Tuesday morning was rainy, cool and quiet.
Then came a whirlwind of visitors! Nancy and Steve arrived on Tuesday afternoon en route back to Montana from Tennessee, and my cousin, Mary, and husband Tom were here hard on their heels. It was a full house Tuesday night. In honor of that, I cooked my annual meal. Well, I tried, but Harry had to help a lot. Nonetheless, it was a fun time. Jane joined us for a drink, but hastened home before food was served.
Steve and Nancy 
Cousins 
Attempted catnapping
The Montana contingent was up early with the dogs on Wednesday morning. I, in my pajamas, had a picture taken with them before they decamped to the camper and thence to the road westward.
The purpose of Mary’s visit was to ride Oisin, who is really her horse. She bred him, crossing her Paint foxhunting mare to the Irish Draught Mountain Pearl. When he was 5, she was badly injured (not by him!) and I took Oisin with the intent of selling him for her, since she was not supposed to ride again. As it happened, he stayed in the family, and Mary is riding again on Oisin’s 28 year old mother. We have been to the Pinto World Championships three times and have buckles proclaiming our three time World Champion jumper, Bachantes Painted Pearl (aka Oisin). It’s been quite a ride!
Mary barely said hello on Tuesday, before she was in the barn, reunited with her first and only foal, who I am sure remembers her. No riding in the rain, so that was postponed until Wednesday morning, after Steve and Nancy left.
The boys, Harry and Tom, left early to play golf. Mary did some ground work with Oisin before riding.
Then, a morning ride. I think Mary was happy to be on Oisin’s back again.
After a lunch on the porch, Jane and Derry came over for a ride, and I acted as photographer. Oisin was happily back to work for a second session.
Mary 
Riding to the ring 
Trails were wet, but lush and beautiful 
Bending practice 
Jane and Derry jump 
Oisin and the women who love him
Tom and Harry came home, exhausted. The golf course was so wet that it was “cart path only”, and it’s a very hilly course, so there was much walking involved up and down steep terrain. We all rallied after a rest and laughs on the porch, for a trip out to delicious dinner, and a wonderful time together post pandemic.
Tom tells Weedy about the tiring golf 
Mistletoe 
Weedy 
Mistletoe loves Mary! 
Harry got some sun, despite the clouds
This morning, there was just time for a visit to see the studio, and Mater, and a quick ride, before Mary and Tom returned north to Iowa. Oisin was wonderful, and is a very quick learner. I took pictures and loved watching Oisin and Mary together.
On the way to the ring 
Moving from the leg 
Tom and Oisin 
See you again soon!
This afternoon I ran some errands, and went to pay my bill at the feed store. My check, postmarked April 27, had arrived today, so it was almost like getting a free delivery. I had already made good on the “lost check”, so we applied the found one. I hope someone manages to fix our ruined postal service. It was always one of my great joys, and now, we just cannot rely on the mails!
Harry thinks I should write a book – “Anne’s Big Book of First World Problems”. Maybe I will!
Stay safe, stay well, and may all your mail arrive “posthaste”. Peace.
Oh, yeah…write the book.
What a great visit & fabulous pictures!!!
My goodness, I’ve gotten fluffy around the middle! Didn’t need to see the proof. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING!!
Nobody but you would have noticed something like that! I think you look great. And no-one would guess that you are the older cousin!! Not by much. You and Kathy and I are the vanguards of our generation on the Quetsch side. We are setting a good example.
You all look great! So nice to see Quetsch cousins together.
Sure like your red checkered STL cardinals shirt! Oisin looks so happy doing his dressage/supple-ing with his “Mama”
Nice reunion stories! Lovely faces and smiles and horses!