equuporium.com

I have been happily married for 32 yrs. When I commit to something I usually stick to it through thick and thin . I have a bit of a quirky personality with many Vicki-isms and rock solid to most of my  convictions .  I am however cursed with open-mindedness that forces me to understand both sides to almost every issue that I have run across . I may take a stand in the side that I am most impassioned with… but I still understand the other side . I find this mindset quite frustrating , It’s very hard to take sides in most situations, I will elaborate on that later.

Ten years old seems to have been an eventful time of my life. If, indeed these times took more than one year, ten just seems to be the age I fondly remember as the Tom Sawyer time of my life.  I had a friend, Shelly, she lived in town. Her family had a big house  in a really nice neighborhood. They had a large pool in the back yard and several tall Orange trees for shade, there were always old oranges laying on the ground not much grass, just dirt. The whole back yard smelled of citrus.  They had a volleyball net and a large dog house too.The back yard was completely fenced with chain link and privacy panels.

The front lawn was always perfectly manicured and smelled of fresh grass.  There was a two car garage that led to a small walkway leading into a gated front entrance  with large stained glass double doors. Directly inside, the marble floor foyer a table covered with a draping table cloth, a large empty vase and a mirror hung on the wall behind it. The foyer was of ample room for the whole family, Dad, Mom and 4 Daughters plus me, to hesitate momentarily before scattering like roaches in all directions.

They had a huge living room with a really long sectional couch on one wall, his and hers Lazy Boy recliners in front of the front picture windows that stretched from floor to ceiling, draped with a piling window dressings. A large round chair on the opposite wall sat by a tall coffee table kind of thing.  The living room was of an East Indian flavor like you might see an Elephant dressed in the same velvet colors.  A large console T.V. always streamed music, like a radio with no D.J.s, I guess it was some sort of cable, who knows ?

The kitchen and dining room were through a swinging doorway, open and connected to each other, hidden from the huge living room that no one was ever in. I thought that quite strange, all of my family congregated daily for family t.v. after homework, chores and dinner dishes. Beyond the dining room was a den with the office desk and pool table. leading back to sliding glass doors and a screened room filled with patio furniture and lawn toys. The utility room was between the back door to the kitchen and the screen room, I loved to linger in the utility room after swimming in the pool, we did not have air conditioning in our home so I was chilly in their house when wet.

A long hall way led to the three bedrooms that the 4 girls inhabited and the main bathroom, then at the far end of the hall the master bedroom with private bathroom and the biggest walk in closet in the world, I thought   Each of the girls seemed to stay privately in their own rooms, Shelly and next older sister shared a room, the oldest girls Deanne and Beverly had their own rooms. Shelly was my friend but, I idolized Deanne she was an animal lover, I felt I had so much in common with her except the darn age thing .

I was totally the country bumpkin side kick, lost in the city, cavorting about with a town savvy ?????  Sometimes we would climb her back fence, run through a large orange grove, trek through a couple of upscale suburban communities and cross a 6 lane highway to get to Wabash Shopping Center and the coveted sewing store to buy lace, notions, buttons and scrap material for our sewing creations that we toiled over in the boiling heat of the summer days when our skin was too pruned to stay in the pool any longer.

There was a library several blocks away that we went to for an art class, I did not know how to ride a bike so she rode her bike I trotted along beside her, sometimes pulling a little red wagon filled with Coke bottles to cash in at the 7/11 store for midnight snacks.

Our tender ages, a tale scrolled on  sacred page

Our passion grew, so deep and ever true.

I think of you in the light of day.  My love not forgotten along the way.

I dream of you in  the dark of night. My prayer answered, our future bright.

I wish for you when times are good. My hope of ever after, understood.

I long for you when times are amiss. My need comforted with an embracing kiss.

Scrolled on sacred pages, a passion that grew .

A tale for all ages, so deep and ever true.

I think of you in the light of day.  My love not forgotten along the way.

I dream of you in  the dark of night. My prayer answered, our future bright.

