December 19? Really? I cannot figure out where this year has gone, it has completely slipped away with many great trips, a lot of laughs and a few tears. How did that happen??
First, I want to thank all of you – each one. To those that traveled this year, thank you for placing your trust in us to provide a wonderful trip – the entire staff as well as myself truly had more fun this year than any year prior helping you plan and enjoy your vacations. And you came out in droves, reminding us that our economy is recovering, and telling us we need more help, LOL! To those that didn’t travel this year but that spent time with us chatting about trips and looking to the future (or just dreaming on the bleak winter days with us) thank you!
You keep all of energized and excited, and we love staying connected to you and your families, both two and four footed :).
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2015 was a bit of an epic year for me personally. It has some amazing highs and at least one bitter low. My travel schedule this year was limited to local and shorter trips, most of this in non riding capacities.We skied a fair amount this last winter – from Lake Placid to Attitash in NH. During the summer, my golf game made large improvements with the main benefit that I had a chance to play more than a few times with my golf loving (and horse tolerant, but not horse loving) parents. My folks are both in their mid 80s, so I really cherish the chance to spend time with them.
The fall always brings our annual trip to Montauk to fish (I’m the comic relief as fishing is well…fishing, not riding. But Will puts up with all of my horse activities so this is the least I can do). However this year ended poorly for me. On our departure day, Thursday, I had one
of those dreaded calls from the barn at 8:30AM – my dear, sweet, gorgeous and smart Wieland (aka Big, my 17h Hanoverian gelding) was colicking and the vet recommended he be immediately transported to the clinic. Big was not a candidate for surgery so while we tried a variety of non surgical options with no success, I opted to let him go by 7:30AM the next day, Friday. And then I crawled under a virtual rock for two weeks.
But life doesn’t let you stay in one place or disposition for too long. It pulls you out and makes you get on with the living part of it. And so, with that said, on Dec. 7th, “a day that will go down in infamy”, I found out how you catch an un-catchable fish. With a ring of course! Yes, it’s true – the man that said he’d never get remarried – DID. Will and I went quietly down to town hall, met with the judge – and came home married. And now, when we leave for Ireland on the 26th of this month to celebrate his 50th birthday, we’ll also be raising a pint to ourselves.
So, as we leave 2015 and get ready for 2016, I want to wish you all the best of everything. That you will have peace in your life, no matter what’s happening, and that we’ll stay in touch in 2016. And I thank God for you and also that all things are as well with all of us, as they are.
My very best to you,
Stacey
P.S. And Dakota, the sweet lovely Pyr of our lives, is still going at 15! She’s slowed down, and this winter may be her last, but she’s still a doll 🙂