In which I never learn..

Not many things in life are a given, and not many things with horses are a given.

But, if one thing can be absolutely certain - every year it is going to get cold. The sun is going to bless some other fortunate souls in a different area of the planet and before you know it the grass will give way to expansive patches of pugged up mud. Your clothes will begin to hold that faint sickly-sweet smell of baleage as you try to keep the weight on your OTTB's, not one natural fingernail will be the same length as another from grabbing at handfuls of said baleage, and the contents of your bra suddenly becomes more hay than actual boobs (#ImARealCatch, #WifeMaterial). The most guaranteed of all though, is that it is going to get crazy fricken cold. 

And every year, I say the same thing in small talk "I can't believe how cold it is!!".

I actually can't believe that every winter I can't believe how cold it gets.

But, I'm still subjecting my horse to potential frostbite and I'm still smiling - just!

We're a bit behind where I would have liked, post Oscar's physio. My silence around here of late had been the result of an impromptu trip to the UK as my grandma has taken seriously ill, and my granddad is showing early signs of Alzheimer's. I had hoped to do the Dannervirke winter dressage series as it was so low-key and fun last year, but family comes first. And so I stopped planning to fix up my float (which didn't sell and that's okay) and instead went on a 30 hour sojourn to my homeland. 

Completely worth it. This is a favourite photo of mine, of my mum spending quality time with her dad on the beach front at Morecambe. 

I can only guess that my sister took the photo from the finger in the corner - that is so her trademark hahaha! 

Consequentially, Oscar and I missed a lot of the autumn/winter series stuff and I'm way behind with the float repairs, however we start having lessons again next week which is something to look forward to. Smooch is on the back burner temporarily as exam preparation is sadly more pressing than her progress at this point - two more weeks off won't harm her whatsoever.