Let it Snow !!

So close to Christmas I don't mind the snow at all. Having two young children makes it even better. We're in the middle of a storm right now and my kids are home safely with my husband while I stay here at the store waiting to help those customers brave enough to venture out in bad weather. It doesn't surprise me that we get quite a few customers during the bad weather. Horse people have trucks, trucks with good tires, and we don't mind making our way out in any weather. It is especially nice so close to Christmas when you know non-horse owners, or people without trucks, are staying home clearing the way for us to shop to our hearts content with short, if any, lines.
I'll probably arrive home with a freshly made snowman by our walkway and the smell of chicken baking in the oven (ok, now I'm starting to let my mind wander a bit) Hopefully some laundry will be done and the house will be somewhat clean. We still have one big chore to do and with this snowfall I feel we're a bit behind. You see, my kids love to sled, most do I presume. Our backyard is perfect for sledding until you get to the bottom of the hill where it drops off quite sharply down to the arena we built a few years ago. At the first big snowfall we pull out the snowmobiles and make a track down the hill which banks at the bottom to steer the sleds to the left before they are able to go over the hill....or so we thought. It worked well until last year...one icy day that I shouldn't have had the kids out sledding. The kids made a few runs down and things were going well. Then for some reason my son, Lexington, only 3 at the time, didn't bank to the left. His sled went up over the banking due to the ice and headed towards the steep hill (ok, cliff, about 20 feet down). I yelled for him to jump but of course as he later told me, he was too scared. I started running down the hill, thigh deep in snow, still yelling for him to jump off before he went over. All of a sudden his little hat disappeared over the cliff and he was no where in sight. I yelled back up to my daughter, still at the top of the hill by our house, to go get daddy...quick. I made my way to the edge and looked over...sitting at the bottom was Lexington, a bit scared but looking unharmed. I jumped and tumbled down the hill (believe me, not as graceful as you see in the movies)ran over and checked him over for any injuries. He was fine, a bit shaken but proud of his sledding skills. We looked at the cliff and it seemed like the sled had been airborne, bouncing only once on the way down until landing correctly at the bottom. Just then my husband came down via snowmobile to see what was going on. Lex gladly jumped on the back and headed back up the hill. I sat quietly in the middle of the snow covered arena with tears streaming down my face, realizing how close we came to a serious injury. To this day Lex still talks with pride about his sled jump. My husband & I now purchase extra hay in the Fall to create a banking at the bottom of the hill that no one, not even an adventurous youngster, can make it over. My chore for the evening is to make sure the hay is lined up so the sledding season can begin...safely.

