Miracles By Plunging Forth And Not Backwards...

W. C. Fields once said, "This old world is a very tough place, and you're darn lucky if you can get out of it alive."  And this world IS a very tough place, indeed.  We ALL have tough challenges.  Tough challenges need tough faith, in however one believes.  Often it is easier said than done.  I tend to take a deep breath and PLUNGE forth.  Sometimes I've PLUNGED BACKWARDS though, but sometimes, the plunge forth is sweet, oh, so amazingly sweet.

My last horse, Patches, was a foal in dire need of being rescued when he came into my life.  How he came into my life is quite a story too, for a later blog.  In the late 1980's following spine surgery...I had to learn to walk again for the second time, but was darn grateful I could.  Still there were complications, so I traveled to Johns-Hopkins to see the world renown Dr. Kopits, who devoted his career to Little People.  That I got to see him at all was the result of a plunge I made.  Due to the severity of my condition, he asked if I could move to Baltimore.  "Yes, of course!  I will go to my money tree!  No problem!"  I reminded him I came with a horse and cat package.😏  Financially, there was just no way.  Impossible.

After I returned to Kentucky, I had this idea, but shoved it away.  Everything could go wrong.  Yet the idea persisted.  I would ride Patches 10 miles, involve the media, and seek pledges for each mile.  If I plunged BACK trying this, the media would be right there to show it, so I HAD to shove the crazy idea aside.

Then I was given a nudge.  More like a huge SHOVE.😮  I was moving Patches from one farm to one closer to my home.  One day, leaving the farm I had him at, it suddenly came to me out of nowhere, to clock the miles from one farm to the other.  I did.  The distance...was...EXACTLY...10...MILES!

I took a deep breath, and PLUNGED forth.

And what a plunging forth of faith it was!  It HAD to be.  

I contacted both the printed and television media.  "You're doing WHAT?!!"😓  

Then I arranged for a friend with a horse van to be there too, if needed.  Since the first mile of The Ride involved riding down a 4 lane highway, I had to ask if police could assist.  "You're doing WHAT?!!"😓

I only asked for, and received promise of, a few pledges prior to The Ride, since everything depended upon actually DOING The Ride, with the help of media.

Then the day came.  Everybody showed up.  Patches was only 2 years old when I did this, the deep bond we shared enabling us to embark on this amazing little journey at all...escorted by police and a media entourage as we began.  Aside from the traffic noise, and two bridges...the one I thought Patches wouldn't have a problem with, he did at first, and the one I thought would be a problem, wasn't.  Other than that, we completed it in 3 hours!  

The newspaper and television pieces hit the next day.  And then...AND THEN...our journey REALLY took off!  People were SO touched and inspired, they couldn't get enough of us.  No one could remember my name, but they sure remembered "Patches!"  I quickly became known as "the Patches lady!"  With a business, prior to The Ride, in the event donations did actually come in, we set up a trust fund, and the donations began pouring in.  Not all was monetary.  Since I needed transportation to get Patches to Baltimore, one of the largest national horse transportation firms donated their services.  Mechanics overhauled my car so I could get there too.  A vet donated his fee to vet Patches with the paperwork needed to cross state lines.  It went on and on.

Because of the keen interest in our amazing story, the media kept coming to the farm to get more coverage of Patches and I...like the way he would come running to me when he heard me call him.  The news pieces were lovely.

Yet it didn't stop in Kentucky.  The govenor of Maryland at that time, learned about us, and welcomed Patches and I to Maryland!   In all, The Ride received just over $11,000.00 in money and donations.  We were on our way.

All because I took a HUGE crazy leap of faith and plunged forth.  And it all went FORTH...not BACK!😊

Tears Of A Surgeon...

The Webster Dictionary definition for compassion is embracing the pain of another; a touching desire to help; expressing words of comfort especially when one has suffered a loss; showing tender concern by entering another's emotional experience.

Two days before Christmas I had my second spine surgery where again everything went wrong nearly paralyzing me.  Nineteen hours in I suddenly began bleeding out very heavily and I almost died, through no fault of my surgeon.

