Wednesday, September 14
Sep. 15th, 2022 12:21 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gottawonderToday I am grateful for:
Lovely weather. Sunny and warm, not too hot.
Making it through the day on very little sleep again.
I got up earlier than usual so that we could go to a new friend's house. She is a person that also takes riding lessons, and she does pottery. She invited us to come see her place.
It was a short visit, due to both of us having lessons today, but I'm really glad I made the effort.
It was just so wonderful and civilized to have a proper visit at someone's house where you come in and sit down and are offered beverages and a freshly baked cake. I only had a bite of cake, but my Sweetie had some, and the nephew (here until Friday) had some too.
Her house is truly lovely. Not huge or opulent, but very NICE, and there are beautiful healthy house plants all over the place (mine never look that good), a huge aquarium, and a garden room full of light that was chock full of plants and had a tiny indoor pond with fish in it. That room is something I have always wanted. I am hoping to do something like that in our sun room, when we get things settled.
She had lovely things everywhere, like pottery she has made, paintings and such. Not necessarily super expensive things but things that she obviously loves.
She has a room where she throws pottery and trims it, but she fires it mostly at a group studio. She has a very small kiln that she uses once in a while.
They are hoping to move to a place with a slightly smaller house, but with more land since they have horses. Their property doesn't have a lot of room for them, or for things like hay storage or a good level area for working with them.
It was a very nice visit, and I miss that kind of civility.
We had a short bit of time to zip into the town near her place and pick up...you got it. Building materials. This time it was the recessed lights the contractor needs for the basement.
Then we went to the riding barn, where the friend that we just had a visit with was also there for her lesson.
I am super glad that R isn't being weird at all about me being in the barn or having some kind of talk about how to stay out of her husband's way.
She wasn't weird about our nephew being there again today, she was chatty and very comfortable, and it all felt normal and consistent.
So, it's looking like her husband K is just being weird, and she is not riding the weird train with him, so maybe it will be okay.
The lesson was good. We worked on the finer details for the lead line class coming up, and I felt good about what we did today.
We also did some work under saddle that makes me feel better that we haven't completely abandoned my riding goals, and some of the work we did earlier this summer.
The nephew hasn't been around horses a lot, and isn't super excited about the stuff we were doing in the lesson (which really would be boring for most people to watch) but I think he actually enjoyed interacting with the horses. He got to see River as I was grooming him after the ride, and saw things like how the horse responds when you find all the itchy spots for him, and that his personality shows through, and to engage with a horse for a moment where you connect with them and they pay attention to you for a moment.
I think people don't get that chance very often any more, that moment where you see the horse is actually engaging in a moment with you when you pet them or give them a treat, or you see them doing something that shows a personality. The things that show there is a real individual in there, with it's own thing going on, and it shares it with you.
That's something he'll remember.
We came home, let everyone out for a while, and I made some supper.
Funny how as soon as food has to be made it becomes me doing it if it is more than just the two of us.
The nephew isn't funny about food at least. I made a stir fry with noodles for the guys (I had it with quinoa) and a not-meat patty, which he ate without complaint. Super nice that he isn't picky, as that is what I always worry about with guests.
I've gotten to know him a bit with this visit, and I'm really glad he came out. He's got decent manners, didn't complain about anything, did some work for us, ate whatever we put on the table, and was someone I was happy to introduce to the people at the barn.
I learned that he is a pretty darn good chess player, and that he takes it seriously. Like studying the games of masters and reading books about it, and playing it consistently with the goal of honing his skills. He's been in tournaments and done very well.
He also reads, and his tastes overlap with what we read. He was interested in what we had on our shelves, and we talked about books a bit. Not too many people his age that can do that.
I showed him a bit of the pottery we made this year too, and he was reasonably interested in that.
He is the first house guest we've had since Covid, and I was more worried about myself coping since I have been such a hermit.
In all honesty, he was almost a stranger since I haven't interacted with him since he was quite small. My husband knew him better.
So I am glad for all of the positive social interactions today.
He and my husband talked more and played cribbage, and I was a little loopy from lack of sleep so I just scrolled Facebook and chatted with them as they played.
I learned that the Bee Gees didn't write didn't write their music for Saturday Night Fever until post production. All the dance scenes that was done to their music was filmed using other songs.
I almost can't believe that, as the choreography for that big first dance scene was just so perfect with "Stayin' Alive".
"The band's involvement in the film did not begin until post-production. As John Travolta asserted, "The Bee Gees weren't even involved in the movie in the beginning ... I was dancing to Stevie Wonder and Boz Scaggs."[68] Producer Robert Stigwood commissioned the Bee Gees to create the songs for the film.[69] The brothers wrote the songs "virtually in a single weekend" at Château d'Hérouville studio in France.[68] Barry Gibb remembered the reaction when Stigwood and music supervisor Bill Oakes arrived and listened to the demos:"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bee_Gees#Saturday_Night_Fever_and_Spirits_Having_Flown
Saturday Night Fever didn't launch disco, in fact disco was already considered to be dying. The film actually resuscitated disco for a few more years, and kept the Bee Gees in the charts for a while with a hit record. The hit record, and the fact that the movie did so well, was a surprise to everyone.
Lovely weather. Sunny and warm, not too hot.
Making it through the day on very little sleep again.
I got up earlier than usual so that we could go to a new friend's house. She is a person that also takes riding lessons, and she does pottery. She invited us to come see her place.
It was a short visit, due to both of us having lessons today, but I'm really glad I made the effort.