MY Annual Trail Ride

I love trail riding. I'm the type that wants to go on a slow ride to enjoy my surroundings. The fresh air is great and I do a lot of deep breathing and meditating on trail (eyes opened of course!). It's my way of getting in some yoga without having one of my kids playfully jumping on my back. Every year the New Hampshire Quarter Horse Association puts on a Trail Ride at Bear Brook State Park in NH. It's a fabulous event. Well attended and very well put on by one of our board members, Joanne. She puts her heart and soul into organizing this which includes lunch and entertainment. This year you could even rent a horse sitter so you could enjoy the festivities after the ride! I, however, have yet to make it back in time for the festivities. While most run their horses past I am slowly enjoying my surroundings and fresh air. I run my horse all the time in competition, this is my chance to slow down a bit. I love it! My husband and those who choose to join me on trail are patient for a while with my being a poke. Now don't get me wrong, a little trotting is always good for both the horse and my legs, but I prefer the quiet walk.
Early into the ride we decided to trot a bit. The horse in front of me was young and kicked up her heels a bit which sent my horse, Kit, into a frenzy! She fed off the energy of the young one and tried with all her might to kick up her heels and buck me off. For those of you who have never been bucked by a horse, at first there is a bit of confusion as to what's actually happening, if you're lucky enough to still be in the saddle, which I was. After the initial shock of "what's going on" was done, I got my seat pulled back in the saddle tight and I was pissed! My horse was NOT going to get me off her back and I fought back, doing what I was taught growing up which now was instinct. I sat deep, pulled her head back up, and gave her a few swift kicks and said ever so sternly "I don't think so!" Once her head was up she could no longer put force behind her bucks so she just jumped straight up, contemplated rearing (which I was ready for) and finally realized the human on her back had won. After a few steps backwards, a few circles, she was punished enough and we re-joined the group, who hadn't really seen what happened except for my husband who was behind me.
We continued on and at the half way point on the 5 mile course, the couple with the young horse who was riding with us decided to stay on the 5 mile course and head back in. Myself, my husband Patrick & our friend Cindy continued on the 12 mile trail. I again was able to enjoy the beauty of the trail. Occasionally trotting but ready for another outburst by Kit, I was settling back into my comfort zone. Then it happened..... My husband, Patrick, was up front, we were on a dirt road (yes road, there was an occasional car) and I looked up at Patrick who looked back with a twinkle in his eye and off he went, full speed ahead on his horse. Our friend Cindy was just looking for fun too and also took off. Kit started jumping out of her skin, there was NO WAY I was going to let her take off like that. If I hadn't still be cautious her head would have been back down and she would have been bucking away again. I couldn't believe after what my husband saw my horse try to do to me that he would throw caution to the wind and let loose like that. This time I wasn't pissed at my horse, it was the husband who had some explaining to do. As for Kit, I turned it into a lesson on realizing who the boss was (me) and kept her at a walk, occasional trot, until we crested the hill and found Patrick and Cindy heading back to look for us, wondering where I was and why I didn't let my horse go and follow them. They obviously didn't get it. A few darting looks later, we were again on our way. Again, I became relaxed, determined to enjoy the rest of my ride, which I did. What a beautiful day in New Hampshire. It was peak Fall Foliage season and the colors were wonderful.
When we got back to the trailer, as usual, the festivities were over and all that was left were a few sandwiches and some very happy trail riders. We gave the horses some water, loaded loaded them up and headed to the big tent for a sandwich. Just then, another rider came over to me to say a horse had broken free from it's trailer and run off into the woods towards the highway. They realized I was a board member for NH Quarter Horse Association and they needed help. I immediately went to President Sue Eastman and she was already on the phone making calls. She stopped quickly to say we needed to rally some riders to head into the woods to look for the young horse. I rallied my friend Cindy who didn't hesitate to pull her horse back out and I reassured my husband, who already had a sandwich in hand, that he should stay here with the guys in case he was needed on the ground. As I took Kit off the trailer again I realized what a great horse she is. There was no hesitation when she backed away from her hay, no balking when I threw the saddle back on her and no flinching when I tightened the cinch and jumped back on. All was forgiven. She was ready to go and help. Eight of us trotted out onto the woods in the direction of the field we had heard the horse was now in. When we got to the perimeter we spilt up to encircle the field so if she ran we would have someone, hopefully, near to catch her. As Kit and I went up our part of the field Patrick called my cell phone to say someone at the other end of the field had caught the horse and all was well. The group of 8 headed back with the wandering horse and very thankful owner to the trailering area. It was great to see so many people and horses not thinking twice to help out another. I think better than all the fresh air I took in that day and calmness I felt (at times), seeing everyone rally together like that was the best part of my trail ride.

Giving Back

I'm sure many of you are volunteers of some sort or have been at some point in your lives. If not, you're really missing out on a spectacular feeling. I volunteer with many different groups, too many, if you ask my employees. It takes up a lot of my time both at work and at home. I love the feeling of giving back and helping. If there were more hours in the day or someone handed me a million bucks so I didn't have to work for money, I would volunteer more. I hope that my children can learn about giving back by watching me make a difference. To me, that's what volunteering is all about.
With all this in mind, I am extremely proud to announce that my sister, Kristen, and her family (Bill, Alyssa & Erin) have been awarded the Spirit of New Hampshire award for family volunteerism! My sister gives relentlessly at her job at the UpReach Therapeutic Riding Center here in Goffstown, NH as a Therapeutic riding instructor. Having been involved with horses her entire life, she has been able to take that joy and use it not only in her work as an instructor but also parlay it into helping others. It doesn't pay enough to live the high life, but my sister is one of the wealthiest people I know on the planet. My nieces have seen first hand the effects of volunteerism and have been a part of my sisters ventures since they were in the womb (yes, Kristen rode and taught all throughout her pregnancies!) Let's just say they were born with it. Her husband, Bill, married into it and I believe that's one of the things that made him love her more. Kristen and volunteering come hand in hand. They work together as a family and I couldn't be prouder. I hope, as I continue on with my volunteer efforts, I can instill as much pride in volunteering as my sister, my best friend, has in her family.
We may not all be in a position to dedicate our lives to volunteering or be able to take a job that has such meaning, but we can do something. So as one of my favorite movies says, pay it forward. Do something good to help others and just ask that they continue on the good efforts. The feeling is unspeakable and you'll have made the world a bit better.
Congrats Sis and family!