Immediately following surgery a massive hematoma formed, pressing on my spinal cord slowly paralyzing me.  My dear orthopaedic surgeon, Dr. Mortara, rushed back in to then do a four hour emergency surgery to remove the hematoma.  So we ended up being in surgery for twenty-three hours that day.

Dr. Mortara has featured in two other blogs here where I have shared the very humorous bond we had bantering back and forth with each other.  Like when I fractured my tailbone in two places after my horse Bashum stumbled while galloping.  I feared Dr. Mortara would be upset.  Instead he came in laughing, teasing me how I couldn't just fracture my tailbone in one place, but two.  I then responded I liked to think BIG.  He not only loved my attitude but the ways I didn't let my dwarfism define me.  And that I was a fighter.  I had been his patient for several years prior to the spine surgery, so we knew each other quite well by then.

Two days after the spine surgery in ICU on Christmas Day I finally awoke...just in time to see Dr. Mortara coming.  He looked terrible.  He was very anxious to 

see if I still had any movement in my legs.  As hard as I tried only some toes on my right foot moved.  

I already knew what had happened as I was the one who alerted them in recovery something was terribly wrong immediately following the nineteen hour surgery, which is when the massive hematoma was discovered.

Suddenly I was shown just how much I had come to mean to Dr. Mortara as a patient because tears began pouring down his face while he struggled to say, "Everything was going so well, and then the bleeding from out of nowhere happened.  Then this...this terrible hematoma.  You have your horse, your work, such a full life...and..."  

He then began choking up and crying so hard I began choking up too, yet not for me...him!  I was profoundly touched by his concern and deeply moved by his tears.

Though there were tubes everywhere and I was so weak, I managed to grab hold of his hand.

"Dr. Mortara, none of this is your fault.  WE are going to surmount this, okay?  I've got movement in those toes, and that's a beginning.  I will be focusing on my toes until they all move, then my feet, and legs just like I did the first time this happened.  When I leave this building, I will walk out of it.  And I WILL be galloping on Patches again."

Then he cried harder!

Through his tears though, Dr. Mortara managed to tell me it was because he was so moved by MY comforting HIM!  He had been feeling utterly devastated.

"Adelaide, that your fighting spirit hasn't been lost is the best Christmas gift I have been given.  And I believe you WILL walk again.  When you leave this place I will be right there to walk with you."

Two months later, I did and he did.  

Only due to hospital protocol I was made to ride in a wheelchair TO the door.  It had taken me two months 

of very hard work just to be able to do my hard won "shuffle" by then.  So slowly, as Dr. Mortara let me lean on him, I was escorted to the waiting ambulance taking me home, as a host of nurses, doctors, and cleaning staff who had come to know me too, were all clapping.

 

Compassion is the most healing of all our emotions, though not everyone has it.  Yet for those who do, compassion is quite powerful because it transforms lives.  Especially the way it did for a beloved surgeon 

in an ICU Unit one Christmas Day in tears...

The Amazing Story Of Saving Patches From Slaughter...

I want to share how Patches, the little unwanted foal in dire need and I came together.  My previous horse went blind, but a lady looking for a companion for her blind horse in a safe facility was thrilled our mutual vet told her about Havilla, so I donated Havilla to her.  I then began looking for a foal to raise and have for its' lifetime.

The farm where I boarded my horses for years was a beautiful place owned by brothers who could be tough with their horses.  One day Paul called me to say he had found the perfect foal, a registered six month old Quarter horse colt he put in the box stall at the farm.  

Then he warned me, "The man threw in this three month runt of a foal for me to get rid of and it is in the stall too.  BE CAREFUL!  It's very dangerous!  It took four of us and a lot of beer to finally get him!"  

My heart immediately went out to the "dangerous runt."

I rushed to the farm and found the lovely fancy colt and the "dangerous runt" who had just been ripped away from his mama by four loud beer drinking men, with a heavy long rope tied around his neck looking very dejected.  As I slowly entered the stall the "runt" began to back up but I stepped on the rope.  He trembled.  I whispered I was only going to stroke his forehead so he could end the day by being touched GENTLY.  He relaxed.

From the barn phone I called Paul.  

