Friday 23rd December - Riding in the rain!

So it wasnt much of a day off work today as it rained the whole day. I was meant to be having a riding lesson at 9.45am so i got up early to buy Lisa an expensive bottle of champagne as a thank you present...however when i got to the paddock, her car wasnt there. I text her asking if we were still riding and im pretty sure she had forgotten all about it as her text back said no not today, its a b it wet and windy...im sure she would have text before hand if she had remembered...so anyway i now have a bottle of Moet...maybe Gaz and I should have it for New Year? A bottle of Moet here costs 75AUD which is £50...what a rip off.

I drove home very disappointed that i hadnt been out for a ride. Gaz was playing on the computer when i got home...hes doing very well for himself. I had a phone call about 12.30 from Cassie (one of the girls from work) and she asked if i wanted to go out on her horses...i jumped at the chance and drove straight there. She lives with her parents but has 10acres of land and has 3 horses with stables in her back yard. So lucky! Her horses were rugged up but when i slid the rug off the horse i was riding, i could see this beautiful shiney coat. I was riding Nova, a 16.1hh giant! It is obvious these horses are VERY well cared for. I know Cassie devots a lot of time to them and does a lot of competing...but these horses were stunning. I got on Nova and we rode off in the pouring rain hoping the heavy shower would soon pass. It didnt. Cassie has spent many years schooling Nova and he was extremly responsive to everything i did. We had a canter and he was flicking his head around...when i asked Cassie why she said try shortening the reins and lift your hands up a bit. We had another canter and i followed Cassies advice and he went like a dream! They were in an open field but didnt even attempt to bolt off...he had his head tucked in and cantered with this lovely leg extension like something off the olympic dressage team you see on the television! He has been trained very well. When we got back to Cassies stables we were soaked through. We untacked the horses and i set off int he car, desperate for a nice warm shower!

Gaz was still playing on the computer and doing very well. I baked some cupcakes the night before and decorated them in butter icing...24 hours later there is only 6 out of 12 cakes left. oops. No diet going on this weekend!

In the evening we were in the christmas spirit and drove to Hayman Court...also known as Christmas Street. This street is not far from where we live in Hervey Bay and i was recommended a visit there by one of the girls in work. Over the years it has become a christmas time tourist attraction...It is a street of about 10 houses all lit up in lights. One house had santa outside (the owner) who told us he paid someone to put the lights up on his roof...it took the guy 9 hours! It was like a Grizzwold family christmas house! The other houses were all similar...lots and lots of flashing lights, a few santas walking around, some of them had robotic reindeer lit up that moved their heads, others with scenes of penguines and snow...one house had a life sized robotic dancing santa which one kid was mesmorised with! A group of kids were shouting OMG OMG OMG as they ran down the street with their little glow sticks, all so excited about the lights. Even a big tour bus had dropped a load of people off to have a look at the street! I forgot my camera as i was toob usy fussing about with my sat nav so i might try and convince gaz to take another trip there tonight just so i can show you all how crazy the place is!

When we got home, we watched muppets christmas carol. Gaz was a little worried that i knew all the words!