Whew! That's What You'll Think After Reading

Well everything is going so totally awesome that I don't want to leave! A lot has happened these last few weeks. Work is going awesome! My Tommy, the bay horse, is working really well and I need to get some pictures of my boy up, but haven't taken any yet. Last week Nat had the Sydney One-Day event up at the Sydney International Equestrian Center and I groomed for her. She had two horses competing and it was just intense the entire time. I had to get one horse ready set Nat off and then get the next one ready. I practically ran the entire cross-country course to get some pictures of her. I got some good ones too. The facility was amazing! I can't even describe! That's where they had the events for the Olympics. It was cool seeing some of the cross country jumps that they used for the Olympics, and some were gargantuan! I can't wait to go back there for the three-day event!

Nat is the best boss ever, and I humbly say that I am great worker as well. It isn't often that you get praise directly from your boss about your performances. Nat has told me that she loves how hard of a worker I am and just really efficient. She has even said to me that she doesn't want me to leave in May. She wouldn't say that if she wasn't happy with me. Nat is even paying me pretty well, for the week plus the weekend of competition I got $230, and this week I got $200 for the week. I didn't even think that! I would have been happy with 50-70 dollars! She had even given praise on my riding. Having praise about my riding from an Olympic level rider is nothing short of amazing!

I am really inspired by Nat and she is asking what I want to do with riding. She's said that I need to get into competing and really go somewhere with it. That starts with getting a horse which I will start looking at the market when I get home in September then go from there, but if everything goes as planned I could have an imported horse....

Yesterday I went to the Yass Picnic Races. They were so fun! We watched the races even putting a dollar on some here and there! The best part was when Hot Rod won winning me 7 dollars! It was an intense race! It was just so fun dressing up and going to the races acting all posh.

Ok, so there is a TV show here called "Farmer Wants a Wife". A reality show where they have 6 farmers from Australia looking for lurv, a farmer version of the Bachelor. There is a girl on this season and one of the finalists for her named Owen was there at the races with us. Funny bloke, but ya I was hanging out with a tv star(?). Lots and lots of fun!

peace out

PICTURES PICTURES PICTRES!!!!

A Moment of Silence

To all friends, family, and secret admirers, just want you all to know that I'm safe from the bush fires. It's a real scary thing to be happening here. There are big bush fires here in New South Wales, but the really horrific ones are down in Victoria. There have been entire communities and towns just wiped out from the blaze. And with virtually no warning many people have died. The latest death count is 181, but it's expected to get up to 300 while fire crews go through the ashes of what used to be homes. Every evening I've been glued to the news watching the reports and interviews with people have lost homes that are now living in tent cities thankful to be alive. I've loved seeing the response of the people to this devastation. Over 2 million dollars was fundraised just by one radio station that I listen to. My favorite story was of a boy that donated his $72.25 that he's been saving for a year to go towards a wii, but donated it to the Victora fund. As a nation over 44 million dollars have been raised to go directly to those that have lost so much. Thses are the worst bush fires in Australia history sadly the worst ever in the world. Keep these people in your prayers.

Yum Yum Aussie

I love australia with my heart and one particular reason that gets me through each day is the Australian flavors! Get this, in my lunch I have pink grapefruit yogurt, mango orange juice box, and mango passionfruit granola bar. Can you recall any of these flavors on the local Days Market shelves? Heck to the no! They all taste great and a breath of fresh air! Plus their otter pops don't just come in the typical blue, red, and orange flavors (for real trademark flavor names), they have been replaced with Pineapple passionfruit, Peach pear, blueberry apple, and strawberry watermelon, num-yummy! I have about 8 of those a day because it's been stinkin hot! We are having a massive heat wave with no sign of cooling down yow!