"I'm taking the 'runt!'"  

He kindly replied, "What?!!  You're crazy!!!  He's dangerous I tell you!"

"I'm taking him anyway!  Besides, you will have no trouble selling the fancy colt and I will save you the trouble of taking the "runt" to slaughter."

"I still think you're making a huge mistake you'll regret!" 

"I'm taking him anyway.  How much?"

The next day I took sweet feed, a small halter, and grooming stuff with me.  The "runt" began to back up then stopped...without trembling.  While he ate I gently groomed him with no sign of any fear or "danger" at all.

Patches was a palomino pony with white patches, hence the name I immediately gave him so he would not become known as "the runt."

Day three he nickered when he saw me.

I needed to get him out of the very dirty, dusty stall.  Told Paul I was turning him out.  

"What?!!  You're crazy!  You'll never be able to catch him again!"

"Don't worry we've got this."

I turned him out.  Day four I arrived and found Patches on a hill.  I called him.  He stared intently.  When I went up to Patches he made no attempt to run.

On day five when I called him, Patches neighed and came galloping TO me!  The "dangerous runt" was safe, loved, and mine.  We became very VERY close sharing a wonderful twenty-nine years together.  They know when they are in danger and they know when they are safe.  And love grew Patches into a much larger pony than was expected too.🐎💕🐎

When Patches was a little over a year old I put lead shanks on each side of his halter one day.  Got on him and simply began riding him.  THAT was all it took!

One day Paul happened to come along and see me riding Patches.  He stammered, "You're...you're RIDING him!  How did you...I...I can't believe this!"

"Yep!  This is the 'dangerous runt' bound for slaughter.  Still think I'm crazy?!!"🐎😃🐎

A sleepy Patches at four months old.  During the night either a horse, brambles, or some old barbed wire did a number on him.  Immediately I treated his wounds with

an antibacterial ointment for horses from my equine first aid kit I always had with me.  Then used a liquid ointment to help protect him from the flies.  In the process of all this my darling one fell asleep!😃💕💫

The Story Of Patches Remembering Me...

Along the way now and then I have been blessed with those bright, amazing touch of wonder moments.  Those rare moments when magic happens.

Not long after Patches came into my life, I had yet another spine surgery.  Through no fault of my dear surgeon everything went wrong.  I suddenly began bleeding out thirteen hours in.  Immediately following nineteen hours of surgery, a huge hematoma formed on my spinal cord and began pressing on it.  I was becoming paralyzed.  My surgeon rushed back in, and it took another four hours to remove the hematoma.  Twenty-three hours in surgery that day!😱

Two days later on Christmas Day in ICU, my dear surgeon and I discovered I still had a tiny bit of movement in a few toes.  For all I was worth I focused on my toes until they ALL eventually began moving.  Then my feet, legs.  I had a full life to get back to!

The spine surgery was two days before Christmas.  It was Spring when I finally reached the place where I could walk with a cane instead of a walker.  I wondered if Patches would still remember me.  He was only six months old when I "disappeared," and now he was ten months old! 

One bright Sunday friends from the farm offered to take me with them to the farm since I still couldn't drive.  

The farm was busy that day.  I was so touched because many had come out when they heard I was going to be there, and we were all so thrilled to finally see each other again!

I saw Patches way off in the distance high on a hill.  Someone offered to go get him for me.  

"Thank you!  First, please wait a moment," I said.  

I cupped my hands and called his name.  Suddenly Patches head shot up and he began excitedly looking around as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing.  I called again and waved my arms.

All of a sudden he loudly neighed and began flying 

down that field.  Then he briefly disappeared into the small grove of trees.  Suddenly Patches burst out the other side at full gallop charging up the hill at the same time so excited, he was trying to neigh but was squeaking instead.

EVERYTHING but Patches stopped right where they were, watching.  Tough horsemen were wiping tears from their eyes.  We all realized we were witnessing something very beautiful and magical.  Even all the horses stopped and watched the scene.

Patches slammed to a stop a few feet from me, then walked up to me happily rubbing his head up and down me again and again.  Oh my, did he ever remember me!