Heading to Texas

Tonight's the scramble. Tomorrow morning (3:30am to be exact) I leave for the airport, ready to be transported via many different planes, to Amarillo, Texas. I'm very excited because this is the beginning of my journey in the AQHA Leadership program, for which I was chosen by AQHA (The American Quarter Horse Association)to participate. It is quite an honor and I'm pleased to be a part of the program. It is the beginning of a journey of both self and group evaluation as to my skills as a leader. I plan on taking what I learn and apply it not only to my AQHA Leadership and business leadership, but also my personal experiences. My involvement with the American Quarter Horse Association has turned my life in a new direction and I look forward to giving back by improving my leadership skills and taking that "newfound wisdom" and utilizing it to help promote the organization which has given me this opportunity which I am so grateful. Whew, can you tell it's been a long day?

Yesterday was a wonderful day as both my husband & I won our divisions in the Mass. State Championship Cowboy Mounted Shoot. My husband has been waiting a few years for this win because it now bumps him up to the next division. It is well deserved!!

Well, gotta finish the scramble. 3am will come quick and I still want some time to spend with the hubby - My Champ!!!!

Where Were You?

September 11. The question I always hear on this day is "Where were you when the Towers Fell"? In fact, there is even a song with that name. On this day every year, I don't think about the business I sit in daily, I think about the business my husband sits in daily, our flag store, Flag-Works over America. In 2001, we were newlyweds and both worked at Flag-Works. Many ask how can we be married and work together and that is surely a story for another day. For now I can say that we both have a great respect for each other no matter where we are, home or work.
On my way into work that day I heard on the radio that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. My husband had already left to run errands on the way in to work so we weren't riding together (See, we don't do everything together!) When I got in to the store Patrick was already there and I mentioned the incident. When I went up front into the retail section and turned on the radio I heard that another plane had crashed into the WTC and yet another into the Pentagon. Something was surely going on. The radio announcer had a slight tone of panic, not quite sure how to explain the events as they unfolded to his listening audience. I also had a slight tone of panic as I scurried back to my new husband to try and relay to him what I had heard. We new this was big as Patrick left to get us a TV to keep at the shop to stay abreast of what was going on. We did the best we could with the little TV, which had no cable hooked up, and tuned in to a fuzzy news program. All was quiet at our flagshop. We watched and as the word "terrorist attack" started being tossed around, we knew the quiet would soon end at our little store. You see, we'd had the flag store long enough to know how Americans would react and we needed to be ready to help. After placing a few phone calls to our flag manufacturers, we settled in and waited while the Country was still figuring out how to deal with this.
Then it started....at about 11:30am, a woman came into the store sobbing. She had to have a flag. I'll never forget her face. She was going to head right home and fly her new flag as a show of support and strength. It was only a few minutes after that people, Americans, started streaming through our front doors looking for a flag to fly. Within 1 hour we had a line and within 2 hours we had a line that went out our front door. By the evening the line went around the block. We normally closed at 5pm but not today. We had a responsibility to our fellow Americans, as the only Flag store in town, to stay open late, real late. I think it was 9pm before we finally closed, having to get home and let out our dogs. Of course, we came right back after feeding and letting our companions out, with them in tow. The flag store was a mess from all the people, and we had to prepare for the next day. When we finally got home at about midnight, we watched the news to catch up on the latest as our little TV in the shop went unwatched once we got busy. We heard President Bush ask everyone to "fly the flag" as a sign of unity. Finally we fell asleep for the night.
Up we were at 6am the next day to be in the store for 7am and get ready to open early at 8am. When we turned the corner to park at our usual spot across from the store, we couldn't believe our eyes, there was already a line of people waiting to get in. When we found a parking space and walked to the door, from the reaction of the line of people, you would have thought we were rock stars. "They're here"! Yeah! Patrick & I looked at each other, obviously the honeymoon was over, we had an important job to do.
For the next 2 days were were straight out with lines winding through the store and out the door. Our phone was ringing off the hook but we felt it was more important to help the customer in front of us, in Concord, NH, then the one on the phone. We could only do so much. For that reason, we hired temporary help for crowd control. Patrick would occasionally jump up on a ladder in the store to get above the crowd so everyone could see him and he'd explain where everything was and how to proceed through the line. I was at the register and never sat down or took a break. I don't think I could have even if I wanted to! We had to get flags out to everyone. We felt it was us doing our part. It was an incredible few days. We stayed open late, headed home to get our dogs and bring them back in with us to prepare for the next day. We'd open early and so on. After 3 days we ran out of flags and had to wait for shipments from our manufacturers. That's what the phone call was that Patrick made right after we heard "terrorist attack" for the first time on TV Sept. 11th. We knew we had to get in more flags and fast. So did many of the other flag stores and the manufacturers couldn't keep up, so we went days without flags.
What I saw during those first few days and weeks to follow I'll never forget. Americans would come into the store to choose their flag, pole, bracket, bunting or whatever they needed and head out the door to get into line. We have pictures of the line outside the store with everyone holding their items to purchase. We really didn't worry about anyone walking off, there was an aura of patriotism and honor and I don't think any of the people in line would have allowed it anyway. The line got so long that people had to wait 1 1/2 hours to make their purchase. I received not 1 complaint. What I saw were Americans who all had something in common, no matter who they were or where they came from. When they finally made it to the register and completed their purchase, you'd think the person in line next to them had been their friend forever! There were handshakes, hugs and tears. These people had shared their feelings when they needed someone to share with who understood, and everyone understood. Unfortunately, we all had a shared sadness that day, week, month, year..... We'll never forget.......

