The Horse with A Roman Nose

Yes, actually, that's a true statement. That horse had a longer looking head and as it narrowed to his muzzle, the angle began to curve slightly downward. What a special looking horse! NOT!
I didn't care for them at all...I wanted a beautiful horse who could run like the wind. And, I got him. Rounding the last curve to approach our house on the hill out in the country, I sat next to the window on Bus #25! Yep, rode that dumb bus for many years.
Mr. Worrell drove it. He obviously didn't like the country ( I'm not sure he liked anything or anybody ) and I got on his nerves! Go figure! On my 9th birthday, we rounded that curve and as he pulled to a grinding halt in the middle of the gravel road, I lifted my eyes up the driveway and exploded!
Standing with a brand new saddle, blanket and bridle was the most gorgeous paint gelding I'd ever seen! WOW! My hundred petticoats 'neath my royal blue skirt bounced up and down as my Penny Loafers carried me like the wind.
That boy was tied to the white rail fence beside the mailbox. As I ran, dropped books and screamed in delight, daddy came bouncing out of the dairy barn to meet me.
He said, "Happy Birthday, daughter. He's a 3 year old gelding I bought from Bill Swanner." I didn't care...I jumped in the saddle and rode off down the road. The name of the gift became Commanche. Wrong choice, for he lived up to his name.
Basically, he was 'green broke' ... meaning broke to ride, sort of. He had a long way to go, baby. The next day I entered the pasture and caught him, clipped my lead line to his halter and led him to the garage to saddle him. He wasn't happy. I didn't care.
I led him out into the drive and placed my left foot in the stirrup. Once aboard, we turned to head out the drive for a day's pleasure. Not to be. Commanche, remember? He began to 'crow hop' (meaning just kicking both back feet up a little into the air) and then, he began to buck. Small buck, but buck.
Jim was home (my brother) and he came and got on that beautiful, dumb horse! Dumb because he didn't realize what a great home he would have!! lolol and, ME!
I stood and watched as Jim rode that gelding down the pasture hill to the bottom land. There was a 'slew' of water that ran and long way through the middle of the far pasture there. He kicked that horse into high gear and rode him to death. Round and round the slew, across the slew and wore him down.
When Commanche came walking up the drive, he'd had IT. So, I got to jump on and enjoy riding then.
The most fascinating part of that entire scenerio? My brother didn't give a whistle over horses! But, for the next few weeks, he'd ride the horse down so I could get on. One day I decided to just ride. Wrong choice.
I had Commanche in the calf pasture. I'm glad, it was a softer landing. Remember, I'm 9 years old. I thought I was Annie Oakley, but I was just me. He bucked, I hit the ground, the tears came and I grabbed the reins and led him to the barn. My dad was milking cows, had his tall rubber boots on and said, lead him through here and give him to me.
Now, he was angry with the horse...forgot his boots were wet from cow, uhhh, stuff and water...my stirrups were my length (he was 6' tall)...and, he stepped into the saddle. Wrong formula. The horse bucked, the slippery boots flew out of the very short stirrups and my dad hit the ground. He led the horse back to me and said, 'he'll be sold this week." End of Commanche's life on our farm.
Sold him. Found a nine year old gelding that was as gentle as a breeze, brought him home and loved him for years. I write of the farm often, but after all, I didn't leave the farm until age 23. We had many tremendous experiences on the farm and of course, we were shaping our lives.
I credit parents, always, for their love and strong values passed on to us. But, I also love the old days we were privileged to experience. Young folks will never know about stopping to buy a bottled drink out of the ice chest in the store. They'll never dig under the cushions for one more penny or nickel to complete the deal so everyone in the car can have a soda. A loaf of bread for a quarter; a hamburger for a quarter; a bag of chips for a nickel; a mound of groceries in the basket every Saturday for a whopping $35; a ride through Cameron Park and picnics under the giant, old oak trees and so much more.
We ran, chased, played, studied and passed Life 101 back then. Baby Boomers we are...but, I wouldn't have it any other way. Life was slower, more enriched and robust with experiences. We didn't fear drive-by shootings, robbery on the parking lot or worse. And, in those days, we rarely locked our doors. There was trust, integrity, love, patience and more.
Did we know our neighbors? Certainly. Would we be there for them, of course. Life was an entirely different level back in our days. And, from all of that Essence of Life, I learned to be independent, assertive, caring and respectful of all. If you hesitate and think about it, our era steeped us in all the 'right stuff'! It's difficult to be obnoxious or rude, disrespectful or discourteous and, that makes me proud.
Parents, aunts and uncles and goodest 'ol grammas...carved some good folks out of us. I'm facing one more huge change in my life. I bet some of you have and will, as well. Aren't ya glad we have inner strength to pull us through and...for me? My faith in the Lord steeps me in comfort, calm and the ability to face medical challenges now. I'm not sure how a non-believer gets through ordeals, tragedy and loss, but I'm thankful I do have Him on my side!!
Pause and have a cup of coffee as you reflect on your past. Don't sit and think of the wrong things, the bad events or the worst times in your life. Reflect on the positives, the celebrations and the victories you had as a family. Sometimes, we do need to JUST SIT AND THINK! Would you like cream and sugar?