This...was indeed...one of those amazing...rare, "touch of wonder" gems in life I will hold forever and never let go from my grasp.💫🐎💕🐎💫

        Patches charging up the hill at full gallop to me.  

Before I could take the next photo Patches was already happily rubbing his head up and down me again and again.  Everyone there, especially me, had tears pouring down our cheeks because we all knew we had just witnessed the very wonder, magic and power of love.

A Very Touching Powerful Encounter...

Just so you may know, there is a very powerful ending to this story.👍

In yesterday's blog I ended it at the Sky City Restaurant in the Space Needle in Seattle with my friends Damien and his partner Logan.  All was well with the Maitre-d.  He was just curious after observing Damien and I diving under the table multiple times to retrieve Damien's PURPLE shoe which slipped onto a ledge.  You see the Restaurant revolves and we had to wait until we returned to the exact place again so we could finally retrieve it and did so with finesse. 

After I completed the massive flats for a huge theatre production Damien needed my help with the time came for me to return home and get back to my horse and my own Theatre Scene Design work ahead of me.  But first I had to get out of Seattle.  Damien ALWAYS ran late for EVERYthing.  I barely even made it to the boarding gate in time!

Outside of Chicago my plane remained in a holding pattern forever due to storms and I missed my connecting flight.  Yet there are certain times when everything happens for a reason though.  Very POWERfully happens.

Eventually I FINALLY arrived back in Maryland shortly after midnight.  I was exhausted.

After finally tracking down my luggage I rushed out of the airport and was relieved to see a few taxi's waiting for their next fare and plunged into one.

When I did I totally startled the poor lady whose taxi I threw myself into.  For a few moments she couldn't seem to speak for some reason.  Finally she did.  Asked my destination.  Told me she would need my help giving directions.  No problem.

Now usually I'm the one who makes conversation in taxi's, always keenly interested in others I get to meet.  However it was this driver, a older woman who began.

"My name is Jenny.  What's your name?"

"Adelaide.  Nice to meet you Jenny!"

"Have you been traveling far, Adelaide?"

"Seattle, I..."

"What do you do?"

"I am a Theatre Scene Designer, and..."

"A Theatre Scene Designer?  That's incredible!  What a wonderful way to make a living!  Have you been doing it long?"

I waited a moment in case Jenny needed to interrupt me again before I plunged in to respond.😂

"Actually I recently completed my second internship.  You see, due to the dwarfism [it had to be obvious to her, right?!!🤣] I kind of got detoured a bit with four spine surgeries twice learning to walk again, then needing a bone marrow treatment at Hopkins but I refused to give up, even when everything seemed stacked against me.  I'm a very dedicated "refuses to give up" kind of person.  Eventually I finally grabbed hold of my dream."

There was silence from the front.  And then...

"Adelaide, we're coming up to a McDonald's.  Would you mind terribly if we get coffee at the Drive-thru?  I'll buy it."

"Wow, at this point coffee sounds really good to me.  I

haven't had anything to eat since lunch on my flight yesterday.  Would you mind if I order some chicken nuggets?  I'd love to treat you to some or whatever 

else you'd like."

"No, I'm fine.  Just realized I could use some coffee."

After Jenny bought us both coffee and I the nuggets, she asked if I would mind if we parked until we were done.  I didn't mind.

"Adelaide, I know it must be very hard being a...a..."

"Little Person."

"Little Person.  How do you cope with life in a body like yours?  I've only just met you but I sense you are a very strong person inside.  I desperately need to know how you cope with what life throws at you."

There was indeed a desperate sense of urgency I heard in her voice.

"Jenny, I'll be happy to share with you what works for me.  Before I do it's very important to BELIEVE you've got what it takes within you to be strong inside too.  If you imagine it, you will achieve it, if you dream it, you become it...so..."

"Wait a moment!  I have to write that down!  Uh, do you have any paper?"

I usually always do but didn't, yet McDonald's had given us a bunch of napkins.

"Hold fast to your dreams and don't let go of them."

"But Adelaide, how do..."

