Check back later . . . take that back!

My sisters have a flat tire down by the Bayview turn-off on HWY 95. They're judging a horse show in Coeur d'Alene, starting at 9. So, no blog until later.

I must get down there and trade cars with them so they can get on their way.

That means I may get to drive the bug convertible home. Tough duty!

Update: My dream of driving the VW convertible came to a quick halt. Laurie figured out how to change the tire. So, Barbara says they're good to go.

This will be a judging experience they'll always remember. I think they're judging the Kootenai County 4-H horse pre-show today.

Speaking of horse shows, we've got our big show of the year coming up this weekend. Barbara will be showing a couple of her horses---Dusty and April. Laurie will show her little buddy Scout on Saturday and riding Barbara's horse April in English classes.

Sunday will be Lily's big coming-out party for 2009. Laurie has her entered in six Western classes. She's been working really well, but we won't be holding our breath.

The sights, sounds and distractions of a horse show can turn a barnyard champion into a show ring reject. So, we'll take each class as it comes and hope for the best.

I have to announce the show. It's different from public speaking. I decided a few months ago to end my public speaking days. It just involved too much advance stress---sometimes weeks on end if I know I have to speak a long time in advance. The actual speaking is okay but I still haven't figured out what to do about the dreaded anticipation.

So, enough is enough.

Horse show announcing is an entirely different ball game. You don't have a crowd of people sitting and staring at you. In fact, they seldom even think about where the announcer is; that happens to be up in a booth, overlooking the arena. And in mid-July, it's a hot, bee-infested booth far away from the people and horses but never far enough away from the torment of hungry bees.

I actually love doing horse shows because I love horses and enjoy watching the progress of riders and their mounts over the years and sometimes over the course of a show. I also like to do this show, which is called the Spots of Fun Show. It's sponsored by an Appaloosa group, and the perennial show manager Moreen Leen works her heart out every year to put on a fun event for riders and the audience.

So, through the heat and the bees and the long hours isolated up in that booth, I'll do my best to help out Moreen while keeping my fingers crossed that Lily performs worth of a second-grade graduate.

Haven't heard from my sisters, so they must be on the road again. Now, if they had ridden their horses to Coeur d'Alene, flat tires wouldn't be an issue.

Happy Thursday!