A Day of Rest

I took Tuesday off.  Not off from work or household chores, but off from the barn.  I hope the ponies don't mind too much.

I go to the barn seven days a week.  I ride at least five days a week, but I try for seven.  Sometimes I am successful, sometimes I am not.  I am not sure that my husband understands my need to ride so much, but he indulges me with little complaint.  In exchange, I do little of anything else, and I give him every evening.

Here's my typical work day:

• 5:00 a.m. - get up, shower, breakfast, pack a lunch, social media, newspaper
• 6:30 a.m - head to work.
• 6:50 - arrive at work, leave promptly at 3:20 p.m.
• 3:45 - arrive home, change into barn clothes, leave before 4:00 p.m.
• 4:10 - begin barn chores: feed Sydney, turn one horse out, clean both stalls, mix evening feed, ride the other, clean up the barn
• 6:00 - arrive home, shower
• 6:30 - prepare dinner
• 7:00 - eat, clean up
• 7:40 - watch some TV with Hubby
• 8:45 - bed

Wash, rinse, repeat for the next five days.  Saturday and Sunday aren't any lazier.  On those days, if I don't have a show, I spend at least four hours at the barn, often times more, and then I go home and do laundry, straighten up the house, do my weekly grocery shopping, and try to relax for at least a little while.

I should add a little something about our dinner routine.  We eat dinner together EVERY SINGLE NIGHT.  It's important to us.  We don't do fast food either; I cook.  We do go out for dinner a couple of Saturdays a month, but for the most part, we prepare home cooked meals every night.  It helps us stay connected; we talk, laugh, commiserate, or just eat and enjoy the quiet.

I generally plan my meals around lessons and riding.  I cook a main course one night, and then we have left-overs the next night, but I prepare fresh sides.  This week's menu included oven-fried chicken with steamed baby red potatoes, and a green salad.  We also ate meatloaf, orzo with parmesan cheese, and broccoli.  Later in the week we'll eat an Asian-inspired beef with snow peas over a bed of rice.

Like I said; I took Tuesday off.  I came home and took a bath.  I took care of some paperwork.  I cooked dinner in a leisurely fashion with a glass of red wine on the side.  I played with the dog.  I visited with my husband.  I wrote this blog post.  I just took it easy, and boy did it feel good!

Today?  Back to burning the candle at both ends.  After-all, I have a show on Sunday which means that my trailer needs to be loaded, Sydney needs extra cleaning and braids, tack needs to be polished up, and show clothes need to be loaded.  And somehow all of my regular weekend household chores need to be done, too.  Deep breath ...