"I have always coped by keeping focused on my glass being a full one because it IS a very full one.  If I were to keep focused on all the many things "wrong" in my life I would not want to even try at all because I'd be too overwhelmed with self pity.  Self pity steals happiness.  Not only that who wants to be around a complaining whiner anyway?"

"Well what can a person replace self pity with?"

"A gratitude attitude.  Focus on what you have to be thankful for.  Like being able to just see, hear, walk, talk, and having a roof over your head.  Become aware of nature.  Remember the two words 'and yet.'  For instance when I encounter the mean ridicule I constantly get, I refuse to let their abuse take my power from me.  I know I am being treated awful and yet I have my horse to break free upon by flying with the wind across fields.  How many people can?  The "and yet" allows me to retain my power by not letting strangers have it, if this makes sense."

"It does!  It really does!"

"Finally Jenny, embrace courage.  The greatest test of courage is to bear pain without losing heart.  Embrace optimism.  Hope.  Love.  One of the most wonderful treasures to remember is how the love we live is what remains after we're no longer here.  Strive to live love."

Jenny was beginning to run out of napkins and I had reached a point where even coffee wasn't helping me anymore and I felt I was rambling away.  The poor lady was probably being polite by not telling me just how rambling away I actually was.

I am sure she could see how my tiredness was clearly overtaking me by now.  As Jenny drove me home her thoughts were churning with all I gave her.

It was when we arrived and she stopped the car Jenny told me something which jarred me awake...I mean WIDE AWAKE.  

For you see, the following is what Jenny told me:

"Adelaide, this isn't a taxi.  My husband of forty-two years of marriage who was my soul mate, my everything, died of pancreatic cancer last week, less than a month after we were told he had it.  Our daughter, an only child was just here.  We fought about everything.  Wanted me to make huge life altering decisions immediately aside from the funeral arrangements.  How can anybody even make a decision about what to eat when their heart is broken and they don't know how to survive the most frightening traumatic experience of their life?  

"But I did make a decision.  A decision that was all too easy for me to make and one I intended to carry out as soon as I returned home from dropping my daughter off at the airport.  I tried to hug her.  I even tried to tell her I loved her but she screamed at me to go to hell then leaped out of the car and was gone.

"So I decided to drive home, pull this car in the garage, shut the door, then, as the car continued to run just peacefully go freeing myself from all the pain and agony of this...this broken heart. 

"And then YOU from out of nowhere at that moment, that VERY moment jumps into my car thinking its a cab!  

"Adelaide, I don't know about you but Someone far more powerful than we are put you here!  Not only put you here tonight but put you here on the journey you're on to touch lives.  Either this or I'm sitting here speaking to a real live angel!  Are you?!!"

"Damn Jenny, if I am a angel, I sure as hell am friggin unaware I am."😂

First Brand New Funny Adelaide Piece Of 2021...

Remember my recent blog detailing how my fellow ten Scene Painting class members and myself went plunging down a snow covered Mt. Everest of hills following our last class together?  I also described 

where our profession took each of the nine guys and two ladies.

About fourteen years after we plunged down Mt. Everest which was the last time we were all together,

Damien who landed a Scene Design position after he interned at a prestigious theatre in Seattle sought my help for a large scale production.  He needed my gift for being able to recreate an exact scene on a massive flat without the need for a grid system which can take more time.

It so happened I had just gone through my first two spine surgeries and the stay in the Pediatric Cancer Ward AND a theatre internship TWICE because of all the unexpected hospital delays.  Even learning how to walk again two times.  Yet I made it.  I had been hired by a theatre but I wouldn't start the position for another 

two months to begin the sets for their new following season.  Damien needed me for roughly six weeks so the timing was perfect.

Since most of us remained close keeping in touch we knew what was going on with each other.  Which is why Damien knew I was available.  So at Damien's request his theatre flew me to Seattle.🎭

Damien and his partner Logan had a huge house insisting I stay with them.  I jumped at the chance for more reasons than one because you see, Damien and 

I were the ones in the group who were either causing the others to have laughter hysterics or the instigators of fun activities like the plunging down Mt. Everest.  We were also damn good at getting the others to do these crazy things.  

