opaque memory

Just at that point of the evening when I was banging my head against the table in despair of my children ever having an ounce of common sense and wondering when their brains would finally start to develop (they were extra-special tired and discombobulated from being at riding school/camp all day), the small squeaky kid came out with this:

“I’m going to give Dylan a new name for competitions.”

(Dylan is her pony)

“I’m going to call him Opaque Memory.”

Why would you call him that?

“Because he’s an old show pony that has forgotten a lot of things. We just need to remind him how to do them again.”

Or something to that effect. I think she used bigger words.

Good grief. My kid is going to be smarter than me before she turns 10. I had to look up how to spell opaque.

Linked to White Wolf Summit Farmgirl

the joys of returning to indoor plumbing

We’re back from several days away at the cottage – a pound of flesh and a pint of blood lighter thanks to mosquitos and deer flies the size of Sea King helicopters. It was peaceful, and sometimes it feels like you are leaving just as the kids are getting used to the slower pace of things over on the island, but I really missed indoor plumbing.

We spent our time reading, playing cards, swimming, lounging around the campfire eating s’mores, sleeping in the hammock and listening to classic rock on a radio slash tape deck that would make John Cusack proud. The kids swam, chased fireflies, went fishing and occasionally tried to re-enact The Lord of the Flies. At one point on Friday night we awoke thinking the aliens were trying to land in the cabin – but it was just a stray trapped (but apparently really big) firefly.

It was good, very restful.. but I’m happy to be home with running water. I won’t miss the outhouse.

Linked to Like a Mustard Seed, Frugally Sustainable, White Wolf Summit Farmgirl

another busy weekend with a little Canadiana thrown in

The tall hormonal kid thinks that she would like to be an RCMP officer. The small squeaky kid could very well be the subject of an RCMP manhunt at some point in her life. They both like horses. It seemed like a reasonable idea to take the kids and a few friends to watch the RCMP Musical Ride on Sunday. A learning opportunity wrapped up as entertainment.

It was amazing that they can keep up the choreography perfectly and not run into each other. The two oldest kids were enthralled and spent some time after the show interrogating the officer that stopped in front of us. They didn’t get the officer’s name, but he clearly resembles Dudley Doright. The horse, apparently, was Archie.

Dudley and Archie being interrogated by the tall hormonal kid and her friend.

The girls were shy about what to ask, so I told them to find out how many years of service they need before they could join the musical ride and how many years they could stay with it.

Here’s the cut and paste version of Dudley’s answers (copied from the RCMP website):

Members of the Musical Ride are first and foremost police officers who, after at least two years of active police work, volunteer for duty with the Musical Ride. Most members are non-riders prior to their equestrian training with the RCMP; however, once they complete the courses of instruction, they not only become riders but ambassadors of goodwill. Working through a unique medium, they promote the RCMP’s image throughout Canada and the world. RCMP members only remain with the Musical Ride for three years which ensures an annual rotation of approximately one-third (33%) of the riders.

Today, in keeping with tradition, the Musical Ride is performed by a full troop of thirty-two riders and horses, plus the member in charge. The Musical Ride consists of the execution of a variety of intricate figures and cavalry drill choreographed to music. Demanding utmost control, timing and coordination, these movements are formed by individual horses and riders, in two’s, four’s and eight’s at the trot and at the canter. Months of training, practice and many kilometres around the riding school make horse and rider one. The horses must not only appear in the Musical Ride, but on Parliament Hill, in parades, special events and have the ability to travel and adapt to different environments, not to mention, hours of petting and photo-taking that the horses must patiently endure.

My favourite picture of the day.