April 2009 - Joanie's Blog

I am currently sitting in the O'Hare airport on the floor next to what appears to be the only functioning outlet in the place. All I can smell is latte. We had a botched breakfast plan yesterday so decided to go for coffee instead. I managed to spill not one but two cups of coffee on Martin Atock and on my backpack. Now if any of you know Martin, he doesn't like to be messy, he was then in the Venetian covered in Latte. He doesn't feel sorry for me that my bag smells funny but I do have his dry cleaning with me to ensure he has something to wear by the time he gets to Lexington on Tuesday. The trip to the Venetian was well worth it, even causing great debate as to whether the sky way actually moving or if it was painted on the ceiling. I won that one.

The day ended with a strange feeling of happy disapointment. We were all so proud of McLain and Sapphire but perhaps it just wasn't meant to be. He couldn't have been more gracious in the press conference (unlike another second place finisher over the weekend).  We are so lucky to have athletes like these in our country.

We went out for dinner last night with Sally Ike (who learned a new bar trick), Will Connell, Lizzy Chesson and myself. It may have been the best meal I've had in Vegas. I had 9 silver MGM dollars so i cashed them out before I left. the guy in front of me was cashing out $7900. He had a better week than I did at the tables!

I'm going to be very, very happy to get home. I have five people in town for Rolex, they all need beds!

Top 10 Things I Saw at the 2009 FEI World Cup Final

1T. Ravel. An inexperienced horse went eye to eye with the very best in the game and refused to blink. He held his own and as a result Steffen Peters got a watch of HIS own (and one for his wife Shannon). By Sunday afternoon, Ravel was back looking like a giant pony: mane everywhere, he had just gotten up from a nap and was covered in shavings looking a little sleepy. He wouldn't have been the only bleary-eyed person in the Peters camp yesterday.

1T. Sapphire. 'Sara' was dazzling. Caught out by two seconds in the World Cup scoring system, she had to settle for second. But her performance was perfect. More than that though, she is such a part of the family. Both the Wards and the McKeevers (Erica and Lee look after her). After everything was all over, Lauren Ward was trying to find a donut to feed her. Sara has a wicked sweet tooth.

3. Shutterfly (I'm probably biased to Sara). This fleet-footed sportscar just zoomed around the Thomas & Mack Arena. The faster Meredith went, the better he jumped. It was extremely emotional win for Meredith as her father had passed away less than a month ago.

4.Will Simpson riding a reining horse in the celebrity challenge. He is so game for anything, 15h Quarter Horses included. He told me on Sunday he was going to talk to the reining guys about carrying on with it. I told him that I wanted to see him in 2010 at the WEG in two sports. Will also was our master interviewer after the show jumping. He talked to Hillary, George and McLain about the World Cup Final.

5. Juice Newton singing Angels in the Morning before the second show jumping round. She was just awesome. I've since bought both her's and the Pretenders' versions of Angels in the Morning and I'm currently doing an iTunes comparison while sitting in O'Hare.

6.Rich Fellers save on Flexible when they disagreed about where they were going to turn, both instantly agreed that they would try to stick together and Rich never gave up.

7.The Hoover Dam. When it was built at the beginning of the century they knew it would change the country, it meant that a place like Las Vegas could survive in the desert. 

8. The reaction of people to Debbie and Steffen when people got to meet them for an autograph signing. People are starstruck.

9. Brentina's retirement ceremony. There were broken hearts all over that venue. But the legendary mare will hopefully be producing more legends soon.

10. Shannon Peters wearing a jacket on Saturday night that said: Ride it like you stole it.

All photos by Shannon Brinkman (except for the Hoover Dam).

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The dressage justice in the world continued last night. In a fiercely difficult freestyle, Ravel and Steffen delivered a World Cup Championship performance.

It was one of those nights where the planets aligned. How lucky are we to have been a part of it? Ravel got better, and better, and better throughout the Freestyle and they brought down the house for the US.

RAVEL WINS

To the music of the Rolling Stones’ Sympathy for the Devil, Ravel, who had an introduction to the world in Hong Kong last summer, set the record straight.

Seven months after their trip to China, history was rewritten.

I ran from the stands down to the in-gate and ran into Rafa, he and Ravel were speechless. The only words out of my mouth are not able to be printer in a PG-13 rated blog. It was just that good.

