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Life, or something like it.
Oct. 13th, 2005 03:00 pmLast weekend was busy.
Recently a new Costco was opened in the area, so it's no longer a 20 minute drive to get there. We headed over to check it out. It was a Costco. They still don't have the toothpaste we like, nor the shampoo I like. I did buy a couple of cookbooks. I also got a craving for lamb and bought some chops.
Friday we didn't make them because we had a party to attend. Nice enough. People, lasagne, wine; and so far as could be told a good time had by all.
Saturday I did something I've been meaning to do for years, started aikido again. The first hit on Google was, Aikido of San Luis Obispo. The name was encouraging, since the last dojo I studied in was, Aikido of Monterey; turns out the sensei there taught the sensei here, so this dojo is only two-step removed from Ueshiba, the O-sensei (founder/creator) of aikido.
I took Maia to something (forget what) and headed to the dojo. A good sized class, maybe a dozen, most beginners, a purple belt (getting up there in skill); she was very petite, which can make for some good training as it's harder to steal a small person's balance, a brown belt (a little more up there) and a pair of men wearing hakama (the pleated skirt-which are really blousey trousers) worn in aikido in lieu of a black belt. They are very comfy. I got some, years ago, for doing sword work (for which they are traditional, being 1: traditional garb of samurai, and 2: capable of hiding footwork if they are long enough). The rest were various levels of white belts, and myself... full of faded muscle memory.
Well, almost faded. Some of it is there, the sense of when I have someone's balance, and can put them on the mat, and how to fall. I had three people (to include both of the dan-rated (hakama wearers) compliment me on my ukemi i.e. falling.
Which is no small compliment, as falling is one of the most important aspects of an art. Being able to fall well means being able to quickly get up.
Tuesday is hard to get to (what with the Tues. Night Supper Club) and Wednsday this week there was no class, so tonight I'll go back, pay my fees and start again, this time with feeling.
It was great. I forgot how much hard work there is to what seem so slow and calm. I also forgot some of the muscles which were overused, but when all was said and done I felt more physically relaxed than I have in quite some time.
Saturday night we had a barbecue to go to. Webb, the guy who owns the ranch where Maia is now keeping Leus, also owns some vines, Maia was working at Poly on the Tues. night, two-weeks ago, and while she was cleaning the stall, Webb shows up with a few cwt of Syrah, so she heaved grapes into the stemmer. He, as is an old tradtion among vinters, throws a party for his hands when the harvest is done, so they'd picked the Syrah, and were set to pick the Zin, Maia having helped stem was therefore invited to the party. I was allowed to come along.
A good time. Beef, beans, potatoe salad, salad, chicken, halibut (poached in butter) various bottles of various years (I've had some of Webb's wine, he makes Zin, Barbera and Syrah. He also makes angelina, and ports). The fire was oak, the people were pleasant and a good time was had by all. Next year we'll come up and help with the pick, and I may head up the road to help a friend of hers get her zin in, once the sugar's up past 26 percent.
Sunday we drove out past Bakersfield, to look at a horse. Maia want's to go into hippotherapy which means she needs a horse (well, more than one, but one will do to start). Said horse needs to be 1: pretty much untrained, 2: smallish, 3: of a good tempermant, and finally, should be gaited, and smooth.
Some pondering, some browsing of Horse Traders, some internetting and a couple of phone calls later we were on our way to Twin Oaks, where were told we could look at some Icelandic Horses. Smaller than many ponies, they aren't ponies. They also have a gait, good looks (if a bit funny in the face) good dispositions (apart from a tendency to chew on shirts) and have a smooth walk.
The lady who raises these (as a break even hobby, she's retired) believes in childhood on pasture (and sloped pasture to boot) and training them only to lead, tie, halter, load and be shod.
She has two fillies, a palamino, and a blue dun (who is the cutest thing. Teeny-tiny feet, shaggy {since she still has her foal fuzz} and a very nice head on a color I like). They were both sweethearts, but the blue dun was better. But both were too young. Like mules one doesn't want to start them under saddle until they are at least three, and many will tell you four is better. (mules ought to wait to 3 1/2 at the earliest). Since they were both but yearlings we were really looking at a chestnut. He was nice (though he did try to eat my shirt).
The one Maia fell in love with (sort of) wasn't for sale, as he'd been bought some two-years earlier, and never picked up (the owner pays his board, and he was gelded late). He looks just like Leus, or enough like him that from a distance you'd not be able to tell the differecence unless they were next to each other (these all had very good conformation). He might have some hock problems, but that might be from having very long toes, and a session with the farrier could fix it.
Maia spent some time clickering the horses (and we got to see the sire... a very friendly stallion... he has a harem, and they keep him in line. When there were three uncut males around they got along. When there were five it was ok, save that one of them took to hopping the fence, and knocking up mares that weren't supposed to get knocked up; or not by him, and a the vet was called to geld all but the blue dun she'd started with).
So we left. Some more talking, some more looking at internet info, and some conversations with Webb, her mother and between us.
We go and pick up the chestnut next week.
I will have pictures before that (since I took some to let us look at structure when were weren't right on top of the horse).
That was the weekend.
The week was spent doing this and that, and taking pictures at the beach.
I'll do some work to make some of those presentable and post them. If I don't get it done tonight, or tomorrow, it won't be until next week because Maia and I are headed to the Faire; which means we'll be celebrating our sixth anniversary. If you're there, you can look us up.