So when everyone heard Damien and Adelaide would 

be at a theatre together in Seattle they just KNEW stuff would happen.  Said they'd all have to watch the national evening news broadcasts because we were sure to be in the news during my time there.😂

Actually we were so busy the first three weeks, other than entertaining those around us by regaling them with stories of our antics while we were hard at work making theatre magic happen with the amazing sets we were both creating.🎭

By the end of three weeks Damien and Logan wanted to take me out for dinner one night.  Not just any place, but...The Sky City Revolving Restaurant located on top of The Space Needle.

On this night Damien wanted to go in drag which I certainly had no problem with as I had seen him in 

drag countless times.  I only mention this detail at all because you see Damien wore his new expensive designer high heel PURPLE shoes, but please do not expect me to tell you which fancy designer as I am far more knowledgeable about the shoes of horses than I ever am about shoes for hoomans costing more than a whole year's worth of board payments for my horses.  Besides, I always suspected Damien's REAL reason for taking me to the Revolving Restaurant in the Sky was only to show off his brand new PURPLE high heel 

shoes for all to see.🤣

The guys had made a reservation for the three of us.  As we were being led to our table by the window you can imagine how many fancy well dressed diners went agog while holding food on their forks which suddenly stopped midway to their mouths at the amazing once in a lifetime sight appearing before them of a dwarf dressed like a hippie wearing a flowing PURPLE and black skirt, a tall striking man in a PURPLE tuxedo with his partner dressed to the nines in a PURPLE dress wearing matching PURPLE high heel shoes.

After we were seated Logan had quite the serious observation he made.  "Did you two happen to notice the ways people here were staring at us?"

Damien and I who each had just taken a large gulp of water burst into hysterical laughter.  I just missed getting sprayed by Damien's mouthful seated across from him, while my mouthful could have drenched dear Logan...didn't...thanks to my sitting much lower in my seat than they did.

Had Damien not been buying my dinner I can tell you I would have had to order soup.  However since he was buying I also ordered Lobster as they did.👏🤩👏

The meal for me was exquisite.  Midway through the meal as Logan and I were deep in a discussion about the meaning of life Damien suddenly leaned down looking beneath the table but neither Logan or I thought anything was unusual. 

Now the guys were excited to take me to a fancy lounge with the greatest music ever following our meal.  But as we were finishing our lobsters Damien very anxiously    alerted Logan and I about a serious problem.  And I mean this was serious because Damien was choking back tears.

"Logan...Adelaide...as we were enjoying our meal I slipped my shoes off!"

He was struggling.

"Awhile ago when you two were talking about the meaning of life and all that shit I accidentally knocked one of my shoes onto that little ledge thingie above the wheel making this place revolve!"

As I dived beneath the table, "Where Damien?  I don't 

see it.  What 'ledge thingie?'"

"Dahlin' that's just it...we have to stay here revolving until we reach the place where I can retrieve my shoe!"

"But Damien, how do you know where that is?"

"See the mural of the Cascade Mountains?"

"Uh, yes."

"See those two mountains close together?  That's where my shoe is resting."

Logan asked what I thought was a very sensible question, "But Damien, all we have to do is tell our waiter..."

"NO!"

"Why?"

"I spent a fortune on those shoes!  All it would take is the slightest nudge and POOF!  My beautiful shoe could be gone forever!  No, we're waiting.  Please?"

"Damien, of course Logan and I will stay.  We have to because you're the only one who can drive your car with its stickshift so we're stuck."

The only slight problem with Damien's plan is the fact the Sky Restaurant was exceptionally crowded that night you see.  Already the Maitre-d and our waiter were eyeing our table as a crowd of people waited to get a table.

The waiter approached our table.  "Sir, would you like your check now?"

"No thank you," said Damien. "If you don't mind we'd like to order coffee and see your Dessert  Menu, please."

As soon as the waiter departed Logan blurted out, "But Damien all three of us are stuffed!  Where are we going to put our desserts?" 

"Adelaide's purse!"

"NOT in Adelaide's purse, thank you."

"Well then in our bras."

"Damien, you're the one here wearing boobs like Dolly Parton, not me!"