Watching Steffen watch Anky’s test after his rider was beyond painful, always as cool as ice – every nerve was raw. When they announced her score, the tunnel (between the warm-up and the arena) nearly exploded.

Shannon and Steffen

The prize giving was unbelievable, Ravel stood like a stone and Steffen said it was so loud on the floor it was overpowering.


Steffen then did scores of interviews, and lived the life of a real life celebrity. The classiest of acts, he took it all in and now both he and his wife Shannon have gorgeous Rolex watches.

When I left him, he still couldn’t believe that it had happened.

Before the class started, Steffen and Shannon came up and watched the national anthem, he got a big high five from George Morris on his way out to the barn, and you just got the feeling that it was going to work out.

THE CHAMP

Earlier in the day, Sapphire was gracious enough to do a video interview with Sarah Lane  and one of her best friends, Erica McKeever. Erica and her husband Lee have worked for the Wards for 20 years,  and has looked after (and ridden Sapphire since the beginning) McLain then came and signed at the booth armed with one of the McKeever children and a skateboard. == tried to beg a jacket off me at the USEF booth and then the rest of the McKeever family showed up with Lauren Ward (McLain’s wife) and seemed to be having a pretty fun time as spectators.

Armed with a bucket of popcorn, the McKeevers went in to watch dressage, Lee could not understand how it could possibly take two hours for 11 horses to go in dressage land, but they stayed until the end and watched Ravel.

They too were rewarded for their patience.
And hopefully will be again later today.

All photos by Shannon Brinkman

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After we all recovered from Brentina’s retirement ceremony Debbie graciously came to the USEF booth and signed. And signed. And signed. People bought jackets and I Love Brentina t-shirts. So many kind words were exchanged with Debbie. Both she and Steffen are just class acts. The integrity of some of our top athletes is simply phenomenal.

We had another one in that category when Will Simpson showed up in the afternoon to kick off the Gold Medal show jumping signing. Hugely popular (he is so charismatic), Will is also our best Team USA jacket spokesmen. Currently his daughter Sophie is running around the venue wearing one too. He is riding in the Celebrity Reining Challenge and informed me that he has his favorite accreditation ever: it says  REINING COMPETITOR.

Once Will was done signing the fun started.

Sapphire.

As fast as she could go

McLain’s mare was dazzling last night . McLain went as fast as he possibly could go, and somehow it wasn’t fast enough to beat Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Shutterfly.

But the effort was phenomenal.

The US Team really held their own in the Show Jumping. McLain led the charge but Beezie, Richard, Rich and Hillary all jumped off.

Beezie’s horse looked beyond his nine years, he found his way in the first round  and came back blazing in the jump off. Danny Boy looks like he will be a good understudy for Authentic. Speaking of Bud, Beezie says he’s doinggreat, enjoying a well deserved break. I cant wait to see him (and Danny Boy)on the road to the WEG over the next year and a half.

Danny Boy and Beezie Very Smiley

The jumping ended late and Meredith collected another Rolex watch.

Shutterfly: If you told me he was a racehorse i would believe you.

We had a good dinner at 11 pm, Lizzy Chesson and I waited around the venue until the standings were finalized. Luckily our dinner company was on the job and ordered for us because they had stopped taking orders by the time we got there. Martin Atock and Henry Bullen from Peden Bloodstock – (they got all the European horses here) and British Chef d’Mission Will Connell made for some good company. A few drinks later, it was way too late again.

Vegas is really humming now that the weekend is here and no one seems to be in hurry to go anywhere. As Lizzy and I speed walked through the lobby/casino/to the elevators on the way to dinner, people look at us like we are half nuts. I’ve determined that they make visual over stimulation so that people stop all the time. Not good for those of us of the impatient variety.

We were feeling super ambitious this morning, and despite a slight haze, got up at 6 and went to the Hoover Dam.

Damn.

(Sorry I couldn’t help it).

We were lucky enough to borrow a truck from the local shipping agent, Apollo Horse Transport, and headed 30 miles East to the Arizona/Nevada border.

It is some serious piece of engineering. It wasn’t actually open yet (so we didn’t go in it) but we climbed all over it. More than three million cubic yards of concrete. I will try to post a picture, but cannot, for the life of me find the cord to my camera, I’ve been relying on Shannon Brinkman and her fabulous photos this week and haven’t had to worry about getting pictures myself.