Recently a new Costco was opened in the area, so it's no longer a 20 minute drive to get there. We headed over to check it out. It was a Costco. They still don't have the toothpaste we like, nor the shampoo I like. I did buy a couple of cookbooks. I also got a craving for lamb and bought some chops.
Friday we didn't make them because we had a party to attend. Nice enough. People, lasagne, wine; and so far as could be told a good time had by all.
Saturday I did something I've been meaning to do for years, started aikido again. The first hit on Google was, Aikido of San Luis Obispo. The name was encouraging, since the last dojo I studied in was, Aikido of Monterey; turns out the sensei there taught the sensei here, so this dojo is only two-step removed from Ueshiba, the O-sensei (founder/creator) of aikido.
I took Maia to something (forget what) and headed to the dojo. A good sized class, maybe a dozen, most beginners, a purple belt (getting up there in skill); she was very petite, which can make for some good training as it's harder to steal a small person's balance, a brown belt (a little more up there) and a pair of men wearing hakama (the pleated skirt-which are really blousey trousers) worn in aikido in lieu of a black belt. They are very comfy. I got some, years ago, for doing sword work (for which they are traditional, being 1: traditional garb of samurai, and 2: capable of hiding footwork if they are long enough). The rest were various levels of white belts, and myself... full of faded muscle memory.
Well, almost faded. Some of it is there, the sense of when I have someone's balance, and can put them on the mat, and how to fall. I had three people (to include both of the dan-rated (hakama wearers) compliment me on my ukemi i.e. falling.
Which is no small compliment, as falling is one of the most important aspects of an art. Being able to fall well means being able to quickly get up.
Tuesday is hard to get to (what with the Tues. Night Supper Club) and Wednsday this week there was no class, so tonight I'll go back, pay my fees and start again, this time with feeling.
It was great. I forgot how much hard work there is to what seem so slow and calm. I also forgot some of the muscles which were overused, but when all was said and done I felt more physically relaxed than I have in quite some time.
Saturday night we had a barbecue to go to. Webb, the guy who owns the ranch where Maia is now keeping Leus, also owns some vines, Maia was working at Poly on the Tues. night, two-weeks ago, and while she was cleaning the stall, Webb shows up with a few cwt of Syrah, so she heaved grapes into the stemmer. He, as is an old tradtion among vinters, throws a party for his hands when the harvest is done, so they'd picked the Syrah, and were set to pick the Zin, Maia having helped stem was therefore invited to the party. I was allowed to come along.
A good time. Beef, beans, potatoe salad, salad, chicken, halibut (poached in butter) various bottles of various years (I've had some of Webb's wine, he makes Zin, Barbera and Syrah. He also makes angelina, and ports). The fire was oak, the people were pleasant and a good time was had by all. Next year we'll come up and help with the pick, and I may head up the road to help a friend of hers get her zin in, once the sugar's up past 26 percent.
Sunday we drove out past Bakersfield, to look at a horse. Maia want's to go into hippotherapy which means she needs a horse (well, more than one, but one will do to start). Said horse needs to be 1: pretty much untrained, 2: smallish, 3: of a good tempermant, and finally, should be gaited, and smooth.
Some pondering, some browsing of Horse Traders, some internetting and a couple of phone calls later we were on our way to Twin Oaks, where were told we could look at some Icelandic Horses. Smaller than many ponies, they aren't ponies. They also have a gait, good looks (if a bit funny in the face) good dispositions (apart from a tendency to chew on shirts) and have a smooth walk.
The lady who raises these (as a break even hobby, she's retired) believes in childhood on pasture (and sloped pasture to boot) and training them only to lead, tie, halter, load and be shod.
She has two fillies, a palamino, and a blue dun (who is the cutest thing. Teeny-tiny feet, shaggy {since she still has her foal fuzz} and a very nice head on a color I like). They were both sweethearts, but the blue dun was better. But both were too young. Like mules one doesn't want to start them under saddle until they are at least three, and many will tell you four is better. (mules ought to wait to 3 1/2 at the earliest). Since they were both but yearlings we were really looking at a chestnut. He was nice (though he did try to eat my shirt).
The one Maia fell in love with (sort of) wasn't for sale, as he'd been bought some two-years earlier, and never picked up (the owner pays his board, and he was gelded late). He looks just like Leus, or enough like him that from a distance you'd not be able to tell the differecence unless they were next to each other (these all had very good conformation). He might have some hock problems, but that might be from having very long toes, and a session with the farrier could fix it.
Maia spent some time clickering the horses (and we got to see the sire... a very friendly stallion... he has a harem, and they keep him in line. When there were three uncut males around they got along. When there were five it was ok, save that one of them took to hopping the fence, and knocking up mares that weren't supposed to get knocked up; or not by him, and a the vet was called to geld all but the blue dun she'd started with).
So we left. Some more talking, some more looking at internet info, and some conversations with Webb, her mother and between us.
We go and pick up the chestnut next week.
I will have pictures before that (since I took some to let us look at structure when were weren't right on top of the horse).
That was the weekend.
The week was spent doing this and that, and taking pictures at the beach.
I'll do some work to make some of those presentable and post them. If I don't get it done tonight, or tomorrow, it won't be until next week because Maia and I are headed to the Faire; which means we'll be celebrating our sixth anniversary. If you're there, you can look us up.