When the waiter returned with the Dessert choices heading for Damien's bra I thought to ask a highly important question the guys hadn't considered yet.

"Sir, out of curiosity exactly how long does it take for the Restaurant to make each cycle?"

"Approximately forty-five minutes."

So we decided if we ordered one dessert while sipping the coffee slowly we may just be able to pull this off.

We ordered some kind of delicious Five Chocolate Cheesecake.

Midway through this dessert as the two mountains were coming round the bend, "Uh Damien, I've got to 

go pee."

"You can't Adelaide, not now."

"Why not?"

"Because you're so short you need to dive under the table with me in case you need to get where I can't."

"Just so you know there is a very strong possibility you may get wet."

So during the time remaining with military precision planning Damien drew on a cloth napkin what needed to happen after we dived beneath the table.  He was X.  I was Y.

Logan who was Z, cried out, "What the hell am I'm going to look like sitting here alone after people see you two suddenly dive under the table?!!"

This never got addressed you see because suddenly those two mountains were very near.

"Adelaide, DIVE!"

So Adelaide DIVED!

And it was a good thing Adelaide did dive too.  For the PURPLE High Heel shoe on a ledge thingie was exactly where only someone of my height could reach anyway.

As I popped up holding the PURPLE shoe high in the 

air like a trophy on my side of the table and Damien popped up on his side letting a rather loud cheer escape, there stood our waiter and the Maitre-d.

Uh oh.

"Is there a problem here?"

"Yes, I need to pee!  Meanwhile ask the dude with the PURPLE shoe I just threw at him what's going on."😂

Adelaide, Horses, Bubbles...

God took a handful of southerly wind, blew His breath over it, and created the horse.

                                         ~Bedouin Legend

Years before Patches came along I boarded my beloved horse Selah at the same farm.  Selah was a beautiful bay horse with black mane, tail, and lower legs, as well as having a white blaze.

One of the other boarders had a yearling colt pony they were trying to decide if they should have gelded or not.  [Ahem...for those unfamiliar with equine terminology, a gelded horse is the same as a neutered cat or dog.😄]

When those of us who owned mares expressed concern to Pete about how much longer was he going to wait, he of course insisted there was no way Rocky could impregnate the mares.  Was way too young he said.  Couldn't possibly reach them anyway he said.

By fall it was obvious to those of us with mares to see we had EXPECTING mares thanks to Rocky, "the way too young who couldn't possibly reach the mares" yearling pony colt who was then very quickly removed from the farm after all the fun he managed to have.😂

In spring the foals began coming.  Selah gave birth to a lovely little filly I named Rachel.  I was there when she was born and we immediately bonded.

Since I could not afford to keep two horses I knew I would need to sell Rachel and it wasn't going to be easy.  Nevertheless, when she was old enough to be weaned I had her moved to another farm.  After she was almost two, like with Patches later I simply began riding her because of the sweet bond we had.

This farm was located near trails reached by various backroads.

One summer day riding bareback in my bare feet blowing huge bubblegum bubbles, I was riding Rachel down one of the backroads to reach the trails.

A man in a car slowly passed us.  He turned around 

and passed us again slowly.  

Then he turned around yet again and came back towards us.  By this point I was obviously very uneasy in the middle of nowhere.  On my horse.  Suddenly the man stopped and got out of his car.

By the look on my face he quickly reassured me and showed me his newspaper I.D. and camera explaining he was a photographer for the newspaper.  He LOVED the image of Rachel and I riding her bareback in my bare feet blowing bubbles.  He asked for permission to take our photo.  

The next day there we were Rachel and I on the front page with my face mostly obscured by this gigantic bubble I was asked to please, PLEASE blow for the proper effect.  The dear photo (I am trying to locate) was titled, "Blowing Bubbles On Horseback."

Being a Little Person had nothing to even do with it and I absolutely loved this!

And do you know what else?  The newspaper received several calls from people wanting to know if Rachel was for sale!

I interviewed each one then checked them out first before deciding on the one who would buy Rachel.  She went on to have a much loved happy life all because one summer day we were on a backroad in the middle of nowhere with me blowing bubbles while riding bareback and barefoot...🐎😃🐎💫