She has done such a good job.

Martin (who is Irish by breeding but lives in Germany) wrestled with the gas pump as he didn’t quite know what a zip code was… somehow, the machine took his German postal code to match his credit card… makes me think that perhaps it doesn’t really matter what numbers you punch in.

We got back by 9.30 and am now currently watching the Las Vegas Grand Prix with Will Connell and Michael Whitaker and his three kids who have been eating ice cream and keeping score. I grew up in awe of the Whitakers (Michael and his brother John) when I lived in the UK. Milton, Gammon, Monsanta. Those horses were plastered all over my bedroom  walls in our little house in Yorkshire. Life has a funny way of coming to fruition. Michael stole my pen.

Cross every finger and toe for Steffen tonight.

All photos by Shannon Brinkman.

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Anyone who said they didn’t cry is lying.

In fact, photographer Ken Braddick told me that he didn’t and I told him he had no heart.

From the moment she set foot in the arena, the floodgates were open.

Brentina has always moved people with her performances, but today, as she walked around the Thomas & Mack with Debbie McDonald aboard, everyone was astounded with her presence.

Debbie had lost her composure by the time she got on the gallant mare. Everyone else was just a few seconds late.

Two Olympic Games, two World Games, countless Grand Prix, legendary World Cup performances… it is a long list of incredible achievement.

The 18-year-old Hanoverian legend had a scare with colic less than two months ago, but seeing her in the arena today, those tense, sleepless nights were a thing very much of the past for.

Surrounded by Rubin, her longtime, beloved groom, Peggy and Parry Thomas and a host of friends and support staff as well of legions of fans, celebrated the dressage legend one more time.

Rubin, 'Big Mama', Debbie and Bob.

It was awesome. Really awesome.

When ‘her’ music: Respect, by Aretha Franklin started as she was leaving the ring, Brentina, walking next to Debbie, began to passage.

That is how cool she is.

How lucky are we to have been part of that ride?

Photo by Shannon Brinkman

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The Jumping riders had big shoes to fill after Steffen’s dressage win in the morning, and fortunately, they didn’t disappoint.

Rich Fellers (who drew number 1) displayed some masterful stickability, when he and Flexible has a momentary disagreement as to which side of the Rolex clock they were going to turn. Rich is pretty tenacious and Flexible, all 15.3 hands of him, is all heart as he basically trotted the sixth fence as a result.

FLEXIBLE LIVING UP TO HIS NAME

He was good enough for fourth place, and likely would have won without the mishap. Rich, who was second last year, got in to the Final on a Wild Card and as Sally Ike (USEF Managing Director of Jumping) put it after he finished, “He certainly earned his spot!”

There was some fantastic jumping, the fences just look massive in the Arena and only a handful of the horses looked out-classed. My draw in the pool was a good one, as McLain was third with a textbook performance on Sapphire. She is just phenomenal and their partnership is one of so much confidence. Two-time World Cup champ (and title defender) Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum looks to have Shutterfly back on his usual, phenomenal form. The gorgeous Hannoverian gelding is just so fast. He is very light bodied and could be mistaken for being part thoroughbred.

On a side note, Meredith has the most fabulous hair, she can take her helmet off after a winning class and her hair looks perfect, it is truly an amazing feature.

It was great to catch up with Sapphire’s groom: Lee McKeever, another person I hadn’t seen since Hong Kong.

SAPPHIRE

I actually sat at a blackjack table the other night. And lost all 15 of my dollars and might have cured my gambling habit. This place (as in the MGM) is really picking up as the weekend closes in, it takes a long time to maneuver around here, and I realized yesterday I could watch Keeneland here in the Sports bar. There really isn’t much you can’t find or do in this place.

Today there is only jumping at night so there was lots going on in the morning trying to catch up.

Steffen Peters, graciously agreed to sign at our USEF booth. Close to 80 people lined up and Steffen, as gracious as always stood and signed and signed and signed. Hats, t-shirts, programs and photos all over this venue now bear his signature. He only had 45 minutes as he had to run off to ride in the Young Horse Division.

Ladies and Gentleman, Ravel has an understudy: Zidane was a star. Five years old and unfazed, Steffen’s superstar has a wonderful disciple.

