Vaya con Dios, mi amigo

As I sit here trying to think what to type, I'm filled with emotion. I just learned about the death of a fellow cowboy action shooter named Zeb. Although I have never met this person face to face, I feel such a loss. Zeb was a contributor on the SASS wire, a meeting place for folks who are interested in cowboy action shooting, and often his wit and sense of humor brought a smile to my face. He was a "pard to ride the river with". Always there to give a comment, joke or opinion on things. Sometimes I'd see his posts and think, "Man doesn't this guy have anything else to do?" because he would post sooooo much! But that was Zeb. Always there, always fun.
There have been a few of these people that have passed in the last few years. Itty Bitty Storm, Suzie Silk Knickers, Terrible Ted and Beanpot to name a few. Each has hit me in ways that surprised me. I have felt the loss and been saddened by it, all for people I have never met in person or hardly knew.
SASS (Single Action Shooting Society) boosts that it's a family shooting sport. The people that frequent the web site seem to become just that. Although I will never meet most of the people I interact with on the wire, they are part of my family, and I theirs. So I'll remember Zeb, Suzie, Ted, Itty Bitty and the others that have touched my life. I like to think they are all ridding in a posse on the big ranch in the sky, swapping stories around a camp fire and wondering just why we miss them so.

To all my pards that have gone before me I say,
Vaya con Dios, mi amigos!

Saying Goodbye

This past week we said goodbye to a few different "pets". Archie's hamster, Scampers, died at the ripe old age of three. Cheyanne lost the last of her fish and Yvette and I sold one of our horses, Midnight. The fish was given a "burial at sea" (if you know what I mean) and Scamper was buried in our growing family pet cemetery that also includes Jayson's hamster "Gidget", Yvette's Guinea Pig "Squeakers", Alexis and Cheyanne's bird, "Ariel" and Tyler and Josh's mouse "Buddy"
Midnight is a former race horse with a over the top attitude! He does not like to ride in a trailer. Yvette and I tried for four Sunday's in a row trying to get him to load, but to no avail. The first try, Yvette got so banged up that she is still off work with a back problem! Last weekend I finally had had enough! When he pulled his head up to let me know he was the boss, I got mad and jerked his lead rope back down hard. I then turned him in tight circles (horses hate that!) and lead him back towards the trailer. I jumped in and to my surprise, he came in also. I was so shocked that I just stood there for a second! Luckily for me, Archie was paying more attention and swung the trailer door closed. Now all I had to do was get myself out of the trailer! Thank goodness for the escape door!
So off we went to take Midnight to his new home in the foothills! He has 10 acres to romp and play in, part of which has an apple orchard in it! Could it get much better for him? It's a very nice place for him to live out the rest of his days. He's over 25 years old, getting up there for a horse. Plus we can go see him when ever we want to! But after all the trouble he was the past four weeks, I may wait a while.

So...where ya been?

At the zoo!! The last day before returning to work, Clayton and I had our last day alone together and went to the zoo. Had a great time and made some good memories for me.

Work has been pretty tough physically and mentally on me. I haven't had to work this hard in a few years. I'm sore but it's a good sore. Maybe my tummy will start to allow me to see my toes again without having to sit down first! It's a new system to learn and it's tough to remember everything, but my new motto is L.J.H.I. The best thing that has come from all this is my faith has been renewed. I'm happier inside now than I've been in years! It flows into my relationships and my spare time and I'm trying to let it fill me up while at work. The "old " Jeff seems to be coming back.

I will be posting again this weekend, so please check back again!