Vacation is O-V-E-R.  I can hear the clock ticking – tick, tock, tick, tock, get your butt back in the saddle, tick, tock.  I feel like Cinderella at the ball trying to pack in as much as I can before the clock strikes midnight.  I will look rather ridiculous if Ike turns into a mouse; although I’m guessing he would be a rather large one.  These next two weeks will be a blur.  There is so much to do.

The packing lists are growing – one for my non-show stuff, one for my show clothing, one for Ike, one for my dog who insists that he must go, and one for all the other stuff I think we might need.  The drop dead date for refunds has come and gone.  The hotel is reserved and confirmed.  The dog boarding is arranged for my unruly younger dogs.  The show will be underway two weeks from now.  OMG!  Breathe, Alison, breathe.

Ike had his chiropractic adjustment and acupuncture on Monday.  He will get one more work up right before we leave.  I have found that he moves much more freely after his treatments, so he will continue to have the body work done on a regular basis.  I guess it shouldn’t surprise me.  While I have not personally had a chiropractic adjustment, many of my family members swear by the regular adjustments.  All I know is that Ike has a lot more swing in his back and in his stride in the week following the adjustment.  Our vet noted that we might need to continue regular adjustments until Ike develops the muscle memory and strength in his hind end to support his hulking body.

Ike had his pedicure for his front hooves this week as well.  The hind shoes are, of course, on a different schedule.  Why not have your farrier out twice a month?!  Someone needs to fund his retirement.  We are still using the Equi-pak on all four hooves, so my farrier is going to send four tubes and the application gun with me to Lexington…just in case.  I’m beginning to think that our trailer is not going to be big enough for all of Ike’s paraphernalia.  Our farrier will be back the same day our vet returns.

I squeezed in two lessons with Ms. C this week.  I hope to do the same next week and one last lesson the week we leave.  [Oh, yes, I do need to work to pay for all of Ike’s bills, so I need to fit that onto the calendar as well.  Boo.  Hiss.]  Her keen eye missing nothing.  How does she know when I’ve put on the cruise control?!  Within a stride, she fusses that I’ve let Ike flatten or that I’ve lost the front or hind end.  This is her job – to keep me on task so that I’m not distracted by the turkeys in the field or by the never-ending stream of thoughts in my head.  I have no doubt that the two judges judging the championship class will also immediately know if I’ve tuned into another station.  There is no time to consult with a Buddhist monk on meditation techniques to control my mind, so I will just have to breathe and talk to myself…quietly.  We are back on track with all of our work.  Centerlines are straight, halts are square, and circles are round.

The trailer needed some organization and an assessment of the missing items.  Took care of that late this afternoon.  Now I’ve started a shopping list.

Hmm, I just realized that I forgot to include wine on my shopping and packing lists…let me go take care of that right now………