Posted by Tania Kindersley.
I have given myself the greatest treat that any lover of racing could dream of: five days at the Royal Meeting.
And yet my heart lurches and fails in my chest.
It does not matter what delight awaits me in the south, I always fall prey to tugging melancholy when I have to leave home. There is the magical thinking that says I shall not come back (dead in a ditch; kidnapped by bandits) and then what shall happen to all the books? Who shall tell the dog? Who will have to sort out the cupboard of doom?
I have, in my grouchy middle-age, turned into a homebug. If you told me I could never leave Scotland again, I should be delighted. The thought of packing and travelling and departing makes me tired and sad. (Of course, once I am on the train, and in the dirty old city, I shall be joyous and delighted; it’s just the night before. It’s the entire concept of leaving.)
Now, there is one more person I have to say goodbye to. The mare seemed to sense my dread this evening; she threw her head about and made furious faces and cow-kicked at imaginary flies. Eventually I got her to settle and she dozed off on my chest and I stroked the velvet part of her muzzle and thought: the next time I have to go away I’m putting her in a horsebox and taking her with. (This is how deranged with love I have become.)
As I left, she put her face over the gate and pricked her ears and whinnied at me. It’s bad enough having the Pigeon doing the Disney face. Now I’ve got Red and her dying fall whinny.
By tomorrow, I shall be settled on the 9.52 with my Racing Post, determined to work out who shall win the Coventry (I have a feeling for a colt called Sir Prancealot) and dreaming of Frankel. I am going to see the two greatest horses in the entire world, according to official ratings: Frankel and Black Caviar. For a racing person, this is like having lunch with Judi Dench and Maggie Smith, or taking tea with the astronomer royal, or being given an hour alone in a room with the Mona Lisa. It’s the tops, in other words. It’s a Bendel bonnet, a Shakespeare sonnet; it’s Mickey Mouse.
But just now, I look out at the green trees in the misty dreich of a Scottish evening and think: what will happen to the hill?
Pictures today are entirely self-indulgent. When I am missing home, I may log on to my tiny portable computer and see this:
This is what she looks like when she does her circus act:
Which, it has to be said, does not impress the Pigeon much:
A few of tonight’s garden:
And the dear old hill:
My heart may be cracking at the thought of leaving my girls, but they are going to be looked after like queens by the Mother, the Stepfather, the Horse Talker, the Younger Niece, the World Traveller, the Sister, the Young Gentleman, and everyone else on the compound. For Red in particular I have left strict instructions about how she likes her carrots (neatly chopped) and an anatomy of her moods (antic and various and unbelievably, incredibly funny and sweet).
So off I trundle, leaving, it seems, my heart and most of my sanity behind. I did not know that when I hit forty-five I should go animal crackers, but there we are. I suppose it’s better than buying a Lamborghini.
Have fun at Ascot - the beasties will be loved and taken care of in your absence.
ReplyDeleteSensible shoes are de rigeur!
I am so pleased that you showed the circus act! I found myself wondering what it looked like and now I know. Exactly as it should. Animal mad; yes that resonates. Not only are you animal mad, you entice others to be the same...dog island and all. Now my husband is jealous as the puppy gets more cuddles than him. Puppies being so uncomplicated... ;-) enjoy down south, honestly it's not bad here. Lou x
ReplyDeleteI am pea green with envy, and will be watching every day. If I see someone in the crowd who appears to be pining away for a red mare and a black dog, I'll know it is you.
ReplyDeleteAlso, can't wait for your next trip, on which you take Red as well as The Pidge. Your hotel accounts should be something entirely new . . . ;-)
Have fun!
Bird
You're going to Ascot? We Americans need everything spelled out for us. A S C O T. Got it.
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely time.
I'll read all about it via your many tweets.
xo Jane
Oh, enjoy!
ReplyDeleteYour gorgeous girls will be in good hands. (I do love the sound of your compound - I imagine a little village within a village.)
And the circus pictures are EXACTLY as thought. :)
Love the two pics of Pidge after Circus Act. It's as though she is saying eurgh, she's such a show-off. In a typical older sister way. I am familiar with such lurches of the heart each time I leave Old Cat. I am reassured that she doesn't give a fig as long as she gets fed and someone (matters not who) gives her a scratch every now and then. Charming.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful trip and return home all in one piece. Enjoy the racing and win lots of lolly! Love the name Prancealot!
ReplyDeleteOoooh, I'm with you.... even though there are places (like Scotland, for instance) that I would love to be heading off to, the actual act of leaving home is wrenching. And no matter where I go, when I return I always feel like I need another vacation to get over the traveling and being away. Time to re-introduce myself to the garden and the cats and the furniture. I'm with you on that. Hope you have a super-great time, enough to make up for the separation blues!
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