What's the Big Adventure?

I've been asked a few times what the "Big Adventure" is and I guess I should back-track a bit.

A couple of years ago, as I watched Tenaya prepare to finish a particularly intense and difficult program and enter the "real world", I knew that my life as a full-time mom was coming to a close. Perhaps that is not the best way to describe it - I will always be her mother, always a part of her life, but it was time for me to step aside as she began to experience being an independent young woman. It made me start thinking about what my life was about at that point. Up until then, I was dedicated to being there for her (even if I made a bunch of mistakes, like most parents, I still did the best I could) and the jobs I did quite frankly, were incidental to being Mom (no offense, Evelynn! I loved working for Angels Bearing Gifts!) I had no romantic life, no real career, a very small circle of friends (who all have their own lives, of course) and Santa Barbara had begun to lose it's luster. No offense, fellow Santa Barbarians, but that town has become too LA for my taste. And being one of those oddballs who actually likes colder weather, I had often dreamt about venturing north. So, I decided:why not?

That is why a year and half ago I sold my condo and moved to Ashland, OR. I mean, really, why not? We get one shot at this life and when you are alone and have no real ties, why not explore what the world has to offer? OK, it's not like the book "Eat, Love, Pray", but it was the form of adventure I could afford. However, all adventures have to be financially subsidised and there was very little work in Ashland. Add that to another itch to explore a bit more and the next thing I know, I was getting the message to move to Santa Fe for a few months...then spend a few months in San Luis Obispo, Ca with Tenaya...and then see where I get called to next. I see this as an extended retreat. A retreat to go even further within to understand what my purpose is...to work more on my book (gasp! dare I suggest that I even finish it?!) and work on a couple of other projects I have been tossing around. My feeling is that if I limit the distractions of life, I will be able to be more productive. And as a true Pisces, I do get easily distracted!

(wait, what was I talking about?)

(tee hee)

Now, I am going to anticipate that someone is going to ask about the infamous book. I apologize to those of you who have heard this before...in fact, you can skip ahead if you want! The book sprang from an event around Tenaya's second horse, Crystal. The day she was to go to her new owner, we were saying goodbye and a big fat tear rolled down the side of her face. Just about did me in! In fact, I told Tenaya that I was done with saying goodbye to horses...and it is fortunate that she and Missy are bonded for life! Anyway, it occurred to me that horses in the English riding world are a lot like foster children: they are often moved to a new home every couple of years. so I got in contact with a local foster care program and got a lot of information from them. They were happy with my idea to write a book about a couple of horse as if they were foster children. What really surprised me was that there are plenty of books about foster children and none (that they knew of, anyway) for them. So that is my plan.

So, I hope this clears up some things for you. Now, I just have to clear some things up for me...