OMG it's freezing!!

So, I came home from a short walk and couldn't figure out if my muscles are still working, I was freezing!

Recently it was unbelievable -28 ºC (-18.4 ºF ) outside!!

I haven't seen a winter like this in at least 10 years. I like winter, but now I want to be with my mommy in Florida, drinking orange juice, not frantically holding on to my tea cup, just to keep fingers from passing out during tack making...

This is my mailbox, that's INSIDE the building. It's all covered in ice! You can't see that in the picture very well, but it actually looks great, all sparkly. :)

Complete set

So this is how my new favourite set looks like, complete with four sheepskin lined boots, leather breastplate, two girths, sheepskin pad and snaffle bridle.

New saddle, first on 2010 (kinda late, I know)!

Look what I just made!! I'm super excited about this saddle. I tried a new leather dye for the first time and I'm in love with this color. It's like dark brown, slightly reddish brandy tone. Flashlight in the first picture makes the color look washed out, it's actually more intense.

I already made a matching bridle and breastplate for this saddle, so look for a new saddle set for sale on MH$P soon. :)

Today's view

This is the view outside my window, picture taken 1 minute ago. Sun was actually shining right into the camera, making this picture not as pretty as it actually should be.

Oh, and it's -20C degrees outside. That's -4F. That's-reaaaaly-really-cold! It's been like that all January.



This is the backside of the building, that's where I usually walk my dog. Not that she can take walking longer than 10 minutes at this weather. :) Grandma made her a knitted jacket, but that doesn't help her poor little paws. :)

Bridles in process

Just a quick snap of 3 bridles in making process. Drying on the rack.

Another horse for my collection

Can't believe I forgot to show off this guy! My darling boyfriend bought it for me as a gift. This horse opens up in the middle and is incredibly heavy (as it should be, it's made of some kind of metal).

Race Day in Sha Tin and everything else

I'm sorry, I intended to make a post about the second race day (and everything else) sooner, but when we arrived home, I was simply too tired. Getting to Hong Kong and back is hard, way harder than travelling to America. First, there is 2 hour flight to Frankfurt (Germany) and then almost 12 hour flight to HK. Since there's absolutely no way I can sleep anywhere else than in a bed (or at least on the floor with a comfy blanket :)) - it was horrifying. It's been more than a week since we're home and only now I'm starting to adjust to my previous lifestyle. Yes, I did miss tackmaking so much!

Anyway, today I'm gonna show you what I saw and bought. :)

First, I must start with these. Magazines from Germany.

Oh, Germany, you always make my heart go faster. Here where I live - we only have 1 horsey magazine available. That's quite sad!!

These are the souvenirs I bought at the Racing Museum gift shop. It's a very nice book about Hong Kong's Jockey Club, history of both Racecourses etc. I red it on the plane on our way back. Then there is a lovely set of 6 postcards, a DVD - Hong Kong's Horse Heroes and a small snowglobe with pony. Well, no, it's not a snowglobe, it's filled with glitters. Ok, I don't know how to call it.

This was our "racing stuff" - magazines, newspapers, racing programmes, various booklets. Since it was the first time I experienced horse racing - it actually means a lot to me. :D

Of course, some betting proof. These were all our betting tickets... We didn't bet much, though it seemed like we did. 10 Honk Kong dollars are like 1.2 US dollars. :D

Now, let's move to the second racing day. I really, really regret not taking my Canon with me on this trip. :(

Few facts about Sha Tin Racecourse. It's seating capacity is over 80,000 and it's the holder of few world records with the world's largest diamond vision screen and the world's first ever retractable parade ring.

My lucky winner, horse named Trulli. :)

This was an amazing trip and two days of horse racing made it even better!

Race Day At Happy Valley Hong Kong

Yesterday was the first time I ever saw horse racing. It was a huge day for me. In Latvia, we don't have horse racing. Our only race track was demolished in 1960's. Way before I was born.

As far as I know, there are two racetracks in Hong Kong. We went to see races in Happy Valley, hopefully on Sunday, December 27, I'll get to see races on other track. There were 8 night races yestarday.

There was also a gorgeous Racing Museum, free entrance, but no photos allowed. Of course, I got few interesting things at the souvenier shop, but I'll show that stuff when I'll get back home.

For some stupid reason I left my D350 camera in Latvia, I thought it was too big and heavy, and I definitely did not suspect any horse sightings here. So, unfortunately, there was no way I could take nice photos. I borrowed my friends tiny camera to take at least some pics.

This was larger than real horse statue at the entrance.

Just a few pictures.

Not many pictures of horses, it seemed unfair to blind them with flashlights. I did take a tiny video of horses galloping into the finish, but - no time to upload it at the moment.

I placed small bets at each race, 5 times out of 8 - my horses arrived at fourth place, when I thought they should finish in top three (and placed bets accordingly). At race 7 though, my lucky boy Norman Invader not only finished in top three, he alse won the race, though the odds were pretty much against him. Here's a lousy, lousy picture.

That's all for now.

Merry Christmas! :)

Vacation time!

Guess where I am? :)

Ok, I'm in Hong Kong! We'll be spending two weeks over here, visiting my boyfriend' s father, who has been living here for over 5 years now.

Miraculously I found time to get to the internet. I had to share the only horse related picture! This is a statue in park, grown into some plants.

Apparently on Wednesday we' ll go and see local horse races!

Worktable Puppy

Yesterday evening I cought Carrera on my worktable! Apparently she saw a coffee mug, and being a "coffee addict", she decided it's a perfect moment to take a sip.

After drinking whole cup of coffee, she took a 2 hour nap right there on the table. Doesn't she look cheeky?

"No, mom, I didn't touch that coffee!"

"Okey, maybe I did, but it was soo gooood! Yumm..."

If there is one thing she loves - it's coffee. Black coffee, white coffee, coffee liqueur(!!), chocolate with coffee filling, latte, anything coffee related. Of course, the best snack to go with it is anything sweet - chocolate, cookies, waffles. She'll definitely prefer cookies, rather than meat.