scintillating

to avoid erika killing me…i shall update once again!

the following pictures are of my new engagement ring.  the ring i previously had was yes an engagement ring, but not the official one.  i inherited a diamond and we wanted to use it for my ring…..

alin took me to a spanish tapas restaurant last night called Meson Sabika which is spanish for Sabika restaurant.

there was a reception going on in one part of the place (how fitting)

we couldn’t get reservations until after 10 so we were SUPER tired. not to mention the big pitcher of sangria they brought us which didn’t help our staying coherent situation any i’m kidding sort of.

our table was in a nice quiet corner and we could see everything happening in the room we were in although it was starting to die down as the night came to an end.

after our delicious tapas we were waiting for some desert.  alin pulls something out of his pocket. i saw it was shiny and for a second being so tired i thought it was a quarter or something and he asks me if i want it.  the minute i knew what it was everything was a blur.

My grandma and I were always very very very very close.  When she died of cancer 2 years ago it broke my heart and I have missed her so much.  I always liked to look at her ring so I had seen this diamond often (just in a different setting and with a yellow gold band). now this diamond is sitting beautifully in the ring that the man of my dreams is offering me.  yes i cried partly because i was finally getting the ring i had been waiting for, and mostly because the ring that represents our unity contains the diamond worn by one of the most influential women in my life.

i love alin, i love my ring , and i love the woman who passed it on to me

13 days until our first show……

I wish I had pictures to post, not for lack of no camera….just forgetful I guess.  My first few weeks working at Campo de Mayo Farm and Polo Club (long title but I am required to say it like that whenever I put it in print not using the initials - CDM) ANYWAY….

To date I have 15 students that are taking lessons from me.  I get up earlier for this job than when I worked in an office and dressed up every day!  I get up at 6, eat cereal and feed lucy.  Then we head to the barn.  Once the horses are done eating I turn them out in the field.  I have 9 horses to turn out and 3 others that are REALLY old and they stay behind.  I give them baths on certain days, walk them around, and otherwise make sure they are still breathing

Lessons are Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.  I spend a half an hour teaching them things on the ground before they get up - like how to tack a horse, proper grooming, proper handling of the horse.  I have one class that has started jumping.  These girls are doing great.  It’s an extra bonus because I use my own horse in this class.  I get to see from the ground all the things I have trained her to do.  Keep in mind Penelope knew one speed when I met her - all out gallop.  She can walk, trot, and canter; all at a collected pace.  Our biggest accomplishment is standing still.  It used to be that she would walk away as I would mount her, and if I needed her to stand while on, she would throw a fit and often I would fear for my life.  Ok so why is this important?  Well not only should your horse have good manners for you, how are you going to place first in a show if your horse is throwing a temper tantrum.  Glad you get the point.

A random fact: I have been riding since I was 6.  It’s cool to have everything come full circle - I used to pay so much for lessons and shows, now I am sharing everything I have ever learned!

The other classes are learning interesting things too :)  I also taught my first polo lesson the other day.  Not that I’m any good :p  I just showed them how to hold and swing the mallet.  I don’t really know the rules

There are tons of projects we are working on as well…..painting, fixing fences, filling in holes in the driveway, general spring cleaning.

Random fact #2.  There is another horse for sale that I am thinking about buying for Alin….she’s cool too I’ll post pics when I remember to take them!

Also, be watching for the CDM website.  I will be making it through the summer as we get things repainted and fixed.  Boarders can pay online, others can schedule lessons, pay for lessons, find out about upcoming shows/events, and find pics of themselves in action!

Yes I still work at CCC (not quite as often bc of things going on with pops).  I have to get my intense tech fix in somehow!  Working for myself gives me great flexibility to do the things I want!  It’s a 10/15 min drive depending on what job I go to…pretty freaking lucky for where I live!

poor erika and maya.  my two dedicated friends who message me the most on gmail chat.  i have something to tell you (and you other 20 friends who gchat me here and there).

I have not one, not two or three, but four computers.  The computer with gchat is always on yes, no i haven’t bothered to just uninstall said messaging program either.  I don’t like the gmail notifier that i do have installed on one of the others.  I don’t like outlook either.  What I like about the gchat program is that it has an arrow where you can scroll through your new email messages and see previews one by one.  The notifier only lets you see a few previews before it disappears.  I get MUCHO email on a daily basis (no that doesn’t mean stop emailing me) and if an email pops up somewhere in that 50 that is a super high priority, I can see it came without having to go to the gmail website every 1/12 of a second.

I guess I’m telling you this bc I’m not ignoring you :)  Send me an email! On rare occasions I’m on MSN, Yahoo, or AIM.  TEXT ME!! The best bet….CALL ME!  If I don’t hear my phone ring, one of my animals ALWAYS does and either girl will get my attention.  Promise I’ll call ya back….unless your name is Erika :p

Where to eat when the plain restaurants just wont cut it, it’s late so you don’t want to go downtown for something real (sorry franchises you don’t rock)?

Might I suggest Momoya?

Mowhoya?  Glad you asked.  It is a Japanese restaurant called Momoya (think mom-oh-yah).

EXCELLENT sushi and they are open until 10pm on a week night.

It’s on New York St. about a mile West of Rt 59.  Just pass Fox Valley (and Commons Dr) and it’s there on the left!

Tell them I sent you and ask for extra Wasabi!

Since it’s been nice lately (and since i teach riding lessons)….here’s where I’ve been

 
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please note all pics were taken with my AMAZING phone!

(I have also posted this on my other blog…)

Today the identity was revealed of the man responsible for the shooting at VT.

It was a senior student named Cho Seung-Hui who recently broke up with his girlfriend (it is believed this breakup was what sparked the incident.)  He was a legal permanent resident of the US from S. Korea.  With such status in the US it was legal for him to buy a gun as long as there was no record against his name.

There was evidence to violent behavior before this incident.  He set  a dorm room on fire and was accused of stalking some women.   He was also believed to be linked to two earlier bomb threats at the school.

Several news clips state that he was a lonely person.  Isolation and emotional outrage are not a good mixture.

He shot and killed two students in his dorm (some debate about whether or not one of the deaths was his ex).  Two hours later, he walked to the Engineering building (where it was believed he was looking for his ex).  When he didn’t find her, speculation has it he was so frustrated that he just started shooting everybody, even going so far as to chain doors shut.

Unfortunately, more than 30 people had to die including Cho Seung-Hui who pulled the trigger on himself ending the slaughter.

Here are some links I have found while surfing around:

Chicago Tribune Link

Good Link from MSNBC

A testimony from a former classmate

ABC news

there isn’t much to say about this link…read it!

DIE EARTH!