Now that 2022 has come to an official end, happy new year!!

Welcome to 2023. It’s become almost tradition to make the first post of the year a journal like reflection on the year we just ended, and take time to offer up hopes for the new year. Its important to remember a new year is a new clean slate, while we all know its not completely a reset, it is a new approach. The new year allows us to correct our path, reset our boundaries and carry on with this crazy thing called life.

I was so lucky this year in so many ways. I got to visit Washington state, and Spokane specifically, three times this year. I am so thankful for B’s family and his old buddy pass with the major airline he was with, we wouldn’t have made it there and back so many times otherwise. Brannon and I went to Los Angeles. He met my parents, and we killed it at Universal Studios Hollywood while we were there. He got to see where I went to school at Brentwood, he ate at Belwood Bakery in the village like a basic white girl and we stomped around Will Rogers Park because I felt like we needed to. We had endless San Francisco dates, San Jose meet ups and adventures around the Bay Area to keep us busy. We visited two zoos, one aquarium, and took the winding road all the way to Mt Hamilton to see Lick Observatory.

I worked at Chaparral until basically Halloween, and I quit. I have loved all of the horses I met through Chaparral, and it really made me realize I was a decent rider this whole time. My rides on Billie feel a lifetime ago already and I miss him like crazy. Summer gave me so many tools in my riding tool box, and I want a bridle horse like her one day. I could go on forever thanking those horses for their time with me…and I will in eventual blog posts, but not today. Today’s post is also to say a grateful goodbye to some of those faces who probably will struggle through this cold winter. This goodbye is also for the eventual passing of the horses who gave their all to my students everyday, since I may never see them again. It was so bittersweet to work for the ranch that bought all the horses I grew up lessoning on. It made my riding journey feel full circle.

To celebrate my grandparents anniversary, and a couple birthdays, my grandparents and I took Hawaiian Airlines first class to Honolulu and Lihue. I had the best time seeing a state I have dreamed about seeing since 2006, but I also struggled the whole trip on my own. I got tonsillitis from a reaction to no-see-um bites, I was ambushed by a huge cockroach, and I puked my guts out in a helicopter tour over the Nā Pali Coast. The food was amazing, I had my own lemon drop tour – tasting every restaurant’s lemon drop each time we went out, and oh man the pineapples. I have never seen so many free roam chickens as I did in Poipu, there must’ve been 2 per person like in Madagascar. I tried snorkeling and failed unfortunately, but I was able to find see and enjoy 15+ sea turtles on my stay in the islands. I will be back to visit the USS Arizona, as it was the one part of Pearl Harbor we couldn’t squeeze in.

While I was gone seeing all the Monstera Deliciosas I could want in the wild in Hawaii, mine at home started their initial root rot. Unfortunately, by the time Christmas hit, they were long suffering and quickly tossed in fear gnats would find us. I will be acquiring a new plant at the right time to fill its pot, until then it’s hidden behind the TV in shame.

As you all know, Grey2Bay and co relocated to Arizona. Brannon is attending flight school and I am working hard teaching riding lessons for an amazing program. Turbo is adjusting to life here like a champ, but boarding is his least favorite experience outside of the vet so were opting to keep him at home going forward. The weather in Arizona has been shocking to say the least, but I am finding I feel at home here a little more everyday.

My car, one of my prized possessions, is running perfectly after a hard year. Bloo is my 2021 Volkswagen Jetta, and she took a beating after we made it to Arizona. I’ll expand on it more, but I had to drive back across the CA – AZ state border to change my ID and I cracked my windshield. Before that misadventure, she made the drive full to the brim with stuff, and full of mouse or rat teeth marks in the soy based wire coatings of my engine bay. That will be fun to have the dealership handle at some point.

Another of my prized possessions, my saddle and saddle pad collection mostly made it to ‘Zona with me. All but Sunset and Prosecco made it to our apartment in the road-trip. I couldn’t believe I was able to fit that much more stuff with those two pads out, but I was. I found a lovely saddle rack, I display my saddle and my Matt Harnacke x ES pad daily. You’ll be seeing more of the G2B Tack Box, but I thought I would tell you a fun fact. 85% of my collection was bought this year. My bank probably hates me, and my tack box is in two states now.

I redid and reset my facial routine for the year, which we’ll visit soon. I took the time to make sure I never left home without looking my best for that day, makeup on or not. I made sure to focus my money on brands I love, trust and believe in. In the nail department, I rediscovered the art of having nice well manicured nails. I have loved wearing beautiful nails for occasions while also allowing my natural nails to heal from horse girl life. From Spokane to Hawaii to Spokane again, they have treated me well. My 2023 goal is to let my natural nails grow out enough I can just paint my nails again instead of great temporary nails.

After breaking my lease on Capone, riding Kisses my former bosses horse and moving I have been solely focused on my horse time. I have been trying to get a lease to own situation off the ground with a fellow Horse Twitter mutual, so you guys will know about that the second it gets moving. It would be a dream to have a horse out here to enjoy. My boss was kind enough to allow me to board at her home barn despite removing the option from the ranch’s website literally today. With that option, I will have a bit more freedom to figure out my budget I am hoping. In the meanwhile, I have restarted my game on Howrse, absolutely no shame.

This year was a hard year in the equine department. EHV-1 ravaged the equine community, specifically in the Bay Area. Unfortunately, patient one for one of the biggest and longest running outbreaks was my beloved Caz. A former student at one of my old jobs let me know. Come to find out he was suffering from the neurological side effects of the virus and was he was humanely put down. I have grieved him, I miss him and I can’t possibly thank him enough. Our time together was so important to me. Thanks for letting me love you bud.

Brannon has been quite literally flying through flight school. He soloed a month and a few weeks after he started, and is on track to have his checkride by his 2 month mark or so. I am so proud of him, and his progress. He has been so driven, focused and open to correction his whole journey so far, and he’s making it work for him. We would love to rent a plane this year to see my Dad and Brannon’s Grandmother, so 2023 better show up for us. We have flying to do haha.

Grey2Bay has expanded on various socials, and we will be linking them this year for all to enjoy. Massive thank you to brands like LinkTree for being there when my ADHD brain wants to dump too many links in one go. If you are a Patreon type of person that link will be going live this year, loaded with content. As always with a new year, enjoy what was and look forward to what’s coming by following the new 2023 Grey2Bay tag. We love having you here and we can’t wait to share more with y’all.