63 Years of Memories....
63 Years of Memories....
that's what I have now. The photo below shows the chair on the point which for so many years was my father's favorite after-supper place to contemplate and cast for walleye. As much as I feel guilty about what's happened, I know he would understand and even say there's nothing to forgive. He lived life fully and moved on many times. I'm the one with the unique experience of being attached to a beautiful place for my whole life. And despite all my best efforts, yesterday the 'cabin' was sold. I signed the papers and, truth be told, a weight was lifted. A new life lies ahead without the obligations, but with all of the wonderful memories. My unrelentingly positive attitude says this is truly how it is, but my heart is still sad.
There are some things in life for which the balance between the obligation and the joy of ownership often cannot be sustained forever. It became clear that I was no longer up to the task of taking care of the place quite a while back. However, knowing what needs to be done and doing it are often far apart. Finally, no choice was left. It had to be sold.
Now it's gone. No more worrying about how long the grass or how deep the snow is up there. No more sublimely pleasurable early morning cups of coffee sitting on the dock when the color of the lake is like pale blue glass and the air is completely still. No more endless repairs, high taxes, and utility bills. No more late nights around the fire pit with friends and family - warm from both fire and friendship. No more frozen pipes or emergency calls to the furnace guys. No more saunas and midnight skinny dipping that make you feel like you'll live forever while your connection with nature is confirmed by the gazillion stars of the milky way and the loons calling out in the dark. No more concerns with low well water levels or water so hard and full of iron the clothes turn yellow and your newly washed hair feels like brillo. No more finding the way home by boat in the dark after a long day on the lake feeling like this is the only place you really, really belong. No more praying that the boathouse will make it another year without collapsing. And ultimately, no more making new memories with friends, family and loved ones. No new memories, that is, at Half Bay, Lake Vermilion, Tower, MN. New life... here we come!
How do you thank a place for memories?
City League International
Here's a cool picture of Me & Bravo in the Atlanta Olympic stadium jumping his very first Grand Prix size track! We were really just testing the water with him here, to "see" if he's got what it takes - this was the 3rd jump on course out of 16, and he actually jumped higher and higher each jump! This photo is my "UP YOURS" to all the skeptics who thought he wouldn't make it, the proof that while he may be a little horse, but he's got some seriously big jump! (for reference, those gray pillars are 7' tall)
Team Hawksbill Update - North Carolina - Last week at the Asheville Agricultural Center I competed with my team at the City League International competition. It is a progressive and visionary new circuit of National level competition which benefits cancer research and funds treatments for individuals. Our team, captained by Kyle King (riding Peyola) from California, Britta Anderson (Bravoman) and Ben Rosichan (Chimi) from Tampa, and Penny Miller (Bosch) from Ocala was dominating from start to finish! At the end of the first day, our team was in third place, with Bravoman and Peyola clear, and Chimi with 4 faults (one rail). The second day we moved into 1st place with a double clear from Bosch, Bravoman, & Chimi! The third and final day of team competition was the Grand Prix and Mini-Prix both classes allowed only two Horse/Rider combinations from each team to compete. Kyle won the Grand Prix, and Ben was 8th, and in the Mini Prix I was 2nd Place with Bravo (YAY!!) and Penny was 7th! A total of 32 teams of 4 riders from all over the country competed, but our team's consistent double clear rounds earned us the Gold Medal on the final day!! It was really exciting, tons of spectators coming each night to cheer under the stadium lights. The tickets are sold on TicketMaster and the show is even going to be televised Nationally! To top it off, my best Junior rider, whom most of you know, Kate Roddey, competed in the big Junior/Amateur Classic the last day of the show, and since Bravo had done so well for me, I surprised Kate and allowed her to ride him in that one class, along with her own horse Chimi, so she would have two shots at the title instead of just one. She was clear in the first round with both horses, and made us proud by smoking all the other competitors (including her arch nemesis Jordan) in the jump off to finish in both 1st and 2nd place!! Together our team won just over $20,000 in prize money that we all split equally, pretty good for a few days work!!
3 comments:
WOW!!! Congratulations Bree!!! Keep up the good work! We are so excited to to be there when you do it again!
GREAT PIC!
KEEP 'EM COMING
I'm coming down 10/4 thru 10/14.
See you then.
Dad
What a smash hit you guys were! Congrats, Ben, Kate and Bree!
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