Puffing on...

11/9/10


Sojourner was like a train today with puffs of frosty white air coming out of his nostrils with every exhalation. I snuggled my head into my coat so the hot air I exhaled would warm my cold face.

We found some trails through the woods that were absolutely beautiful, but I had to put on my "please don't shoot me" hat.

Back in Magdalena, NM, a man named Bill brought me some hand warmers. It was so cold then, too, but I wanted to save them knowing we would hit possibly colder weather on this end. I used them today. They were wonderful.

Walter just made me laugh. He stopped what he was doing (he's on the computer next to me) and said, "I'm going to have to go and get the fingernail clippers out of the truck. My fingernails are making me crazy."

His fingernails have grown just a tiny little bit (the tiniest of little bits) past the fleshy part of his finger. There is a very thin line of white nail.

"This is too long for me. I can feel them."

The thing is, his toiletry bag is buried somewhere in the great dark abyss which is the back of our truck.

"Can't you just bite them off then?", I asked.

"No", he shook his head definitively, "No, I can't do that."

We are in a cozy room at The Stone Hearth Inn in Chester, Vermont. Sojourner is right next store in a massive stall that he can roll and frolic in. We were even able to give him a warm water bath when we got in today which he desperately needed. He likes to spread out when he sleeps and his body was a wee bit poo-stained all the way up to his eye balls. Now he is a big white ball of fluff with his new winter coat growing in.

I have a red wine recommendation for you. It's called Chemin des Papes from Cotes du Rhone in France. The year is 2008. Sheldon, who owns this Inn, gifted us this bottle of wine and Walter and I have been enjoying it slowly throughout the evening. It's delicious.

I was able to buy some sushi rice at a health food store today. Sushi is so expensive but oh so delicious so I've decided I'm just going to learn how to make it myself. Now that we are getting closer to home I can start thinking about things like this! Anyway, I have to recommend this organic store/cafe/artist gallery as well. It's called Moon Dog Cafe and it's here in Chester.

Tomorrow we ride to Weathersfield, Vermont. I've heard it is supposed to get a bit warmer as the week moves on. I'm thrilled about this because I've been pretty frigid. We took a rest day yesterday because we woke up to freezing rain which later turned to snow.

We only have 5 riding days left. I remember day dreaming about these days so long ago and now here we are in it. Sojourner is the strongest he's ever been, we're the strongest we've ever been (although I could eat better...back to being a vegetarian soon), and we all feel great, but also so ready to have our own home again. There is no question that we all need about 5 days of solid sleep. I can't wait to let Soj free in his huge pasture behind our house. We can sit out on the back porch and watch him gallop around as he loves to do.

The question is....

What can we get him for a buddy that isn't another horse?? I want something out there with him, but I don't know what. We're just not in a position to get another horse just yet. Soon, I hope, but not yet. We don't even know if we are staying on the East Coast or heading back West yet. In the meantime...he needs a fuzzy friend that is a wee bit smaller. Suggestions?

I want a fuzzy creature that makes paw prints like this, but Soj could care less about these...