wednesday got a bit wild

The wind was whipping here yesterday, although it was very warm. My ride on the Big Bay was good. He had his very alert ears on, but always responded when I asked him to flick back and stay connected. We worked into his big trot going to the right, and tried to work on his inflexibility to the left, which has always been an issue for him.

Keil has a rather large scar on his right barrel, and you can feel the thick scar tissue there. I have always wondered if going left pulls on that old scar tissue in some way. But in any case, he and I have to work harder going left to stay straight and get a nice, genuine bend. I also wonder if my own crookedness is in that direction, and between the two, we really have a tough time. But we got a few good strides in and will continue working on it.

I was so pleased with myself that despite the roaring wind I got my ride in, got shavings in stalls, got evening chores done, and launched out of here at 6 to get to my office.

Sometimes when things go so easily, you know a hitch is coming.

Last night was the first time I've had to use the new alarm system in my building. I unlocked the door, went in to the keypad, typed in my code, and then felt my anxiety rise as the scary computer voice told me to enter it again. And again. I wondered if I was supposed to close the door - I'd been so nervous about not getting the code typed in before the allotted time elapsed, I'd left it open. So I ran back and closed it and locked it.

By this time the computer voice was seeming more insistent and then suddenly the alarm went off. The voice of a live person came blasting into the hallway.

Identify yourself.

I said my name, gave my code, and then she said I needed to give another code. Which I didn't have.

You are unauthorized. Leave the premises immediately. Police officers are on the way.

By this point I was so discombobulated I went to the front door, opened it, and set off a series of motion detectors, which told me every step I took that unauthorized motion was detected. I felt like I was in a scene from the Twilight Zone.

Fortunately, the owners live quite close to the office, and they drove up within minutes, letting me know they'd canceled the police call and offering to walk me through the routine.

My client session started late, ran late to make up that lost time, and when I got home last night, all I wanted to do was have a glass of wine, a little dinner, and watch the remaining episode on my Netflix disk. MacLoud's Daughters.

My husband thinks it was crazy that I didn't know what was coming. Without spoiling anything for anyone who might watch this series, I'll just say that something that I sort of knew was coming, but not how it would actually happen, happened. And it was heartbreaking. I was in tears by the last few minutes, and I still feel brutalized by the writers. How could they have written that?

Of course, it's to their credit that they write so well. I was completely involved in their story and thus taken completely by surprise, denied the little bit I knew, and then crashed and burned as it played out.

Fortunately, today is sunny and even though it looks like it might end up even windier than yesterday, their is no rush to be anywhere, and we can deal with the wind if it comes.

*******

My bird messengers are all coming 'round to settle things down this morning. First, my husband came in from throwing morning hay and said the redtail was sitting on the fence post.

I just opened the front door to let Moomin in and the three crows were all in the front field.

It's one of those days where you open your eyes and all the signs are there. It makes me think of the last lines of two of my favorite poems.

The whole wide world pours down.

-William Stafford


What we need is here.

-Wendell Berry