Yesterday afternoon, I forewent the afternoon workout (It’s only 30-45 minutes of light weight lifting…don’t be impressed) due to a headache and overwhelming tiredness.  I was going to suffer through it, but after telling Jim how I felt, he said, “If all you feel like doing is sleeping then maybe you should rest.”  I concurred quite readily.

The “rest” part wouldn’t come very easily, though, unless I found a way to entertain my daughter.  Even though she had already used up her 60 minutes of afternoon TV viewing time, I decided to do the movie thing.  Well, actually, I decided to look at the special features included with a movie.  Ana has an ever blossoming love affair with horses.  The movie was Hidalgo.  For Ana, this would be better than chocolate!

I received Hidalgo for my birthday from my Brother-in-law (BIL), the same one who also gave me a gift certificate for Birkenstock to help me and my aching feet.  I think I may have mentioned wanting to see the movie and the next thing I know, I have the movie.  I need to learn not to mention such things around my BIL.  Then again, I also think everyone should have someone special like my BIL in their lives.  I watched Hidalgo a week or so ago.  It was an OK movie.  I think it would’ve been better had it not tried to be so many movies at once, if that makes sense in any other brain besides my own.  

But there were some interesting looking “special features,” including “America’s First Horse,” which was to tell the tale of the Mustang.  Alas, this special feature was not viewable on the TV with my DVD player but needed to be inserted into a computer.

But Laura, I hear you saying, aren’t you typing on a computer Right Now?!

Yes, dear intrepidly faithful reader.  I am.  A Macintosh.  Guess what? (No…NOT Chicken Butt) the “America’s First Horse,” special feature was not compatible with my Macintosh.  When will the rest of the world catch up with the rest of us…the few, the proud, the brave…Mac Owners.

Undaunted, I put the DVD back in the player hooked up to the one eyed monster.  Ana and I watched the, “Behind the scenes” feature.  I always love that stuff, how they make the movie, etc.  Maybe in my next career I’ll do some sort of “behind the scenes” movie work.  Until I have enough real wrinkles to be a bona fide character actress.  I’m well on my way!  There were a few horses to tickle Ana’s fancy on the special, but like any three year old, she wanted MORE!

I did the old scene selection and  maneuvered us into the last scene of Hidalgo where there are there are horses aplenty, wild Mustangs set free to run in the open.  It’s a lovely scene, manes flying, dancing hooves…Would that we all had a few moments in life such as these depicted by the horses.

Ana, looked at the horses and said, “There’s the white one I’m going to ride!”

“We can’t ride the horses, darling,” I said.  “But someday, we’ll go out west and see them.”

“Yeah,” she looked up at me, eyes big and ready for the adventure.

At this point, Jim had wondered into the room.  “What,” he said with the same big eyes an Ana’s, only his were incredulous.  “You’re going to do what?”

“Go and see the wild mustang herds,” I said.

“Do you even know where they are?” He asked.

“Well, no,” I said.  “But I’m sure I can figure it out and drive out there.”

“Duh-RIVE,” Jim said with that all to familiar, are you nuts gleam in his eye.

“Well, yes,” I said.  “I’m sure there’s stuff we can see along the way.”

Jim shook his head and said, “oh-KAY.”  Then he walked out of the room.

Later on, Jim apologized for being such a drag.  I don’t think he’s a drag, but he is indeed quite different from his bordering on hippie, would almost love to be a nomad wife.  I suppose it’s a good thing we found each other.  I keep him from being stuck to deeply in the mud and he keeps me from living in a tent.

Some day, though, I hope to see those mustang herds.  I must confess, I never quite got over my little girl’s love affair with horses either.  I took horse back riding lessons in the 4th grade, but that was the extent of my horse riding career!  Perhaps, if I actually am able to sell a children’s book or two here and there I’ll be able to afford riding lessons for Ana and I.  And…the trip out west (by Car) to see the Mustang herds.  I was enthralled by that last scene in Hidalgo.  I can’t imagine what it would be like to see them in person…