PS latest aussie town: Gundaroo = gunned a (kanga)roo? hmmm those bogens

The Schedule

So, I'm in Oz, but this is no holiday. I've decided to shed some light on my daily activites. Ahem...
6:00-6:30am Wake up, eat breaky. Can you say early! I would never wake up this early for school, not for all the mallows in me Marshmallow Mateys. Heck, I haven't woken up this early since my junior year in high school, but as is the life to live a dream.
6:20-7:00 get picked up by Nat to drive out to Harden, a 50 minuite drive
8:00 arrive at the barn, start feeding the horses and get the first horse out for riding

8:30-12:30 During the day I get nine horses tacked up, wraps on their legs, and ready for Nat to ride them as well as untacking them after being riden, hose them down, put their sheets back on and attend to any cuts or randomies. It's tricky business having horses go in and out. I have to be efficiant in getting horses ready and timed correctly that Nat comes off one and I am handing her the next horse all ready. Plus, I have to know which of the five saddles to use for which horse in conjunction with saddle pad and knowing each horse's bridle. But I almost have it down pat after just a couple days!

After all of Nat's horses are riden I might ride one or two of them and then it's time to work with my own two horses. Timmy and Tommy are quite the handfull with the occasional squeal and kick up of the heals, but they are just ninos letting out their wiggles. One to two other horses might be added to that as other competition horses for me.

Other jobs I do around the barn during the week include cleaning out the tack room, mucking out stalls, cleaning tack, and all round tidying of the area.

When all the horses have been riden and taken care of we grab a quick bite to eat and then head out to teach lessons, give clinics, or ride other horses for people.

On a good day I'll get home around 5-6, but already I have had a 10:00pm arrival home. I love it here and it's beautiful, but it's work. I knew that before I came that this was no semester off for vacation. To top it off this is all done in 37-41 degree celcius weather. Look up the conversion for that one. It's hard work, no lies. I come home everyday buggered! I take a cold shower, eat some food, catch up on the tennis and usually so tired that I'm in bed asleeep by 9:30 to start it all again, 5 days a week. I do work weekends when there is a comp, but that's a future post.

I love what I'm doing and I'm learning a lot! Don't let this sound like I'm a slave. I do what I'm doing to be able to get instruction from an olympic level rider and compete my horses. It's my adventure of a lifetime! But I did want to clarify that I'm not just here mucking around (no pun), it's a lifestyle that can only be worth it if you have the passion, and well I've the epidemic called horse passion fever! I can't wait to start competing my boys! So many adventures ahead I wish I could break out in song n' dance, and seeing as my life is a musical Disney sitcom I might just do that! Tata for now!

Crazzzzy Names

So, I've been in here Australia for about 4 weeks. I can't believe it's gone so fast, but one thing I've noticed and loved is all the crazy names of things. Utah has it's fair share of unusual names e.g. Scipio, Laverkin, Eureka, and such. But I love the names and I have to always say them in my head, some are long, some are just a jumble of letters, but I love it. The names sometimes make me thing of things that it sounds like. I adore these different names because it means that I'm in an amazing place!

Names of my favorite places so far:
Cootamundra = all the people there have Cooties
Tangmangaroo = A man that had a pet kangaroo Skippy would go and drink at the Tang filled billabong
Juglong
Burrinkjack
Wee Jasper
Garangula
Murrumbateman
Bongongalong

Walk Baby Out That Door

Last night held an adventure I have never experienced before, I walked out of a movie. I went with some friends to go see a movie and decided on Role Models. I didn't know what the rating was and the ratings here don't match up and the commercials looked funny so we went in. It started out questionable and there was probably one part I laughed at. Before it was a third through the movie, I just got up and left. It was kinda nice though. I went and found a comfy seat in the lobby and kicked backed and listened to my iPod. I haven't had a lot of time to listen to my iPod so it was really nice. I even made a new playlist! Quality iPod listening time.

Walking out of a movie like that was a first in my lifetime. But it really was for the best. I didn't feel comfortable, and it sucked. It did cost me $16.50, but is that worth the loss of the Spirit? I would be bold enough to say, Not in this Lifetime!

I love movies and it really blows when you see how much effort is put into making trash movies. With real quality movies there is a big price I would pay. Even if tickets were 20 bucks you know I would still be first in line to see Prince Caspian, or musicals of many shapes and forms including those of the high school genre. There really isn't a price you can put on quality.

Go Fight Win! Rah Rah Rah! And may the sun shine on me and make me tan for the rest of my life!