It was tough stuff leaving home less than two weeks before Santa was due to arrive. I was going to miss the big dinner, the family gatherings and the best nights out with my friends. :'(
Trying to be positive, a Christmas in the sun was something I was willing to try. My visa was granted on December 7th. My flight was booked for December 13th. Talk about a rush to get packed and mentally prepared to leave for three years! Biggest devastation...the zipper breaking on my boot bag. However, things fell into place. Said my emotional goodbyes (not thinking about it, it still twinges a bit)
All the sadness of leaving was eased a lot as I was travelling with such a great friend... Miss Shauna Finneran! We have been friends for so long and I could not be travelling and working with a better person. We have competed together as U21s, we have partied together and we share the same views and beliefs regarding ourselves being dressage riders. Plus, this girl is ACE at doing make-up ;) All in all a great choice methinks!
We started work in Florida Christmas week. We had little time to think about the holidays as we had to get up to speed on how the barn worked as Pam was going home for the holidays.
Christmas Day itself was very easy-going mainly due to the hospitality and generosity of the Potasky family (Ali the barn manager's family). Ali herself is a really cool person and so easy to work with. We mainly spend the days laughing and joking between ourselves! Too many funny photos I could post... but maybe another time!
So Ali Potasky... that money you paid me to say that about you has gone towards a new pair of breeches. Thanks!! ;)
Joke! Ali's family had included us in their Christmas plans before we had even arrived which to be fair is pretty nice and kind of them. So here is a shout out to Todd, Kris and Taylor Potasky who even gave us gifts! It was more than we had ever hoped for. They filled a huge hole, that is for sure.
We had to work Christmas day, which was no craziness to be fair! The normal routine had to be kept.
- 6.30 am - Hay, clean water buckets and fill them
- 7.00 am - Grain to be fed
- Sweep barn, make rest of day's grain
- BREAKFAST TIME!!! ( I am starting a pancake Christmas brekkie from now on...highly recommend it)
- Start to turn out some of the horses for a while, lunge a few and hand-graze a few.
- 11.00 am - Hay and sweep
- 11.30 am - Lunch grain
We were brought to West Palm Beach to swim and sunbathe and chill out for a few hours. Shauna and I were literally the same colour of the sand. We were the palest people on the entire beach!
The afternoon barn chores were easy going. We feed hay again at 4.00 pm and grain at 4.30pm.
The farm that Pam works from in Florida is called Double Bridle. A german couple own it and live on the property. As they were spending the day alone by themselves, Ali's parents suggested us all eating together. We had dinner in their covered garden and pool area (swit-swoo I hear ye say! And ye gods it is).
My first Christmas away from home was quite different, but was made a thousand times easier due to the kindness of the Potasky family. So Potasky's, here is your second shout-out!
Oh yes! New Years! The night was spent out in Clematis St, West Palm Beach. Ali, Shauna and I hit the town as best we can with our neighbouring Korean grooms who did not speak one word of english. Thanks to our new nifty iPhones, the Google Translate app was our ONLY communication tool.
By the way, it is not very accurate at stringing sentences together. We got many strange looks from Cho and Jin. But we partied on and saw some great fireworks at the end of the night.
So...
First Christmas away from home - check
New Years Eve in strange place with foreign non-english speakers - check
What next?!
SJ, It is totally our pleasure to spend time with you and Shauna! We are honored that you mentioned us in your blog. Now you have to come to MA so we can take you in our boat on the CT RIver... we guarantee great photos to post :) xxoo
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