Exciting news

I currently have two very exciting things going on right now that are non fiber related and am just bubbling with!

Last Thursday, I had an intake interview at a therapeutic horsemanship program. The name of the program is Camelot Therapeutic Horsemanship and they serve disabled children and adults, free of charge, teaching them horsemanship, which includes riding or driving, care of the animals and their surroundings, classes in horse physiology and nutrition and things of that nature. I'm absolutely estatic to join the program. They have one spot open for this season, on Wednesday afternoons, and I hope to hear back soon about if they are going to accept me into their program. The interview was awesome, it went really well and Laurie and I both really hit it off with the executive director of the program. We were there for 2 hours, touring their amazing totally accessible barn, meeting the horses and getting a feel for what I would be doing with them. I suspect that I will start of driving and not riding because I am over their weight limit, but they did tell me that they extend their weight limit when it is clear that the rider has the ability and core muscles to hold herself on the horse, without falling and endangering the instructor or volunteer if she were to fall. We discussed my disability and why I wanted to join the program. I have lofty dreams that one day, Laurie and I could do an overnight backpacking trip and take no wheelchair with us. Wouldn't that be amazing? I felt so good at the interview - talking to the director felt like family and they seem like a great community - they even knit and the director wants to learn to spin! I think that even if I don't get the spot that is open right now for this season, I will make myself available to teach or help with getting a knitting or spinning group together in their community. That would be very fun and a good way to really contribute. The only compensation that they ask for their services is that you pay it forward. I'm keeping my fingers crossed and praying hard that I hear back soon and that I can join their program! I'm still having horse dreams almost every night :).

The other happy news is that we are finally going to get Bennett a friend! I have been in contact with a rabbitry in Northern CA and she has a one year old female English Angora who is a black tort that will be joining our family in November when we go back to CA for Thanksgiving. I've very excited to have a new playmate for Bennett, poor boy has been lonely and really could use a friend. He's been escaping into the living room lately (where he's not allowed to go but where Ella's cage is) and will pop his little head up and look at Ella like - why don't you come out and play? - when she charges him and tries to nip him, he just looks sad. It will be good for him to be bonded with a new bunny, especially since she will be his age and they can play together. I'm looking forward to the fiber (!) and new bunny cuddles. We've already decided on a name (even though she actually has a name, although I would change it no matter what - it's awful - Taffy), her new name with be Maisie, which means "pearl". She's not spayed, so we will have to do that before they can be bonded so it will take awhile but it will be worth it to see the two of them together!

Ella is doing a little better, still having accidents and respiratory issues, but she's hanging on an eating like normal, so things are far less dire than they where about a month ago. We have no plans for bonding the three of them, Ella is happier in the cage and it just isn't realistic to put her in a diaper to control the accidents and see if she can be back free roaming again. Honestly, I don't think that she is the right temperament for Bennett and she is very angry from her abuse and neglect days and even more so with the poking and prodding that is necessary to see how she's doing. She is liking to be held lately, we might turn her into a lap bunny yet :). Anyways, she'll still be on her own, and get lots of loves until her time comes.

I think that's it for the happy news post! Like I said, I'm bubbling with excitement about both the new bunny, Maisie, and the possibility of horsemanship!