INCOMING!

If you want to know how I’m spending my summer, I can sum it up quite easily. Shoveling. Rocks, manure, hay, shavings, the whole nine yards. In the morning I shovel shavings and hay for the horses in the barn. In the afternoon I shovel rocks (to improve my character of course) and in the evening I shovel all the manure the horses have worked so hard to make. Although it sounds a little dreary, believe it or not, I enjoy my days here!

“Here” is on Paradigm Morgan Horse farm in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, where my Aunt Judi and Uncle John live. Although I live in Orlando, Florida, I like to visit them and help them on the farm, feeding and grooming horses, helping out on vet-visits, training the younger horses, and of course shoveling.

Of course horse-training isn’t the only thing on my mind at the moment. I’m an incoming freshman after-all. Although I don’t think we should be called “incoming freshman”. It sounds too much like some line from a war-movie where the dreaded gas-shells or grenades are about to hit: “INCOMING!” Don’t worry, I won’t explode, at least not literally.

Sometimes I feel like I might explode from all the thoughts going around in my head, though! All of a sudden my life’s gotten pretty complicated, with me having to pack up all my stuff and drive it to Kentucky, not to mention finding an affordable home for my horse, Taz. I’ve got to arrange for work-study and a part-time job to help me pay for school, my horse, and my car—if I can afford to have it repaired. It feels like I walked the plank of adolescence and I’ve suddenly plunged into very rough adult waters!

But, all of that stress aside, I’m also incredibly excited! I get to strike out into new territory, where no Smith has ever been before! I can’t wait to explore Danville and finally have a job. Coming from a city life, I can’t get enough of rural Kentucky, and I know my classes and classmates will be more than interesting.

So look out, Danville. Come August, you’ll want to have built some trenches and hunkered down—INCOMING!