Getting Ready for the Fair Shoot

Tomorrow is my absolute, most favorite shoot of the year! It takes place during the Hillsboro County Fair in New Boston and we get quite a crowd. It is tons of fun to shoot with lots of spectators. All the Mounted Shooters dress in their best attire to wow the crowd. One year we even had young kids coming up to us for our autographs! With all that goes on around the arena, it can get tough to concentrate and remember that it's not all about the clothes (although some may differ on that), but we actually want to win! Regardless of how we place, it's always a good time.
This past weekend, my husband & I had a young couple over who just started shooting last year. We have a large arena in our backyard (225' X 90') and not many people in NH have access to that size arena let alone one they can shoot in! Rob B. had stopped in my store last year because he knew I was a Cowboy Mounted Shooter and wanted to get involved. I don't think I've ever met anyone with such a desire to get into the sport. He made it very clear that he was not one of those people who say they want to do something and then don't do it. In fact, he was so determined to get involved that he stopped in the following day and then brought in his wife two days later. The next clinic was being held about 2 1/2 hrs. away the following weekend and I didn't think they'd go that far just to give it a try but they did! They're such a nice, friendly couple. They've fit right in and have many mentors to help them. Mounted Shooters like helping each other out because that's what helps grow the sport and stir the excitement. It's great to start someone and watch them grow as a competitor.
This season we hadn't seen much of Rob & Dina. They were at the first shoot of the season but then seemed to disappear. We'll last week, Rob stopped by the store still sporting the enthuasiam I always love. (I found out later he was sick as a dog and should have been home in bed. Once his wife was out of the house he snuck out, unable to stay away any longer!) He explained that his horse has been recovering from a leg injury but Dina was going to come to the fair shoot and they were excited. (See, I told you everyone likes shooting at the fair, no matter what!) Realizing that she hadn't shot off her horse for a few months and both Dina and the horse were new to the sport, I mentioned that they should come over to our house to get in some practice before the shoot. So they did, the Sunday of Labor Day weekend. We had a blast (pardon the pun) and I felt really good about being able to help out. Our babysitter wasn't available so I stayed with the kids and watched, occasionally stepping in to give my two cents. It didn't matter that I wasn't riding, my husband, Rob and Dina were and to me that's what the day was about. Besides, sometimes I get more out of watching than participating. After the practice we all sat down for some burgers and cowboy chat. What a great time, what a great couple. To me, it's the Rob & Dina's in this world that make this sport what it is.

