About The Valley... from Carlton

I'm staying in Carlton this evening.  At my aunt and uncle's apartment.  I like being here, and like being with them, and in many ways I feel right back at home, having 'apartment-sat' their little flat for a month in January of 2012.  It was in this month that I took all those very special images of The Famous Pony, Black Caviar, at the beach.  As I said, I like it here, and I'm looking forward to being able to see more of the people who are important to us.  It was pouring with rain when I arrived, and I ran inside with one lot of gear, then Martin and I ran back outside to get the rest.   Photographers rarely travel lightly.  Well, not this little black duck anyway....

My alarm went off at 5am this morning.  Perhaps you could argue that I could/should have set it for earlier, but it was dark, and I didn't get to my sister's house until 11pm last night, and as it was, I got there in plenty of time for the things I needed to do.  I was essentially there for one horse, and he's a pretty special little horse at that.  Yes, you guessed correctly, for it is It's a Dundeel of whom I speak.  The nice thing about these sorts of mornings is the people that you see.  Everyone knows each other, and it's a nice friendly atmosphere.  My buddy Mark Gatt came along because he knew I was going, and we had fun.  He couldn't stay for the barrier draw, he had to get to work, but we hung about together as we often do.  And some of the paper guys were there, and they are always fun to be around.  And we had a big table at the breakfast.  Pat poured me a cup of tea, at the point where I was about to fall over because it was 10am and I'd had absolutely nothing to eat.  Wayne had coffee, because he was bad, and guiltily admitted to eating 3 disgusting sausages sandwiches downstairs.  Julian said like me that he inhaled his bacon and eggs.

After the draw, I went and saw my friend Julie at Nikon.  I love seeing her.  She's very special to me, and hugged me as usual.  We sat and had a coffee, and talked about work and life.  When we move, we'll spend a bit more time together, and she likes my kids and is looking forward to seeing more of them.  Again, I am touched by the support that my friends give me, and how pleased my friends and family are that we are moving. 

The gloss came off the day somewhat though when, whilst having coffee with Julie (who has bailed me out by loaning me a lens and getting my sick lens admitted to the hospital), my friend Gary texted me with the advice of AJ's (Atlantic Jewel) scratching from the Cox Plate and likely retirement from a tendon injury to her good leg.  This is shattering news.  I had the photo I was going to take in my mind.  Alas and woe, it was very bad news indeed....


























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