True story.

I hauled ass yesterday to get home before dark.  I'd checked the weather and sunset was set for 5:30, which is actually normally when I get home.  I'd texted the husband to tell him that I was just letting the girls out to pee, but that I would be back after I went to the barn to really walk them.  He said it sounded like a good plan and wished me luck.

I mounted at 5:52 and spent a whopping twelve minutes riding before I ceded to the dark.

Twelve minutes is better than no minutes, right?

Since there is no ring, there are no ring lights.  I can't remember what I did last year.  I think it helped that I parked at the deck that costs about thirty-five dollars more, but is an easy half-hour time saver.  But I also know that I wasn't riding nearly as much as I am now.  Was I just riding on Friday, Saturday and Sunday? And what about before, when I worked at the vets' office and assuredly did not get off before 7 about three or four times a week?  I guess I was adjustable.

I turn on the flood lamps around the barn and ride in the halos that they provide.  It's not amazing.  But it's different.

So, I've got a couple of options:

A)  I become a morning person and get to the barn at about 6:00 AM, tack up, and prepare for sunrise.  And ride for about half an hour and then head home to get cleaned up for work.  Not impossible.  Actually, I'd love to be one of those people who is motivated to do crap like this.

B)  I cut my financial losses and temporarily move back to the closer (or, a closer) deck so that I can get home quickly on the Mondays and Wednesdays that I ride.  On Friday, I generally (not always, mind) get off half an hour early.  An option to this is that I maintain the normal parking deck (it has its own shuttle) and just walk there on my lunch break, pick up my car, and move it to the nearer deck for half a day.  This would cost... Actually, the same damn amount.  5-ish hours a day, twice a week, for a month would be $40.  Dammit.

What is not an option:  decreasing the riding.  It's good for him, it's good for me.

In other news:

Savannah, stalking.

More stalking Savannah.

A lick granuloma has turned into a PITA and some missing pad. I think it's the kitten stress.

En route to work today.

I voted.  And I'm having a nice hair day.

• Gym time tonight, for the first time about two weeks.
• Kittens go back on Thursday morning to be neutered and spayed.  I am excited but, I'll admit, a little sad.  We had a little photo session for Apollo and Ares.  I got Ares playing and standing next to Savannah, which should hopefully boost his adoptability.

An anchor, like this!

• I have a tattoo session scheduled for Friday.  I'm going where I never thought I'd go before:  wrists.  Tiny, tiny (hopefully) wrist tattoos.  But the same places are still off limits: hands, forearms, neck.  An anchor on my left wrist, because I'm settled; an arrow on my right wrist, for Bold Archer.