For the most part, I really like my job.  With everything though, some days are better than others.  On the less than stellar days, I need an extra punch of something to make it through the afternoon.  Drinking during lunch is less than ideal due to possible repercussions, and while some days I’ll go have a vent lunch with my co-workers on the really bad days it’s not enough.  For the really bad days, there’s only one place to go.

In case you can’t spot a field boot from a mile away like I can, let me break it down for you.  That’s The Tack Shop of Austin.  It’s (in my opinion) one of the best English tack stores in Austin, and it’s a five minute drive from my office.  Five minute drive from my office.

For you non-horse people, let me give you a visual comparison.

I know right?

So here’s the problem with the awesome tack store being so close to my office.  I can get there frequently (and easily) to pick up little odds and ends I need without waiting for an online retailer to ship them to me.  For example, I go in the other day for bell boots.  That was a cheap and easy find, but then I think “Oh, Gatsby is shedding out so I should pick up a grooming stone” and that quickly morphs into “And he hasn’t been going all that great in the simple D, so I should get some bit keepers so I can try the Full Cheek Slow Twist on him.”

So what was supposed to be an $11 purchase turns into a $19 one, but I got out of the tack store for under $20.  I am really really proud of myself.

Of course, the bell boots don’t fit.

I must return to the tack store, and then I have thoughts like this:  “Oh, I forgot my Full Cheek Slow Twist is a 4.5″ and I need a 5″.  I can just pick that up now.  The flies are also starting to get bad, so I should really pick him up some fly spray.  SADDLE PADS ARE ON SALE?”

This is where it starts to get near the point of no return.  Responsible Lauren has to put the saddle pad back (how many square pads does one person really need?) and step out of the store quietly.  That’s responsible Lauren.

Irresponsible Lauren just got awarded a $100 bonus for going “Above and Beyond” on a project at work.  Certainly it’s ok to go to the tack store to celebrate a good day at work as well as console a bad one, right?  And I do need to exchange those bell boots…

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