An Extended Stay . . . Part Two

So, back to our extended Kentucky and Tennessee stay.

One night, while driving my dad home from physical therapy, we passed a truck pulling a trailer with two HUGE stuffed tigers on it.  Needless to say, it caught our attention, and we had a conversation about what in the world one might need with two gigantic stuffed tigers.  What a mystery.

The next morning, we took the kids to a Christmas parade in Kentucky.  It was a typical parade.  Marching bands, horses, motorcycle gangs, monster trucks (hey, it's KY), scout groups, and pewee football teams waving aboard their floats, and Santa Claus.  Then . . .

Mystery solved.  'Merry Christmas from The Cat Family.'  Get it?  Although another mystery arises here . . . why are the cats tied down? 

All in all, our time in KY was mostly spent visiting with friends and family, helping with dad's recovery, doing school, riding horses, and CER's diving lessons.

LAR putting Jill away after a ride.

CBR and cousin "J" playing dress-up.

More diving lessons.

Helping Grammy cook.

Completing school each day was difficult here, because there were so many things pulling for our attention, and we all had "holiday brain."  Trying to teach a Kindergarten boy has taught me many things.  I've learned that you just have to choose your battles.

This is his workspace.  I don't imagine this is something you'd find in a typical classroom.  Unless you're looking to get arrested.  Trail riding maze, spelling, Grammy's antique gun, and a billy club.

Ideally, I'd like to have my child's attention, and their best effort when we begin school.  However, with CBR, I've learned I'm just doing well to get his physical attendance.  Getting him to "attend" mentally is an entirely separate endeavor.

Honestly, I'm just glad he showed up for phonics.  What do I care that he wore a bat mask and sunglasses the entire day?  Yeah, that's his wooden sword he made on the chair behind him.  Do you see why I choose my battles?

Kentucky winters are gray and wet.  I'd forgotten how gray and wet.  They are very, very wet.  And gray.

Dad exercising his knees on the porch on a rainy day.  A cowboy resigned to riding a wheelchair.  How sad.

Lunch with cousins at Cracker Barrel.

J, LAR, C, CER, and CBR in Louisville, KY.

"M" and me.

We went to Louisville, Kentucky to visit with some friends and family.  Coincidentally, I realized a friend from Charleston and her family were scheduled to be there at the same time.  We arranged to meet, but I chose to surprise my children.  They hadn't seen any friends from home in six months!  I told them I wanted to run into Barnes and Noble for a minute to grab a coffee and look at some books.  I'll always remember the surprise on their face when they saw these familiar faces.  What a gift it was for all of us!  We ended up staying two hours in the Barnes and Noble visiting and catching up.  Thanks for making time for us "R" family!








In Louisville, we visited with my grandmother who just turned 98!  She's such a hoot!  When we arrived, she came rushing out the door to come meet us, and instantly began giving us the instructions to a game she'd made up and wanted to play.

Playing G.G.'s guessing game.  The winner always gets a dollar.

My grandmother, age 98.  When I called her to tell her I was coming through, she had to check her calendar to see if she could squeeze me in.  SHE'S 98!!!

CER, LAR, and "E's" daughter "C" playing at "E's" house in Louisville, KY.

We also had dinner with my friend "E" and her family, and my Aunt "J".  I met my friend "E" through my Aunt "J".  We both spent our summers riding horses at my aunt's stables.  For as long as I can remember, my family has been involved with horses.  My great grandfather was a horse trainer, and even trained a favorite for the Kentucky Derby.  My grandfather was in the Horseman's Hall of Fame, and has been featured in more articles and magazines than I know.  He had an entire room in his home overflowing with trophies.  He had more World Grand Champion horses than any other trainer.  And my Aunt "J" -- I don't think I ever picked up a horsey-type magazine around my aunt's barn without at least one picture or feature story about her, one of her students, one of her horses, or my grandfather.  My aunt was the United States Equitation Coach, traveling as far as South Africa with her team.  My dad never dealt professionally with horses, but has always enjoyed them as purely recreation.  He's one of the best horsemen I've ever known.  I can remember riding with him every Sunday morning, just the two of us.  Sometimes we'd see the sun come up.  We also enjoy night rides when there is no moon.  We go back through the wooded acreage where it's so dark you can't see your hand in front of your face.  Usually we'd ride back to the river and have a campfire, a personal favorite of mine.  Once he and my mom bought a Thoroughbred colt.  My mom spent lots of time with him as a yearling.  I was seven years old, and still remember staying up until nearly midnight watching my dad break him to ride.  There was only one light shining from the back of the barn, so I could only see the silhouette of my dad as he carefully, and gently went through the steps of breaking this horse.  He did it all in one night.  Because of the groundwork laid by my mom's attention to the colt, my dad says it was the easiest horse he'd ever broke.  My dad can train a completely green horse to wear a harness and pull a wagon in just a few days.  All that to say, it felt great to be back in the saddle.

After dinner at "E's" house, we spent the night with Aunt "J".

Thankfully, Aunt J keeps these little guys (Rooster and Booger) around her stables, because my kids LOVE leading each other around on them.

CER on Ronnie.  Aunt "J" taught CER to post in a trot! Yay!

CBR on Rooster, me, and Aunt "J" prepping LAR for a ride on Ronnie.

These pictures bring back such fun memories for me.  The sound of Aunt "J's" voice fussing at me, the smell of sawdust and leather, the adrenaline rush of riding, and the extreme focus needed to anticipate the horse's next move -- it's a piece of me.  This picture is me exercising Hitman, one of my aunt's horses.

CBR, LAR, and CER with Aunt "J".

Me and Aunt "J" at her house.

It was so great for the kids to have some old playmates and cousins to play with during our extended stay.  One day, CER went to eat lunch with her old friend "S" at his school.  She loved being able to visit him and meet his school friends.  The real showstopper for CER, however, was the girl who 'barfed' in the lunchroom.  She'll always remember that lunch!





As a "field trip" during our Kentucky stay, we took the kids to the livestock auction.  It was goat night.  (I think it's funny that at one time in my life, I attended "Ladies' Night" on Friday nights, but now I'm attending "Goat Night" at the livestock auction.  I've really come a long way.)  I'm always intrigued to learn about the behind the scenes commerce in agriculture.  I like showing the kids the farms, auctions, and feedlots.  I don't want them to naively assume their food just comes from the grocery store.

We watched many breeds of goat, llama, calves, pigs, and even a miniature dwarf pony be auctioned.

My Aunt "L" and Uncle "R" came passing through while we were in KY, and we were glad to get a visit with them.  Aunt "L" is a craft project wizard, and is excellent at entertaining the kids.  They LOVE her games and crafts.

Aunt "L" taught the kids to make several cool Christmas ornaments and even taught CER to knit.  Or crochet?  One of those, I'm not sure which.

Aunt "L" teaching Claudia to make a scarf.

I have so much more to record, but this post is getting L.O.N.G.  I'll need to do an "Extended Stay . . . Part Three" post.  More to come . . .