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Amy and I made a return trip to Rockford to try to refine our skills on horseback a little more. It was an interesting mix of a time: we got to help out with her physical therapy with the kids on horseback, and she got a tractor while we were there, and the cute dogs and mini horses were still around. Those things were all cool.

Not as cool: Anytime you go horseback riding, you're due for what one might call a reality check. Horses are pretty. But they're also big. And their feet are big. And those feet sometimes don't watch where they're going. And sometimes horses realize that they're bigger than you are and Hey! Annie doesn't REALLY know how to ride. She can't make me go if I don't want to. Don't freak out -- no toes were injured in the riding experience -- my boots got stepped on a few times, but not my toes. And my horse, he knew stubborn. Well, my second horse did. My first one got a little upset, bucked once and took off. I'm not sure if that's knowing stubborn or knowing stupid. Whatever it is, my riding relationship with him was over and I was back to good old faithful Rio -- who wouldn't do anything stupid but also would hardly do anything un-stupid. Hmmm... Maybe I'm exaggerating. If I worked hard, I could make him go when I wanted him to, but by the time I was riding him, my legs were tired. It takes a lot of work to make a stubborn horse go, work from your legs...my legs were tired.

Overall, one of the cutest parts of the time was the dogs.

Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to introduce you to Buddy. And he has a fru-fru leg. It bends just like that every time he stands still. It's HI-larious