Saturday, November 12, 2005

Yup. It’s officially the off season for our favorite stud.

Rather than push him into Japan, Dad decided to take the more conservative approach and kick back for a couple of months, resuming Fourty Niners Son’s career after the holidays. Admittedly, I’m a bit relieved since the idea of flying to Japan for 48-72 hours on frequent flier miles was truly one of my less inspired ideas.

When I think about what a dead run my folks have been on the past six months, it makes sense that there’s an undercurrent of relief on everyone’s faces. Rather than bang through Thanksgiving dinner so they can make an early overseas flight to Tokyo, my parents will be able to enjoy the long holiday weekend with the entire family (sans one particular, retail-driven daughter)...and probably get drafted into service helping Greg, Adriene and the kids move. Even with furniture stacked eyeball-high in a horse trailer, the weekend will be a welcome relief, no doubt.

In the meantime, I’ll occasionally post new info on the Pony Page as it becomes available...not sure how involved the Journal page will be until things heat up again. The Breeders Cup photos will stay online, for whoever wants to peruse them (or needs to relive those adrenaline days once more).

Thanks to each of you who have shared this journey down what felt like a trip down the rabbit hole with Alice in Wonderland this summer and fall—especially my friends in Brilliant Ink who tolerated my obsessive pre-Journal days with endless patience (and a bookie or two along the way...quiet, bespeckled, lace-tatting ladies and gents, we ain’t), as well as Lexie, who made multiple speed-record-breaking trips to Canterbury Downs to meet me for race simulcasts.

Jean, thank your mother for praying for 49er all this time; he’s proud to be our collective mascot. And Edie...I swear...buying me wine is plenty of payback for the bet. Sorry we didn’t get into the winner’s circle that time around. But next time...look out!
Photo ©Cinda Baxter 2005. All rights reserved.