This was on the heels of an awesome Pas de Deux which Guenter Seidel and Elizabeth Ball stole with an awesome rendition to the music of Phantom of the Opera.
Brentina is about to be retired, I promise more on that after the tears dry up!

I just stopped in and saw Sapphire and Lee, she's resting up and getting some nourishment for tonight:

All photos (except for the last one) are Shannon Brinkman's.

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So much has happened today I’m not sure where to start. This morning started with another run on the strip. More illicit activities witnessed and I was a little later so there was loads more activity. Made for some quick thinking at times.

Back to the venue… the day got off to a very disappointing start for the dressage riders, my heart just broke for Jan Ebeling and Leslie Morse, both had huge disappointments. Jan’s mare, Rafalca, simply couldn’t take the atmosphere and  decorations in the arena and poor Leslie: Kingston went inexplicably lame in the beginning of the test and was excused.

Not a good way to start the day.

This also meant that there was lots of pressure on Steffen Peters. The King of Cool put in the best test of the Ravel’s career, there was nothing but brilliance. Steffen beat two of the very best (Anky and Isabel) but his win was undeniable.

FLAWLESS...

If you want more news see: www.usef.org. I’m done with the news.

Ravel’s connections were thrilled and tears flowed in the tunnel after the test. I owe Akiko Yamazaki (Ravel’s fabulous owner) a MASSIVE apology for spelling her name wrong in the press release, there is no excuse, it was a full blown screw up. Sorry and no disrespect Akiko!

I feel like there is some justice in the world, as my personal opinion is that Steffen was robbed of a medal in Hong Kong, today that wrong was righted and he truly is on top of the world.

Needless to say today was a roller coaster (as big as the one on The Strip) in US Dressage Land. I spent a lot of time talking to the press to get all the facts sorted… there weren’t too many people disappointed to see Steffen win.

Ravel was a study of class during the prize giving. There was a whole lot of atmosphere (lets just say the day started with real fire works in the arena) as you would expect in Las Vegas. Ravel stood like a stone, in the spotlight with a huge horsey smile on his face.

The horse brought his rider to tears.

YOU THINK THIS GUY IS HAPPY?

I went to see Ravel after his test and there was winner written all over him as he stood on the cross ties waiting for his groom Rafa to finish up doing him off. He begged handfuls of treats from whoever walked by and was pretty darn proud of himself.  He is after all, a horse, he jumped into his feed tub nose first by the time I left and was happy as could be.


A few numbers from today:

500: steps from the elevator to the shuttle, all inside the MGM Grand, and no I didn’t count, an Aussie lady I met on the bus did.
42 text messages waiting for Steffen on his iphone after his test; more than 100 emails
14: dollars Shannon Peters spent on the most fabulous bag at Marshall’s yesterday
1: real Rolex watch won by Steffen, the copy watches of Hong Kong are a thing of the past!

It is fantastic to have Jessica Ransehousen back on the job, she is a great legend of the sport and has made such an impact on American dressage.  She is acting as Chef d’Equipe. Fiercely enthusiastic and determined, she was great fun to be around this afternoon. After Steffen rode we all traipsed to the press conference, which involved an elevator. Both Anky and Shannon are fiercely either claustrophobic or elevator phobic which made for a tense few moments after we all piled in and went to the wrong floor. We all survived and then the press had a great time with Steffen.

More Scene and Heard around the Venue:

The popcorn must be good here at Thomas and Mack, I just saw British Show Jumping phenom Ben Maher and his girlfriend eating a bucket.

I felt like I could have been at a Red Sox game, there were ticket scalpers outside and the traffic to get in was amazing. How great is it to have sold out crowds??

The jumping is about to start, more on that when it is over. In the mean time, I got Sapphire in the pool totally by luck.

FINGERS CROSSED and TOES TOO for all the US riders!

ALL PHOTOS BY SHANNON BRINKMAN.

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It is cold in this desert. I woke up this morning, after a quiet dinner and catching up with some people I hadn’t seen since Hong Kong, and went for a run. As it was my first trip to the City of Sin, I thought there was no better place to run than down The Strip. Sally Ike was very kind in telling me how to get there, as you could easily get lost for a week before you even leave the MGM Grand.

Lizzy Chesson (Team Leader for the Show Jumpers) and I are roommates this week, she and I had a long debate on the 11th floor as to how many layers I needed to wear.

