January 2022

 Can't believe it is 2022 already. Almost two years since Covid changed our world. We are still dealing with very contagious variants (Omnicon) but this variant doesn't seem to be as deadly.

Steve celebrated his 58th birthday this month. He asked for chocolate chip cookies like his grandma used to make. Suzy gave me the recipe and they turned out great. 

Nick came down to celebrate Christmas with us. He only stayed the day but it was great to see him. Sophia loves hanging out with her brothers.

Riding continues... doesn't matter the temperature. This month we had an IEA Dressage competition at her barn. It was snowy and COLD. I was there helping out, Sophia riding and helping. Very long, very cold days. The first day was hard. Sophia and I stayed in a hotel the night before because they were predicting snow and I wanted to be west of the storm. The bed wasn't comfortable, I snored, she didn't sleep well at all. She pulled the horse that we lease for her test. She didn't think she would be able to ride him given the IEA rules but because she doesn't own him it was allowed. Her horse spooks a lot in the part of the ring where the judge sits on normal days, never mind when there is a table and two people sitting at it. He spooked a lot and it was frustrating for her. The test did not go well. That defeated feeling carried into the second DSE class. The horse for this class spooked too. It wasn't a great day. 

The second day she pulled the same exact horses. A 20% chance that she would... and she did. This could have gone one of two ways. Sophia faced the challenge and knew that it was a new day, a new ride... and did amazing. Brisk spooked again in the test but the judge, who knows how difficult Brisk is to ride, said she did an incredible job riding him and that while the scores didn't reflect it she should know it was a good ride. Then she came in first for DSE. Her first place score meant she qualified for regionals in March for DSE. She was thrilled. I am glad she didn't let the first day rides defeat her

Sophia was asked to be the emcee for the state 4-H Awards gala. It was virtual so she got her script and recorded it. She did an amazing job. 

We got a LITTLE snow during January. The winters here are so disappointing. I wish we had snow that we could play in. This stuff is just a nuisance. 

I have been knitting a lot. Sophia asked me to make a hat for the cats. Mr. Twinkletoes actually wore it a while before squirming out of it. Otto wanted no part of it.