roverandom

bonjour, bonjour! and all that jazz.

Ooh, I've been away from Blogger for a long time! Partly purposely, and partly because of some great adventures. Purposely because I am desperately trying to pare-down my list of 'hobbies', so that I can fully invest in the ones that make me happiest. Namely: riding, writing, music, and gardening.

Now, if that gives you a vision of me spending the long summer days blissfully pursuing such activities, you are - unfortunately - wrong.

Caring for my six month old(!!) nephew and trying my best to run the household for Momma (whose chemo sessions are nearly over! :D), have kept my nose to the grindstone. Plus we are planting this week after two weeks of constant rain (nearly 11 inches, which is unheard of).

But you don't want to hear about all that now.

You would rather read a bit of my Adventure.

It might as well begin here, at the heart of horse racing. 

My sister graduated from med school this May, even as I unofficially-officially graduated from homeschool-high :) I still have some finishing up to do, but now she can have Dr printed before her name on return address labels.  

The whole familial troupe, except for my other sister and nephew, made the 2,000 mile road trip down in time for the ceremony, but not without making a requisite stop at Churchill Downs on the way.

One very important item scratched off my bucket list!

rosie napravnik
 We were there on Mother's Day and they were running races one after another. We saw three and Momma should have bet on two. I can't even describe what it was like being there after watching the Kentucky Derby every year on television. It was great. greatgreatgreat.

calvin borel

 The next day might have been even more amazing, as we spent the morning at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. (FYI: I have decided Lexington is the place for me. I will live there one day. That is all.) There at the park I got to meet two of my biggest track heroes: Cigar (above), looking magnificent at 25. And Funny Cide (below), who is a giant. Both live in retirement at the Park, and on certain days are brought out to meet the public their adoring fans.

 Then it was onward to Charleston to meet family, graduate Sister, and to eat waaaaaay too much good food. It's a good thing so many of Charleston's residents jog. I suppose they have to, otherwise they'd just roll.

best breakfast scones. ever.

 The last weekend there, we rented a beach house with my aunt and cousins on Kiawah Island. It was great. Breakfast with Sister & Brother in the village, beach in the afternoon....

arnold the three-legged alligator
 ....alligators in the golf course hazards.... 

 ....friendly photogenic squirrels, watching Psych under the covers until the wee hours... and a cockroach raid even later that involved a flip-flop, muffled screams, and a wobbly kitchen chair not intended for a vantage spot when swatting the offending creature from his ceiling refuge.

..................

This is the simplest version of my second trip down South with the least amount of detail. I took over 500 pictures, so what you're seeing is also just a sample. But I think it will all have to do for today.