Audi Got Squeezed! Bird Song and 'The Dancer'!

Audi's World was hoping for some treats!

See below for the video of his latest race when he got squeezed coming out of the gate! He hasn't had much luck in his racing career so far.

You may be wondering how the horses keep cool in the terrific heat and humidity we've been experiencing in Ontario - see the video clip I've included later in this post.

In my Meg Sheppard Mystery Series, you will have read references to the bird song Meg hears every time she visits her horses in the backstretch. Well, I've included a short video of one of the (what seems like) millions of birds next to his nest. (And I know there are better places they could choose to raise their young!).

Here's a very short story I wrote in ten minutes during a Uxbridge Writers' Circle 'on-the-spot' writing challenge. The prompt for the story was a picture of a dancer. I hope you enjoy it.

The Dancer

No, she wasn't going. There was no more to be said, as far as Michelle was concerned. Her father's face reddened with fury, and his voice was a bellow.

     "Your mother and I have done everything we can, sacrificed many things, for your future."

     Michelle had heard this so many times, and each time it made her angrier. What right had they to decide her future? Her passion was for dance, and she was good at it too.

     At first, her parents thought she looked cute in her tutu and were as proud as peacocks when family and friends clapped and praised whenever Michelle danced for them. But then things got more serious with competitions and medals. Things evolved from pre-school ballet, to after-school dance and sometimes instead of school Latin-American dancing.

     One day, and Michelle remembered it well, she announced that she wanted to go to London to study dance. Her father exploded. He was furious about her obsession with dance. Her mother cried. She was devastated that her daughter wanted to leave Canada.

     Her father's plans were for her, their only offspring, to follow in his footsteps and attend medical school. He had it all worked out, and she had the academic record, despite the time she spent on dance. She was brilliant as well as athletic and artistic.

     Her father had lined up summer jobs, researched medical schools, and organized job-shadowing with some high-flying doctors. None of this made a difference to Michelle. Dance, it had to be dance.

Her mother was the one who eventually managed to smooth the waters. After all, she'd wanted to be a singer.

Vicky Earle Copyright 2025

How the Horses are Kept Cool!

Each horse has his or her own fan. Audi looks nice and cool here. They also have baths after their exercise and, if it's very hot, they'll be sponged down before they run as well.

Audi Gets Squeezed!

It's not obvious that Audi got squeezed coming out of the gate - but we watched a replay after the race that shows the view from the front. He didn't recover well from that experience. Better luck next time, Audi!

Birds in the Backstretch

If I were a bird, I wouldn't build my nest on top of a loudspeaker!

The many birds in the backstretch are cheerful singers, and I love hearing them. Meg does too!

Work on the 7th book in my Meg Sheppard Mystery Series has been slow during these hot, hazy days of summer. But Meg is determined to uncover the truth about Carlos's disappearance at an illegal racetrack, despite the danger to herself and others.

By the way, mystery novels make great summer reading!

Thank you for visiting my blog.

Please share.

Vicky