Having just gotten our first big adventure as horse breeders out of the way (the birth of Holy Moly Sweet Melissa on May 22), we're embarking on our second. Bessie went up to Canada yesterday to be bred to Bayside Rainman for what we think will be a spectacular foal. Omens were good: The trip up had no major problems, the border crossing was no trouble at all, Mark found the place OK, and best of all, barely had Bess stepped off the trailer when it became abundantly clear that she was in heat, so her first encounter with Rainman should be tonight.

A few minor hitches on the way home--the truck broke down in a little Canadian town, but Mark found a motel, stayed the night, and in the morning the motel owner drove him to a parts shop so he could replace the pulley and belt (the pulley broke, the belt was intact but Mark changed it anyway just to be safe) and that was the end of the adventure.