Birthday Girl

Today is my second oldest sister's birthday. You may remember her as the cheesemaker.

Since we were the closest in age while we were growing up we had a lot in common. Most of all that we were horse crazy. While we weren't able to own our own horses when we were children we were able to take lessons on a weekly basis. Half paid for by our parents, and we had to pay the other half from our allowances.

When we eventually left home we were each able to own a horse. We continued with our riding lessons, though this time on a monthly basis. We would trailer the horses to the site where the lessons were being given, sometimes as far away as Fresno, about 200 miles from here. We went to a lot of little horse shows together. We were as close as siblings could be.

Below is a photograph of a show we went to in 1985. Her husband worked for a radio station and had access to tons of t-shirts and miscellaneous give away items. Here we are with our matching station t-shirts and the goofy "sunglasses" that were a give away item. Aren't we a pair? (Why am I always the fatter one?)

Sadly, times have changed and we don't get to do a lot of the things we used to. The areas where we used to go riding on weekends for three hours at a time have been built up with neighborhoods. I've had a few serious horsebackriding accidents (broken both collarbones in separate incidents) which seriously curtailed my previous pipedreams of riding in the Olympics. And then we both had kids which, for me at least, further changed my priorities.

She's also had her share of accidents. While I still have my daughter's pony to play around with my sister still owns a couple of horses and is still more serious about riding than I am.

We don't get together as much as we used to. I guess life gets in the way sometimes. But no matter; we'll always remain BFF!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MT!