Horse Face

So after starting this excuse for a blog last April, I meant to write about my summer journeyings around the great United States of A. Unfortunately actually living in real life rather than on a screen, and ok, the real reason - not having internet at most of my stops - put a cramp in my style.

Fortunately, I'm now bored and live 75% of my day online (when I'm not hitting balls and speaking le French) so it's time to take a trip down memory lane and relive some neglectedly (real word? nobody knows) undocumented adventures. In other words, tuck in kids. It's story time.

One of my first stops was the great state of Nebraska. I was semi-psyched to be checking off another state on my list and heck, who wouldn't love a place whose main University's team could be respectably named the Huskers. Those who know my family history know I have a long and sometimes hate-filled relationship with corn... Those who don't know my family will think that sounds weird but perhaps intriguing. Too bad that's a story for another day... Anyway, I figured these people were obviously on to something and I can say they did not disappoint.

For example, after coaching the 2nd volleyball camp in rural Nebraska w/ some former U of N legends, we were in a legit parade for this little farmtown's "days". I mean PARADE, complete with candy, BMX's, horses and teenagers indiscriminately shooting elderly bystanders with water guns. Ah, the simple country life. It was all too lovely - I experienced the great American culinary legacy in the form of Funnel Cake and Sno-Cones and rode atop an old school firetruck. Little did the townsfolk know, I was an imposter in Husker clothing but luckily I did a good job blending in... other than my Canadian accent and glaring pasty white skin, I was a local.

Anyway, after the parade we were invited to one of the camper's farms to ride horses and I was jazzed to show off my riding chops. That is, until I climbed atop Snickers, the family pony. Snickers was a loveable fellow and even gave hugs - complete with horse snot on my shoulder - but was unfortunately a little smaller than your average horse. This was a problem because I could comfortably gallop along with Snickers while remaining firmly planted atop his fuzzy back...

Horse hugs... Never a good sign when you have to bend down for the embrace.

Snickers is having about as much fun as me.

Luckily, last week, my team here in France went riding as a form of team bonding and this time we were treated to full-sized beasts. I felt a strange sense of deja vu since I took riding lessons at the local village Pony Club as a wee 6-year old in France and hadn't been back in the (English) saddle since then... Those were the days when I was small enough to sit on the pony, and not the other way around.

Somehow riding was supposed to equal team bonding... I guess something about being uncomfortable and wearing ridiculous headwear brings a group of people closer together. I'd say mission accomplished. Anyway, this time, everything was going according to plan... until I was chosen to demo how to saddle the horse. Good thing my first French vocab lesson back in grade 1 covered saddling a horse in public, so I was saved. After doing so, I climbed on (and actually up this time) and galavanted through the French countryside. Nothing like being around creatures more awkward looking than me to make a kid feel better.

Pensive? I believe I was thinking "Don't screw up"

Poochie obviously lost the staring contest

Aah the simple country life.