E.T.

My neighbor has the coolest windmill. It is little A.s family. They all went on a campout to the lake for the holiday. Her grandmother asked me to feed thier animals, just tonite only. Little A's father is coming home late tonight from his pipline job and will take care of them until saturday, then he is going to the lake to camp as well. I am not sure who is taking over feeding duties after that, A's grandma said she had it covered. I am inclined to think that she might make a daily trip in from the campground because she was worried about her garden and a calf acting sickly. So I went over there about 30 minutes ago. Her little brown and white pony looking happy amongst the cows and calfs. The little sickly calf looked okay, he was nursing off his mama and up on his feet. I gave him another lookover before I left and he seemed alert, no head hanging going on. I was satisfied. The geese threw a fit when I entered the yard, I carried my long stick (used to be a shovel handle) and kept the little buggers in front of me until I was out of thier reach. They squawked the entire time I was feeding, they even tried to chase me out of the yard when I departed! They are great watch dogs. Maybe Ill get a pair of those myself......maybe not, they crap everywhere! ICK

My friend E.T. yep those are her initials, has some beautiful Palomino horses(they really belong to her parent's, she owns one horse). I met E. when we attended the same out of town OSU satellite campus for 2 semesters in 2000. We became good friends and we also car-pooled. She is 11 years younger than me, has been married 2X and has 2 children. Her children live with her parents when they are not with thier prospective fathers. E. also lives with them when without a current man or on the down slide of one. I think everyone has a friend like E. I'll never understand her, but Ill always be her friend. Most of the time her personal life is a complete chaotic mess but the girl is a hoot to hang with. We go thru spells like this : she gets a 'new man' and is off with him for months at a time, I usually dont hear much from her during these times except the occassional phone call or a quick lunch date or bumping into eachother in town which always brings on a 30 minute chat wherever we might be standing at that moment-grocery store, gas station, bank or what have you. Then, when her 'new man' becomes old hat or just out the door, she has all the time in the world for me. She also changes new vehicles like she changes her men or her underwear so I never recognize her half the time! It doesnt hurt that her father is a long time loan officer at one of the better of the 2 banks in town (the town son #1 attends school in).



While Wee One was napping, my house phone beeped and it was E. She was bored she said, at her parents house. Her man is off working somewhere and she is staying with her parents until Sunday. I told her she should come visit but she had another idea. After I told her about the Old Guy being sore and me wanting to ride, she invited me over to ride at her parents 102 acre place when Wee One woke up. Of course, I jumped all over that! So when Wee one woke up, I threw my saddle in the trunk, packed him a small snack/play pack and we went for the 20 mi ride to E's folks. She has some nice parents. They are a bit odd in a religious sort of way so I mind my potty mouth when around them. They arent old style religion like the Catholic ways I was raised with, but that new stuff, hollering, smacking, and yelling about the lake of fire crap. Her mother is a big woman with tight gray curls, she recently had back surgey, a L4-5 fusion (I think) and was thrilled I came over to ride her obese gelding, Nugget.


Her horse was so FAT! I thought my horse and the horses in my care were fat with fat dimples, Nugget had horse cellulite! I am not joking. I had to use E's mothers special order EXTRA LARGE big girth off of her saddle, it was made similar to an Austrailian girth but fit a western saddle. It was strange looking. It almost did not fit my pleasure saddle but I am glad it did, her mom's saddle looked thick and hard, I'd never feel a horse sitting in hers. E. has a daughter 3 months younger than Wee One. E's parents dote on her 2 kids and made thier back yard into a playground that even I thought looked like fun to play in and I am an adult! E's mom offered to keep Wee One while we rode. He seemed fine with her, too busy with his new playmate and new playground that was fenced in for NO ESCAPE. I should have taken a picture of thier backyard and had hubby fashion one similar for us here at home because Wee One had an absolute blast and was not able to escape the confines of the back yard. I took my cell phone because I was worried about her mother's back and Toddler Terror's antics. She was 3 months post surgery and she said she felt great but was still doing her physical therapy for back strengthening and her MD said no riding yet...bummer for her.

E. and I had a good ride. She filled me in on the gossip about her last soon-to-be ex husband going to jail and then getting out and then going back to jail again. She always picks the losers but they usually have a good job or come from money. E. was full of good local gossip and I found myself listening as intently to her as I was to Nugget who was plodding along and swishing his tail at the occassional fly. He was pretty perky for a fat boy and did not need much smooching to get him into a slow comfy lope. We reached a soft, short, grassy spot that went on for ages. Nugget was barefooted and I didnt want him to get sore since he had not been ridden much lately, we steered clear of the rocks and dirt road. We did cross the paved road in front of the house to get to the smoother, grassy pasture. Nugget worked himself up into a lather and he was nice going in a hackmore. I like riding a bitless horse, it is a big difference from a horse that uses a bit. We rode for about an hour, it was HOT in the afternoon sun. When we got back home, we hosed and scraped the horses good, turned them back out after they cooled and dried. Wee One was tired but not ready to leave just yet. So we sat out on thier back shaded deck and watched the horses roll after thier ride and then graze, we chatted about horses in general. AFter I finished my glass of tea and Wee One polished off his popsicle, we made the 20 minute drive home.


While driving home, I saw Him . He was driving his Dodge pick up pulling an empty horse trailer. He was alone, sitting relaxed while talking on his cell phone, wearing his cowboy hat that he always does when he is not working. We were both stopped at the only stoplight in a 45 mile radius, just my luck! I saw him before he saw me, he waved. Did he hesitate? Maybe. Maybe, he was talking to his new girlfriend. Is that why he is way over here in my part of the woods? I heard he was seeing a gal who worked for a lawyer who had offices all over my part of Oklahoma. Did he leave law enforcement for a better paying job? I had no idea. He loved police work, investigations, helping people, getting the bad guy. But, he always wanted to make more money....Why was my stomache doing a flip flop? Geesh, I am really crazy. Wee One protesting loudly from the back seat that he dropped his musical toy and couldnt reach it snapped me back to the present.



Anyhow, it turned out to be a good day. I am exhausted but its a good feeling exhaustion not a drained one but the kind that lets you sleep well at nite. Maybe I can hold off on the whiskey toddy tonite...........nahhh the more I think about it, the more I know Ill enjoy that chilled Canadian Mist on the rocks after a hot shower.