Visiting Teena

Mu and Teena

I am envious of people with passion. For a sport, a cause, music, art, an animal, even religion...Think of that line of men pedalling their bicycles up a steep hill rain or shine, skiing champions, humans who have conquered mountain peaks, who could play Bach on a violin, who locked themselves up for weeks to paint.

It has been my regret that I am not often given to extremes. I am fond of many things, but I lack the obsession, see passion, that would allow me to become very good in something. I dabble in this and that, and am master of nothing. Isn't that so sad?

When the men played golf on Sunday, I decided to bring Babinette to visit Mu's horse Teena. Mu was born with a passion for horses and is currently living it. I could not understand half of what she was telling me about those animals, but I can feel her love for them. And I envy her sometimes for that.

The entrance to the stables

It was a lovely morning and a wonderful day for visiting Teena. The stalls were tidy and I never had to use the perfumed handkerchief that I've prepared just in case it should get too smelly. Mu said that when you have a passion for the horses, you wouldn't smell anything or mind the flies. Since I certainly do not have a passion for horses (nor for anything else), I had to come prepared.

Mu walking towards her baby

It's a lot of work and responsibility looking after this magnificent animal. Teena had a lovely shiny coat (ok, it's chestnut, not light brown) and Mu cleaned and brushed her more often than I do my kids. We saw Teena eating grass (and a few carrots), Mu cleaned, massaged and brushed her all over, I got whipped by Teena's tail because I made the mistake of standing behind her, and Mu also cleaned her hoofs - a clear sign of love because it stank and it wasn't easy holding on to that horse. In the week, Teena would also need to be trained in the big arena, so to get to ride her you also have to look after her well first.

Mu scraping dirt etc from Teena's hoofs

No passion for horses was suddenly revealed during the visit so I'm back to my mundane existence. Right now I spend alot of my time looking for my schoolmates from Primary school on facebook. Do you think that there will still be time and/or a chance that I may discover a passion for something in the years to come?

The covered arena on the left and more stalls on the right

Thank you, Mu, for bringing me to visit your baby. She's a lovely and very nice girl and I have enjoyed this little outing very much. Even meeting that old thin Italian was interesting. Don't worry, I'm not having a complex about my eyes after that. That's part and parcel of being Chinese :-). And we populate the earth.