New Approach

WRITING:

My progress with "Water Tribute" has been blocked of late. Seems like the closer I got to the end, the harder it was to sit down and write.

Today I realized that what I thought was a plot point scene should actually be the climactic scene. Which of course will mean rearranging what I've written thus far. However, since I have scenes drafted I can build on what I already have. Not like I have to start all over again. With some of the scenes already blocked out I can concentrate on the setting, mood, characters, etc.

I'm going to use Lynn Schmidt's "Book in a Month" to help me reorganize my current draft. A crutch to help me organize my thoughts and the 300 pages of existing story.

So I am again excited about the story...which is a good thing.

RIDING:

Not so much.

I made a quick trip to the barn on Monday to check on Phantom. It was raining and none of the horses had their turnout sheets on. Which is a difficult decision to make this time of year. It's wet, but it's warmer. Let the horse get wet from the rain? Or let the horse get wet from sweating under the turnout sheet? Argh!

Anyway, Phantom had rolled, turned crusty, and the crust was melting in the rain and turning back to mud. Yuk! My main concern, however, was the hairless patch on his back. The swelling had gone down and it didn't seem to be as touchy, but it wasn't scabbed over. I cleaned it with warm water and sprayed it with Blue Kote followed by Schreiner's. Both stung a little, a good sign that they're working but also an indication that the site is still a little raw. I put his sheet back on mainly to cover the "boo boo" from the rain and mud.

I can wait a few more days to ride. Phantom is content to hang with his buddies and my schedule of late has been unsettled. Give him time to heal a little more and maybe I won't feel so harried by the time I get back in the saddle.

Actually, the timing of everything has been one of those spooky synchronous situations. Phantom gets a minor injury just when scheduled and unscheduled events keep me from getting to the barn. So everything eventually works out.