Truthful Tuesday: The one where I almost waited too long to ask a question

Last week I got a very exciting call that my new trailer has arrived! Woohoo! Fortunately, prior to scheduling my picking it up, I remembered to ask a few questions about my trade in. The most important being, am I supposed to have a title for this thing? Answer: Yes. Poop.

Many moons ago when I was still boarding and being frustrated about only being able to show where my trainer wanted to go (if she wanted to go) I decided I should get a trailer. My dad, who really was not a big fan of said trainer, was totally on board, and even offered to buy it for me. (My dad is awesome. He also assisted in my purchasing my house and getting my mortgage because he would do ANYTHING for me to not board there anymore... But I digress.) Since my dad technically owned my trailer, he too would have the title. And if not, he needs to be the one to obtain a new one from the DMV. That doesn't sound like a big deal, but he was in meetings the rest of last week and unable to go check the safe deposit box and/or go to the DMV. And now he's in South Africa for two weeks on a super fun vacation. So this confession is that I can't pick up my new trailer for awhile, and I totally should have asked that question months ago. My bad. But hey, at least I didn't wait until I got there with trailer in tow to have to turn around and leave... Right?
On the bright side, this has allowed me plenty of time to clean out Tina the Trailer before she leaves me for her new home. I tackled the tack room on Saturday:

This was after the first load was removed. I also keep a wheelbarrow up there

I decided to schlep everything into the barn before neatly tucking it away in an empty stall. I also had gone to Walmart earlier in the day and gotten a few tubs to store anything I was concerned might get chewed on by the F*&(#$ing rat I haven't killed yet that's in my barn. (That's a story for a different day.) After many loads like this:

I got everything into the barn aisle for inspection and (mental) cataloging. It was actually nice to see what I still have, what I need to replace, etc. Not that I'm in any hurry since showing is likely not in my immediate future. But still, a good chance to take inventory.

So much stuff. Holy crap. I was disappointed to realize what bad shape my show blankets are in. They all seem to have some holes and/or are either stained or faded unevenly. But then I stopped and really thought about it. Those blankets are all at minimum 12 years old. And most of them were everyday blankets when I was a boarder. I guess they don't owe me anything. Next show pony will be getting some new clothes!
Another kind of surprising thing was that all of my show girths are so small! Jampy was quite lean when he was a show horse. There was one that was labeled a 51" (weird right?) which I think was Rio's but all the rest were 48" and smaller. Another thing I won't have to worry about until I have a show horse again, as who knows what size he will be.
The only real casualty was Jampy's show bonnet from when he used to be a jumper.

Pictred is a said bonnet, and a girth that would never fit him now.

It seems a little critter chewed the ears up and ate off some of the scallops on the bottom. Just one more thing to add to the if I get a jumper again list.

After a few hours work, everything was organized and stacked away neatly.

And Tina the Trailer has an empty tack room:

But the real confession here? I was SO SORE for like two days after this. So much schlepping! Clearly, I need to get back to working out more.

Anything you need to confess today? Trouble with rodents where you are? When was the last time you fully emptied your trailer out?

Thursday's Threads

Outfit Day! It's a weird day over here... Supposed to get up into the 50's today, but since it's been cold, it's super foggy. And I think it might rain. But hey, at least it's not snow, which is apparently heading here for the weekend. Crazy!
Since I did sit on my horse this weekend, I have a riding outfit to share! It's pretty weak and not at all matchy matchy though... It's actually kind of clashy clashy... Not quite up to my norm!

Ok, full disclosure. I put the boots on to take the photo, but I did NOT actually ride in them. It was a muddy mess out there! No way was I taking them out in that! But I figured you all could use a break from my Regals.

Helmet: Charles Owen AYR8

I should have grabbed my blue one, but I was obviously feeling incredibly lazy.

