Another Weekend Down South

Shane, Carrie, and I enjoyed another weekend down south together.

Saturday morning started with cartoons. Even Bucket participated.

After a quiet morning, we went out to the stables. Carrie found a horse to lease for a couple of days a week. His name is Franklin.

While Carrie worked, Shane played. He loved the barn dog, Calvin. There was an old jolly ball we used for fetch.

Then we explored to rest our throwing arms.

Until we headed outside again. Calvin was always ready for another round.

It's a unique barn. The house is built directly into and on top of it. I think they are two separate units. I heard the trainer say that she had neighbors upstairs. I was curious, but I didn't want to inquire further. I figured it was rude to grill someone the first time you meet them.

Shane kept me plenty busy. We climbed a fence to watch Mommy ride from a hill.

Carrie only rode for a little. The feel and sound of the snow unnerved Franklin whenever she brought him out of a walk. She said she could feel him tense with each skitter of snow kicked up. At one point, he kicked up a large enough chunk it outright spooked him. He broke stride and did a full sideways butt scoot! She brought him down to a walk and kept it at a "get to know you" session.

Shane's attention didn't last that long, though.

We played in the hay bales.

After the barn, we made a quick pit stop by a few stores. Shane and I went to a game store, and then rendezvoused with Carrie at the horse store. We tried to ambush her at the register. Shane hasn't figured out that if Carrie sees him, she won't forget he was there if he ducks back out of sight.

The crucial stop was Kmart. We grabbed a toaster (absolutely necessary!)

We ended the night by playing one of my board games with Shane. It wasn't my idea. He insisted.

The box had a sandstorm on the cover. That's all Shane was interested in playing. He sorta played with us (as a handicap), but we all had fun so it worked out!

Sunday morning was church.

I wish his teacher had not called out! Carrie and I loved Shane's dance moves. He stopped the moment he realized we were there. He was not happy. He does not like transitions. I tried to dance with him, but he cried (were my moves really that bad?).

Shane still had some dance/spunk left in him when we went to Bodos bagels. He likes the cinnamon raisin kind!

We did a little shopping and then went home for nap. The rest of the day was fairly quiet. Carrie played Forbidden Desert with Shane again while I made emergency sub plans. The word was ice had struck Fairfax County. I figured a delay was likely, but just in case I wanted those plans. If I decided not to head back north and there was no delay or day I could easily use some leave and Shane and I would get another night with Mommy.