One more to help JGM w/Chronology - placement of one book timewise

[DTF955]

I'll be really busy again for a good while, though probably not as busy as JGM. Anyway, "How To Hide A Hose" shows a few neat things that make it clearly Book Universe, though it might have a mirror in the TV Universe. The important thing for this question is, how do you date it?

It's vaguely implied in the latest Chronology I did that it could be both, but it's more likely Michelle's 4th/Stephanie's 8th grade year. Here's the problem - they get ages wrong. Michelle & the twins are 5, Steph's 13 and D.J.'s 18.

If it's part of a mythical 9th season, *all* those ages are wrong, but Michelle is in 4th and Stephanie in 8th grade, same places as when Michelle helped Steph find boyfriends 2 other times, as she does here. Cassie, one of Michelle's best friends from books, refuses to join the horse jumping contest, remarking that part of the feel of horseback riding, to her, is her body hitting the ground; possible reference to worrying about Michelle's accident. Michelle would also be a little more likely to help Steph by finding out about a boy who works there as a stablehand at 14 than at 15. Maybe.

Still, placing it the next year has much to offer, too. At least Michelle's and the twins' ages are right. Michelle *might* still do the stuff she and her friends do trying to hide the horse at age 10; they worry it's being sold to be a draft horse in New York City when they hear "New York," and it's far too small for that. It also eases pressure on the calendar, where lots of stuff is squeezed together.

Another option is to keep it like it is, with different parts of the book in different years; which actually had to be done splitting one book with part int he book, part int he TV universe!

So, this is to help JGM, as I said, before I get going with all my other stuff. He promised to update the Chronology once the new season was out, I'm just posting these to help him make the decision. Thanks to all.