Hello!! Happy New Year to everyone ( I am aware it is February don't worry) but I have a solid excuse for myself and the sheep being missing for so long. I will start back in December, when I left ye last I was getting ready for the 1500 mile trip down to Florida.
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| Bernie and Levi getting ready to go on the shipper |
I stayed behind in New Hampshire with Pam and the horses to get them loaded onto the massive 18 wheeler shipper they spend 30 hours in going to Florida while the girls travelled down a day before to set up the Florida barn. Let me tell you - travelling alone in a mini cooper with just a sheep for company can get distressing at times - and their is only so much singing one can do after while!!
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| My co -pilot for the trip |
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| My staple diet on the trip down :) |
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| EARLY morning start on day 3 |
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| Almost there! |
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| Sustenance is needed |
I made the trip over 3 days because the shipper arrived late to New Hampshire and threw my schedule waaay off course. So myself and Marian made a stop to Ria Tansey's in New Jersey, and to a Day's Inn in Florence, South Carolina and eventually on day three I ARRIVED!!!!
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| Chilling by the arena after the trip down. |
Day one in Florida went great. I unpacked, was riding, enjoying the heat. And then this happened.
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| In Casualty - knuckle, ligament, tendon damage. |
Got in a little accident with an equine which resulted in me in a sling and a plane ticket home. Perfect timing because December is a quiet month but not perfect timing because taking a month off work is not ideal when you get accustomed to riding everyday and being well - pain free!! So myself and the sheep made it back to Galway after a long haul flight dealing. The journey itself was pretty miserable and painful but I was so happy to be back at home and in my bed!
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| Herself in my hospital bag |
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| Making the most of the new transportation! |
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| Myself and herself in the Galway CLinic |
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| Getting wonderful visitors like Jenny after my surgery!! |
The surgery itself went great! The recovery not so much however I have been to the Galway Clinic alot over the years and the care is great, the nurses are fantastic there and got a laugh over the sheep and the story of how I actually ended up there in the first place - all the way over from America sure!!
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| Probably the best breakfast ever! |
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| My new accessory |
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| Post-op recover bed at home! |
There really is no place like home and the timing was perfect, recovering in my own bed with my Mam's dinners really did help a huge amount and I never felt any pressure to get back doing things - the only person doing that was me! The second the sling was off I wanted back in the saddle!
About a week or so after the surgery I was up and about. I made the trip down to Ennis to Suzanne Arthur who has done my hair for awhile now. We decided that I needed a change and was like I did before I was going to chop all the hair off and donate it to the brilliant charity Locks of Love. http://www.locksoflove.org/
I highly recommend any woman (or man I guess!!) to think about this as a goal. My aunt Rachel took on the challenge also and took the plunge with me. Ireland also have some charity's like this on a more local level but they are still in their infancy.
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| Before the chop! |
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| After!! |
This still brings us to December but more so around the Christmas time. After experiencing Christmas away from home last year I was so ecstatic to be back home for Christmas in 2012. I made the most of it and ate like you would not believe - since my sling was now off and I had two functioning hands!! HA!
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| Myself and herself at Xmas dinner |
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| New Years dinner - the 3 Finneran amigos |
While I was at home and under constant supervision from both family and friends I felt like for New Years since I was actually in Ireland that I wanted to do something fun and different I was defiantly making the most of being able bodied again And my gang of friends are the best in the world - being at home and being injured highlighted that fact to me - they look after me alot!!!- so it was decided that my gang of 15 friends would head down to Dingle, Co. Kerry.
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| Anybody that knows me knows I am the WORST passenger - all I do is sleep! |
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| Out and about in Kerry |
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| Myself and Caroline at Tom Creans pub. |
When I was back in fighting form I tackled the last bit of my month at home like a woman possessed! Shopping, Riding, visiting, eating, going to physio it was a whirlwind!! My wonderful family drove me all around the country - from going to Meath to Ballinsloe to the Dubarry Factory Store to stock up on essentials in one day. To Vida Tanseys house for a feed of cake, tea and chats! And back to my old teaching spot of Galway Equestrian Centre to visit everyone there. Here are a few snaps of the festivities at home
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| Christmas Eve with my brother and sister |
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| Embracing rural Dingle and missing Florida sun! |
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| How many people can you fit in one room? |
Eventually my time home was up. I had a job, horses, Pam, my second family of Ali, Sarah-Jane and Misha to get back to. It is always so hard leaving home it hasn't gotten easier - but the last year here in the States has been nothing short of mindblowing. I have achieved goals in a shorter space of time then I thought it would take me, and I have achieved goals that I didn't even know I had!!
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| Reunited with my Foster Meadows family. |
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| Some things never change - a typical day at the farm! |
Back in the saddle and what horse gets thrown into the mix and lands to me..... a skewbald. Only in America! Hunter is a huge enough guy ex eventer and grows quietly on you!!
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| One last shot from home with my best sister ever!! |
I think that is enough for one post - its already quiet and overload of information! I will be back to my regular fortnightly (every tow weeks!) posts. Hope you enjoy!!!
PEACE, LOVE AND HOOFOIL
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