October 8, 2010
Hello there! I’m not all that good at this journal thing, I mean in between responding to my families emails slash face book posts, it consumes time that I haven’t had. But today is different. I’ve decided to type up daily journals and post them when I can get internet access…not a bad idea.
So I am in Ireland, Sligo(well right outside of there, Beltra) on TFF with MH. She goes by Maggie. Today has been a great day so far. Of course my mornings begin with shoveling poop! HORSE poop! out of the stables(my diction is changing being in Ireland, my accent is THE SAME.J )
I had my first experience of riding English! Ms. M automatically started laughing at me. It’s waaayy different. I feel it takes a lot more control in your body and flow with the horse. Now don’t get me wrong, I believe the same with Western, but this is different, oddly different. Hands must be down low, while gripping a somewhat collar around the horses neck, feet tucked into the horse. M kept telling me to talk to the horse through the grip of my legs, and I was thinking I can only squeeze so hard. There is no horn, which didn’t bother me as bad as I thought it would, and the saddle sits in a different position on the back of the horse. Connie, the horse I rode, is a mare who is 8. She was either going to be sold to a home or sent to the meat factory! I gasped when she told me that. Regardless, Connie reminds me of Star in the color and face. She’s a real sweet girl. M and I(MaggieJ ) started on the lunge line and took it from walking to trotting. Once she saw that I was comfortable she let me go around the arena. I’m not a natural at this style, back straight, hands low, feet tucked and no neck reining! M was very encouraging when I was supposedly in the correct form. This style of riding is called Dressage, similar to Walking Horses but ALL NATURAL. No pads, heavier shoes, none of that, which is quite impressive and interesting.
Maggie has been doing this for 40 years, it’s a privilege to be here working with her. I’ve already learned or made my mind up to be more connected with the horse, read there language, not actually ride them, but connect. Maggie is going to be judging the 2012 OLYMPICS in London! Now that is cool, and shows her experience!
I’ve been doing all sorts of cooking, well that might be to broad, but I’ve been cooking with fresh organic everything! Fresh spinach, cabbage, tomatoes, onions and the tops(chives), apples, mint, and parsley. Maggie kind of just leaves it up to me to cook, which I enjoy. Last night we had homemade tomatoe, spinach, onion, garlic sauce, with pasta! Yum Yum! You can just tell the difference in the taste, how fresh it is!
The water we drink is out of the mountain. Only 3 farms get this water, and hers’ is one of them. We drink a lot of tea, and I press my coffee in the mornings. It’s delicious and strong, like I like it. All of the water out of the tap is cold, ice cold! We are fortunate to have hot showers! I’d be miserable, which I don’t enjoy showering that much anyhow because it’s so damn cold when I get out. I’m going to get more leggings because they have been real resourceful for layers and going to bed in.
The views and land are very relaxing. You just naturally feel calm, I mean you have the best of both. Mountains and the Sea! Speaking of mountains, the Ox Mountains sit right behind her property. The Ox Mountains are the oldest mountains in the world! They have been around since PANDORA, not the online radio station, but when all the continents were once connected, these mountains had Ireland, UK, and Scotland connected. Fun Fact!
It hasn’t been that bad of adjusting to no heat, no tv, no dryer, I could go on with what they don’t have but that’s in a sense what really makes things enjoyable. Everything is slowed down. You must wait, no choice about it. That’s what I love. Our culture is so rushed, you have to do this now, and that after that and then after that, you have to do this. I’ve never been good with things I have to do(ask my mom)J . So it’s quite nice just taking your time. I try to imagine if I could live like this, still haven’t come to a conclusion, but there is a big possibility.
I’ve learned a good bit about this country of Ireland through Maggie. How Ireland works, it’s poverty, the drugs, recession, the English influence of the rich. Let’s put it this way, I somewhat believe that History will always repeat itself, not that I don’t have faith that we can change it, but it’s common. That is the reality of it.
She has a friend, S( I think that’s her name) whose family is one of the more fortunate ones that have been around for centuries. They(her family) own a castle, really a castle! Well there is a law from the English that if you inherit the property to a man that no taxes are required to be payed on it. So that right there stops any woman of inheriting family property. Okay, so on top of that her brother who received the land has her living in a very small, stone walls, cottage that holds no heat, and makes her pay rent! Ugh! I would tell him to shove it up his butt and hope he choked on it. She is treated poorly by her family members, which is very unfortunate, but in a sense it’s her choice to stay around.
Now, on the other hand, M dogs name is Angus, after her good friend named Angus, has a famous Aunty(that’s what they say around here). His Aunty was like a Joan of Ark type of woman. A suffrage, socialist, and soldier! She is a true hero for Ireland in general and definitely for woman. It wouldn’t shock me if a lot of the women are true feminist, but hell I would be to if teachers are the highest paid job for women. Meaning that it’s still a man’s world here in many aspects.
I am now drinking hot tea again and I spruced it up with fresh mint. I just showered and let me tell you it was the best shower I’ve taken yet. I was finally warm enough to shave my legs, eww they felt like a bear. GROSS! But it’s pointless when your shivering in the shower, plus I cranked up the hot water temp, I think Maggie has a preference where to keep it, but I had to do different. Because there is no TV, just here, me and her, I’ve been listening to the radio. Ohh the radio. It has saved me from being alone with only my thoughts. Thank God. I can amuse myself only for so long during the day. So, the radio in Ireland, one might think “what’s it like?”J and I might then say just like our radio. Dumb ole’ Lady Gaga plays on the hit list stations along with Katie Perry, but I’ve been listening to a lot of talk radio, it’s interesting to hear the topics they choose to discuss. I also have become a fan of classical music. It’s grown on me a bit.
I do believe that is it for now, that covers a good bit of days that I’ve missed since arriving to Ireland. Ohh besides one topic…GUINESS!
I am in the home of Guiness brewery! And it is heaven to your lips! I find that at home our Guiness is more fluffy and thick, here in Ireland it’s fresh and smooth and DELICIOUS! I get to drink 1 or 2 when we go into town. Maggie isn’t a drinker herself, but she doesn’t mind if I do, thank God. So usually when I am in The Glasshouse responding to emails, I’ll down one.
Cheers for now!
Miss you all!
Love,
Maggie Lorraine