I wish for you when times are good. My hope of ever after, understood.

I long for you when times are amiss. My need comforted with an embracing kiss.

We have always been blessed with “hand-me-down” furniture and textiles and of that I am most grateful, but there comes a time… It’s 2010 , I will be turning 50 in a few short weeks, and as the fates  would have it, it is the year of remodeling and renewing the interior of mi  casa. Our ancient  kitchen pipes created a wading pool in the front half of our  little home. We pulled up the 17 yr. old soggy carpeting and the 19 yr. old warped flooring . Yuck, what a job! Several days were spent deciding on the replacement but we finally agreed on bare wood plank flooring .  The textured medium  brown distressed planks are laid long ways from the glass doors  inviting the  highly polished finish to gleam in the morning Sunlight. I  delight to watch stray dust bunnies dancing across the length of two  main adjoining rooms. We bought our first ever new dining room set . The  dark chestnut, distressed-look,  table with it’s scepter like legs and 3 matching chairs with plush golden cat’s eye green seats. The seat cushion’s soft  colors accent our red brick walls warming the cozy room in deep rich texture. We shopped until we found a corner stand for our television and  then bought matching office furniture.  My Husband’s home office is  nestled in an alcove in the south end of our living room . His large L-shaped desk  perfectly snuggled into the cubical sized nook, accompanied by book  shelves and  complimented with a  big, comfortable, dark cherry chair .   Amazingly each piece  is of the same tawny brown depressed design, it  looks as though we had all the furniture custom made.  Choosing  over-sized his and hers matching recliners and a love seat of liver  chestnut leather filled our limited space .  The matching end tables that  came with the set are fashioned to look like a stack of old style suit  cases and the coffee table a large Steamliner chest.  It took  forever looking for the perfect window dressing  to finally adorn the huge picture window that takes up most of the front living room.  We happened upon curtains that  were made to look like sails, a lovely sea foam green with natural rope  draw strings creating a billowed valance . We picked thick wooden rods  with rounded ends shaped like royal scepters, just like the dining room  set.  We coupled our flowing sail-like curtains with tropical print  translucent sheers. They are filmy brown, splashed with green Palm  leaves and amber Hibiscus blossoms. The effect transforms our living room into a ship sailing to a South Seas  vacation or cruising the Nile on a Jungle Safari, I just let my mind  wonder.   Looking out feels like I am peering out  from  my state room on the  *” S.S. Davidaryst” .  I am not much of a traveler  in application but I do love to mind travel on fantasy  adventures. The dreamy view is further accessorized with long satin  ribbons of creamy pearl decorated in clear diamond cut beads  interspersed throughout the delicate strands. Our home is about 120 feet  from the the country road we live on, in the past 20 years we had rarely opened the  front curtains to enjoy our small front pasture with the big Oak tree.  Our  new window trappings have opened up a whole wonderful world … the  front yard !  Curtains closed, their light coloring allows the Sun to back  light the stage for “Mother Natures shadow art”, as soon as the Sun is  high in the sky the show begins. Butterflies sipping sweet nectar from  the long stalks of blooming  shrubbery, Wasps dancing on the breeze,  Dragonflies wind surfing , an array of Spiders meticulously spinning  elaborate webs and  Centurion Bumble Bees patrolling their home  territory . They live their lives and entertain us with the the “Bug Ballet”  each glorious day, all this, an enchanting  prelude to the sights,
sounds and smells that  drawing open the drapes and raising the panels entreat us to!   My recliner sets in the north west end of our house,  from this magical view point “my window”,  I can see the hay ring filled  with fresh Tifton mingled with the fragrance of dusty Horse hair  wafting across the lawn. Whether it be coupled with a balmy spring  zephyr, the arid summer stillness, a brisk autumn breeze or the icy  winds of winter it’s aroma tickles my senses.  The perfume to my  olfactory, a euphoric awakening deep in my soul, my spirit soars, the  thudding in my heart deepens as my eyes take it all in. I gaze through  the fauna splashed gauze, brilliant rays glinting off the glass prisms  creating a laser light show in my house.  Beneath the Oak’s great canopy dappled sunlight sculpts a scene of serenity  creating an oaken portrait. Tree and trunk,  Horse and hay, sky and ground and shadow, the Mosaic canvas of my  heart.  A sensory pleasure, every sensation piqued and pleasured  as I  savor the little things in life through ” my window”.