Jacket: Eddie Bauer
Fleece top: Eddie Bauer

All the layers! It was still pretty chilly out, and VERY damp. I've discussed previously my love for packable down. No need to rehash. As for the fleece top, I have mixed feelings. I really love this kind of knitted fleece. it's soft and warm and super cozy. But everything sticks to it! Probably better for lounging at home than wearing in the barn. But whatever.

Belt: C4

I picked this one up from one of the tack sites when they had it on clearance. I think it's fun how it looks like a leather belt with metal bits on it, but it's actually just printed. And yes, I now have a matching cuff bracelet! Though I didn't yet here.

Breeches: Ariat Heritage

Another clearance find! I love that these have pockets. Though I think maybe that makes them kind of manly looking. Also, the first time I wore these a few weeks ago, they were kind of big. I haven't really changed shape in the last few weeks, but after washing these were pretty snug. So I do think they shrink a bit in the dryer.

Boots: Pioneer

I'm really so happy with how these came out. They're a little crazy, yes, but they're so fun! I can't wait to actually try riding in them!

And now, on to today's work outfit:

I didn't get a very good night's sleep and was feeling kind of blah this morning, so I really just wanted something comfy. If I could have worn jammies to work today, I totally would have.

Sweater: Kaisley

I found this I think two years ago on clearance at Marshalls or TJ Maxx. I think I paid six dollars for it. $6 well spent my friends! It's a cotton/poly blend, which makes it super soft, and washable too! I love how oversize it is. Perfect for a blah day.

Belt: Mane Jane

This is the belt strap I won in the Mane Jane contest. I love the dark gray, it goes well with so many things! The other side is pink.

Jeans: True Religion

These definitely have been near the top of the favorites list for awhile now. I think the thick, contrasting white stitching is really fun. And True Religion jeans seem to fit me really well. As long as they're the stretchy ones. Got a not stretchy pair once in error, and well... Those went off to consignment immediately.

Boots: Lucky Brand

You've seen these a million times now. I just love them. They go with almost anything, and are SO COMFY! Plus they fit like a glove.

Arm party:
Lefty:

Nothing fancies up an outfit quite like glitter, amiright? Lefty is donning a pretty little glitter cuff I made along with the apple watch.

Righty:

Righty is also wearing some Stacie Originals. While the patterns aren't exactly the same on these bracelets, the color are so I think they work together. I love the horsey one!

And that's it for today! What are you wearing? Don't tell me if you're wearing jammies, cause I'll be super jealous.

What's Up Wednesday

I still don't have a ton of horsey stuff to report on. The elderly boys are doing well, enjoying vacation. Though Jampy really needs to get back to work soon. He's driving everybody crazy with his pent up brainwaves. He even kicked the wall when I was getting dinner ready yesterday! He NEVER does that. Both of them are really patient about meals, and really don't paw or anything while I get it ready. Except Jamp when he hasn't been in work for awhile. Naughty.
They did nothing exciting last week after work. They had some nice grooming sessions and plenty of snacks, but that was about it. I was holding out strong hopes that we'd get to ride this weekend. Saturday seemed like the best possibility, but it never really got as warm as it was supposed to. Plus the sun wasn't out, so that didn't help thaw things out any quicker. Finally at 3pm I decided to take Jamp out and give him a little lunge on the one soft corner of the ring. It was muddy and sloppy, but a couple spots seemed frozen underneath still. We opted to walk/trot on the lunge a bit and then do a little tack walk.

Rio stayed in. He doesn't need to be worrying about footing. Instead he had some curries and shed out another small pony. I really don't know where he hides all this hair. It just keeps coming out! And it's only February!
You already read all about the rest of my Saturday hunting for the non gift for my dad. The good news is, part of his gift arrived today! It's a book containing the front page of the New York Times for every birthday he's had so far. Kinda neat, right?

Sunday was a total washout due to lots of rain. I was just glad it wasn't snow. My day started with a Galentine's brunch hosted by a friend. She always goes all out with these things, and Sunday was no exception! For those unfamiliar with Galentine's Day, it's from the show Parks and Recs and is about ladies celebrating ladies. Much fun!

