Cheers from Beth's pool. Don't drink and swim kids. These bottles were filled with cordial. I swear!
As I sit here on the eve of my 28th birthday (for the 3rd time..) I find myself pondering two things;
1. Who on earth makes the deadline of a blog on the writers birthday?! Don't you know I have a party to go to?! (sorry Kate! ...) And ...
2: Am I where I thought I would be when I was 18?
The answer to this question is a much longer, more complicated one.
Me at 18 ........... ready to conquer the world by horse
At 18 I was at Uni wishing I could be riding full time. However I neither had the money nor was I good enough. I'd never won anything of note. Unless you count Woodford, Kilcoy or Caboolture shows. In the photography and flower arranging sections.. I didn't have a car. I didn't have a float. The only horse I had was a really big TB that bucked a lot. I didn't know any real riders. I didn't, however, see any of these things as factors that would stop me from conquering the world by horse. I assumed that by the time I was 30 I would have ridden at the Olympics twice, married a very very good looking guy, have a couple of kids, be driving a BMW and have a swimming pool at my house.
So as I sit here reflecting on what presents I got last year (surprisingly few, didn't realise that the present to age relationship is an inverse one... quite disappointing!) and the accuracy of my 18 yo self's goals, I can't help but marvel in the gifts life has brought me. I haven't, in fact, achieved any of the goals I set for myself back in Uni and I woul have thought I'd have been more unsettled by that. I haven't ridden in the Olympics. Yet. I have however ridden in three former Olympic arenas; Sydney, Atlanta and Bromont. What a thrill and how motivating to know that my heroes from my childhood had competed on the same hallowed turf: Gill Rolton, Princess Anne, Bruce Davidson, Phillip Dutton, Wendy Schaeffer, Matt Ryan, Stuart Tinney, Karl Schultz, Karen O'Connor, Mark Todd and the list goes on.
"My" 15 year old child. No you didn't miss anything, she does have real parents... I think!
I don't have a BMW but I could have bought two for the price of the truck I own! I don't have any biological children however I do have a 15 year old who lives with me! Fortunately her parents did a wonderful job for the first 14 years, because I'm doing a terrible job now.... I don't have a swimming pool at my house but both Rege and Beth have beautiful ones five minutes down the road. AND I know the password to access them!
Rege's pool - more cordial
I successfully moved my business to another country and continent. I have also successfully competed at advanced eventing, Prix St George dressage and Grand Prix showjumping. All of these things, especially the previous point, are very special and way beyond whatever my imagination could have comprehended sitting in the library at the Sunshine Coast University. So I'm very thankful for all the experiences I've had that I haven't planned and am super excited to enjoy the ones I have planned, even tho they're taking a little longer than I thought! And if anyone knows where the very very good looking guys are living, please tell me.....!
And just in case you're wondering about my summer. The horses are going well, winning ribbons. Plus it's hot, hot and hot each day. And my farmers tan is especially pronounced this year.....
