Sunday, October 23, 2011

The Day I Turned Twenty-Two



It began as a brisk October morning. I awoke to the sounds of a match striking the box. It was the boss woman starting the heater. It also meant that we needed to get up immediately. We quickly got dressed and headed out the door to catch the horses. The "mama's" stayed in the cold camper to make breakfast. We would be having a slice of ham for breakfast simmered in grease. One slice. I knew it would be a long day at that moment. The four-wheeler wouldn't start due to the cold weather and so the boss woman came out to start it. We headed towards the frost-covered hills and found the horses. We offered them grain and quickly caught them. The horses to be rode were Scout, Pearl, and Coco; the oldest horses in the herd. We led the horses back to the corral and saddled them up. No problems all morning. We headed to Boot Hill to meet up with the rest of the Tio Grande Association. We were discouraged in seeing that only 5 other people would be rounding up the cows with us. Each was sent to a different unit and all expected to bring back cows with the help of only one other person. We debated who would go where and eventually concluded that I would be accompanying Jackie and Rachael in searching out the cows in Lucero Lakes. We would also be bringing a batch from the Bean Patch. We had rode the previous day and found over 30 head. Four of which where bulls that I spent hours riding the countryside trying to bring them in. I was delighted in this knowledge and gleefully headed on my way. Lucero Lakes is rather close in proximity to the corrals and I knew we would be one of the first groups back. We headed out and parked our trailer next to some Mexican hunters. Dagger immediately ran over to their grill and ate the remains of their breakfast. Humiliated, I walked over and used my Spanglish to smooth over the situation. We unloaded our horses, said our goodbyes to mom, and began the search for the cows. At that time, my saddle sores began bleeding again. Why of all days did I forget my chaps? As we were riding over the rocky terrain, we found pocket after pocket of cows. Each hill we climbed resulted in finding more cows, but only a few at a time. Jackie kept behind the herd and sent Rachael and me to the different stock ponds to pick up the cows. Our herd grew with every return. Finally, we had brought all the cows in sight and began pushing the herd from the last stock pond. Suddenly, the horse beneath me began falling to the ground. She wouldnt put weight on her back leg. I jumped off and walked her around searching for the problem. She then fell to the ground. I tried to quickly take off her saddle before she rolled on top of it. Shakingly, I pulled off her bridle and walked away from her. She laid on the ground and that was it. She was going to die. I left my saddle and bridle and climbed on Rachael's horse. My sunglasses had to hide the tears that were building up. I had killed Pearl! We would ride double out of the canyon and then I would begin my long walk to the corrals. Pearl got up and followed us. Falling down and rolling over as we went. She fell into a fence and Jackie had to strategically untangle her. We continued chasing the cows. Rachael on horse, me on foot, and Jackie took of to Willow Crossing with a small herd to get help. We walked for what felt like miles. Blisters were arising all over my feet. Cowboy boots were not the proper attire for the task that lay ahead of me. Hours passed by and we were nearing the corrals. Sophie, formerly Pedro, drove to us and began helping chase the cows. He/She giggled at the story I began telling. She told me that this would be the horses last ride. She was far too old to be doing this much work. BUT she did make it back to the corrals before me resulting in a ting of anger that she had caused me to walk so far and made it back before me. We put all our cows in and checked the time. It had taken us hours to do what we thought would be a simple task. I, without a horse, was of no use for the rest of the day. I watched as all the other wranglers brought in their cows. Once we all returned to the corrals, we quickly ate lunch and began sorting. The cows ran through the alley of the corrals with ease until a poor looking cow came running towards us. She hit the surrounding fences and was inches from throwing Jackie into the air. We finally finished sorting and began on our last ride to get cows. They proved to come easily until we approached the corrals. It was dusk and we needed them to get in quickly. One of the riders decided to cut his cows from the herd and take them to his trailer. It was only one rider pushing the cows into the corral. One broke away and the rider took after her. Rachael and me jumped on our horses and ran to help them. We got all the remaining cows in but the one that ran off. The rider finally gave up after the cow began ramming into his horse. We all rode back to the corral and said good riddance. We headed back to the camper where Rachael and me packed our things and headed home. The blinker on the Beast was broken. I only hoped I wouldnt be turning left in front of any cops. We awkwardly spoke all the way home and I dropped her off at the Bush residence. When I got home, Pumpkin and me hobbled in. We were greeted by a sick Papa bear who was in no mood for chatting. We headed to bed and I searched for my phone so I could set my alarm to go to church but alas my phone was gone. I had lost it. I went to bed that night hoping to never awake again to a day like that. Luckily, you only turn 22 once.

Monday, September 21, 2009

When Your DreamsTurn To Dust...Vacuum








I couldn't have said it better myself, anonymous. Well here comes another blog only a week after the last one! Lucky you! Today's topic is dreams. I was excited as well until I was informed we are not speaking of night dreams, but rather goals and aspirations. Lame I know, but what can ya do when some redhead (i'll refrain from using her name) decides this? Don't answer...it's a rhetorical question.










I have many dreams, goals, aspirations...whatever you want to call them. As of late, my biggest dream is to become a writer. Unfortunately, yesterday the nameless redhead edited one of my papers and well, dream world is definitely rocking! Needless to say, there was more red on the paper than black.














