Lots going on

Sorry I haven't posted lately about Charlie! I have been riding him, although not as much as I would like (he's lucky to get twice a week right now). I've been pretty busy with training horses, all of which have required more than the usual amount of tenacity as three of the five are/were buckers. They're pretty much all done and gone home now, though, so I should have more energy to concentrate on my own horse. He, however, has been doing his best to avoid work by cutting up the inside of his back legs on something outside. I've scoured the paddock and can't figure out where he's doing it; I thought it was a large branch that had come down in the field or an exposed drainage pipe but we've cleaned all that up and he still came in today with a new one. Arrggh. It's nothing bad, but I still feel bad making him do too much.

It's ok, mom, I'll just stand here awkwardly cute enjoying the fan

In other news, and another huge reason I have been a bad horse mommy, Dan has had his job in NJ for 4 months now (wow that went fast!) and we're starting to seriously look for an apartment of our own so we don't have to live apart any more. God knows we've done enough of that over the past 7 1/2 years! The hardest part is I will have to leave the barn and my job here in PA, which I love but which I can't make a living on, and living in NJ is way more expensive than here, both for us and for Charlie. Did you know even more moderate barns in NJ run in the $750+ range? I had no idea. I literally saw some for $1400+, and they weren't the highest of the high end.

Anyway, I've been spending every free minute searching for affordable barns and apartments because we're on a seriously tight budget, few places are within that budget without being in the ghetto, and apartments that are in our price range often don't allow dogs over 20 lbs (which is not a dog, I'm sorry). This weekend Dan and I went all over looking at places. It has been really discouraging honestly. There were a few possibilities but we realized we'll definitely have to cut out some of the luxuries we're used to (i.e. indoor ring or larger, cleaner barn for Charlie; apartment updates like newer countertops or cabinets, wine or dinners out for Dan and myself).

Nassau, Bahamas

My saving grace this weekend was when my sister surprised me with a cruise(!).  She had planned to go with her BF but last minute he wasn't able to get the time off from work, and since the room is a flat-rate based on double occupancy she asked if I'd like to go. It will be really nice to get away for a little while and what better time than right now when I have a flexible schedule and no serious income since we have no horses to train? I doubt I'll be able to take another vacation for the next several years, so why not?

So next Wednesday I leave with her for a week in the Bahamas. Maybe I'll actually get a tan and can get rid of my white legs and hands which look like they permanently have gloves on haha. And maybe, just maybe, Dan and I can nail down our living situation before we leave. That would be nice.