The People on our NEIGHborhood

There's quite a few people with horses around here. Tom and Wendy have lived in the area for years and have built themselves a beautiful little barn, paddocks, pasture and covered ring. I drool every time I go over there. Tom is an excavator (amongst his many other talents, I'm guessing) and had promised to quote us on creating a crusher dust dry lot a few weeks ago. After moving house and catching the flu he was able to make some time for us this afternoon, and I promised to be home after 3:30. At 4:00 Georgia (another neighbor) swung by on her gelding Pepper to see if she could coax Tonka and I out for a bareback jaunt down the street in the sun. Twist my rubber arm! The mounting process was deeply inelegant (involving the bumper of the Tacoma, a dog crate and one big, slightly-stressed horse), but the little ride went well. I managed to stay on through two goofy spooks (yes mom, I was wearing my helmet), and Tonka was looking quite relaxed and happy by the end of it all. Exactly halfway through the ride my cell rang and it was Tom, wondering about that promise I had made. He was kind enough to hang around until we got back, and kind enough to not to laugh when I explained what we wanted for the paddock. I love feeling like I am part of a community.