So, since my dream to become a writer is short-lived (approx. 4 months {too bad I already changed my major}) I will have to share my more inner dreams. This will prove to be rather embarrassing, I am sure.



So I am in college now...shocking I'm sure. Yes I am in fact almost 20, not 13. Anyways, back to the point. I have walls here at college. Walls of my own that I can actually put stuff on. Lets just say that that interior design class back sophomore year finally paid off! "Moral of the story" I have a wall in my room filled with all my hopes and dreams. Pathetic, I know...if it makes me appear more metal, I haven't put the pictures up yet. Anyways...the photo collage within my blog is what my wall will soon look like. Well the photos will be more pixel-y after I print them...so imagine it in a poor quality. Now I know some of these pictures will raise questions...I refuse to ever speak of any of this again!

Well not much else to say...anyone who reads this will now know my deepest darkest desires and make fun of me relentlessly.


Friday, September 11, 2009

Here's a Tip

Looks like we are starting back up the blogging...I'm not sure if thats a good thing or not. Today's topic...tipping. I personally feel no obligation to tip when I am in restaurants. In fact, I am known for stiffing waiters. Ok, so I only did it once, but it was the proudest day of my life. I like to leave little trivial things rather than money. Bowling passes, coupons, pocket lint, anything that can be found in my pocket. So I stole that last line from Daniel...but I do like to leave pennies, dimes, and nickels! That I have done to a lingering waiter. Well this blog is past the point of repair, so I shall leave it be rather than prolonging the agony.

Sunday, April 5, 2009

I wanna know!

How do you decide who in your life stays and who goes?

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Friends...Everybody Needs Friends


Today's topic is friendship. I remember when I was little we had a movie with a bunch of flowers in them and Rose Petal I believe sang a song about how "everybody needs friends." Once again, the cute little cartoons have lied. Do we really need friends? I don't even believe such a thing exists. I've come to realize recently, that I have never had a "friend".


The dictionary online describes a friend as a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard or a person who gives assistance. Well I have never felt that for one of my supposed friends and I don't know anyone who has assisted me who didn't feel obligated by bloodline.


I have had people I would hang out with while at school to avoid being totally secluded, but if I ever needed those people for assistance, they would not be there to support me. The only people who are there in my life are my family...so I guess they are my friends.


People are only about convenience. If they find any use or benefit in you, they'll be your friend. If they see no use in you, well then suck, looks like you will be one lonely loser.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Walk...Don't Run!


So walking, haven't had the best experiences with it. Aside from the normal tripping and falling that happens whenever I try to place one foot in front of the other, I have been known to walk into posts, poles, mailboxes, mirrors, really just anything that sticks out of the ground. And if that isn't bad enough, I recently had an encounter with the law for my walking habits.

Oh, you want to hear it?

Well apparently they don't joke about walking in Rexburg. I walked with a HUGE group of people illegally across the street to get to my humanities class one day. While I was beginning to cross a female cop instructed me to go to the crosswalk by pointing her witch-like finger. I ignored her, seeing all the people I would be crossing with. Well, she saw this, turned into the parking lot I was in and chased me down in her car and motioned me to come talk to her. Her face was screwed into a permanent angry face (I'll refrain from releasing the foul language filling my head) and she informed me that if I were her, I would never even consider jay-walking. Oh the things she's seen and not to mention the $20 ticket you get for jay-walking. Luckily, I sweet-talked my way into a warning. Let's face it, she only stopped me because I stood out above the rest. I'd like to think it was my beauty, but something tells me it was the flamboyantly pink Hoodie I had on.

Anyways, moral of the story, Idaho sucks the life out of people. What...? You didn't get that from my tale of woe and heartache? :)

Monday, February 9, 2009

Baby...or tax deduction?


So apparently our society requires us to like babies, but alas I can't find a single thing about them that I like. They smell, you have to do EVERYTHING for them, you have to feed them, they cost a lot of money. I mean the only thing I found that's a plus is they are a tax deduction...thus the title. So, I've never liked babies, heck I doubted I liked myself back then.


Anyways, whenever someone has a baby they force their dang kid on you. No matter how many times I say I don't want to touch that dang thing, they throw them in my arms and let go, hoping I'll have the common decency to catch them. Luckily for them, I do. I stand there glaring wondering why I am holding their kid. All the pushy mom has accomplished is to piss me off and hate the kid for what their mom has forced me to do. Weird? Perhaps.


I remember when I entered into the babysitting stage...not a good time for me. It was rough for both the kids and me. Let's just say I only did that for a little while and eventually became busy every time anyone wanted their child watched. Oh how I remember those days....the parents would come home and wander why I'm awkwardly sitting there. One time I was watching Anna, the only kid I've ever liked, and apparently I put her diaper on inside out....way awkward when the parents got home! :)


I'm told one day I'll eventually like babies...I'm yet to see it. One time I had a dream I had a kid and for a whole day after that dream I somewhat liked babies! Unfortunately, I saw none that day, so who knows if I really did, I doubt it.

OH! AND NOT ALL BABIES ARE CUTE! BAM!!!