Four days before show.
1. Ride test several times. Realize that success will probably come from something other than the riding. Begin to wrack brain for ways to earn extra points.
2. Note that mandolin vegetable cutter injuries are quite painful and definitely impeding performance.
3. Wonder when judge is coming to town. Wonder if there’s some way to show severely sliced fingers to judge. Would it be possible to quickly take off gloves before or after salute, slip off band-aids, and wave digits around? Or would it be better to hang around airport complaining loudly about fingers when judge arrives. Provided judge arrives by plane. Would be a bit worried about the judge who arrived via bus. Not to be snobbish or anything.
4. Help husband clean deck. Accidentally run hair-first into single peony flower on potted peony bush. Realize peonies are extraordinarily sticky plants and hair is now glued into large stick of unmanageability. Wonder if this could have an effect on ride.
5. Run to store before it closes and buy a second bottle of Show Sheen. Consider putting some in own hair to help with peony residue.
6. Check fingers for infection. Wonder if there are small but perceptible red lines running up arm. This would indicate that I might die before show, similar to Victorian ladies during childbirth. Well, maybe not exactly like that. But infection would be involved. Think that premature death due to finger infection might be a decent option. Admit that would rather go to show than give birth. Feel that some sort of perspective has been renewed.
7. Wish horse could speak English so could bribe him and explain about my fingers.