Chat with a Champ

Today at the shop I received a phone call from one of my favorite Cowboy Mounted Shooters, Andra Olsen. Andra is one of the top Mounted Shooters in the world (currently ranked #2) and she actually "gives me the time of day", which isn't all too uncommon in this industry as there aren't too many of us. The difference with Andra is she doesn't come across at all as being above others, and believe me, she can out ride most with one arm tied behind her back. I believe she actually likes talking to me just as much as I enjoy talking to her. She is approachable which is very important to any professional who promotes themselves and has a business based on who they are. My store carries the Cowboy Mounted Shooting training DVD's that Andra & her business partner, Mounted Shooter Jim Hanson made. There is a series of 4 tapes available and I sell quite a few of them. We had a wonderful conversation and I can't wait to meet her someday soon, I hope. For now, I'll continue to enjoy chatting with her.


I really enjoy promoting my sport. Mounted Shooting is the fastest growing equestrian sport in the country and BOY IS IT FUN!!! My husband, who hadn't really ridden a horse until we purchased our small family farm 4 years ago, took a liking to it when he watched it on TV right after we got his horse. You see, my husband is quite competitive and there's nothing he won't try. I'll never forget the night he called me into our living room to see Mounted Shooting on TV for the first time. He pointed to the TV and said "honey, that's what I want to do". I chuckled. "Yeah, right, "Learn how to ride first, then we'll talk" as I strutted out of the room, the experienced horse person that I am. Well, as with everything my husband does, he threw himself into it 200% and the following Spring he was a Cowboy Mounted Shooter. The following year he won the Massachusetts State Championship in his division and I couldn't have been prouder. Next thing I knew my husband was strutting around the house wearing his big belt buckle. The year after that, well, he put me in my place and won the Page Family point race, beating me in most shoots that year. Now don't get me wrong, I still did well in the ladies division and I did warm up his horse for him and I did...... actually, he was doing great!


This year I've made my comeback, kickin butt in the arena and savin face in the Page Family point race. We'll see what the end of the year brings, but I don't see how he'll ever catch up with me!!! So I'll try to be an approachable champ. I don't want the kids to feel they can't come to me just because I'm beating daddy. I want to have the grace of Andra Olsen, and her riding/shooting skills wouldn't be too bad either!




My husband, Patrick at the Massachusetts State Championship, winning his division!

The Cowboy Way

Last weekend, I went to a stock horse show at a farm right down the road from my home. I've started to dabble in sports other than mounted shooting to add some variety to life, as they say! This seems to be right down my alley. Everyone is laid back and there were competitors from experienced to newbees. I, of course, will fit right into the newbee section the first time I bring Kitt to a stock horse show, but that's ok. Everyone is accepted in this community of cowboys.
One of the things I like so much about cowboys, true cowboys, is they don't often judge others, they never (or very rarely) lie, and they always enjoy the simple things in life. Cowboys take the time to stop and smell the wildflowers along the trail and take a deep breath of the fresh air. They truly enjoy life while they're on their horse. I'm trying very hard to slow down and enjoy the gifts we have surrounding us everyday. It's hard with a 4 & 5 yr. old running around, 2 businesses to run, numerous boards and committees to take part in, and many animals (too many according to my husband) to take care of. Today I'll take the time to enjoy life. I'll enjoy what I have while I have it. A dear woman I have had the honor of knowing for a few short years I just heard passed away yesterday afternoon. She lived life to the fullest, even when it wasn't kind to her. So for the rest of today, I'll slow down a bit because BAB would want me to. I'm going to smell the wildflowers and try my best to live the cowboy way.

Beautiful Weather !!

For those of you from New England, you know what I'm talking about. For those of you from elsewhere, well, it's been quite a wet summer here in New England. Almost everyday since I've returned from vacation in July it's rained at least part of the day. No kidding, no exaggeration. There was even a tornado recently just a few towns away which killed a woman when her house collapsed. We just don't have tornadoes way up here, until recently. So to say this has been an unusual year for the weather is an understatement.
I guess this is my best excuse for not riding like I should and want to. I'm what you'd call a fair weather rider. No need to get out there in the rain or when it's too slippery. I'm competitive to a point. At the ripe ole age of 43 I tend to not push it too much because if I happen to break something, like any part of my body, the kids just seem to need more attention than ever and of course I'm in no position to keep up. Been there, done that. When I broke my collarbone a few years back I realized how much an injury affects my family. Time to be careful in life, at least until the kids are in college!
For today, however, the sun has been shining all day and I'm on my way home to ride not just one horse but both horses AND the pony! Until tomorrow......hopefully.....

