My car returned

The wabbit is home safe and recovered! Watching her being towed this morning was a little heart-wrenching. The thought of her being helplessly linked to the back of the tow truck evoked my protective instincts. I watched hawk-eyed as the tow truck guy (a nice chap from Brewer's) wheeled my car out of the lot and deftly lined her front wheels against the cables.

After seeing my car safely parked at the service center, I went to school hours ahead of my class, and so spent an hour chatting with Andrea Beauchamp, the Hopwood associate, who still remembers that I won a Hopwood award in 2000 and wanted to know what I've been up to since then (she's also pressuring me to win more awards at the graduate level! Gak.). Apart from exchanging stories, we discovered our common love of horses, Italy and art. Andrea is my dad's age, but we spoke to each other as equals, although I am in awe of her travels and experiences. She'll be taking a horse-riding tour in Tuscany on her own for two weeks next spring. I confessed my envy and she invited me to take up riding lessons so I can join her, and she even suggested that Lin Kiat meet me there after the tour!

I doubt I can afford to take up a new sport like horse-riding, but it was nice to listen to an avid rider talk of her love of riding and horses. Andrea has invited me to meet her horse, Lucca. He's thirteen years old, gentle and good-natured. She said if I were willing to wear her helmet, I could get up on Lucca for a little bit. I certainly would be game to try! I'll finally get a feel of some real "horsepower"!