Country Girl Meets a Farmer

It's time to 'catch up' on the events in the life of a Lap Band candidate of the year!! I had to see my PCP yesterday (end of the month, ya know) and weigh in and talk and smile! Finally a better report...-6 pounds! He was happy and, so was I!
Leaving his office, I walked to the other end of the hall and entered the Baylor College of Med Cardiology Department. I was to see Dr. Farmer for the first time.

He was nice, laid back, calm, and sorta looked like an older Papaw to me! But, he made this 'chicken girl' feel more at ease. I have great anxiety (cowardness) when I meet new doctors. They're all looking for something. WRONG! Yipes. I knew he'd get close and personal!
Following our long chat, I was off to the back area for an echo cardiogram and an EKG. It was arduous. A very small framed, tiny woman did the echo. I didn't realize someone that small could almost push an instrument straight through to my backbone. OUCH AND OUCH AGAIN! Yep, bruised and sore as can be today.
She was tiny, I was, well, not tiny! She was sure I was dying. I knew I was not. She didn't think I could take it. Fooled her. She ended up and had a nurse come and shoot dye in my veins. I wanted to shoot her!! The nurse flipped when she stuck the OSAT thingy on my index finger.
Oops, it's only 82. She said, "I need to put oxygen on you." I said, "you're right. Make that 3 liters to go, please and I'll behave myself." She smiled and nodded as if to say, "you don't realize it, but you slipping away...you'll probably be gone by the time the test ends!" Now that was funny!
She put oxygen on me and then she said, "Wow, right back up!" I said, "to what is it?" (I already knew) Her reply, "unbelievable, 98% !!" Finally, she relaxed! It truly was comical. But, they don't get too many goofed up big girls like me, I'm sure!
Got the doctor's phone call this afternoon. I was sweatin' bullets. They made me decide something was wrong! He said, "I have a good report on you!" Well, blow me over! I was so happy!!! There is no kind of leakage with any of the valves and the pressures are all good!
He is sending a letter to my surgeon stating I'm good to go! And, he's glad for the Lap Band...he says all will be even better and the heart won't work as hard. YA THANK??!! I already done figgered that out mysef!!!!!
Anyhow, comes November and December and then....dom, dom da dom, dom da dom da dom da dommmmmmmmm! S u r g e r y!!
So, we've invited my family here for Thanksgiving (traditional, my request) and we are going to Michael's daughter's home for Christmas in Tampa. Gotta celebrate and enjoy prior to....dom, dom da dom, dom da dom da dom da dommmmmm!!
We treated ourselves to a new Chinese Buffet place here today. We got a Seafood something off the buffet. Michael took his first bite and said, "I'm not sure what that was, it was too chewy. But, I see you have one to." Oh great, I'm thinking as I look at that whatever it was. So, I forked it and flew it between my lips and over the teeth and began to chew. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? It got bigger and more rubbery and bigger and more rubbery. He began to laugh and finally, I grabbed my nappy and nested that THING in the napkin.
Me thinks it was calamari...cut larger and musta been an old fella when they caught him. Tough old thang. Anyhow, a nice lunch and then we went and bought two different kinds of palm trees. We're landscaping and doing the tropical look. IT IS SO COOL!
And, so...tonight, I'm chillin' and bangin' this keyboard. I'm getting better at facing new doctors. My blood pressure is very good when they pump it up. A good beginning. I guess as we get older, we decide, what the hey. Whatever is, is. There's not a lot we can do about it. I'm so glad to be this age and have all the hoopla behind me.
We're older, perhaps wiser (perhaps not), we're retired so we can say or do whatever we wanna, many of us have blue decals for handicap!!!...mine's on my license plate these days and some of us are old enough for the Senior price at Denny's!! Hey, that's livin'!!
Now, what will this old, fat chick decide do to tomorrow? Shhhhhhh. I'll never tell!

