The last few days have passed in a blur of Christmas cheer-ing and anticipation. As things wound down, I now realise that I was busily— quietly— winding myself up. Not in the Irish sense [teasing] but rather in the American sense [obsessing]. I do believe I'm nervous. I begged Emma for Rebel [!] today; I …
Not Quite Adios…
FIVE DAYS TO SPAIN Well, I started packing on Saturday. I got excited. As well as liking to be as organised as possible. I ordered new jodhs from the UK that actually arrived yesterday, so I won't disgrace myself— my favourite pair is going from broken-in to just broken. There's one last mend in them, …
Reeking of Sentiment
All the petty annoyances of the day— from the moment I set foot on the pavement in the morning, to the traffic on the road to the stable that evening— every single one disintegrated from the first whiff of the yard, that acrid bouquet of mud, shit and piss clearing them all away. Is she …
War Horse
THE NATIONAL THEATRE, LONDON I am taken back to my pre-critical days, days during which I would see something— a play, a film— and know what I thought, but wouldn't have to articulate it. Despite having been creatively involved in both media, there are times that I still don't, or perhaps do not want to, …
A Cunning Plan
THINKING ALOUD In the eighth grade, I was voted class bookworm. It makes me sigh, even now. This was not unjust. One of my earliest, abiding memories is of a long hallway, lined with long tables, piled high with books. I was five, it was kindergarten, I loved books, and I gathered up ten of …
Detalles, Detalles
¡MUY EXCITANTE! I'm trying to sort out how to get from Malaga to Seville. Yes, life sucks. !Not! Seriously, though, the day in question is a Sunday, a pre-Christmas Sunday in a European Catholic country, and do the buses run? The trains? I keep visiting these sites that purport to purvey the proper information... but …
Talkin’ the Talk
THE FLYING CHANGES BOOK CLUB In this post I mentioned in passing about how I read that holding my pelvis, while in saddle, as if it were full of water, with the intent to prevent the water spilling, would secure my seat. This reference inspired the following comment from a reader: You mention here about …
¡Ascendente Vertiginoso!
STUPID WIDGETS Oh, high school Espanol, donde esta? Not that we had any equestrian modules: it was all about el Bosque de Chapultepec, en la cuidad de [la?] Mexico. And, janey mac, that effortlessly floated right up to the top of my neocortex. ¡Santa Maria! I've got some brushing up to do. It didn't occur …
Walkin’ the Walk
MORE BODY LANGUAGE I am walking past Connolly Station and I see everything: I see the people swarming out of the station itself, I see the crowd surging against the light to cross to Talbot Street, I see the taxis pulling out of the rank, I see the buses trundling back up the coast road, …
Hasta la Vista, Baby!
WOO HOO Just booked my flight, ahead of posting off a cheque, for my Christmas horse riding holiday in Spain! More to follow!
MANY BRAVE FOOLS 