Derby Day!

Or just May 1st, to those of you that don’t live in Kentucky.  I know it’s not that exciting to most of the world, but around these parts, it’s a pretty big deal.

Unfortunately, the weather today Sucks with a capital S.  We’re supposed to have torrential downpours all weekend, accumulating about 6 inches.  The weatherman said that it’s a ‘soak you to the underwear’ kind of rain. 

I’m sad about this, not because I personally give a crap, but because one of Annie’s teachers is going.  I loaned her an outfit and gave her a turn-around-and-look-at-that-fabulous-hat to wear, and she looked amazing in it.  It just won’t have quite the same wow factor in a monsoon.

As for the festivities, the girls have been warming up for the big event all week in school.  They made Derby hats, dyed silk jockey jerseys, made stick horses, and even had their own races.  Next week Annie’s class is visiting the Kentucky Derby Museum.

For this afternoon, Annie is mainly hoping for better luck with the horse draw.  (For the uneducated – throw the horses names in a bag, people pay to draw one, winner takes all.  Around our house each horse’s name costs a dime, and Pappap and Grama are the main consumers.)  Not only has Annie never won, she’s also picked a horse that died right there on the track.  Yup.  Ugly break, in come the vets, and next thing you know, they’re putting it down, right then and there.  She was horrified.

So my wishes for the day – at least some break in the rain, a fun day for Heather (the other one), a lucky draw for one of the girls, and no gruesome horse deaths for all. 

Raise a mint julep (or in my case, sweet tea) glass with me?

I hope this isn’t a sign…

Derby Day in the Bluegrass! I’m sad to say that our horse, Eight Belles, did not win. She came in second, just before breaking both ankles and being put down right there on the track.

Annabelle picked her because she was the only filly in the race, and because of the ‘Belle’ in her name. We are so sad!

Chris was luck enough to get a gold Derby pin this year too. Instant prize was a gift certificate to Moe’s, and now he’s eligible for a new Honda Odyssey! We have an Odyssey right now and I LOVE it, so winning a brand new one would be heavenly! I’m seriously wishing I had mailed the pin to my friend Darcie, who is lucky like none other these days. Maybe she could have rubbed it for good luck. Instead it’s remained in the hands of my husband, the man who just received not one but TWO speeding tickets, and picked a horse that not only lost, but actually died right there on the track. I’m thinking maybe I shouldn’t get my hopes up.