Wet Rainy Sunday Fun

There is always a question of what to do on a cold rainy icky Wisconsin day.

As kids we'd sit in the 'little house' and play cards, or if the mood struck Grandpa Lind...we'd go 'visiting'.
The reason for visiting was...well you couldn't work outside, so you might as well drive around and drop in on some friends or relatives and get the latest gossip.

It was amazing, we'd pull into 'Uncle Carly's' farm and walk up into the house. Us kids would go and amuse ourselves with the other farm kids. The grownups would sit down and have coffee and magically out of no where ~~ appeared sandwhiches, desserts, and all sorts of goodies. We always felt welcome no matter where we went on a cold yucky day.

But today, Morris and I decided to go on a hike. The bugs because of our June record rainfalls [almost and inch with hail yesterday!] are awful. Generally one can tolerate them in the woods. I donned a kerchief hat sprayed with bug spray, an old ripped up long sleeve shirt, a jacket, long pants, hiking boots, gloves, and of course an assortment of cameras.

I was soon wet up to my knees walking through the wet grass, nettles, and other forest underbrush. Morris was soaked.

We headed to the valley so we could walk in the creek bed and mess around. We found wild strawberries and some of the first wild berries. Yum.

Morris likes them too.
The bugs were
HORRENDOUS
AWFUL

I smeared metholatum vaseline rub all over my face and neck...I not only smelled awful, but now the gnats were stuck to my face until I smeared them off. Bet I looked a sight!
Heh Heh.

The skies opened and it poured. Worried about my digital camera, I dropped it into a zip lock bag and then donned a cheap poncho. The rain was a delight and we walked in it.

So we didn't pick up and go visiting like in the old days, we went for a good old fashioned, get dirty and wet hike.

We loved it. And of course Morris absolutely loved it.
He is napping now.

Pony Jail

His name is Little Richard. He thinks he is the fancist thing on 4 legs. He also is a 4 legged weed whacker.
Normally Rich ties him to a stake driven into the ground in different areas of the yard and along the driveway where it is difficult to mow.

Little Richard eats circles around his stake and we move him nearly daily.
BUT
With Rich being laid up, I took it upon myself to tie Little Richard out to different items ... such as the hay hauler, empty pens, and other areas. I can't drive the stake into the ground right now, using a fence pounder shoots lighting streaks of pain right up my right elbow.

Ok.
So ALL was fine yesterday late afternoon. I'd checked on the LR and took off with Sunshine for a training ride. We were going for the BIG adventure in PeeWee's. The first truly long and difficult solo ride. [our mules are taught to ride solo ~ it takes a mature and confident rider & mule to do so safely]

I was really quite excited. Sunshine did fantastic, pulling the usual mule stunts like thinking she could choose the path home. At one point we came across a downed tree that came up nearly to her chest. Badger who is very tall compared to her had stepped easily over it the day before.

I hesitated, but some little red mule decided to 'go for it'. I now know what it is like to be on the back of a mule when they jump from a stand still. I felt her go and thought 'oh crap'. But we came out just fine.

I rode triumphantly into the yard. Sunshine had really proven to be a worthy mount.

I looked around,
NO
Little Richard.

Dang. I unsaddled Sunshine and tossed things into the trailer and hurried to look for him. I got no further than halfway to the house when Rich hollered that our neighbor lady had just called.

*Where we missing a tricolored stud pony?*

I jumped in the truck cursing LR, the houdini of ponies. And found him at Linda's. He was still attached to his tie out ... squealing and running back and forth trapped in a lane. Linda hadn't tried to lay a hand on him because she didn't know how he'd act.

I pulled on my gloves and walked into the lane, grabbing LR's rope, he squealed and pranced and I called him *Alpo* and murmured many apologies to Linda. I tried tying him to the truck but in the end, I sat on the tailgate while Linda drove my truck and we took him home.

She was concerned that she was going too fast, I had to laugh, LR kept trying to pass the truck.

I marched LR up to one of the winter pens and put him in *Pony Jail*. At least until hubby is well enough again to put him back on weed whacking duty!

What to do while unemployed

Well, for one thing, look for a job. I have applied for unemployment benefits which I've never done in my entire life.
But then again... I've never been 'let go' in my entire life from any job either.

Yesterday I took hubby to the very same clinic I used to work at. Rich could barely walk, he allowed me to get a wheelchair for him~you know he is one hurtin' puppy then!

While being seen by Doc, some of my co-workers came by and threw their arms around me -- moaning how much they missed my cheerful face. Literally I was mugged and hugged. The lab tech I worked with two weeks ago didn't know about my 'dismissal' or whatever they are calling it...she was aghast. Many people told me and hubby that the clinic made a huge mistake.

Nice, but it doesn't get me re-employed.

I do have an appointment to review my employee record next Tuesday. Since I was never told anything but...'we are letting you go because you are not a good fit', tells me nothing about the WHY. I want to see the manager's notes and WI law allows me to.

Rich was DX'd with hip bursitis, along with injured tendons, strained muscles, and an inflamed femoral nerve. [this causes him not to be able to walk]
He did this while spending two days clipping the meadow pasture for weed prevention and encouraging new growth. The leg effected was the clutch leg. He also was bouncing around and sitting turned to watch behind him ... he backed into many places to trim between trees and over used and abused his leg and hip muscles.

He is in sleepy land with pain meds now ~ and a shot of cortisone in the 'cheek'.

Rich made me replace my 30 yr old Brother sewing machine. The bobber spring died a bad death on my old one.

So now unemployed and searching for jobs...I am mending, making curtains out of materials on hand to keep the hot summer light out.