I'm Back

We went from so much snow right to Summer here in NH, so I guess I've been caught up in riding season. Time to get back to blogging. So much going on, so much to write about. My Martin Shooting saddle came in right before I left for a 2 week vacation in July but I had time to jump in the day before we left. I LOVE IT!!! It fits my horse so well and the color is awesome. I've only competed on it once so far but I'm ready for the next competition the beginning of September. Right now I'm working both our shooting horses and still trying to get out pony ready for the kids. My son wants to rope so badly off the pony I really need to get on it. He's gotten pretty good. So good the cats run when they see him coming because he can get them pretty quick!!

So if you're into roping, check out my store, American Cowboy Supply. we've got lots of fun stuff for kids of all ages!

http://www.americancowboysupply.com

Much Needed Rest!

Finally feeling better. The kids have been sick, I've been sick, it's been a long week or so. Maybe it has something to do with all of the snow we still have here in New Hampshire. At my house, the snow is still up over the top of the picnic table in our backyard!! This past weekend my husband tried to remove some snow from our top arena so we could work the horses at least a little, but the good ole John Deere met it's match! Another week or two off for them. We'll just have to really "kick it in gear" with training this year to get ready for our first shoot in May. I see some early mornings coming my way!
I finally ordered my Martin Shooting Saddle! I can't wait to try it out. I went with Chestnut/Roughout leather, Full Padded Seat (although you'd think Mother Nature already gave me "full padding"!), the new Desert Flower tooling with camouflage border, 2" bell bottom stirrups and Wyoming Flower Conchos. It will seem like a long 12 weeks while I'm waiting for my saddle to be made, however it will give me more time to anticipate and get even more excited for it's arrival. I have the order form hanging over my desk with "My Saddle" written in dark black letters. Visitors can't help but ask, one of the reasons it's hanging there. I love telling people about my saddle. So I'll be sure to post a picture when it arrives and give feedback on my first ride in my Martin Custom Shooting Saddle! I hope the snow's gone by then!!!

Sunny Monday!

Sunny today, but still cold. The snow on the ground is 3 1/2 ft. high and so hard you can walk on it without falling through. I'm glad our horses enjoy home or else they could probably step right over the fence!
I'm at my desk excited to add the new Martin Custom Cowboy Mounted Shooting Saddle on my website. The latest edition of Western Shooting Horse Magazine featured and article with Annie Bianco-Ellett using her new Custom Martin Saddle. It is beautiful and I'm very happy that Martin Saddlery has designed a saddle specific for my favorite sport! And yes, I'll be ordering one for myself as soon as I'm done uploading the information for my customers. I've never been able to choose my leather color, conchos, seat style, and all the other fun stuff before. I'm sure I'll have fun with this and will surely upload a picture when it arrives! I remember when my husband put his first Martin Saddle on his horse, the spectacular difference it made in not only his riding position but the horses comfort. I think that's about the same time he started kickin my butt on a few stages. I really saw them come together as a team in a way I had not seen previously. The bars are set just right so the contact is perfect. My husband rides in a Martin Working Cowhorse Saddle. Just wait till I get my Mounted Shooting Saddle and we'll see how the "friendly family competition" pans out!

Here we go!!

I love writing. I love sharing thoughts. A few people have mentioned to me that I should add a blog to my website, not only to help share information, but spread the many laughs that occur quite often in my life. Tonight my husband was talking on the phone to his brother, Kenny, in Tennessee, who has a fun blog we read often. The next thing I knew I was entering information into my own and enjoying every minute (it takes quite a few minutes actually). Tonight's first entry will be short and sweet. The kids are asleep and with the hectic lives my husband & I lead we don't get much alone time. Hopefully there is a good movie on tonight and we can stay up for at least the first hour before falling asleep on the couch! I don't know about the rest of the world, but right now it is raining so hard, add that to the 4 feet of snow currently on the ground and the result tomorrow will be one wet barn with 2 unhappy horses and a white pony who is currently in disguise as a brown pony. And to top that off guess who gets Sunday morning barn duty!!! Oh well, time to check the movie schedule for the night and make sure the hubby didn't already fall asleep!