It was worth skipping the big birthday for this - and "You are not the guy I wanted to hit today"

Today is Emil's big 90th birthday. JP and I initially had planned to be in Germany for the celebrations. However, both of us leaving the farm in the dead of a Michigan winter is almost impossible. Just think 'Polar Vortex' - no farm sitter would want to do the work in these conditions - and if they wanted to we would be worried sick about the animals anyway.

My parents weren't to keen on the usual big production celebration anyway and decided to vacation in the Black Forest instead. That didn't mean I was off the hook though: While my dad was very encouraging about the Florida trip "Do it and enjoy it, life is short!" (his motto in life)  my mother was heavily laying on the guilt trip, not just due to the birthday (actually, she told all her friends the party was canceled as I wasn't coming....) but also because I was leaving JP for a couple of months. She always felt sorry for him when I went on extended business trips, but now I travel to have FUN?!? Shocking and so not what a 'good wife' is supposed to be doing.

So here I am, riding Remy on this beautiful sunny day with a light breeze in an arena lined with palm trees. Obviously both of us are a bit rusty after about two weeks off. Roz worked with us a lot on lateral work to get Remy better on the aids and also quicker off my leg. Remy was feeling nice and supple, not bothered at all, and I was just enjoying the ride - thinking "Yes, it was worth it!" And I don't have to feel guilty: My  dad is happy that I promised to make up the trip to Germany in June.  Win-Win!

My eating habits here are not the greatest, and my meals consist either of PB&J, muesli with yoghurt, or salad. I do have a soft spot for the Loxahatchee ice cream parlor, a small cone equals lunch. After all, there is milk in it, and milk is nourishing! So off I went to get some much needed sustenance, squeezed my car in a tight parking spot next to the sheriff's vehicle, opened the door with my usual gusto and just managed to stop it from hitting the sheriff carrying his sandwich. I grinned at him and said "you are not the guy I wanted to hit today" - to which he dead panned "I hope you are not hitting any guy today!".

We have a Bromance - and first ride under palm trees

Remy has settled in nicely and he and his stall neighbor Bodhi have really hit it off. They share the turnout paddock that is accessible from their stalls but go out individually (that's the idea at least, Remy thinks it's not so much fun). So when one is outside the other one sticks his head in and they groom each other. Sally, Bodhi's owner, was a bit worried (rightfully so) that some mane might have to pay the price for the Bromance (by being chewed off)- and Bodhi has the beautiful mane inherent to his Andalusian breed. Bodhi is on restricted turnout, so Remy is the lucky one. He can come and go from 10 a.m. to 7 a.m. the next morning.

"I scratch you and you scratch me" (The beautiful butt belongs to Remy)

Well, today was the day: First ride under palm trees! And actually the first ride in quite a long time. Remy was very good on the longe line, and I took a deep breath and got on. We headed into one of the competition rings and kept it fun and easy. It is so cool at White Fences, we can use the beautiful show arenas for training, in addition to the warm up arenas and round pen. The footing is the same in all the arenas and it is excellent and very well maintained. The setting is truly beautiful, Adam, the owner, is a gardener and there are lush plants everywhere.

First ride under palm trees - how did I get so lucky??

Breakfast with Faisal and Angelina - and training has commenced

I am clearly living in a horse-household: By 5:30 I can smell coffee and hear humans, dogs, cats, and horses coming alive. Today was extra early: Paulette and her daughter Madeleine headed to Miami, so my breakfast company was Faisal (a beautiful black cat) and Angelina (a German shepherd). Both not only have good manners, they have also perfected the pleading looks towards my plate ("Say, do you need to eat all this? We do love PBJ!").

We are officially on a training schedule now. As we are still settling in Roz helped us with longing. White Fences has a beautiful area for longing, it's called a Round Pen but it's much larger, and has great footing. Remy did well, and I was happy that Roz corrected my sloppy habits. I tend to go with Remy, instead of him adjusting to me and work around me. We had some really nice trot and canter work. After that he got to go back to the "scary paddock", and low and behold, Remy settled right in. He would trot around from time to time, and when he was bored he started to canter. Vivien said "his quarter is up*". So he got a good hosing down, and then lunch in his room with attached turnout. He likes that because he can visit with Sally's Andalusian that has the box next to him.

"Hey, what's going on?"

"Anything good to eat here?"

Finding my marks around here is getting some used to, but between Google maps and my Navi I am finding the important places, such as the feed store. As we do self-care I had to arrange for hay today. They can't deliver until tomorrow, so I thought I'll take two bales in my car. Well, I have to admit, my trunk only has room for one. These are nice big bales of Timothy hay, and I only swallowed hard once when I forked over $179 for 10 bales of hay.