I am training mules each day, doing the chores, and being a 'gopher' for the guy who is hobbling along.

Soon I'll also be picking up my Mother In Law's canning supplies and making some homemade jams and jellies. My garden is looking well tended for a woman who hates vegetable gardening.

Eeeks. I'm being domestic. I'm not sure this is good. Because I'm sort of enjoying it.

No better way

There is no better way in life to enjoy it...than just take some time
stop
sit
watch
be in awe.

I rode Badger up to the ridge top last night to get a full view of the sunset [saves on gas, you know?]. It was worth the hustle to get him saddled and the 'mad' trot to get out to where I could see the full sky.

Some days are just perfect

Yesterday was one of those days that was ... well, just perfect. I started my day with a morning ride on my favorite mule, Badger. This was after I'd hung out all of the freshly washed sheets on the line to dry.

We rode a liesurely ride, no speed, no hurry, just a slow stroll through the woods, listening to the birds and spotting wildlife.

I gardened until my stomach said it was lunch time, then came in and had 'dinner' with hubby. I had to ice my elbow so did that and decided a siesta would be in order.

After our siesta, Rich went out to mow the pastures, while I worked with Siera in the round pen.
Oh yeah...another fine session. We graduated to 'packing' the bit and I added a back cinch and crupper to her saddle gear. All went amazingly fine. I even took her outside where there were tons of distractions and worked with her.

She's a good gal.

Later, I pulled out Sunshine and we worked on some finer points of reining and 'listening' to the rider. She has graduated from a 'green broke' mule and is in 'finishing' school now.

Then Morris and I went for a short walk and ate wild strawberries. He is learning how to find them just as he does the wild blackberries. [odd dog that he is]

I topped my evening off [pancakes for supper] with a stroll up the lane to watch the sunset.
By dark, I was exhausted.

I made the beds with the fresh smelling sheets and [after a shower] dropped into them and fell into slumber land.

Today looks like another fine day...there is a threat of storms later.

I think yesterday was just about darned perfect.

The New Kid

Meet Siera, the new kid. Well actually we got her last spring. I started working with her on Wednesday...yeah the same day I was 'let go'.

But...
Siera is a Peruvian Paso Mule, that means her dam was pure blood Peruvian Paso. Siera does the Paso gaite. Siera is a dream mule to work with.
I had no expectations when I took her into the round pen for her very first lesson. She'd been a bit cranky from being tied up while waiting for the farrier, so I was expecting an ill behaved mule.

She wasn't.

I asked her to lunge a circle around me with a whip. I said not a word. She lunged clockwise, then when I stepped in with body language and asked her to reverse, she lunged counter clockwise. I nearly dropped my jaw into the sand.

After a few minutes, I opened my mouth and stepped slightly ahead of her and said quietly.

*Whoa*

She stopped so hard dust came up. She walked towards me and stood within a respectful distance.

Ok, I was not believing this at all. This mule was sold to us with very little work, she did have nice ground manners, but had basically not been handled in one year. [except for worming and footwork]

What was THIS?

I attached a lead with her and within a few moments we had learned *back* and *come*. I brought out a large plastic bag on the end of a stick and poked it around her gently. She flipped her head and stepped away twice. Then stood stock still.
Hmmm.
I got out my major spook arsenal.
The Walmart bag filled with aluminum cans...I threw them at her. She trotted away then came back to smell it. In a few minutes the bag of cans was...HO HUM.

I took my old shirt that was hanging on the rail and tied it over her ears. I brought out the big BLACK MULE EATING PLASTIC.
It took a few momments of convincing but soon she was standing on the black plastic and getting her ears rubbed.

Hmmm.

I left her for a few minutes and returned with my light saddle and a blanket. I KNOW she'd never seen a saddle.
Again.
It was HO HUM.

I was loving this gal.

I draped the noise making bag on the saddle horn, I attached milk jugs with rattly rocks in them to the saddle and turned her loose. She trotted quickly around me, then stopped and looked at the noise makers...then I swear she looked at me as if to say:

*Well? Is this all you got?*

Nope. I put my foot in the stirrup and laid across her back.
Nothing.

I tried the other side.
Sigh.

I untacked her and proceeded to brush her until her lips quivered with delight. When I returned her to the pasture, she wouldn't leave my side while my hands were on her neck.

I waved her off and she galloped to her pasture mates.

The New Kid is definitely AWESOME.
I like taking her to 'school'.

Let Go

*Let Go*

I've never been told those words in my entire life. I've never been 'let go' from a job. Although the reason cited was...*it is not a good fit*.

Not a good fit because the 2 women I worked with have a history of being such ... that 3 other women have left the very same position? 2 other women have left during their probation time citing...personal differences.

I was rather surprised, rather shocked.
But I shouldn't have been.
I should have seen it coming. When my two co-workers hid the portable telephone from me, wouldn't let me get faxes off the fax machine, wouldn't let me do the job I was hired to do...

In the 'letting go' talk I was told that I wasn't performing my job. I waited until Mr. Administrator had his say, then flipped my Badge on his desk.

And I told him that he needed to consider the sources of his information. He needed to consider that my co-workers did NOT allow me to do my job. And they needed to consider a good training program.
He also needed to consider the record of what happens in that department and that other girls are actually afraid of the two I worked with.

And I smiled sadly at him and said, 'honesty is not a valued thing here, it comes back and bites you. You have a viper pit in that department, and you need to fix it.'

I was hurt deeply, and actually more embarrassed and humiliated by being escorted out of the building as if I was a criminal. --- I know it is standard practice, but it has never happened to me.