Riding wrap up 2008

2008 will be remembered as an exciting and happy year, regardless of poor health and pain issues and financial crises: we became home owners and I got back into horse-riding. 

I feel really pleased and proud of myself for what I’ve achieved this year in regard to horse-riding; for taking that chance and leaping into it, for working hard, loving it, and ultimately finding it so rewarding and fulfilling.

To summarise;  I got on a horse again for the first time in 22 years [give or take a year or so] back in March and was instantly as hooked as when I was 15, despite the physical challenges I faced this time around; both age- and health-related.

Christmas WHAT? When did it get to be December already?

What do you mean, it’s almost Christmas?  25 December indeed;  what the feck happened to November? *

So yeah, Christmas.  I am really not ready for it, it’s not my favourite time of year at any point in time, let alone sneaking up on me in such a sly fashion.  Okay so I am / was kinda out of the whole festive seasonal loop but still. Bastard.

So why am I so Scrooge / Grinch-like about Christmas?  Same reason everyone else is, I guess.  The crass in-your-face materialism, the gross conspicuous expenditure, the fake jollity and playing at Happy Families.  The expectations and pressures and lots of old emotional baggage associated with the holiday.