Since it was still raining after brunch, with a promise to start raining HARDER, I decided to let the horses have a lovely day of napping and eating hay. What I should have worked on was finishing the great closet purge of 2018, but instead I decided to do some crafts. I've been saving all the ends from C4 belts because I knew I wanted to do something with them. I just hadn't been sure what that something was. But this weekend I decided to add snaps to them and make them into cuff bracelets.
Not to sound cocky... but it was a great idea! They're really cute!

I actually have a few bunch more, but I ran out of snaps. I had picked up a few packages so I'd have enough, but turns out the new ones I picked up were too short. Bummer. Back to the craft store I go this weekend!

After craft time it was back out in the rain to meet the family for Dad's birthday dinner. It was lovely, and we enjoyed cake back at his house afterward. And then finally the pugs and I did a lot of snuggling and watched the Olympics.

Ok, well I watched. They did not. How cute are these lazy little loafs?
I did remember to bring the blue boots out to the barn to get a better photo of them:

See?! Blue! I love them. I can't wait to ride in them. Also, good news, I must have been having a fat day when the boots arrived because the gold ones zipped right up over the weekend. Yay!

And that's all that's really up here this week. We might see 50 tomorrow and Friday, so maybe Jampy and I will try and brave an after work ride in the dark. I may have a braiding job tomorrow though which may get in the way of that. Saturday is back below freezing, so not looking promising for weekend rides this week either. But time will tell!
What's up with you? Been riding much? Do you celebrate Galentine's? Or Valentine's for that matter? I don't do much special for Valentine's being an old spinster. But I do like the holiday. Mostly because I can wear hearts on my sweater and eat lots of chocolate. Can't complain about that. All that said though, it's kind of a silly holiday. People in love should celebrate that year round, not need a day dedicated to it. But since it comes with chocolate, I'll keep that opinion more or less to myself ;).

Truthful Tuesday: the one where the universe toyed with me for not being prepared.

I feel like I always bring the chaos. Fortunately, it's usually hilarious chaos mostly described by a lot of wasted time. But still.
My dad turns 70 on the 19th. Which is still almost a week away, so I have plenty of time for gifts to arrive. Plus, he and my step mom are heading out of town before hand to go on an African Safari adventure. (My dad is a lot cooler than I am, for the record.) So, probably I have more time, because I figure we'll do birthday after they get back. Not that I've done nothing, but I hadn't yet committed to what I wanted to get for him.
Friday afternoon Stepmom texts me that we're going to do birthday dinner with Dad on Sunday if I'm around because my brother and his family are heading to Florida for two weeks. Ruh-roh. That's ok, it's only Friday, I can find something by Sunday! Totally.