BTW, kudos to JP and our friend Ed: They delivered Remy to a barn where Jan was picking up horses to take to Ocala. Jan commented on how nice they guys are and how very impressed she was with seeing them handling Remy, saying "I don't know many women that would trust their husbands with their horse".  I do trust JP! - but it never hurts to leave lots of instructions... in the hopes that they will actually be read...

"She's watching, good thing my quarter isn't up yet*"

*This comes from the mechanical horses outside grocery stores. Put a quarter in and the horse moves and the kids have fun. When "the quarter is up" the money has run out thus the fun ends.  

Chipper after a long trip - and I might have to add to my shopping list

Remy arrived last night, chipper and happy to see me. Jan said he was a joy to have on board, but he talked quite a bit. The large semi stopped on the road leading to our barn within the White Fences complex, and I led Remy to his stall along a dark path. He was alert but quiet, and settled in nicely. He P+P'd (peed and pooped) right away and then attacked his hay with gusto - which allowed me to breathe and relax again. Colic and/or shipping fever are always risks - and especially on a trip that lasted 31 (!) hours. This included rest stops, but no unloading. I was very happy that I made the decision to ship Remy in a box stall. This allowed him to move a bit and most importantly, he was not tied and could lower his head thus having a lower risk for respiratory infections.

This morning I got up bright and early, Paulette greeted me in the kitchen with a smile and "alors, les vacances sont fini" which means vacation is over - I'm on horse duty again. Remy gobbled his breakfast while I did the room service. Wouldn't you know it, in the time it took me to go to the muck pile he had managed to open his half door to the outside and started frolicking with the horse that was turned out there. Luckily, Vivien, one of our nice fellow boarders, came to the rescue and knew instantly the way to his heart: Food!

Remy's "Room with two views"

Great, the big pasture was empty, perfect to turn Remy out there - or so I thought. He proceeded immediately to run around like a mad man, legs flailing, tail in the air, breaking any speed limit. I caught the bad boy and Vivien offered to walk her horse with us. All went well, until I noticed Remy was bleeding from his coronet band on the outside of the left hind. Sh*t!! Everyone warned me that even small wounds in Florida can develop quickly into serious problems. Cleaning, antibiotic ointment and wrapping were next.

During the day I tried several times to turn him out again but with the same result. Good thing the paddock attached to his stall is free after mid morning (the owner of the horse sharing it doesn't want him out so much), so at least Remy has the option to move around. If Remy continues like that I not only have to find decent hay that doesn't come with an exorbitant price tag (my job tomorrow) - I might also have to put a rodeo cowboy on my shopping list!

Ready for more mischief?

BTW, we left Michigan in -8F real temp (-40F wind chill) to find 85F in Florida. And yes, I don't even need to wear a sign that says "Snow bird" - a nice lady at the Loxahatchee ice cream parlor called me a "very white German".. and she indeed meant my skin color because she proceeded to recommend I buy SPF100 (does that exist?) sun block.

Running away from the polar vortex - and ready for the "Great Florida Adventure"

As most everyone has heard, the Polar Vortex has hit hard. Originally Ellen and I had planned to leave on Tuesday, but a snow storm on Monday put the brakes on that. Not just the snow in Michigan, but the FC also predicted snow and ice as south far as Atlanta, Georgia.

Wednesday we hit the road, in no less than -40F wind chill. I had a hard time keeping my GTI on the straight and narrow crossing the plains of Ohio. Luckily it was only cold, the roads were fine. Big sigh of relief - I had fretted over having car issues and pictured us freezing to death at the edge of the road (yeah, my brain always goes for 'worst case'). Luckily, we had a fairly uneventful drive. I've never driven farther south than Kentucky, so Note to Self: Cross Tennessee only in day time, and then preferably always make sure there is lots of gas in the tank, and your bladder is empty. Not many places to stop, and some of the mountain villages bring to mind "Deliverance". We were happy to see the "Georgia On My Mind" sign. Atlanta traffic was not as bad as expected, mainly because we got there after rush hour. Still, not what one would call 'fluid'. We sure were happy to get to the hotel after 14 hours on the road.

