It's raining Snurkies...

So today we went to Grandview to do some volunteering.  Hailey, Margaret, Rowan and I got there at exactly the right time as Kelley was announcing the jump judge briefing about to start.   So we get our jump assignments and listen to the briefing and head out armed with warm clothes and chairs.  The girls were going one direction and I another.  Sarah suggested taking the truck to sit in and I sort of shrugged it off.  A strange combination of always being told *not* to drive on the course and feeling particularly wimpy about sitting in a truck instead of outside with everybody else.  Yeah, I'm an idiot.  Fortunately Sarah pulled rank and *told* me to take the truck out.  Well you don't argue with the boss right?

Thank the gods I didn't argue with the boss *g*   Cause I was incredibly grateful to her half an hour later when the torrential rain started.   Bitter cold AND wet - yeah, a quick retreat to the truck was called for.  And I felt soooo bad for the girls who had no truck to escape to.

Now my primary goal was to spend the day learning to work my camera.  I figured with 150-200 riders, there should be lots of practice.  All good right?  Yeah, except that I neglected to put the battery IN the camera before I left *sigh*   So instead I settled in to watch and direct traffic (where I was for the first level, there was far more need for traffic direction than there was for jump judging :)

So we watched the entire entry division -- about 75% of which was in the rain, and then got called in for lunch. The girls were very cold and very wet, so I had them sit in the truck with the heat on for a while while we got sorted out for the next round.  I attempted to get us all hot chocolate too, but sadly the line was too long so that was a horrible fail.  However I *did* manage to snag a second vehicle, compliments of the incredibly generous Janette who let us borrow her car.   I think the girls were far happier about that than the hot chocolate!   So I had hopes that for PT, Rowan and I would be able to share the truck and Hailey and Margaret the car.

Good plan right?   Well I managed to get the car parked in a location that, while a little awkward, did allow both girls to clearly see what needed to be seen while staying dry and warm.  They were pretty happy about that :)    Sadly though, I couldn't manage to get the truck in a similarly decent location.   And then Sarah to the rescue, came and left HER truck for Rowan. Sweet.  Now all were able to be dry.   Except that one of my fences was the bank so had to go outside every few riders to rake.  But such is life.  Fortunately part way through PT, the rain stopped.  Sweet.

The open riders had no problem with either of the fences I was watching, but the sr and jr met challenges at both.  Nothing serious fortunately, just enough to keep me interested *g*   I think Hailey and Margaret were wishing for a little more excitement at their fences, but really - the first time out it's best if everything goes smoothly :)

On to one last level change -- here there were 3 fences for the 4 of us and all of them together and uncomplicated.  So I drove the truck out and left it with the girls and went for a social walk :)   Wandered around the PT and T courses, sort of mentally placing where Athena is now and where I want her to be next summer (she could handle PT xc today, but *just*.  Def not anywhere close to T.  And while we could 'get around' stadium at either level, that's def not competition ready either yet.  But hey - 6 months of gymnastics should help with that *g*).  Anyways - got to socialize with a few people as I wandered and watch some of the T course.  And *really* can't wait for next summer to get here so I can play too!  hahaha

Wander back to check on the girls who were doing just fine without me (isn't it great to feel needed?  >;-)  hahaha and watched the end of the T division.   Load everybody up and head back, turn in papers, etc.  Stop to chat for a bit with Vic and Kelley, return Janette's car, and then get directed to the volunteer lottery.  Cool.   So right off the top Margaret wins a mug.  Sweet.  And we were all very jealous.   And a few seconds later Hailey, who has the best luck of anybody I've ever met, also wins one.  hahaha so as I'm chatting with a girl I met earlier (who is from there and owns several mugs :) about the fact that all the cool kids have mugs, *my* name was called too.  Woohoo!

So there were a few more prizes to give out and Sarah randomly finds two extra mugs.  So Kelley draws another name and happy person gets a mug.  And goes to draw a second one when Sarah stops her and simply hands it to Rowan.  "Well she can't be the only one in the group without one."   I thought that was about the coolest thing of the day.   I'm not sure the other dozen or so people standing there hoping for a prize necessarily agreed, but it made me smile.   But the next name drawn was for a $100 prize, so I'm quite certain that winner was happy all the mugs were gone *g*

The trip home was, ummmm, pure silliness.   Pretty sure Hailey and Margaret had passed the 'overtired' point *g*   A sample conversation:

Hailey: "It's a Snurkey"
Margaret: "But that doesn't look anything *like* a Snurkey!"

And I'm left wondering how one can argue so passionately about the look of an invented creature... hahaha  insert TWO HOURS of this.  Somehow Rowan and I stayed sane.  Mostly by not listening too closely.

oh and for the curious -- Hailey has clarified.  Apparently "a 'snurkey' is a snail and a turkey , combined :) You know, because Margaret and I are cool kids and make up random creatures like that".

So now you know.

But all in all it was a fun day.  As always GV people were amazing to their volunteers and the show was totally well run and on time.  And I was really proud of the girls that despite the barely-above-freezing weather and awful rain there was no whining or complaining and all three seemed totally kewl with the idea of doing it again (although perhaps on more of a summer day :)

And now it is definitely time to sleep.