 Saturday morning I got to the local outlets early to see what the Saks off 5th might have for a man turning 70. It's not all that fancy here in the sticks where I live, so that's pretty much the only place to find something with a designer label. Not that it's required to gift designer of course, but he IS turning 70. That's a big birthday! I found the most gorgeous jacket that was so very him. It was classy but current, without being too youthful. It was a gray wool with buttery soft leather sleeves and yolk. But. It was a size medium. I asked a sales person if they had more, and she thought they did, so checked the computer. Computer said, yes, there were TWO more and both in his size! Yes! So she and I set about scouring every single rack in that store. Nowhere to be found. Finally she asked the manager. The manager looked at the tag and said, "ohhh... This is from a mixed lot. So those two XL's could be anything from this brand. Not necessarily this jacket." Womp womp. So after wasting half my morning hunting for a mirage, I left empty handed. I had horsey time scheduled for the rest of the afternoon, but figured it was ok, I could head up to the mall after feeding dinner. Said mall is a 40 minute drive on a good day, but took a bit longer because it was pouring buckets, dark out, and very foggy. Got there around 7:30 giving me time to shop. I first stopped at the Nordstrom Rack next door, but the men's department had NOTHING. Not even sure why they bothered having one at all. So on I went to the mall where there is a real Nordstrom. They also had the tiniest of men's sections. The women get the entire second floor, and most of the first. The men share half the first floor with the kids. Ridiculous. I mean, I'm all for women's rights, but in the case of shopping for my male relatives, this is terrible!
Ok brain... what else might I find for Dad for his big birthday? Ah! This mall has a Louis Vuitton! I'll get him a belt! It's fine, he's worth it, and I love ramen noodles for every meal. Perfect! Except, now it's 8:05 pm, and apparently, despite the mall being open until 9, LV makes its own hours. They closed at 8. Son of a.....!!!!!!!!!! Ugh. Back to Nordstrom. A VERY nice (adorable) young man (he was probably the age of most of you bloggers, but much younger than I) was kind enough to try and help me. We talked about what dad likes, and basically he had the same thoughts as I did. There really wasn't anything there for him. So I decided to just get something small for him to open with an explanation of why I suck as a daughter and that his gift is in fact in the mail (which by 11 pm that evening it mostly was.) I wound up getting him a Vineyard Vines belt with the Giants logo on it. He liked it well enough, and said it was fine that the rest wasn't there yet, because he didn't mind postponing turning 70. (Always a jokester.)
I wound up ordering him a gorgeous (yet fairly casual) belt by Prada (but from Rue La La, because you can only eat so much Ramen) and a fun book. The book is personalized, so you tell them the birth date including the year that the recipient was born, and they make a book consisting of every New York Times front page from that date for each year the recipient has been on earth. My dad was born and raised in Brooklyn, so he'll definitely get a kick out of that. While I was hunting for the perfect gift online, I also found his father's day present, so at least I'm now ready ahead of time for SOMETHING!
Have you ever found yourself suddenly unprepared when you thought you had plenty of time? Did the universe kick you in the face too by making it impossible to find what you needed?

Thursday's Threads

This is the current situation up here...

Yeah that's ice.

It was 22 degrees when I left for work this morning with a feels like of 11, and everything is frozen over. But hey, at least it's not snow? They're saying 40's for next week though, so that could be exciting! Anyway, due to the cold, I needed to dress cozy today.

Ski sweater and fuzzy boots? Yep, that should do.

Sweater: Ralph Lauren

I love this throwback to the 80's! Kinda surprised it came from Ralph Lauren. I got this one last year on sale after the holidays. It's just cotton, but it's really thick. Definitely on my favorites list.

Belt: Sandy Duftler

I grabbed this Duftler belt for 70% off from a tack store going out of business awhile back. It only fits with certain pants so I don't get to wear it much. Fortunately, I later found the navy patent croc strap from Mane Jane, and that fits in all my pants. Phew. Crisis averted.

Jeans: AG Jeans

You guys just saw these a few weeks back. I got them in Florida last time when I was running out of clean clothes. And apparently too lazy to do laundry?

Boots: Nature Breeze

I discovered this brand on Zulily awhile back. They're definitely not a super high quality brand, but their pricing is in line with that. They do, however, have some really cute designs. I got these mostly for snowy days, but they're pretty decent on the ice too. I like that they look like work boots kinda.

Arm Party:
Lefty:

I decided to stick with the neon for today's accessories. As a child of the 80's (shut up, I know I'm old) I LOVE neon. Love it. Can't get enough. Anyway, I *think* this neon bracelet might have been from Marc Jacobs, but I'm not 100% on that. I got it from Loehmans.

Righty:

So much neon. The spikey one was from Forever 21. I think it came with a pink one too, but I didn't think to look for it this morning. The other three are cuffs from Bauble Bar.

And that's it for today. I'm hoping I may get to sit on a horse this weekend, but it's very weather dependent. But if I DO, I will share my riding outfit next week. Any favorites from today? What are you wearing?