It was just so wonderful and civilized to have a proper visit at someone's house where you come in and sit down and are offered beverages and a freshly baked cake. I only had a bite of cake, but my Sweetie had some, and the nephew (here until Friday) had some too.
Her house is truly lovely. Not huge or opulent, but very NICE, and there are beautiful healthy house plants all over the place (mine never look that good), a huge aquarium, and a garden room full of light that was chock full of plants and had a tiny indoor pond with fish in it. That room is something I have always wanted. I am hoping to do something like that in our sun room, when we get things settled.
She had lovely things everywhere, like pottery she has made, paintings and such. Not necessarily super expensive things but things that she obviously loves.
She has a room where she throws pottery and trims it, but she fires it mostly at a group studio. She has a very small kiln that she uses once in a while.
They are hoping to move to a place with a slightly smaller house, but with more land since they have horses. Their property doesn't have a lot of room for them, or for things like hay storage or a good level area for working with them.
It was a very nice visit, and I miss that kind of civility.
We had a short bit of time to zip into the town near her place and pick up...you got it. Building materials. This time it was the recessed lights the contractor needs for the basement.
Then we went to the riding barn, where the friend that we just had a visit with was also there for her lesson.
I am super glad that R isn't being weird at all about me being in the barn or having some kind of talk about how to stay out of her husband's way.
She wasn't weird about our nephew being there again today, she was chatty and very comfortable, and it all felt normal and consistent.
So, it's looking like her husband K is just being weird, and she is not riding the weird train with him, so maybe it will be okay.
The lesson was good. We worked on the finer details for the lead line class coming up, and I felt good about what we did today.
We also did some work under saddle that makes me feel better that we haven't completely abandoned my riding goals, and some of the work we did earlier this summer.
The nephew hasn't been around horses a lot, and isn't super excited about the stuff we were doing in the lesson (which really would be boring for most people to watch) but I think he actually enjoyed interacting with the horses. He got to see River as I was grooming him after the ride, and saw things like how the horse responds when you find all the itchy spots for him, and that his personality shows through, and to engage with a horse for a moment where you connect with them and they pay attention to you for a moment.
I think people don't get that chance very often any more, that moment where you see the horse is actually engaging in a moment with you when you pet them or give them a treat, or you see them doing something that shows a personality. The things that show there is a real individual in there, with it's own thing going on, and it shares it with you.
That's something he'll remember.
We came home, let everyone out for a while, and I made some supper.
Funny how as soon as food has to be made it becomes me doing it if it is more than just the two of us.
The nephew isn't funny about food at least. I made a stir fry with noodles for the guys (I had it with quinoa) and a not-meat patty, which he ate without complaint. Super nice that he isn't picky, as that is what I always worry about with guests.
I've gotten to know him a bit with this visit, and I'm really glad he came out. He's got decent manners, didn't complain about anything, did some work for us, ate whatever we put on the table, and was someone I was happy to introduce to the people at the barn.
I learned that he is a pretty darn good chess player, and that he takes it seriously. Like studying the games of masters and reading books about it, and playing it consistently with the goal of honing his skills. He's been in tournaments and done very well.
He also reads, and his tastes overlap with what we read. He was interested in what we had on our shelves, and we talked about books a bit. Not too many people his age that can do that.
I showed him a bit of the pottery we made this year too, and he was reasonably interested in that.
He is the first house guest we've had since Covid, and I was more worried about myself coping since I have been such a hermit.
In all honesty, he was almost a stranger since I haven't interacted with him since he was quite small. My husband knew him better.
So I am glad for all of the positive social interactions today.
He and my husband talked more and played cribbage, and I was a little loopy from lack of sleep so I just scrolled Facebook and chatted with them as they played.
I learned that the Bee Gees didn't write didn't write their music for Saturday Night Fever until post production. All the dance scenes that was done to their music was filmed using other songs.
I almost can't believe that, as the choreography for that big first dance scene was just so perfect with "Stayin' Alive".
"The band's involvement in the film did not begin until post-production. As John Travolta asserted, "The Bee Gees weren't even involved in the movie in the beginning ... I was dancing to Stevie Wonder and Boz Scaggs."[68] Producer Robert Stigwood commissioned the Bee Gees to create the songs for the film.[69] The brothers wrote the songs "virtually in a single weekend" at Château d'Hérouville studio in France.[68] Barry Gibb remembered the reaction when Stigwood and music supervisor Bill Oakes arrived and listened to the demos:"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bee_Gees#Saturday_Night_Fever_and_Spirits_Having_Flown
Saturday Night Fever didn't launch disco, in fact disco was already considered to be dying. The film actually resuscitated disco for a few more years, and kept the Bee Gees in the charts for a while with a hit record. The hit record, and the fact that the movie did so well, was a surprise to everyone.
no subject
Date: 2022-09-15 07:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-09-16 07:38 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-09-20 03:32 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-09-16 02:02 am (UTC)I like visiting people who have nice homes that express, graciously, their interests and character. I suppose I like the inspiration to get moving to do something similar here, though that sunroom project has been a real accomplishment and is 99% fini.
Of course I will ask - what kind of cake was served to you?
no subject
Date: 2022-09-16 07:37 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-09-17 02:24 am (UTC)I hope you or someone in your palais makes the lemon cake - it is very nice, especially with sprinkles.
no subject
Date: 2022-09-17 06:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-09-17 07:06 am (UTC)The sous chef made my favourite Queen Elizabeth cake a couple of weeks back, which is now rather poignant. It's a great thing he's grown into being a cake baker (and a very good one) really; it doesn't seem possible to teach adults how it's done.