I should have listened to her as it was absolutely frigid when I finally got outside. It had also rained, again slightly weird in the desert.

Las Vegas is just surreal. I turned the first corner and was face to face with the Statue of Liberty. I ran by the Bellagio, Caesar’s Palace, the Eiffel Tower, a whole bunch of other hotels and some guys happily drinking beer (it was 7.30 am) out of pitchers. The few other runners I saw were giving out high fives.

There are 5000 rooms in the MGM Grand. Robert Ridland (who is running the show jumping here) told me last night that 18 of the 22 (I think this is right) biggest hotels in the world are in Las Vegas.

I’m not sure if this city is recession-proof but there is all kinds of construction happening out there. I’m not sure how many more rooms they can build, but the place is already crowded and it isn’t event the weekend yet.

I got to the venue and got my credential switched (long story – in the system twice) and then the jumping training started. The horses look great, but it is a small venue and some were spooky as the jumps are so close to the walls.

Each rider had 90 seconds to do what ever they wanted in the ring. There were nine jumps (one combination) and the US horses looked great. The course designer is Anthony D’Ambrosio, and he will have a task to be creative in such a small space.

Flexible jumped for fun for Rich Fellers, Cadett was a little excited for Ashlee Bond, but she used every second in the ring to get him to settle. Beezie Madden’s Danny Boy was unfazed by the atmosphere and Up Chiqui was obviously feeling fresh. He threw in a couple of bucks for Kent Farrington.

UP CHIQUI takes it all in

Scene and Heard around the Venue…

Rodrigo Pessoa with biggest bucket of popcorn I’ve ever seen in my life.

Todd Minikus with an armful of his son as soon as he jumped off Pavarotti.

Leslie Morse  on a big time hunt for pins, Gil Merrick and I had to inform her that even her USEF pin was outdated.

Jumping Chef d’Equipe, George Morris,  studying the horses practicing dressage. “You always watch,” he told me. “And you always learn.”
He wasn’t just talking about horses.


Eight Minutes with Richard Spooner (who has been to the World Cup Final Eight times)

I spent  about 8 minutes with Richard Spooner, I don’t have too much experience with the West Coast riders so I thought it would be good to catch up.

Richard has won more than 100 Grand Prix been to the World Cup Final eight times. He will ride Ace in the Speed class tomorrow and Cristallo in the other two classes.

Richard went to the first World Cup Final in Helsinki with Casino.

“I’m not sure if it was 1997 or 1998, but it was my first trip to Finland and it was the first one I did. I was fourth, so I liked that part.”

“The best part about the World Cup is that you have all the best riders and horses in one place at one time. It is an opportunity to compete and learn.”

Richard had been a working for Canadian Ian Millar (the definition of show jumping legend) for a week in 1989 when he got to go to the Final with him. He got to walk the course and get his first feel for the Final from the inside.

Ian won on the legendary Big Ben, and did it so easily that Richard remembers this:

“He knew going into the last line that he was going to win even if he had a rail or two. He left out a stride twice in that line – because he could. That type of clarity, knowing that he had won, that’s what I remember.”

Both of Richard’s horses are 11-year-olds, and although Cristallo has had more success, Spooner is happy with how both of them are doing coming into the competition.

“Ace is developing into a better horse every year, it was a hard decision to use Cristallo over Ace. They are so different. Cristallo is a little bit of a maniac, he’s strong in the bridle and likes to charge in to the jumps. Ace is pretty rideable. He’s more cautious. His temperament is more relaxed and subdued.”

RICHARD SPOONER AND ACE

On to the dressage ring:

Leslie Morse’s enthusiasm was unmistakable as she and Kingston had their seven minutes of practice time in the Thomas & Mack Arena. All the dressage combinations got time acclimate this afternoon. Her appreciation and love for the 17-year-old stallion is unmistakable. He looks far from is age and it was fantastic to see him back on such top form.

LESLIE MORSE AND KINGSTON

Steffen Peters and Ravel were crowd favorites. Steffen is the reigning USEF Equestrian of the Year, and his achievements with Ravel are remarkable. Together they are the reigning USEF National Champions and the US record holders for the highest score ever in a freestyle. Ravel looks awesome and got a few spooks out of his system before tomorrow.

