Looking for a Little Relaxation............

Yesterday, I thought I'd try to do something relaxing to see if I could get my stomach to settle. The Region 5 Championships have been going on all week so going to watch some classes seemed like the best way to get my head into something I enjoy and out of legal ease. I called my friend, Wendy, and the two of us headed off that direction.

It's a two hour drive from my house to the Evergreen State Fairgrounds in Monroe. That is, of course, if traffic is normal. There were complications since Interstate 405 had a section closed down right where we merge onto it. That meant a detour right through the middle of Renton.

I was glad that Wendy was driving. The detour was stressful enough just sitting in the passenger seat but we got through it and then stopped at Mickey D's to grab lunch.

That was probably my first mistake. Fast and cheap isn't always good for a funny stomach. It seemed ok for a while but I did finally track down the Hat Lady looking for antacids.

We arrived late so missed the first classes of the session. One of them turned out to be the Half-Arabian Open Western Pleasure Championship. My granddaughter, Rachel, rode in that class but I didn't get to see it.

Rachel had promised to let me know which classes she was going to enter so I had a chance to come watch. She did not follow through, however, so I only found out after I arrived. I can't help but think she really prefers to not have me involved so that didn't help my stress level. Nor did running into one of the parties from my lawsuit. She spoke to me which happens to be against the court rules. I was a bit flustered knowing we aren't supposed to have contact so I just moved on as quickly as I could. That didn't help my stress level either.

I had some of things I really wanted to do at the show. The mother of one of the trainer's I know is being treated for cancer. I have not seen them since I discovered this information so I wanted to check in on her condition. I wanted to see the yearling halter classes in the evening session and I wanted to stop in and say "hi" to Paint Girl.

I managed to get two of these tasks accomplished. While I didn't get to see my friend, I did find out how she's doing and I'll call her this week to touch base. AND I did get to meet Paint Girl. I stopped in at the farm's stalls and asked for her by name and there she was digging around in a tack room getting stuff ready to pack up. In other words, working her little tail off in a very hot barn.

I didn't want to keep her from her work or get her in trouble so I kept it brief, which is not my style. But I got a chance to put a face with a name as did she, so that was very cool. Hopefully someday we'll get time for a real chat.

There was a two hour break between the afternoon session and the start of the evening one so Wendy and I decided to go out to dinner. I thought I was ordering something my stomach would tolerate but that turned out to not be the case.

Before we even left the restaurant my stomach was tied in knots. We decided to go home but I couldn't tolerate the motion of the car so instead Wendy drove to a parking lot at the fairgrounds. I laid in the shade on the cool grass for what seemed like an hour before I felt my condition had improved enough to make the trip home.

Of course, that trip home only had Wendy at the wheel for the first hour. The second hour I was on my own and I don't really know how I made it home. I guess it was like my drive to Tulsa. Sheer determination got me through.

I got home and collapsed in bed. I have suffered most of the day and I agonize about eating at this point. Still I'm back to working on legal documents. Hopefully tomorrow my stomach will be better. I'll be calling the doctor first thing in the morning.

I'm really disappointed I didn't get to see the purebred yearlings show. A friend had a colt showing in the last class of the night, I don't know if I'd have made it that long or not but I really had hoped to see the fillies since I'd missed them last year. I guess I'll just have to try and catch them on the live feed at the US Nationals this year.