Dr. Jan's Blog

Bo and I visit Paris.

The week before Thanksgiving, Bo and I flew to Paris and completed another item on my "bucket list."  I do not intend to kick the bucket anytime soon (God willing and the creeks don't rise).  But why wait until bad news?  Being a cancer survivor teaches you one thing:  do it now, tomorrow is not guaranteed.

Here's a few pictures from one of my most memorable experiences with just Bo and me:

Bo on our dinner cruise on the Seine with Eiffel Tower in background

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bo's first glass of wine (legal for 18 year olds in Paris)

 

Bo and me before the Arc de Triomphe (still happy not knowing I am going to have to climb a spiral staircase for a mile--- or so it seemed)

 

Me proving I made it to the top of the Arc

Buttercup

 

It's hard to say what possesses a middle aged woman to go out and purchase a horse.  I guess I have wanted a horse my whole life.  As a child, I took riding lessons in the summer at the various camps I was lucky enough to go. 

So, when Betsy started talking about hippotherapy for her young son and then was given a horse by her cousin; well, it just seemed like the most normal thing in the world to go get a horse to join her on this great adventure.

My life has been one whirlwind of Buttercup since she arrived (and since Betsy's Dixie arrived).  We rented a ranch (4 or 5 acres with a barn and a big old school bus that serves as our tack room), and my latest passion is everything Buttercup.  I wake up in the morning and drive by her pasture to give her an apple on the way to work each morning.  When I get off work, I drive by the pasture, change into my cartharts and groom and feed her and just play around.  When folks ask hubby when I will be home, his stock answer is, "I know she'll be home about 15 minutes (the distance from the ranch) after dusk." 

Then, I get home and read books about taking care of and training horses, watch DVDs about training and caring for horses (Clinton Anderson, Pat Parelli).  And, I spend a lot of time and money shopping for all the horse equipment I need.  And, when I can no longer keep my eyes open, I am dreaming sweet dreams of my horse.  Yup, I got it bad.

I even had a professional photographer come out the the ranch to take pictures of the four of us (Buttercup, Betsy, Dixie and me).  Here's some memorable stuff from those:

 

 

Bad hacking cough has me up in wee hours of night meming...

I haven't ever memed before; I am also not a fan of passing on emails and other goofy stuff.  But if my bud, Chaz, over there at Dustbury.com can do it, then it must be right.  The ticket is to bold the stuff you have done:

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelos David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades

75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day

Okay... so I have done 57 of those things... wonder how that classifies me... as if.