Balance

Yesterday was so special; a Monday off; a day when some are working and some are not. We call them Mickey-Mouse Holidays and usually do not partake. Last year I even had occasion to work on Independence Day thanks to a very needy, Maserati-owning client. California Whine Country
This Fourth of July we headed out for the beach. The forecast was for a warm fog-free coast. They lied! After half a day on the sandy shore; fully dressed and wrapped in towels to keep warm, we had lunch at Margarita-Ville, served by a "Fourth of July Barbie" with cowboy boots on, then sat in the nice, comfortable, and wind sheltered, car reading our beach novels for an hour or so, until the buzz from the Mexican coffee had worn off and it was safe and legal to drive.
The road back to blue skies made us smug as those who were late heading out would still be in traffic two hours later and be watching the primordial grace of flights of pelicans  looming and fading in the mist, rather than slathering on the sun-block.
This morning dawned with no painful sunburn, no tiredness from a late night of partying and a whole day to play with.
I rode at 8:30, the air still a pleasant temperature making my exertions possible. A new youngster at the stables, Macho is four years old; a large and well proportioned thoroughbred with great natural balance and head carriage. His trot felt more like a German horse, full of "schwung", if lacking consistent tempo. Nice natured too, I can't wait to ride him again.
It was still early when I got back home and I exchanged my boots and breeches for tennies and shorts and took myself for the walk I used to make when I had the foster dogs for motivation. I knew we were planning a lunch with Lovely Daughter and her man and I was trying to pre-empt the calories, or at least mitigate the guilt.
Basic salad, grilled steaks and mashed potatoes, followed by home made crumble/cobbler of blackberries, apples and rhubarb, and a nice Chateau Margaux, had us lounging around in a wonderful torpor for the rest of the afternoon.