Mom’s Corner - Barcelona Olympics, 1992
Barcelona is the only Olympics Herb & I didn’t attend. I believe the reasons were that it took 2 hours each way to get to the Dressage Arena, If you could get housing. We didn’t go, but I will try to give you a picture of what the critics said was a terrific ride under very difficult circumstances. We were lucky enough to see his ride on TV & later in the magazines.
Robert had a great year riding Walter & Mary Ann McFail’s horse Lectron, who looked like he had a sure opporrtunity for a metal.
Robert tested his bit, and bridle before they entering the arena. All of a sudden Lectron’s tongue came out over his bit. Robert told me you can’t stop or do anything physical to get your mount to put his tongue back into his mouth. It soon became evident Robert would have to control Lectron with his legs & seat. It was truly amazing to see how well it went. The score was around 65, enough to help the tean win the bronze.
Next Atlanta.
Robert’s Mom
Marci Brown — January 28, 2010 @ 8:57 pm
Dear Roberts Mom,
On the blog it is ….. ( smile )
I can only imagine the feel of watching your son achieve such accomplishments ! My son Caleb is 12 ( going on 30, he is an old soul !) and I am so excited for what the future holds for him. Caleb is already an accomplished horseman, but I think his real passion lies in music, at least so far. He is a wonderful cellist, and plays the violin also. How easy it is for a Mom to brag about her children ! Im sure you feel the same. It is the greatest mark we can leave as a legacy, to have a hand in the lives of our children. How awesome that seems. I bet I could learn so much from you about this ! I think I will adopt you as my Mom/mentor, I hope that is okay !!!!
I hope to take Caleb to watch the dressage in England at the 2012 Olympics. We have already told our family members that live in Wales that we are coming over, and sleeping on the sofa ! It will be great ! Maybe we will kidnap you and bring you along ! We can cheer for Roberts success for the Canadian team together !
Keep up the wonderful stories ! We love hearing them !
Jean Dover — January 28, 2010 @ 10:03 pm
Oh Marci, How many times I said, couldn’t you love to play the violin! Why horses when both Mother, and Father, and Friends have to take part in taking you every where until you are 16 and able to drive yourself. Then having to ask to borrow your own car with smelled just like the stable.
If I remember Herb bought Robert a car in self defense so we could liberate ours.
Now I miss those wonderful days of horse shows, and traveling all over the world to watch the World Equestrian events. Seeing Robert in shows big or little always made my heart beat
I do hope you get to take Caleb to the 2012 Olympic games. That will be thrilling. Yes please reserve me a sofa next to you. I don’t think I snore!
We still talk about the 32,00 dollar hamburger Herb bought me waling down the street in Sweden, and the 8 dollar water, nine with ice!
More tomorrow Marci. It’s bedtime now in La La land. Maybe I can find some pictures to have Julian put up for you to see.
Marci I truly don”t know were you fond all the time to do all the things you do and still write to me.
Bless you, my dear,
Love You very much,
Robert’s Mom
Jean Dover — January 28, 2010 @ 10:07 pm
Dear Marci & Robert,
I sear to you I read and reread this e-mail, but I didn’t see the few mistakes until it was to late. Please forgive me as it is after my bedtime!
You know who!
Jessica — January 30, 2010 @ 11:48 am
Hi Robert’s Mom! Hope you are doing well! I totally meant to message you on here to remind you that Burn Notice is back on! This week was a second episode! So if you are looking for something to watch, it’s back on! Love that show! Things are still very chilly here in Chicago, but it is supposed to get up to the 30’s next week. Today I am going to try to get out and wash my car - it’s covered in dirt and salt! We have a place up here (turtle wax) where they wash and dry the cars for you, but my sister just called and said the line is out around the parking lot and all of the way back to the street - I would have to wait an hour to get in! I think I’ll wait until later or first thing tomorrow morning - Nothing like a clean car in the winter though!
Hope you and Herb are doing well! Love jessica
Jean Dover — January 30, 2010 @ 9:35 pm
Dear Jessica,
I watched the news at 7. I literally thanked God for letting me live in southern Florida. When I was younger I didn’t mind Chicago or Toronto winters, but now burr, I couldn’t take it.
I have a man that comes every other Weekend to wash my car. That is a real luxury. The kids used to do it for me. Now there are no kids around as this is a senior community. I sometimes miss the sound of young voices,but only sometimes!
I hope your Mom is doing better. I don’t know what is the matter with me. I had an MRI of the brain. No problem there. Then I went to Bascom Palmer for my eyes. They are stable. Then I went to the Ear, Nose & Throat Doctor & my head was put in a tiny MRI. It showed no sinus problem. Why then do I have a constant headache? My blood pressure is high so I take a pill for that. It makes me dizzy. So Doctor Jessica, what do you think?
I have always been a very social person. Now when relatives come to town I beg off. Every day I pray for a better day. Maybe tomorrow.
I put up a new twister game. No laughing at me, but I can never find it to see if anyone is playing! If you find it tell me how OK?
Don’t get frostbitten.
Love,
Robert’s Mom, Jean
Jessica — January 31, 2010 @ 2:55 pm
Hi Jean - I looked for your twister game and I can’t find it either! I have to admit that I do like that first snow each winter, but then after that, I am ready for spring. I am hoping that darn groundhog does not see his shadow - I can’t take 6 more weeks of winter!
