring before I had awarded the ribbons, the mother shouting "we dont do last" - Huh! righto then so my ring steward comes out and says I'll go give the ribbon to the kid - not on your life I tell her - so the next class I give it last AGAIN - and hey presto problem solved, they went home and never came back for any more classess - ignorant sh*ts!

Funnily enough I had numerous people come up and congratulate me, who needs that bad sportmanship! IDIOTS!

so now I am $50 richer, sunburnt, thirsty and dirty so am off for a shower. talk later

Hey AMM, come on, that's being a little tough on the young kids, no? I wouldn't have stompted off(or openly questioned the decision,) but I am for backing off a bit on the competitive side of things at children's level...

And, I probably said this before, I was a nationally ranked swimmer(with a National Record,) at 10! Swim meets and all that crap! Being 'the best'or trying to be...My dad's putting me in the Boy Scouts SAVED MY ASS! I continued swimming but discovered camping and other NON COMPETITIVE THINGS...

This being said, as an actor, it's always competitive, just getting selected...If it were my way my son would play the cello like his grandfather and ride for fun!

Now, AMM, when you come back, don't yell to much at me...

...please... rr