A week of changes

Here's the week thus far: Lovely dinner out Sunday night to celebrate Maddie's 18th birthday with a few of her friends, followed by packing frenzy for college Monday - Tuesday, then Tuesday afternoon departure for college with a first stop to drop off additional items with Katie at her school (at 10 pm because that's when she was able to get out of training), followed by midnight arrival at hotel located in between the two schools. Early morning wake-up and drive to Maddie's school on Wednesday. Unloading of all her stuff, family lunch in school cafeteria, departure after big hug. Something eaten on the way home made both of us feel sick, bleh. Home around 5:30 pm. Quick trip to barn once home to check on ponies ... then to bed, a little road weary.

Back up today for work. After work, off to the barn. Yoga this pm, happy sigh :). Now home at the way-too-quiet empty nest. Thinking about all the things I don't have to do on a regular basis anymore, like listening for someone's safe arrival home in the wee hours, or negotiating who is going to use which car and when. It will all definitely take some getting used to.

Tomorrow, work a half day then pack up what stuff Maddie didn't get together for Tuesday's departure. Trip to barn, hope to at least lunge Bestie. On Saturday we go back to Maddie's school for a wrap-up presentation of the community service program she is doing prior to the start of classes, convocation, and a little open house with the school president. Back home later that day.

And on Sunday, I move the horses to a new barn. I've looked at it twice, once with Katie, so have no worries. Barn and people (both owners and boarders) seem very nice. But change is always a bit unsettling, and I think my perspective is still colored by the unhappy ending of our last move. Hopefully we will have better luck this time. I really want it to be a long term arrangement. We will trailer over there Sunday morning. I'm anticipating Bestie will be overjoyed with the all-day turnout. Dude will take a while to get used to it, but he had all-day t/o before and was fine as long as he had pals to occupy his attention. He'll probably bellow for a bit upon arrival if he can't see where Bestie is stalled; it took a day or two for him to settle down when we moved back the last time. But they'll settle down. They always have.

Just gotta get through the week ...