I’ve Danced under the rainbow, ran naked thru an Emerald City, chased the yellow brick road, been to see the Wizard just because.

Crossed my tease and dotted my eyes, signed in blood I’ve welcomed his curse sealed with a kiss I am surrendered, wrapped in his paws.

Vexed by a Demon, I am that Witch can be held by no mortal man, sure as the full moon rises he speaks to my heart no matter his flaws.

Bound eternally better and worse, a hunger that burns from deep within, accepting his passion, I bare my throat to his powerful jaws .

Ecstasy writhing as the venom flows, our union consecrated… love, lust and lies the past matters not as I am hooked in his poison claws.

Not of this World an orb that hoovers, beckons  a Universal departure, throw caution to the wind, I and accept an invitation that draws.

Sailing along the Seas of life, trade winds ebbing on a Maelstrom of emotion like turbulence beneath a cloak of Cumulus cloud gnaws .

When in death we both shall sleep, beneath a coral bed on the ocean floor so deep, ash to ash from birth to earth safe in natures laws.

My week consists of 4 day shifts and 4 night shifts . I am off  Sunday thru Wednesday and start my days at 6:00 a.m. , I am in bed by  9:00 p.m.  if I dare stay up past the magic hour, I turn into a pumpkin, my night light kicks on and that’s that I am up all night. Wednesday thru Saturday I work from 8:30 p.m. til 5:00a.m. , I then have an hour drive home , where I start my Daughter’s  morning school  preparation after she leaves I have  horses, dogs  &  cats to feed along with my daily animal chores . I am usually in bed by 8:00 a.m. sleep till 2:30 and start my night shift week ,  Saturday/Sunday is a 26 to 28 hr. day , Wednesday is a 26 hr. day it is the only way I can I can live my life happily and work my job advantageously . I have done this for so many years I am use to it , tho I must say every year it seems to get harder.  Altering  my delicate sleep pattern is as easy as a 30 minute window at best, the moment I feel sleepy I have to hurry to bed or I will be staring at the ceiling till dawn or again working all night with no sleep , the balancing act is quite aggravating to work and live around if anything out of the ordinary happens . therefore I am very affectionate of a mundane life . Trust me I get all the *Horror and *Drama I need from work,  *Action and *Adventure from my horses, * Family, *Comedy and *Romance from home and *Suspense from life and growing old . I love days with nothing planned, I enjoy finding silly little things to entertain myself as I glide thru stolen moments I call “My Own”. I love to putter about the place in my dream world .

* Movie genre

That’s me!!!  Pisces to the power of Equus .

My quest for higher awareness, self improvement and inner growth is my biggest challenge

My life’s journey on the path to  Pet~Partner &  Natural~Horse~man~Ship is my deepest satisfaction

My job is equally ~  my fishes truly swim both ways, a crippling obstacle…AND an empowering ally

My Husband and the pursuit of a fulfilling relationship is my deepest and most humbling endeavor

My extraordinary Children are my greatest accomplishment and blessed gifts

When I am dead and gone

billows of smoke rising into the dawn

ascending upward from my funeral pyre

my body consumed and burnt with fire

the blue skies will open up wide

a sacred glimpse of my eternal ride

there gathered on highest cloud

pawing , neighing , shiny and proud

horses past, laid to rest in the ground

my ashes amongst them respectfully found

my herd of horse souls thundering down

white, chestnut, spotted, bay and brown

I pray Epona please grant me this fate

there’ll be no fences, no pearly gate

my spirit with theirs galloping wild and free

across the universe for all eternity.