Happy New Year everyone!
For those of you who had a crappy 2014 here’s to making 2015 a positive one and to those of you who had a great 2014 may it continue into 2015.
The last few weeks have been great. I'd originally planned to spend a bit of time down on the ranch and then move on elsewhere but unfortunately was let down last minute soooo my Christmas break was spent entirely in Okeechobee and after initially being slightly disappointed, man am I glad it was. Randle and I had a great time! As usual the boy got spoilt rotten and is going to have a major shock once we get back to Gainesville, certainly no steak there puppy dog!
We arrived in Okeechobee on the 18th and Randle immediately made himself at home.
We met the new addition to the ranch, a calf my mum is hand rearing - he’s so cute it’s unreal, I never knew cows could wag their tails, shame they taste so good! Randle was convinced he could play with it, the calf did not feel the same way.
Christmas day was spent with my parents, mimosas for breakfast by the pool, can’t really complain. Though my mum was determined to make it seem more like Christmas despite the 25 degree heat so we had a roaring open fire.....plus air-con.
Randle got some nice presents as usual, although he doesn’t seem too impressed here....
so much steak - so little time!
As promised in my last post the majority of my holiday was spent on horseback! You probably all saw on Facebook that a few days before christmas I was given the coolest present ever FACT from my brilliant parents! My own pair of spurs :)
I made as much use of them as possible, riding lots with Ornan, checking on the cattle, but also going out with two of my parents neighbours Jessie and Bear. We went out trail riding but also moved a herd of cattle. I’d like to say I helped but I’m pretty sure I was more of a hindrance, although I did add some entertainment value for Bear who had fun scaring my horse with his whip! (Yup they actually use them, and ropes to lasso calves that escape the bunch because Sam is new and let it through - oops!)
I made as much use of them as possible, riding lots with Ornan, checking on the cattle, but also going out with two of my parents neighbours Jessie and Bear. We went out trail riding but also moved a herd of cattle. I’d like to say I helped but I’m pretty sure I was more of a hindrance, although I did add some entertainment value for Bear who had fun scaring my horse with his whip! (Yup they actually use them, and ropes to lasso calves that escape the bunch because Sam is new and let it through - oops!)
Those of you who know me at my city slicking best would’ve been surprised to see me scrambling over fences, prodding cattle through shoots covered in dirt and god knows what else - SO MUCH FUN and not a pair of vintage shoes in sight. Although talking of shoes, for christmas I was given money to get myself a pair of boots to ride in....riding boots are just soooo much cooler than home ;)
The first day I wore them to ride Ornan made sure we toasted them and the new year in true Cuban style - with Tequila (do you see why I like it here better than Gainesville yet?)
I usually always ride an Appaloosa horse called the Colonel, as you know he’s retired. grumpy and I'm pretty sure he hates me but I love him anyway.
This holiday I still rode the Colonel but Jessie was nice enough to let a rookie like me ride her beautiful stud horse AJ. He’s 5 years old and so handsome....turns out he’s also LAZY! I was so far behind everyone most of the time, even children! Made for some good pics tho :)
Alongside all the horse riding I also went out on the shoot days, earning myself a bit of extra cash by picking up (for those of you who don’t know, that means using dogs to collect the birds that have been shot). Billionaire Americans are slightly crazy with shotguns so I feel I’m lucky to have escaped with my life but it did mean I got to see some amazing scenery and spend some time with these little dudes.
These are my mum’s working dogs, Hunter and Tigger.
Alongside all the horse riding I also went out on the shoot days, earning myself a bit of extra cash by picking up (for those of you who don’t know, that means using dogs to collect the birds that have been shot). Billionaire Americans are slightly crazy with shotguns so I feel I’m lucky to have escaped with my life but it did mean I got to see some amazing scenery and spend some time with these little dudes.
These are my mum’s working dogs, Hunter and Tigger.
It really is beautiful down here. Florida sure knows how to do a sunset.
Whilst Randle didn’t get to come on the shoot day he still had lots of fun, he got to hang out with all the other dogs which he LOVES. Spending his time charging around trying to keep up with them all (cocker spaniels are like lightening so this is pretty hilarious to watch). Randle also go to indulge in his favourite hobby here, swimming. Buster, our 13 yr old retired Springer Spaniel (Randle’s favourite of all the dogs as he’s known him since he was a puppy) was giving Randle lessons on water retrieves, he may be 10 yrs older than him but he still put Randle to shame in the water!
Randle even got to go to the beach, went cow spotting and met his first tortoise!
Just to top off my true country experience on the last weekend we got to go to a small local rodeo where they rode bulls and broncos - those guys have to be slightly crazy to get on those things!
For those of you who only read this for the Postbox Porn you are not to be disappointed - On my last day here we went to a place called Jensen and found the best, most impressive two yet - CHECK THESE OUT!
So now it’s all over and we are making our way back to Gainesville, both us a bit fatter but much happier, dreading the post-Okeechobee come down that is sure to occur.
As always much love & slobber to you all
Lets see what 2015 brings!
Me and the boy
xxx
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