Sunday Afternoon Football

My daddy watched football til the cows came home! No, really...till he had to milk those girls!! After he sold the dairy, no question about Sunday afternoons, it was football, coffee and small talk. Mother was right there as well. And, as a widow, she watched football games in the fall, basketball playoffs, baseball all the time and loved to watch Tiger Woods on the golf course!!
With the cool Fall weather here upon us, it's easy for me to think of those 'goodest 'ol days' when life was just life! One of the first impressions that surfs through the empty spaces in my head is the picture of the lazy bottom that lay out in front of the house. You had to cross the gravel road, drive, ride or run down the lazy hill to get into the pasture part and then, nothin' but space.
Our big white house had a huge front porch, painted gray. You could sit on the top step and stare out over the land and dream anything you wanted. Now when I did that, Rip was right there wondering what I was thinking. He was a most faithful German Shepherd and smarter than most.
There was a tank in the right lower pasture there. We hosted wiener roasts, hayrides, sing alongs and anything else you can think of. My brother, Jim, would bring Golden Wave Band members out to the farm for different things. We always had church groups out for hayrides and wiener roasts and...when family came from the coast, there were times we shared that same fun event with all of them.
Our house had 10' ceilings and daddy and I guess, Jimmy had helped...converted the long open hallway into a nice living room area. We picked out pale green shag carpet for that floor and who would have ever guessed? The most unusual, but fun, group to watch sit all over that floor and furniture were the Kappa Kappa Psi members from the Baylor band.
Jim would have them out for the Academy Awards night. Mother would prepare food, they would all begin arriving and me? I was a silly teenager who stared and picked out all the cute ones!!
Those guys came from some ultra rich families and homes from all over the place, but when they hit our living room...they were more at home than most. It didn't matter that the drive was somewhat lengthy to get out there. It didn't matter that the smell of a dairy hit your senses as you drove up the long drive. It didn't matter that we were 'country folk'...all that mattered was laughter, fun, the warmth of our home open to them and good times they all spent watching our little 29" or whatever size tv we had.
Life as we grew up was simple compared to the chaos and challenges of today's world. Many days I thank my lucky stars to have been a baby boomer for those days were truly the GOOD 'OL DAYS! We played games, went to movies, went to fellowship and went to school. Succeeding was high on our lists because we didn't want to let our parents down.
Our parents had expectations for our lives. They talked to us, they supported our choices and they cheered when we graduated from LaVega High School. They'd have it no other way back then.
The past couple of weeks have offered some moments of frustration for me. I've had the eye surgeries...doing fine. I'm recooperating and seeing interns. But, in the back of my mind, the clock is ticking a bit faster over January's approach. The month of January issues in a an entire new spin on my life. I find myself wondering if I'm ready for this change? What am I really made of?
On those days I know I'm thinking far too much (most of them), I make me slow down and remember the good times. And suddenly, I wonder about those folks who have no good times to fall back on? What do they do?
I can't solve those thoughts...I can just sits and thanks about 'em. I do know that the family/friends connection sure makes a difference. No, I don't hear from people every day...sometimes it's long periods of time in between. But when I do hear from them it's neat to know they are thinking about me and wishing good things for me.
Foundation. That's what we all have by this time. Life's foundation. It came from elementary, junior high (barf) and high school. Some of those teachers I despised an some I worshiped...Mabel Legg...she was the bestest of the restest!
I hope this week smooths out and runs like a mercedes...but, it may not. I do know that each day and week now brings me closer to my new challenge. Thank goodness I will be asleep for the carving party!
I've spent today catching up in the house. Laundry, vacuuming, dusting, etc. etc etc. Clutter drives me crazy and I need something to do anyway. In some of the past critical times with my sweet mother and her health...you could even find me ironing in the middle of the night!
That's right. It sort of became the 'joke' about me in a crisis! Make me worry over health conditions of a loved one and I'll probably break out the iron! Hey, it worked then...probably still would.
All I have to say at the end of this epistle is this... I DO KNOW WHERE MY IRON IS!!! Do you? lololol
Have a super week and make someone smile! Do something special and kinda sneaky! It's fun!