You know, I feel like my life is such a whirlwind at the moment! Part of it is just coming off of 15 months and dealing with all things Cancer related with Dave. The move, heading back and forth 2,200 miles to Little Rock for treatment and now we are trying to settle into our new lives in California, but its coming off of such a hectic, frightening, often difficult 15 months of treatment. We don't whine anymore about things, but I do feel a bit overwhelmed from time to time.
We went to Little Rock for our post treatment check up. Then we raced back to drive to Huntington Beach, CA for the Thanksgiving Holiday and we had a marvelous time. Now I'm packing to go on my annual visit to a dear friend of mine, in Lexington, KY. Paula's parents mentored my parents in the Air Force when they were newly married. Paula was 9 when I was born and was my first babysitter. I had always kept up with my annual Christmas card to her parents over the years, but I only saw Paula once, briefly when I was 9 and she was 18. She was coming home from living in Greece where her father was stationed and on her way to Lexington to attend the University of Kentucky. She is in the horse business, American Saddle Bred, which she competed in and also thoroughbreds. She works for Keeneland Race Track and Lane's End Farm along with her own place, Rosehaven.
The paddocks you see from the back of her home. It faces east, so every morning the sun comes up over the paddocks and it all gently comes to life!
A year before my mother died, I was going to Lexington with my daughter, Montana, who was competing at an invitational meet at UK. My mother insisted I call Paula. Well I didn't really know Paula, so I suggested she call her. She did, and Paula, who's parents are both dead for years by now, insisted my mother, who she adored, come as well. My mother was very ill and didn't know if she could impose in that way. Paula didn't care, she would get her whatever she needed. So I bought my Mom an airplane ticket and we managed to get her to Lexington and Paula picked us all up. We had the most marvelous time, but particularly my Mom and Paula. Paula and I really began our friendship at that moment. She would call me regularly to check on my Mom and we would get to know each other over the phone. The following November, my mother died and Montana was again invited to the Meet at UK, the same weekend in December. Paula and I struggled to spend time with one another, both missing my mother very much and I suppose wondering if we could in fact be friends. As luck would have it, we hit it off famously and I have been traveling there every December for 4 or 5 days ever since. She has completed the big annual horse sales at Keeneland and is in preparation for the Christmas holiday. So she and I, shop and lunch, and just have a lot of girl time. She needs it after the sales and I need it, just because. We both consider it was "gift" my mother left us - each other.
Last year, of course I was in Little Rock and it was just impossible for me to go see her. We both sucked it up for the greater cause and now, this year, I'm going! We are looking forward to it so much. When I go, I feel so relaxed and enjoy catching up with her friends I have met over the years. In the horse business, that's all you talk about. I feel as though I have been in a completely different country when I return home. Its a "life". It is interesting, demanding, monied, intriguing, and full of the most interesting people from all walks of life. So for 5 days, I'm embedded in the "horse" world.
It feels good to be snatching back some of the more meaningful things in my life BC.
Here is a link to some photos I took in 2007 at Rosehaven.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bravefacari/sets/72157622913729220
Best,
Lori
