It is a tiring life being a student....

First week in at Massey as a student. Tiring just getting to grips with the whole deal. Am pleasantly surprised at just how good my knowledge base is - except for the bloody damn maths components of the papers.

First lab we had to do mean, median and standard deviation. Right, I don't even have a calculator - I mean they cost money!!!! So I started laboriously doing the calcs the old fashioned way. Interestingly enough by the time one of the supervisors took sufficient pity on me to lend me one it was more a case of checking my answers... As I pointed out who the hell uses a calculator for s/d anymore? That is what the formulae in exell are for!!

In the process of packing up the flat - to move once again.

Ponies coming home on Wed. Isla is now wearing britching quite happily. Really need to bite the bullet and make arrangements for her to go onto a place of 'higher learning'.

Don't expect much in the way of updates for a bit; being bogged under with study is not conducive to vast quantities of erudite prose.

There has been a lot of ponies and not much music of late.

But thanks to the ponies (or rather horses specifically) I was totally stoked to be able to go to a harp concert last night. It was in St John's Church in Feilding and featured Robin Ward.

Robin is a Palmy guy now living in Bedfordshire in the UK. He comes back each year to see family and does a tour at the same time. What makes Robin so different from other harpists (and puts him into a field of his own) is that he plays the 'triple harp'. You can find out more should you wish, by going to Robin Ward.

I first met Robin at the Wellington Folk Festival in 02. By neccessity Robin has learned to make his own triple harps. The one he played last night is made from Jarrah picked up from the side of the road as he travelled about Aus. The triple harp is much lighter strung than even my minstral harp so much lighter over all weight wise and so easier to transport.

Of course I 'had' to buy a CD as well (which I have playing on the computer as I write this).

All of this 'financed' by horses. When does anything get financed by horses? Ususally you can consider them to be a bottomless hole down which you choose to throw money (especially the stuff you don't have),

Answer: when you are in the 'crash' car at the races. I was asked if I could do it, and to my amazement was nicely recompensed for my time. Thankfully it was a quiet night - when in the crash car a 'good' night is when nothing happens.

Ponies are well. Weather has been somewhat agin doing much more with Isla - that and lack of time as I deal with and to all the tasks requiring my input at Sue's, as I look after all her animals.

Massey starts next week, so time will be at an even greater premium, sigh.

Well the blood rushed to the head

Yesterday we had a good day. Bridgie and Marije went to the Pleasure Horse Nationals at Tielcey Park. They had a good day and both went really well. I crazily put on a post entry for the 51 years and over best rider class (hrrrrmmmph I hear you say!!). Fortunately they called a canter to trot transition just before I blew my foo foo - but I was gasping :(

Have to confess that this is only the second time I have ridden in well over a year - my bad. But bugger me days Bridgie did me proud and we got second out of a class of 5. I think I was the oldest too. First time in my life I have ever won anything in a rider class....

Marija and her friend AnaMarie painted Bridgie for the Fancy Dress. The theme was Kiwiana. They used facepaint and Bridgie had full colour pukekos, kiwi, jar of vegemite etc - all this things which the girls have found to be totally NZ. They didn't get called in - the standard was very high - but Bridgie did look really good. Have pics on the camera but no USB cable so you will have to wait until I trundle back to Foxton (prob Wed) to check all is well with the flat and Liz.

What with all the prepping for the show Isla has been 'neglected' for the past few days. She will 'keep'.

Am presently farmsitting for my years ago former landlady. One of the joys (and I use the word very tongue in cheek) is milking her herd of toggenburg dairy goats. This morning it took me 1/2 an hour to get them through the shed BUT it took me nearly 2 hours to get them in the bloody shed. Undisciplined rabble; nothing has changed over the intervening years. Actually enjoyed the milking part. Sue's poodle, Sunny, enjoyed being turned into a herding dog. With a bit of time and skillful handling he could be quite good. Ditto for the goats actually - I will just have them all toeing the line by the time Sue gets home.

Working at the Manawatu Raceway tomorrow. I think I may be up for some fast rides in the crash car; will keep you posted.

Seeing as I am at Sue's if you want to talk to me then give me a ring.
Having to cope with dino dial-up, but at least I do have 'in home' computer access here :)

Talking about Liz she has put some pics of her bellie up on her picasaweb site, if anyone wishes to go have a look.

Isla has a meeting with the farrier

Yesterday Isla had her first appointment with a farrier.

She was very well behaved and what is more took to balancing on a hoof stand like a pro.

Even allowing for the fact that the hoof stand was actually too high for a pony with duck's disease she managed very well.

Isla wasn't worked yesterday as it was the great WASH DAY (1st one) for Bridgie prior to her outing on Sunday. IF I have a sufficiently bad rush of blood to the head (AND it is not too bloody hot) I just MAY enter the geriatric rider's class!!

All the work horses were also foot trimmed which is why there was no time for doing anything with Isla.

Trixie and Katie are coming 'home' tomorrow and Cas will gain a live in girlfriend (Trixie) which will surely make him happy.