Yesterday started well enough through Georgia, but then we got stuck due to a huge traffic accident. What to do? Believe Navi or Waze or Google?? We stuck to I-75 and got late into Estero (my drop off point for Ellen). I was done, literally, and still had to find a hotel. Well, finding one wasn't the challenge - finding a room was. I must have looked pretty miserable because the clerk said "Oh miss, please don't cry" and then he handed me tissues when he broke the news that I had to get back on the freeway and drive some more.  Finally made it, and then hit the road again this morning, heading straight across Florida to the East Coast and 'Welly-Land' (Wellington).

I am staying with a friend of a friend. Paulette and her husband Jose own a farm in Wellington and have mainly jumpers. I might have escaped Michigan but I am still in a French environment: Paulette and Jose speak French with me. Too bad JP stayed home, he would have loved meeting them.

Roz met me at White Fences and showed me where Remy will be staying. It's a very nice set up in a courtyard. There is a grassy paddock attached to his stall in addition to other turnout areas. Nice arenas, round pen, exercise hill, room to hack around. It's a very active place, this weekend for example they are running a dressage show. Remy will have lots of things to see (and hopefully do only the ones I am asking for!)

JP delivered Remy, his mountain of luggage, and hay today to a farm where Jan was picking up other traveling horses. JP said Remy went on the rig like a pro, but he was mainly impressed by the professionalism of Jan. Jan is the owner of the transport company and also the driver. Hopefully the trip will go smoothly without major traffic snafus. Note to Remy: A fluffy bed, lots of carrots, and a personal butler -yours truly- are waiting for you!

Remy and Jan getting ready for the long trip

"Reisefieber" - and a surprise from our artist friend

Well, now I know why most of the 'snow birds' leave for the South at the beginning of January... now we are caught in an artic freeze with temps in the single digits (F - not C) and wind chills below 0. Not much riding going on, that's for sure. Even with the heated arena at Berwyck, the challenge is getting there on those icy dirt roads.

Remy's hair cut is scheduled for tomorrow. Nothing like a body clip in these temps!  Luckily his new winter-coat complete with hood arrived in time, we'll just have to pile the layers on him. In the Wellington area temps will be in the 70s, what a change!

I admit to having a rather severe case of "Reisefieber" (Lit. "traveling fever" = travel nerves). Packing for both of us is giving me anxiety. I do remind myself that we are NOT going into the depths of China, there ARE stores in Wellington (albeit very expensive ones). A call with Jan, the owner of the transport company C&W, made me feel a bit better. Remy's 'Monster Box' and a smaller box are allowed on the truck. JP will probably have to take Remy to Jan's place as the Semi wont fit in our driveway and Remy and his luggage would have to be loaded on the road.

I'm very fortunate and happy that I have a travel companion: Ellen will be coming with me. She is visiting friends in Ft. Myers, so that works out great. The forecast for driving is pretty lousy - snow and ice all the way from Michigan through Kentucky.

Forget the frigid weather - warming our hearts is an "art surprise" in form of a print that arrived yesterday from our friend Jean-Louis:

JP suggested I should try riding like this :-)

Remy is feeling 'punky' - and Here I Go Again

Vaccinations are just not Remy's thing. Unfortunately, they are required for his Interstate Health Certificate, otherwise he won't pass the Agricultural Inspection gatekeepers in Florida. For years now we have been avoiding the "all-in-one shots", instead breaking up the different vaccinations. Still, Monday, the day of the vaccinations, he was groggy, and I just hoped a dose of Banamine (analgesic and anti-inflammatory medication) would make him feel better. Tuesday we (JP - not me! It was freezing) decided a hack through the woods would be the thing to do. Remy walked out nicely, so did I because I had to get off due to my freezing extremities. Based on the good walk I thought we were in the clear, but on Wednesday Remy was definitely feeling quite 'punky'*, even having a slightly elevated temperature.

Luckily, we have a wonderful veterinary team and after consulting with them I gave him more Banamine and kept close watch. Today I longed him in the indoor and then rode him just long and low and he seemed more chipper. Phew! When the four-legged kids are sick we feel their pain.

A bit more than a week till take-off: Time to start channeling my inner pack rat. While I am usually a very good packer (years of travels) I am just flummoxed on how much stuff there is to take for both of us. And Here I Go Again: I have managed to have another guy in my life that has more stuff than I do. How did that happen?? Flashback to JP moving in with me: He had more shoes than I did!

Remy's magnum travel box is already full, and there a still tons of things to take. Wonder if I can put a trailer behind my snazzy VW??

Just one part of Remy's extensive luggage collection

*Feeling Punk.  A listener in Council Bluffs, Iowa, says his grandmother, born in 1899, used to say I'm feeling punk, meaning “I'm feeling ill.” The term derives from an older sense of punk meaning “rotted wood.”