On the Heel-o-Matic ..

The Cowboy has said to me for quite some time now .. ‘We need to get you roping.  You’ll love it.”

But he’s been good not to push.  Because it’s never been quite the right time.

But this week I decided to finally take him up on the challenge.

The Cowboy and his dad are going to a Jackpot this weekend and the two were practicing in the arena .. when they were done, they offered me the rope.  I took it.  No longer concerned for some reason if I were to rope anything while swinging a big loop in the air it would be myself and possibly pull myself off the horse .. or the horse.

Long way to go .. but after some patient, wonderful instruction from the new father-in-law and some time afterwards around the fire practicing on a stationary steer, actually looking forward to getting back at it.

Spent the day Monday with the Cowboy while he worked ..

Love seeing how happy others are, to ever see the Cowboy.

At our first stop of the day .. the kids tried catching one of the barn cats.  The ol gent who’s barn it was said they had too many anyway and offered the kids how many ever they could catch.

“If you chase him out from the other side … “

Think offer was made knowing not a one would ever allow itself to be caught.

Kids had fun anyway.  There will always be more barn cats.

And more barns.

Next stop ..

My daughter has spent the better half of the past year, in her free time around home, with the boy next door.  They’ve gotten to be pretty good buds.  And when we asked if he’d like to come with us to the ranch these few last days before school .. his mom and stepdad weren’t so sure.  He would miss a day of football practice.  And .. I don’t think they wanted in any way to intrude…

Since our arrival, it has been a series of firsts.  While he’s been on horseback before, it was the first time he realized why you wear jeans when riding.

First time on a John Deere.

Long day of riding

First time on a mower..

I asked him how he was doing later that first day.

“This is the best day so far of my life,” he responded.  “Seriously.”

Trying to catch the goat.

First time I’ve seen him with a smile that we can’t seem to wipe off his face ..

Saturday was the big day ..

It had been years since a bike accident on her trike left her fearful of ever riding again. The Cowboy and I have been encouraging her to give it another go.  We got her a bike earlier this spring at the house in South Dakota she started to re-learn on.  But we’ve hardly been back this summer to keep going with it.

“I want a red bike for my birthday,” she told me this year.

Finally re-learning to ride!

I found the most awesome fit – a block away earlier this summer at a yard sale.  Her birthday present from us this year.  And we had been working up to this moment for weeks.  Saturday, she emotionally, was finally ready.

Even the dog is celebrating!

And she rode.

Comparing notes at the end of a long day for us both Friday ..

I said .. “I had a first tonight”.

On a rare occasion someone asks for an autograph.  Always stuns me someone would want it.  And, on a piece of paper is one thing.  That’s easy to throw away when you look back and think, why did I get this again?

Guy told me he lost it years ago in a wood chipper.

The Cowboy laughs and says to me, “I had a bizarre day too.  I had a customer ask me to take care of her horses and I told her I had time today.  While she was at work and couldn’t be there, she said she’d call her daughter and let her know I would be coming and that she would be home.  When I pulled in the drive .. the daughter was laying out in the sun topless.  And she didn’t seem to mind that I was there.  I didn’t know what to do so I sat in the truck for awhile until she got up and put her top on.”

No photos of that one.

Urban cowgirl.

Usually once a week, we pick a night to go out if possible, just the two of us for a bite to eat.  During the summer it is often a Friday night fish fry when we can under the tent or in the Stable House at Quivey’s.  But another place we love to frequent ..

Artists at work.  A favorite.

There are many children already back at their desks .. reconnecting with old friends .. decorating their lockers and thumbing through new textbooks ..

Our first day back to school will soon be here.

Thursday – registration day. New school. New teachers, hallways, school pic and locker.

One right, two back left, one right. Right?

“If I could wish for my life to be perfect, it would be tempting but I would have to decline, for life would no longer teach me anything.” ~ Allyson Jones

Some meetings are over coffee.

Others .. not so much.

It was already a long week and it had hardly started when a girlfriend I haven’t seen all summer called and said, “I’m back in town.  Can we meet quick to catch up?”

Pasquals.

“Yes.  Yes, I would really like that,” I replied.

Many of us meet often, “over coffee” ..

For me, used to be meetings over pastries as well, until I looked at why I happened to be gaining weight even though I would eat healthy otherwise all day.  Besides a scone.  Or a morning bun.  36g fat often per scone.  Found my answer.  But can’t stay away from the places.

La Brioche, where just one meeting was held this week, is a favorite ..

Great atmosphere.  Great location.  Wonderful menu with a lot of healthy options.  Or .. if you prefer, as I often do, to sneak in a sinful treat …. the selection is wonderful.  Been sneaking one of these on occasion since I was a kid and Ovens of Brittany made these a household name.