Divine jumps

Anuhea jumps Divine while mom throws her hands over her head, I would have thought it was over her eye's. You know, every time your parents would come watch you ride you would eat the dirt. All your friends would be snickering trying not to laugh.

Inspiration

" Never put an age limit on your dreams."

Dara Torres

5 time Olympian

2008 Silver medalist Swimming at 41 yo

When asked what she would tell her 2 yo daughter about her Olympic experience

SHARKS are soooo AWESOME

Remember when "JAWS" was shown and you didn't get in the ocean for at least a year afterwards.

Then when we were out sailing off Waikiki Dad would ask if we wanted to go in the water and get towed behind the boat. Yes we 3 sisters cryed! We would dive into the cobalt blue with rays of light shimmering in the depth. 5 minutes of fun and then Dad would say, was that a shark? Heads whipping left and right we would start the hand over hand rush toward the stern only to realize Dad was playing out the line further. Needless to say my exposure to Sharks was a one sided fear based media portrayal.

Until Stefanie took me out on her shark boat off Haliewa last year and again this year for my birthday. Sharks are so, so awesome. Dive with the Sharks in the morning and ride your horse in the afternoon - what a life. If I had never done the shark cage dive I never would have realised how awesome sharks are.

"Keep your hands inside the cage" I guess I selectively did not hear this. I touched a Tiger shark and a Sandbar shark. So soft, like touching a baby's skin. They are so graceful and powerful at the same time. I could watch them all day long. IF you ever get to Oahu you have to go out on Stef's boat.

Save the Sharks! http://www.sharkallies.com/ Stefanie's misssion to save the sharks

Hard at Work

Its a good day at work, when the hardest thing you have had to do is clean bird crap off your hood and take in the scenery.

Pineapple fields forever

Horses got Saturday off after the 3 day clinic. Rather, I got Saturday off - so exhausted the couch and the recliner kept leaping up and grabbing me. Sunday - time to ride. I had never taken Freederic out on the trail as I always ride #1 girl Kalae. This time Marilee visiting from the Big Island got Kalae and I got brave and rode the BIG BOY. He was just perfect. He only got a little excited when the skeet shooters started popping off rounds across the gulch. You know, head up, get suddenly 20 hands tall and piaffe a few steps. But he listened and calmed right back down.

Set your Horse Straight and Ride Forward

Aloha - Its been a little time since my first post. Got locked down by google for a few days :)

Yeah made my first post then blammm - locked down. But I'm cleared and back in cyber space.

Experimenting with photo uploads.

Mr. Lassetter was visiting from Europe. Great riding, friends and lots of laughter. I survived riding Freederic the Great in a clinic setting. My 17h, 9 yo grey Hannoverian gelding (Freestyle/Diamont). 45 minutes and I only had to walk twice :) Only those who ride with the master would understand. I was stoked. He tried really hard and was zooming down those long sides "steady". I had been having trouble with diving inwards with the L shoulder when tracking L. Inside leg, inside palm up and cross toward the neck for 1-3 strides(then give the rein up towards the neck to remind you not to do this all the time) , make the circle more square for 1/4 circle and it worked quite well.

A great exercise. On the middle 20m circle tracking R, when you get to the center line a smaller 12m circle to the L. When you return to the track and straighten, canter R on the middle 20m circle. repeat. Change rein and repeat the other direction. He was not cantering immediately on his L lead. Small tap with the whip on the shoulder and the next time he was fine.

Head to the wall leg yield in trot. Halt 3/4 turn on the forehand to a shoulder in position. Shoulder in for 8-10 steps in trot. 10 m circle returning to head to the wall leg yield. Halt 3/4 turn on the forehand and repeat.

It tried to rain, went from dead still and muggy the first day to gale wind the next. Up at 5am and to bed at 11pm. I need to go to work so I can rest.

Whoa! Fasten your seatbelt, the first post! 10/9/08

Aloha! Does that give away where I live? I have had the good fortune to have been born in Paradise. In addition I was born loving horses! Now over the years (30+) the horses are in full control of my life. I don't own horse's, they own me!! I work as a Paramedic (28 years) to provide for them. It's a great life. Horses to the max 5 days a week and lights and siren entertainment 2 days a week. What more could a person want?
I am at work now. My home away from home. This time of the year is normally a slow season but with the financial woes and billions in tax payers bailouts, there are not too many tourists flying to Hawaii. Money is tight for the normal person, unless your a AIG employee having a spa retreat to the tune of $440,000 after your company has just been bailed out. Hawaii needs tourists, we are almost 80% tourist based economy. Come to Hawaii! Empty white sand beaches. Empty shopping malls with 50% sales!
I work 48 hours straight and then have 4 days off. The only call we had yesterday was a tourist verse a ceiling fan. Watch out for those blades. You know, remember when your mom would yell at you not to bounce up and down on the bed. Well when your in your 40's don't bounce up and down on the bed, your taller now! Alcohol may make you feel like you can fly but look up first. Also make sure your not any higher than the first floor so you don't bounce into a window and really fly out. Geeze I still remember when I did that. I was 7-8 years old visiting my Granddad who lived in a high rise in Waikiki. We kids were bouncing on his king size bed when I flew full body into the open screened window. Thank God the screen held or it would have been a free fall of 6 stories. We all immediately stopped jumping on the bed realising right then it was not the same as jumping out of the plumeria tree yelling rip cord! with our capes on.
Other than that I made my famous crock pot chili yesterday and two batches of pancakes. beeep, beeep, beeep Just went on a call and hit the Publish Post as the alarm went off. Now I'm back.
Did you know elevators can call 911? That was a first for me. A few months ago a car called 911 giving the street location via GPS. Sure enough it was a car into telephone pole with "On Star" making the call. For today's call both elevators at the complex were working and nobody was trapped. I was asking dispatch if they had a call back number. No, the call was made by the elevator. Ah! I wanted to ask if the elevator had a deep voice like Darth Vador. May be they are cousins. "Hello this is Otis El Vator calling. I'm stuck. Send police, fire and medics."