I'm Holding My Horses

Holding your horses is an art ... a technique that I do not excel at.  I had lots of practice back in the old days and probably did very well for a 6 year old when it came to waiting on everyone else to saddle up and GET up.  If you didn't, someone would be left on the ground with a big bump on their head because their horse took off before they had a seat.

I learned rather quickly to handle my horse and hang on because there was no sympathy if you fell off.   Two of my cousins weren't so lucky, and fell to screaming laughter as they almost hit the mail box on the way down the road.  There were no wimps allowed ... and no adults in sight.

I don't know what happened, but my holding skills have vanished, as evidenced by the ugly confrontation with my doctor's office, who for six months SWEARS they sent the orders over to the Imaging Center, while the Imaging Center SWEARS they never got a thing.

Add to that the fact that they insisted ... in fact DEMANDED I wear a mask in their waiting room or I would be removed, didn't help the situation at all.  As you know, I'm pretty stubborn.  I said if everyone else was wearing a mask, they would be fine, right?  The young man sitting there said .... well yes ... which prompted terribly ugly looks and a "shut up" from the girl.

The manager was of course in a "meeting", but at last called me back.  There is still no resolve to this matter, especially since now I will be in Arizona for another three months.  Big sigh!!

Back home, Jonathan was not holding his horses, but his perch.  Since I will be in the rig so long this time, I figured I should give him a bigger house.

I'm cage poor ... with six houses of all sizes just for him.  It was a little hard to get it in the door, and even harder to lift it up on the counter, but VOILA ... home sweet home for Jon.  Yes it's tied to the cupboard handle so it doesn't fall off going down the road.  No worries, Jon will not be riding here, but in the truck in his travel cage.

Back in the house, it dawned on me there were no perches in that house.  RATS!!  Luckily I found several pieces of wooden dowel that would work.  Too bad for the neighbors, all I could find was a metal pipe saw.  

It was much smaller and easier to use, but made the most horrible noise.  Not only did I have to cut them the right size ... which I failed on the first two tries ... but slots had to be cut in the ends, with the grain.  The screeching was heard around the block.

With that project done I ventured into the world of computer designing brochures.  This is not my forte, as you can see.  Every rally we make up a little handout with everyone's picture and name so you know who you are talking to.  

These are usually done by our illustrious Conductor who I think did it for a living.  I was always amazed at his results.  I took an old one he had sent to me via email and began to make my own.  Good grief ... it was set up as an excel file on a word document.  

After hours of frustration, I finally got the inside done, which I won't show because it has too much information.  Then it was ... lets figure out how to print a front page when the papers are folded.  I printed out SO many copies that were wrong.  In the end, it was upside down and backwards.  Not fancy, but DONE!!

I have been NOT so successfully holding my horses when it comes to that ice cream.  That and the doctor's office has kept me wide awake for the last three nights.  I don't know why I can't hit that OFF button.  Hoping not to bother Costco into hating me, I sent another quick email that if I didn't know by Jan 2, I would have to order from another source.  

I've already got my figures and my shopping order slated for scooped ice cream with toppings.  When I heard the ding on my phone, I ignored it, but curiosity got the best of me.  WHOA NELLY!!!  She said she was waiting for the ice cream order to be delivered THAT DAY.  She will confirm it today, so my phone will never leave my hand.  My horses are really going crazy now and I'm not counting my chickens yet ..... BUT .......

I've got one more big hurdle to jump over ... that darn rain that turns into snow.  Please, pretty please, pray for rain ten days from now.  I'm not sure my constitution can take pulling a fifth wheel over a mountain pass when it's snowing, even if someone did point out the trucks would knock all the snow down first.  I would rather just leave my horses in the barn.