We gave a surprise ride to the Dalys, on their way from their 50th anniversary celebration mass to the Grapevine restaurant. Congratulations, Harry and Elaine, and many more years to come!

Who's this in front of my house? My landscaper! This guy really knows how to mow my lawn....
Passers by in downtown Salem will do a double take as they drive down Crombie Street and see a horse in the yard. No one seems to mind our presence, but it is not legal for Curley to stay here overnight. We have a good friend in south Salem who has invited Curley to do his lawn on an overnight basis, and we go there every couple of weeks, when we are in town doing reserved rides.
Curley really loves his big pasture at Seaview Farm in Rockport, where he hangs out with the retired carriage horses from Boston. But being able to sleep over in Salem really cuts down on the amount of trailer riding time for him, and saves me a lot of gas money. We are indebted to Judy and Steph for the safe, peaceful yard.

I completed a job yesterday that took days of preparation.  I had agreed to do a wedding in Andover before my big trailer died, and in order to keep that commitment, I rented an auto transport trailer from U-Haul.  The folks on Jefferson Ave were a big help, making sure I had the trailer a little early so I could load the carriage the night before.  Andover is not so very far from Salem, but it took multiple trips to move the horse and then the carriage from Rockport to Salem on Thursday, then from Salem to Andover on Friday.  (It was an afternoon wedding, and I couldn't have been ready in time had I tried to make two round trips from Rockport directly to Andover the day of the wedding.)  There was also the considerable work of washing Curley with a special shampoo that makes his coat blindingly white.  There's buying the champagne and ribbons, decorating the carriage, and getting all the components of the tuxedoes and top hats together, making sure nothing is forgotten. Carriage companies regularly kvetch about how much work goes on behind the scenes, that the customer cannot conceive of when they are focusing on the period of time they will themselves be in the carriage. "Why does it cost $800 for this wedding- we will only need you for an hour?

We feel the price is hard earned, and it helps to pay the costs of owning a horse, truck and trailer.  

 When the wedding was finished, and a happy bride and groom delivered safely to their reception, it was a moment of great satisfaction- and then back to work.  Ferry Curley home to his big field

 on Cape Ann, race back to Andover for the carriage, drop it off at the garage in Rockport, then take the trailer back to the U-Haul lot in Salem.  

It was midnight when we were 

done, I had started the transport before 8 A.M., and I had driven a total of 250 miles, with Rob's cheerful help.  You really know someone loves you when they stick with you through that long a day.  

Congratulations to Edson and Elocine.