Tea and horses
Well, I spent the first part of yesterday moping around feeling sorry for myself, but the second half turned out well. I was seized with a burning desire to go to the zoo around 1:00, but both Artis in Amsterdam and the Amersfoort zoo closed at 5:00pm, which wouldn't have left me much time. So I went back to feeling crappy until Laura called. She immediately heard that I had been crying and drove right over, gave me an enormous hug, and stayed for some tea and a good long chat. Laura is a midwife and is perfect for the job-- I have never met anyone as empathetic, sensitive, and genuinely warm as she is. I felt better in no time. :)
Shortly thereafter, Rick came home and told me to put on some boots and a good warm coat, because he had a surprise for me. Turns out that one of the people he always sits with on the train has her own horse, and was going to have a riding lesson that evening. And not just any horse, but a Friesian horse-- my very favorite breed since I was a small child. Rick mentioned how much I love horses, and she invited both of us to come see her at the barn. So Rick and I biked out to Barsingerhorn, a tiny little town about 10 minutes away from Schagen, and met Karin and her horse, Ietsje. I got to ride Ietsje around a bit-- just some rounds of the corral, but since I hadn't been on a horse in nearly a decade, that was all I was in state for! Then we helped Karin dry the horse, rub her down, feed her, and then met the other horses in the barn. I was in heaven-- all my life I have wanted to ride a real Friesian horse, and not only did I get to ride one, but I got to pet and give treats to three others too! Here's the website of the the barn where Karin rides. If you click on "de Paarden" ("the horses"), the horse I rode is the one in the third and fourth pictures. :)
I know Rick was sort of bewildered by how excited something so simple made me, but it really was great. And it just goes to show how surprising guys can be-- just when I start thinking that he hasn't got a romantic bone in his body, he arranges something like this for me. :)
Shortly thereafter, Rick came home and told me to put on some boots and a good warm coat, because he had a surprise for me. Turns out that one of the people he always sits with on the train has her own horse, and was going to have a riding lesson that evening. And not just any horse, but a Friesian horse-- my very favorite breed since I was a small child. Rick mentioned how much I love horses, and she invited both of us to come see her at the barn. So Rick and I biked out to Barsingerhorn, a tiny little town about 10 minutes away from Schagen, and met Karin and her horse, Ietsje. I got to ride Ietsje around a bit-- just some rounds of the corral, but since I hadn't been on a horse in nearly a decade, that was all I was in state for! Then we helped Karin dry the horse, rub her down, feed her, and then met the other horses in the barn. I was in heaven-- all my life I have wanted to ride a real Friesian horse, and not only did I get to ride one, but I got to pet and give treats to three others too! Here's the website of the the barn where Karin rides. If you click on "de Paarden" ("the horses"), the horse I rode is the one in the third and fourth pictures. :)
I know Rick was sort of bewildered by how excited something so simple made me, but it really was great. And it just goes to show how surprising guys can be-- just when I start thinking that he hasn't got a romantic bone in his body, he arranges something like this for me. :)