Mom is doing OK - She had the blood transfusion on Wednesday, platelet transfusion Thursday - Feeling better but not 100%. I am picking her up in a 1/2 hour and we are going shopping at Kohls, out to an early dinner and than maybe to go see my nieces. Mom is going to try her hand at walking out to the car with me, but I have the wheelchair for the shopping trip. Her legs are weak. She’s very frustrated by that.
How often do you take the blood pressure pill? My mom has the opposite problem - SOmetimes in the mornings she wakes up with low blood pressure …glad to hear all of those other tests came back OK though!
Well, off to finish getting dressed and then picking mom up - I’ll write more later! Love Jessica
Marci Brown — January 31, 2010 @ 9:55 pm
Hi Guys,
Guess what I did today ! Learned to use a chain saw !!! We heat the farm house about 80% with wood, and while it is usually Dales job to cut the wood, we had a family day of it today . So all of us, family, residential teens, dogs and Dale and I headed out to the woods. Coffee, hot chocolate and snacks in hand. It was cold, but once you get working , we were all peeling layers off pretty quickly. My job started out as tractor driver , but eventually I ended up with a chain saw. I was scared stiff… but way to proud/stubborn to admit it !
So we came home with two truck loads of fire wood, and I still have all my arms and legs intact ! Impressive ???? Some chili from the crock pot, a warm bath and some time by the fire now. Whew !
xoxo
Marci Brown — January 31, 2010 @ 9:56 pm
On the down side…. we did skip church to go to the woods. It was nice to enjoy nature, but I miss enough Sundays during show season !
Beth Collier — February 3, 2010 @ 10:21 am
I hate snow! We had 10 more inches Sat. AM and this weekend is supposed to be the BIG storm. We only have one snow shovel, so my husband and I take turns shoveling. I told him to be sure to buy TWO more snow shovels, that kind of guarantees it WON’T snow!
Hi Marci above: Travel and accommodation is going be a HUGE headache for the London Olympics. Your son might enjoy going to the Badminton or Burghley Horse Trials more. And the shopping is fabulous. In 2011, the European Young Rider Championship will be at Blair Castle north of Edinburgh, Scotland. I’ve been there twice– it is absolutely magical. Or you might enjoy the Windsor Horse Show in mid-May– they have many classes from driving to show jumping.
Bernie Hewitt — February 5, 2010 @ 6:02 pm
Jean, hi
Barcelona was my first Olympics as a reporter. For reasons which seem hysterically funny in hindsight but at the time were devastating, it was not my favourite.
Next time I go to the store where we have all the stuff I can’t fit into our tiny house I’ll try to find the article I wrote. But I SO remember as that was my first time TV commentating too and having to sit there and explain how Robert was getting through helped me work out how I was going to do the same.
Hope you’re rallying my dear, thinking often of you,
Bxx
Jean Dover — February 6, 2010 @ 5:36 pm
To bad Bernie that we didn’t get to Barcelona. That is the only Olympics we missed, darn! I don’t know why my computer is doing this. You and I would have met for sure. I remember the article you wrote. It praised the way Robert rode with only his legs. I think we at home heard you commentating. Am I right on that too?
On the home front, my blood pressure has gone up from the chemo Avastin. It is one of it’s side effects. I take a blood pressure pill each morning. It makes my mornings miserable so the time I would usually spend on the computer is wasted on sleeping it off. When I go to the DR. Thursday I will ask if I can’t try something else and become more normal.
Our lovely Granddaughter Morgan arrives Wednesday and will take me. Isn’t that sweet.
Robert is trying very hard to get the Canadians to take lessons watching the masters ride in Wellington. I didn’t know coaches wear suits everyday. I found out because he complained his forehead was all burned even with sun screen on it. Live & Learn.
It is amazing to have an American bettering the Europeans. Ravel is a fabulous horse being ridden by a very deserving man.
I love hearing from you Bernie.
I am still praying for Hazel. How is she doing?
Love,
Robert’s Mom, Jean
Jean Dover — February 6, 2010 @ 5:41 pm
I just learned something else. When I type in the comment there are spaces I don’t want but can’t get rid of. When they are submitted they disappear so my sentence about it doesn’t make sense. It is too late now. Sorry. Jean
Jean Dover — February 6, 2010 @ 7:47 pm
You Super girls, Marci welding a chain saw, and you Beth hefting a snow shovel! My, my, I have to consider you superwomen. Your husbands wouldn’t dare cross you. If you got angry enough you could slice them with the chain saw, or hit them over the head with the snow shovel. They better watch their P&QS!
It was so windy here in sunny Florida today, if I hadn’t been holding Herb’s hand as we walked I would literly have been blown down on my fanny.
Do you watch the Super Bowl? I have relatives here from Indianna and they are braving going to the game. I will watch the half time, and maybe a little football if it is a close game.
Years ago we went to watch the Super Bowl game at a favorite bar,and restaurant. They had a pool going we decided to join in. We put in our money and what odds and so forth it would take to win. Our know it all husbands all laughed, thinking, what do they know. Our girl friend who new nothing about football won the 10,000 dollars. She couldn’t believe it, nor could her husband! I don’t remember if she shared with him, I hope not. Both are long dead so I can’t ask. Poor Herb is the last of all his buddies.
More as Robert’s Mom’s life turns.
Love to all
Robert’s Mom