After All, Trailers, Trucks, Horses and the Whole Crazy Thing (Part 2)

It has become sad but clear to me that I am simply not going to get around to writing Part 2 of Jeremiah’s birthday weekend. Every time I think about blogging, I shirk the thought because there is just TOO much to tell for me to enjoy the telling of it. So, I will sum it up for you in a few dreadfully inadequate sentences: Dr. Maddox, Ashley, and I got lost at sundown (and well beyond) in the Oak Mountain Wilderness on Saturday night. Dr. Maddox began constantly reminding us that there WERE overnight trails, and it looked like we may be on one of them. “Stay Right!” he kept calling to Ashley, who was at the lead. I will say that there was one point that I became truly fearful, and that was when we decided to leave the trail and “GO RIGHT”–attempting to cross the mountain peak in the darkness, without a trail, on horses that weren’t very well trained and were becoming more fearful by the minute. When we realized that our efforts were futile, we tried to go back to the trail, but finding a scantily marked, unfamiliar trail, in darkness is not easy. Dreadfully long story cut short, we did manage to emerge from the wilderness with only a few scratches, and ran into Tommy and Jeremiah who were riding up and down the roads (on bikes) calling for us. You must know that in my terror, I had consoled myself by thinking of Jeremiah, sick with worry for his dear, pregnant wife being swallowed up by the darkness. I had imagined a desperate reunion with tearful embraces. What I got was, “Glad ya’ll are OK, it’s getting pretty dark out here…Dinner’s ready!” Maybe that’s why romantics are called hopeless 🙂

We had the best BBQ that has ever been “smoked up” that night. Brett, who has become a master of the grill since he received an “Egg” for his birthday, made ribs that were so tender that the bones literally slid out of them. Those ribs accompanied by baked beans made with tangy sausage, sweet corn on the cob, potatoe casserole oozing with melted cheddar and bacon crumbles, and coleslaw made with mandarin oranges and pineapple tidbits (vinaigrette-base instead of mayo of course–because I despise mayo) rounded out a finger-licking good meal. We stuffed ourselves beyond recognition by adding to this feast a sand-tart crusted parfait with whipping cream an index finger thick adorning the top, and an Olexa’s chocolate layered cake topped with a chocolate ganache. Don’t you wish you’d been there??? Ashley does not play around when she is planning a birthday meal 🙂

Sunday was the end of our magical weekend, and we spent it on a glorious morning ride–moving at a brisk pace by ponds, budding dogwoods, and across mountain peaks. When we got back, Pace loved on our horses…”Kiss!” she cried as she nuzzled Pistasalie’s nose. Jeremiah rode around with her, and got up to a pretty fast trot. She cried when we took her down, assuming she had had enough. It looks like Pace may be beginning a long love of, “Horsies! Horsies! NEIGH!”

Well, what I intended to be only a couple of sentences turned into a mini-blog after all. I am so thankful for a family who is willing to make the effort of loading, transporting, boarding, and making a 3 1/2 hour trip just to provide a fun outing and spend time with us! I am also thankful for a mother-in-law who is willing to spend her birthday weekend sleeping in a horse trailer and taking care of our baby because that was what it took to make the weekend run smoothly! What a blessing that weekend was.