Marching On!

Wow! How on earth can it be March already??

Look at me - 3 months in and still being timely with my blog posts - not bad, even if I do say so myself. I'm actually doing well with my other resolutions too but that's a story for another time. 

As always there is lots to fill you all in on. I left off telling you that Spring Break  and a visit from my baby brother were on the horizon, that is true but a few things happened before that that are worth reporting home about.

1st of all, I went to my first ever live basketball game! It was a UF game and I'm not going to lie (sorry if I offend anyone) it is SO much more fun to watch than American Football, it's fast and exciting and played by what can only be described as mutants - there is no way real humans are that tall!

what else? Oh yeah, I got given an awesome valentines present in the form of two very 'punny' workout shirts! - I am now officially the coolest (read nerdiest) kid at the gym!

as you can see I was very pleased :)

And talking of presents, I got a lovely care package from Germany - I always get excited about packages from Germany as it usually means amazing chocolate and something Polaroid/Impossible film related - I wasn't disappointed - thanks Illy, I knew I was right to choose you as one of my best friends ;)

I got to spend some time with the lovely Jasmine - she is possibly the busiest human I've ever known so getting time with her must be highlighted! 

The last thing to fill you in on before spring break was going down to Okeechobee to my first ever race-timing. Oh and you'll be pleased to hear this story features the one and only Randles (Don't worry, I know he's the real reason you all read this thing, and what is coming up will not disappoint!)

So yes, anyways, race-timing. So as you know normally I'm running the races, this time I was the other side of the show, helping Joe who does this along side running his own fantastic event registration platform, www.simplerace.com (shameless plug in case you missed it)

We had a great time, working alongside some lovely ladies but by far the star of the show was Chops.

I'd asked Joe if I could take him along and we were joking about taking bets on how many people would take his picture. I started the ball rolling by giving the race some social media coverage and well, it is safe to say it snowballed from there....

He ended up wearing his very own event shirt and having his photo taken with pretty much every participant but also the race director who decided he was to be the official mascot of the event!

So yeah, it is safe to say, as usual Randle made quite an impression :) :) :) 

After this is was back to Gainesville for 5 days and then back down to the ranch for yep, you guessed it, SPRING BREAK!!

Unfortunately due to the huge amount of uni work I have and a lack of funds there was no trip planned for this years break but this was made a better by the fact my brother James and his girlfriend Fiona were here to visit. 

As usual managed to squeeze in a fair few activities in a relatively short space of time :)

We went for a nice lunch all together, we were by the water but the seemingly acclimatised Florida based Brits were too cold so we sat inside :) 

After this is was fully back to my country kid roots!

That evening was spend back at the ranch, dabbling in a little fishing 

Then the next day we went clay shooting (Think that is Skeet shooting in the USA right?)

We go to a place called Quail Creek - it's a really lovely place....just a bit noisy :)

It was Joe's first ever time shooting a shotgun, he loved it and as it turns out he's pretty good!

I didn't do too badly either, in fact, I think it is something I could get really addicted to! (We had a good teacher - Thanks Dad!)

although I paid for it later...apparently I was focusing so deeply on the clays I was oblivious to the fact the gun was hitting me in the face...this was the result...HA!

Despite the war wound, it was safe to say a lovely time was had by all!

 

That was the weekend over with, and on the Monday I went out on the shoot to earn some pocket money and be out in the beautiful spring weather. It's hard not to want to be outside when this what you are looking at....

My teammate for the day was the gorgeous little Merlin, if I have a house by the time he retires from working, it is safe to say he's coming to live with me! (shhh don't tell Randle)

We have a new addition on the ranch at the moment, my mum is hand rearing another calf, usually they are still kind of skittish but this new guy.....just so friendly.... I call him Derp as he's kinda stupid....maybe he's the cow form of Randle?

What of Randle I hear you cry! Don't worry, he was enjoying his holiday just as much as I was, remember on the ranch he gets left over steak and to sunbathe on a sun lounger all day....here he is lording it up on a walk....such a poser!

Oh and if you are worrying about my uni work (I sure am) then be assured, I was squeezing some of that in too, making the most of my beautiful surrounding at the same time though. If you've got to be stuck doing work, may as well do it in style right?

Probably my favourite day of the holiday was when Joe was kind enough to take us all out on his beautiful boat. Everyone came along, even grumpy Randle. 

We did our usual and filled the boat full of beer and sailed down the Inter-coastal. Although for once, the boat was actually used properly, with dad and James doing a spot of fishing. Dad had a little helper too.

After a while we stopped off at what is supposed to be the sandbar but the tide was high so there wasn't much sand left above water but we could still anchor up and get out for a little wander and swim. 

Such an amazing view!

This really does have to be the best part about Florida life!

I managed to squeeze in a little horse riding of course. Ornan and I went out one morning to move a cow from one pasture to another. As always it was a lot of fun and really topped off my 'country' holiday :)

On the Friday night we had visitors in the form of two of my Gainesville friends, Jordin and Natalie who had been at a conference nearby. We decided to stay home, make pretty drinks, eat donuts and try to figure out who amongst us is the most twisted...turns out we are all pretty disturbed with Jordin winning a slight victory....we now know why we are friends :)

Remember that doughnut race I told you about? Well that was on the Saturday morning. We set up amongst a beautiful sunrise and luckily I managed to talk my way out of running it and just helped Joe time and register participants, after watching people do it and seeing the pain in their faces, I am VERY glad I did! 

The Slobbery one was there of course, this time there was no t-shirt so I swiped him a finishers medal instead - he looks thrilled as always :)

Saturday night was to be my last chance to properly hang out with James and Fiona before they went home to England so we headed to the St Lucie County Fair - my first fair in America - turns out they are pretty much the same anywhere!

This is Joe attempting to win my a giant cuddly cupcake :)

And to top off a great little holiday - I managed, for the first time in AGES to find some post box porn - YAY - and it's a GOOD one - a definite life goal right there!