STEFFEN PETERS AND RAVEL

Jan Ebeling had his first tour around the Thomas & Mack arena with Rafalca as a competitor. Two years ago he did the test ride at the World Cup Final. One of only two mares out of the 15 competitors, Rafalca looked at home in the atmosphere.

RAFALCA

Going to the Draw in about 30 minutes, more later…

ALL PHOTOS BY SHANNON BRINKMAN

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After a 4.20 wake-up alarm this morning, I had a cold cup of coffee (accidentally), found my way to Lexington airport in the midst of MORE rain and was in Chicago before i knew it. The SVP of Marketing (aka my boss) Kathy Meyer was on the same flight so we chatted and had breakfast in the windy city

Las Vegas could give Chicago a run for its money with the wind. I got to the MGM where I'm staying (it was totally sensory overload), I'm a first-time starter in Vegas (to borrow a term from racing) and it is pretty unbelievable. I haven't been on the ground for 12 hours yet so I won't judge too much but there is A LOT going on here

The wind was incredible by the time I got to the venue to see the Jumping horses jog up. They were still putting the finishing touches on the Thomas & Mack Arena so it made for some spooky horses. The Thomas & Mack Arena is the home to the UNLV basketball team and it took some coaxing to convince some of the college kids that running stairs during the jog wasn't ideal.

US horses all looked super flash. There are 14 World Cup horses here (as Richard Spooner and Ashlee Bond each have two). Many of the world's best are here and it was a little like being back at the Olympic Games... I have a new horse crush (two actually) the West Coast horses: Flexible and Cristallo. George Morris (Jumping Chef d'Equipe

I spent 1/2 hour watching some dressage practice with Gil Merrick and Jenny van Wieren (USEF Dressage gurus), Jessica Ransehousen (Dressage Chef d'Equipe), and Chief FEI Steward Lloyd Landkamer. There were some frisky horses with all the wind. I also got to see my good buddy Rubin (who grooms for Debbie McDonald) from the Olympic Games and Brentina. Brentina looks great considering her colic scare this winter, she will be officially retired here on Friday. She truly is the legend of US Dressage and it is awesome that she can get a proper send-off from the venue where she was the World Cup Champion!

I did a bunch of running around and caught up with California Jumping rider Ashlee Bond.

Ashlee Bond and Cadett, one of the 11 things she cannot live without!

Here are 10 things, 11 actually, she cannot live without (as told to me...)

1. My family: Mom - Cindy, Dad - Steve, 18-year-old brother Dylan, and my boyfriend Jason.

2. My friends. Lori is here, she is also a working student for me, but the rest are cheering me on from home.

3. Cadett. He is such a character. He has so much personality. He wants everyone to pay attention to him. Since we started winning, and doing all the victory gallops this winter he has gotten really full of himself. The more victory gallops, the more full of himself he gets. He thinks he is the hottest thing that walks the planet. He is very confident. I'm so excited to have him here. i'm taking one day at a time and concentrating on clear rounds not winning. I just want to keep doing what I've been doing.

4. My BONDIES. We just debuted at the Oaks three weeks ago. It is sportswear lingerie. I'm the president and co-founder of the company. They are for any woman that lives an active lifestyle. They are gorgeous, sexy and comfy. We just got the website up: www.bondies.com. Its only a splash page now, but we should have more up soon

5. No nail polish. Well, I used to always wear blue nail polish but I wasn't wearing any when I started winning so now its no nail polish.

6. The evil eye bracelets that my horses wear. they wear them 24/7 and they are just a little piece of leather braided and loosely tied around their pastern. They ward off bad energy.

7. Vampire books, I read all the Twilight ones and now I'm onto the series by Lindsey Sands. I read five last week and I brought two with me!

8. Dr. Pepper chapstick. It is made by Lipsmackers.

9. NERDS Rope (candy)... I like the original flavor, I eat all the NERDS off then the rope.

10. My Car, I have a black Porsche Carerra. It is has a sparkly rhinestone license plate holder.

11. (Pretty good considering she was struggling at 4) Anything sparkly. My boots have this sparkly part on them, my horses' bonnets. I like a little pizazz and bling. I like bling.

PS: IT IS ASHLEE"S BIRTHDAY TOMORROW!!!!!!!! She will be 24!

Trying to catch up on a missed day of work.

More tomorrow!

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