Sweaty sweaty sweatybox

I'm pretty sure I sweated more than my entire body weight today. As usual for a Saturday, we were pretty busy for the first half of the day but once lunch hit, the rides died down. Cruises only land here for the day so the guests have a limited window of opportunity for activities like horseriding. But what made it hard was the sheer humidity. No matter what I was doing - walking, brushing horses, sitting down - I sweated. My skin was constantly wet. And I can't even count how many times I wiped my face on my t-shirt sleeve. Hideous.

Had a couple of rides, got some half-decent tips (I'm learning cruise ship people are either tight or think they've spent more than enuf on the cruise and all its related activities - forgetting completely that we have nothing to do with the cruise)... and sweated. Even my boss said this kind of weather was unusually for this time of year.

I was almost drained of energy by the day's end, but it was not over yet. I found a horse acted strange and suspected it of colic, so called the boss up to have a look. He gave her some shots and we kept her on all 4 feet, and the we decided to give tetanus shots to every horse, which at a glance is over 40. So we're going out, catching each one by one, injecting the shot, marking off the list... and sweating. I swear no one sweated quite like me. I felt like a witch melting into my skin.

My day actually ended with a postponed lesson with my female boss, A, the French lady (rumoured to be a lesbian, like it makes any difference to my life) and taught by my male boss, R. I rode Seductor again, who I learnt tonight was only about 3, and things did not go well.

I didn't fall off or anything but compared to last week's lesson - the best ever for Seductor according to R - he was a mess. Now I don't like to blame him for everything, obviously my riding wasn't that great either, but he was just not all there tonight. My hands and joints burnt a little after it was all over, and I apologised for riding badly but was warded off - "It wasn't you, he was all over the place tonight, don't worry shit happens." Well, I still felt annoyed like I hadn't done my best. I dunno, I guess I'm just that kind of person!

Worst of all, this was the lesson J decided to watch so I know I'm not gonna hear the end of it. Great that I'd organised to go out with him for his brother's belated birthday that same night... Not impressed. With any of it. Sweaty, tired and frustrated. He better not start.

Had a shower and decided that, it being the first Saturday night I actually planned on having a big night out - well, I told them I am going home at 12 because otherwise I turn into a pumpkin and can't work tomorrow - I shaved. What a mission. Love living with no one to impress. Except when the hard yakka comes in to look like a lady. Urgh.

Writing this, I'm waiting for my dinner to cool and already the sirens are starting for a Saturday evening. These people really have no sense of responsibility for their lives... I dunno, I could never live here I don't think. It's just like, these little lottery booths dotted about the place, in the most obscure of back streets even... I asked A about them, and she quite rightly observed (as a Dutch woman) that people just want to easy way around here. That sit and hope that they'll hit big one day, instead of actually working towards it and making their own success.

Not that I have that much responsibility for my life. I suppose I'm one of the biggest culprits. What the hell am I doing? Running all over the globe, taking random opportunity, one after the other? Yeah, really responsible behaviour. I can just hear my dad's voice in my ear - "What about your longterm career, furthering your education? I didn't shell out that many thousands for you to just galavant around the world at your fancy, asking me for handouts when your money runs dry."

Now that last part was poetic licence, but it something he fully believes and I flat-out refute. Next Christmas and birthday, I'm asking for nothing. Just his acceptance. If he can't give me that... well, merry Christmas to me.

English haunts me

No matter how hard I try to distance myself from the world of English teaching, it just comes back to haunt me. Well, I make it sound worse than it is really, but yesterday I was included as special guest native speaker in G's regular English get-together with a few friends. They could all speak quite good English so I was just tuning them on the finer points when needed. Now the lady who runs it wants me to come along to her proper class of adults in Melk. Whatever, it's not like it's hard to speak my language!

Other than that, the day wasn't too different than the rest. I had to have a sleep after the English lesson because the first solo day had made me a little weary, but I was wide awake again after I jumped on Barack for a couple of bucks along with my ride.

I forgot to say, one of the first things I did here was name the next door neighbour's cat who had just adopted herself into this family because I don't think they fed it. So I called it Chloe. I don't know why, the name just seemed to fit. It is such a pretty name.

Anyway, I'm rambling now and before I post about today, I need to get the sweet potatoes out of the oven before they burn - sheizer!!

From riding lessons to Playboy

OK, so today I´m in slightly better spirits than yesterday. Have been talking to a random bouncer me and K met in Oz while bar hopping, who runs an exotic dance party business on the side. What a connection! Not only can I see some very fun nights ahead with this scene, but also some potential job opportunities. Be sure I´ll be hitting him up when I return home!!

I´ve also just given the Italian worker a horseriding lesson on Spooky, the best trained horse here who reminds me of my precious Issi and how I´ve trained her. Bless. Anyway, she went really well which I´m sure is more due to the horse and a competent rider than my teaching methods. Still, it made me feel a little less useless today. Hopefully I´ll get a chance for a short ride this afternoon.

There´s one thing that´s kinda weird about this place though. Well, a couple of things. And I spose it´s more just getting used to it. Firstly, they are a 'diaper-less' family so they don´t use diapers on their baby. Which I totally understand from an environmental point of view but it´s just unusual to see a mother crouching over a compost jiggling her baby boy around to get him to take a piss into the decomposing manure. Also, they have Playboy mags in the bathroom. Next to the toilet. It weirds me out when I go into the bathroom, thinking what the last person who sat on the bowl was doing or thinking... I just think it´s strange they don´t move them if they have helpers around.

But whatever. Just some thoughts I wanted to share.