Stuff that happened in 2012 (that I may or may not have been involved in)

So, basically, 2012 happened.  It was a year.  Y'know.  Good times, bad times, you know I've had my share, that kind of thing.  I wept over tragedies all over the world that did not touch me.  The world may not have ended but it can be pretty messed up.  Nature can turn vicious, and people can be stupid.  These days, often in public.  Meanwhile, people keep making movies and writing books and playing music, boosting my optimism about humans in general.  Not even the demise of the TomKat or the creation of Chavril can take that away, right? Good things happened, although I get frustrated that not enough has happened.  And at the same time, I have to pause to realize that I feel stronger and healthier than I think I ever have in my life.

Even better, I'm still pretty sure nobody will figure out a way to digitally download horses, so at least one part of our livelihood will be okay!  

We managed to pry Jethro out of the studio a few times.  Having him working in the city while we're out here can be very stressful, and his work is demanding enough as it is.  Sometimes a man needs to hunker down for a good ol truck rim bonfire, complete with a dawg and a stringed instrument.  Now that's how to party.

He bought himself a mandolin.  

Bucky took the bonfire maintenance gig very seriously.  

(The kid grew almost three inches this summer.  Little monster.)

We invited my ol' Man too.  Just didn't look right without him there. 

Here, our girl is working on the mandolin solo from the Spinal Tap epic, "Stonehenge."

But then there are times when we all end up at the studio with him.  Our kids haven't had a whole lot of luxuries and toys in their lives, but... when our daughter needs to shoot a little documentary for a class project, heck, we're going to fake a recording session.  Because we can.  

Jethro and I did our annual work-related, mandatory obligatory music biz schmooze fest this past spring.  I did not whip up some curtains into a dress this year.  Instead, I handled the Ottawa spring weather while the starlet behind us clamped her naked arms over her floaty dress and froze a smile onto her face.  Sigh.  What a relief to not be famous.  (Or whatever - I got no clue who she is!)

HUGE MILESTONE YEAR

This one turned 18, got her full driver's licence (had to parallel park a long-box truck to do it) and went off to college.  

That one turned 16, got his beginner's licence, inherited a pretty damn nice car, and pretty much made a career out of eating and sleeping to keep up with all the growing he's been doing.

I saddled up and did a few trail rides with my friends.  

 I missed these long rides.  I miss the days when our place had trail access.  Now all I have to do is build up the guts to take my own knuckleheads out on the road again.  

Maybe not quite like this.  

And speaking of getting out on the road again....

You know that feeling when you hear a song for the first time and instantly love it?  

It's even better when the band comes back after more than a decade and blows your mind.  

I love this pic: see the lovey couple there waiting for the show to start?  So cute.  And in the background? Oh look, it's the albatross.  A very large bird with attitude.  

And that wasn't the only musical happening this year!

I've already spewed a whole breathless-fan blog post about my jubilation over Soundgarden's new album.  I've been pigging out on that since November.  

And also this happened.

Nothing like an 18 year old girl informing us daily on how many days until it drops.  I'm just going to say this: the EPIC Olympic sized theme song these guys did up for the actual Olympics?  Not EVEN the most epic track on this record.  It is that huge.  

In other huge events, Johnny Depp became a single man this year and you didn't hear a whimper of it on this blog.  

Here, of all places, where in my blogging prime I celebrated Johnny Fridays.  I said nothing.  Anybody dying of curiosity about my thoughts?  Well, I wasn't real happy about it.  I thought they were a nice couple.  They have children together.  I know how hard it is to keep a marriage together in the entertainment industry. There is so much emphasis on work, because your entire career rests on your last project, and even when you're successful - even more so - you cannot afford to slack off.  Ever.  You want more gigs?  Then your last gig better knock us all out.  And in the meantime, you're supposed to look at the person you're sleeping with and ask how life's going... how's your work?  What do you need?  And hey, are we eating supper tonight?  Anybody home?  So I get it.  I mean, I don't get it because we are just a couple of nobodies, but I get how it goes.  But that doesn't mean I'm not disappointed.  Even though I don't know these people.  They looked like they really liked each other and they have kids.

But I have a habit of giving this guy a free pass on just about anything.  

Despite, or because, he spent the year hanging around with rockstars and going full-on mega amplified Johnny-esque.  

If I was his real life buddy, as opposed to his imaginary non-biological half-twin (separated at birth seven and a half years apart) I would say to him, "It's cool, with the Aerosmith and the Black Keys and even the Marilyn Manson stuff, but be careful with the 20 year old blonde questionably formerly lesbian girlfriend thing, okay?  Just don't make any hasty decisions."  Then I'd pat him on the back and ask him if all the embellishments are making him top heavy, and finish up with a lighthearted discussion on cool hats.

I think he'll be okay. 

On the opposite side of the spectrum, a new couple was formed this year.  I'm not sure if this is okay.  

I'm still alternating between "but of COURSE" and "What the...?!!" but what do I know?  Chad walked past me once and I am still envious of that whole recording-studio-in-a-barn thing (I'm sure I'll get over it when I have one of my own mwahahaha) and I have paranoid delusions that Avril stole my pink hair idea, but other than that, nothin.  I just think it's fun to say DANGIT AVRIL every chance I get.  You know.  On account of her being equal shades of fantastic and annoying and cute and insufferable.


As much as the picture above really unnerves me and I'm not sure why, I find the following pic quite sweet.

He's all tall and she's all little.  

I can totally understand that.  

It can work.

And.... work is good!!

My Little Lady got back to work in 2012.  She was not in good shape about a year ago today, but by the summer, after a lot of patience and bravery and some careful management, she was horse all the little girls asked for!  

She's still kind of cinchy, and I have to watch her condition, but her sweet nature came back.  Out of my three, I feel like she's the one who'd give me the most.  When she's well and happy, she makes me feel like she'd carry me across the world.  

But then of course, Oakie had a few problems this year.  Oh well.  She did most of the work last winter. And yes, she's much better now.  

Thankfully, nothing bad happened to Phoenix this year (whew!) Although he might be getting inflated and uppity... he had not one, but two, adult men telling him he's the best horse in the world.  Well, we tend to agree.  He's pretty special. 

This is our latest project... You know how it goes, you want a new tack room and you end up with new windows and a few new support posts and new wiring.  And really what I want is to have my own barn.  I don't plan to stay here.  BUT.  I don't mind doing the work to my dad's barn.  He deserves it.  And you know what?  I tend to deprive myself of anything that costs money or smacks of frivolity.  But heck, I deserve a nice place to work!  

I DESERVE IT!!!

So.... I'm staring down 2013, which sounds like a weird made-up date in a science fiction novel.  

Whatcha gonna do, 2013?

Get new glasses?  See straight?  

Get your taxes filed on time?

Get on a horse more often, and for fun sometimes instead of training?

Get writing?  

Get it done?  

Let it get weird, like it's supposed to?  

Oh, I am far from done here.  

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