ALL THAT JAZZ

 I attended a luncheon today with one of my coworkers. We are the major sponsor of a Steeplechase held at the Horse Park in the spring. If anyone knows something about horses then you know it ain't cheap! Horse racing is not called the Sport of Kings for no good reason.

The luncheon was held at the University of Kentucky's private country club. We lunched in the library. A cavernous room with a domed ceiling crossed from North to South, East to West with carved wooden beams. A gigantic chandelier cascaded light on us. The four walls were floor to ceiling glowing polished wood bookcases filled fashionably with first editions Hemmingways and Fitzgeralds. Four windows graced the outer walls with the top quarter covered with a carved lattice of intricate wood design. A fireplace stood unlit but demanding attention, drawing your eye to the  looming eight foot portrait of the former landowner, certainly long gone, in a casual standing poise that will last for eternity.

Something about the surroundings made me feel I was somehow transported into Bizarro World. I went through the motions of being nice, attentive and a very good listener. The rich are so different from us.....from me. The conversations naturally were about horses, racing, buying horses, traveling for the horse industry, and all that jazz. Fasinating. The former gentry. Or perhaps current.

My favorite anecdote. A man wanted to buy a horse and asked this particular person for some advice regarding how much to spend. This particular person suggested they take a drive. As they were driving he instructed the  potential horse owner to roll the window down and toss out a $100 bill. "Did that hurt?" he asked.

"No."

"Good, now toss out $50,000..........did that hurt!"

"Hell yes!"

"Now you know how to gauge how much to spend".

As I said, fasinating.

KRISSY'S SCAVENGER HUNT #8

THANKSGIVING 2004

Krissy asked for Thanksgiving pictures.  I had to wait until today as it is our custom to celebrate together as a family after Thanksgiving Day.  That way, no one has to choose between families etc.    I can not believe that I left out my Mom!!!! I went throught all the photos and she was only in one, which was too blurry to use!  And one of my brothers and his wife are also missing!  Horrors!  I thought I caught everyone on digital.  

Bridget and S. were unable to be with us, so they are included from Friday night outing in Louisville we attended called Light Up Louisville.  Another brother is in NYC.  He will be home for Christmas. And my step daughter is with her mother in another state.  We miss her.   Otherwise, there we are!  My fathers sister, all my brother(s) and sisters, SIL and BIL's....nephews and two nieces and Zorro.  One nephew took a spill on the ice learning how to skate. (really, someone should turn my sister in, lol).  

                                                                                                    
This is what I am most thankful for.  Everyone I love in one room, eating way too much and laughing at my mother inviting over the parish priest then offering him dessert....""Father, would you like a slice of 'Better than sex' cake?" 

 Hilarious.  

And my father having another Thanksgiving among us. That alone is what I am most thankful for.    

This is Krissy's link......I still can not figure out how to link without the entire line (sigh) . 

http://journals.aol.com/fisherkristina/SometimesIThink/

HOW I SPENT MY THANKSGIVING

TURKEY TROT IN LOUISVILLE 


I got up around 330am yesterday morning in anticipation of the rush to Louisville to make the race at 815am. Actually I misread my clock (old over the hill eyeballs).

I was up, I had a pot of coffee in me,  got Zorro going and off we went. It was very chilly so I had four layers on top and two on the bottom. I had my trusty small point and shoot digital that fits snugly in my pocket, hence the great picture of  Zorro and my brother N. and   my other sister "Kitsiboo".  The run was uneventful, meaning I was at the back of the pack...Curses to all you runners who practice before a 10K...WHAT'S UP WITH THAT!  It was cold with a few snow flakes.  Yet  I stripped my upper two layers pretty quickly. Zorro ran with me the entire way, even though I was slow and at times walking definitely  could have been faster than my laborious running, we finished in about 1hr 10 minutes.

This will become our Thanksgiving Day Tradition. It was great to run, if not literally, with my siblings. Zorro and I came home, laid around the living room watching American Choppers (love those nutty men) and Dinner for Five all afternoon.

Hot Brown for dinner and by the time Survivor rolled around, I could not keep my eyes open!  I awoke just in time to see the guy dodge the bullet.   

LANDING ON THE LEVEE

It's not Atlanta, it's not Chicago, it's..............Cincinnati! The past fortnight, since returning from Knoxville, has been a whirlwind of hurling objects, heated conversations, clashing cultures, tears, resolution and preparation. It has been decided that we find a cheap apartment around the Cincinnati area for Zorro and take six months for the dust to settle. As luck would have it, the very first apartment he looked at was on the Levy on the Kentucky side of the Ohio River, within a rocks throw of the Aquarium! As you can see from the photograph, we can watch the Bengals on the left and the Reds on the right......with a very good pair of binoculars.

I think that if you just have faith in things working out for the best they usually do. You have a choice to be upset or to ride the wave with a smile. You land at the same spot.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.

PHOTO FRIDAY ENTRY... PATTERN

ROCK FENCE OR STONE WALL?

I know there is a difference between the two, but I can not for the life of me explain it.  There is a stretch of road that runs between Lexington and Paris.  Several years ago the community was talked into changing the road from a treacherous and deadly two lane into a four lane country highway.  Some of the most beautiful horse farms in Kentucky are on that road. A lot of care was taken in saving the integrity of  the area when progress rolled through.  Lots of small details, like putting back up the rock fences.  Though they are no longer rock fences...but stone walls.

A Rock Fence is a thing of beauty, pieced together by an artist. A simple but intricate pattern of beauty.

(Jeez I can't spell!  I've had to edit this five times!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

KRISSY'S SCAVENGER HUNT #7

The theme for this weeks scavenger hunt is ABANDONED.  The stairs of this now deserted stadium lead up to the press box of yesteryear, when the field was the home for the  very successful 1960's High School teams.  As you can see, it needs some tender loving care. 

I have taken a lot of photos of so many other cities and ignored the little sleepy town I live in.  I am going to change all that starting today!  To paraphrase Dorothy from the movie THE WIZARD OF OZ..."I went searching for happiness and all the time it was in my own back yard!"

The engine is not actually abandoned, just immobile..static.  Several years ago we had an ice storm and I risked life and limb to shoot a few pictures of the ice covered beast.  I wish I had those photo's.  I wish I had remembered to put film in the camera!

US 27 CAN BE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR DIET

I found myself turning onto the twisting, curvy, narrow country road that leads to Reed Valley Orchard. Nestled two miles off the main highway then down a lane of gravel and pot holes for another half mile or so you come upon this captivating oasis of pumpkins and apples.

I shouldn't be here, having  a peck of apples sitting at home already waiting to be turned into apple pies and caramel apples...........Wait!! What am I saying !!! I am on a diet! And while I tell you that, toss in that jar of pumpkin butter in the bag. Resist temptation? HA! Throw in another peck of those delicious apples I got the last time....What are they called? Oh who cares! They are delicious! What's this? Pepper jelly! On Cream Cheese with those special crackers. Yummy! Peach salsa? You better believe it! Apple cider...YES YES YES.

As I was leaving, she rushed out the door to make sure I took one of the radiant pumpkins with me.....Pumpkin Pie..mmmmmmmmmmm.