It
felt like the final day of my snowbird adventure was a miniature
replay of the last two months. I squeezed in a little bit of
everything. This blog piece will also be brief for two reasons. 1. I
want to be up early to get things squared away so we can hit the road
as soon as Patty is back from her dental apt. 2. I'm on battery power
and my laptop is about to die.
I
finished cleaning pens and feeding by 7:30 AM. Cindy had things to do
out of town and Dave had a business meeting at Rancho Rio in
Wickenburg. For everybody that has been reading my blog, you know the
previous sentence is total BS. For those reading The Pumpkin
Cheesecake Diaries for the first time: “business meeting “ is
code for “roping” if it involves Dave.
One
of the many things I'm going to miss about this place is taking my
dogs for a walk every morning. You can step out your front door and
walk in any direction for as far as your legs can carry you. There
are no roads, no concrete – no traffic – no buffalo gnats or
mosquitoes. There is something interesting to see down any path you
choose. I think the dogs will miss it, too.
After
our walk, Patty and I drove into Aguila to check out the Tuesday flea
market. Many of the same vendors set up their wares every week. I
looked around for Pa and Boy. I must admit part of me was a little
saddened they were not there. I bought a vintage oil lamp from a guy
that could have been Boy's other brother, Boy. I will think
about them every time I light it. I plan to light it a lot. Not so
much because I will miss them...but because after my encounter with
them at the Family Dollar, I'm a little scared of the dark.
We
stopped at the Coyote Den for ice tea before heading back home. I
saddle Jack and J and set up a few random cones and barrels. I worked
on loping Jack around the cones and barrels in no particular order.
We increased our speed as we (I) got more comfortable. Jack did
great...he gave me more speed and rated back when I asked. Granted, I
wasn't shooting but he did all I asked of him without getting chargy
on me.
I
swapped to J'Lo. Patty came out to watch and help me work on my
lines. She set up the “S” pattern I'd taken the scenic route on
at the Winter Range shoot. Cindy had suggested I don't think about
shooting and just start running through a course maintaining speed.
Between doing that and Patty's coaching on course management...it was
like somebody turned the lights on. J'Lo shot through the pattern
making flying lead changes and sweeping barrel turns like a jet
ski...all without ringing her tail. All I have to do now is hope I
can shoot that fast. I am looking forward to practicing what I've
learned this last two months from Kenda, Cindy, Patty, Rob and others
when I get back to Idaho. Once it all comes together – I know we
are going to do better.
Cindy
made reservations for 10 at Nicholes West in Congress for a Snowbirds
farewell dinner. We met up with Jamie Z, Rob and Shelley B. and Mari
and Dan M. at the restaurant. Half way through dinner I felt a bit of
melancholy set in. I was really going to miss these people – and so
many others I've met on this journey. I can't express the kindness
and generosity of damn near every person I've encountered since
arriving in the little town of Aguila Arizona 60 days ago. The
melancholy lifted as suddenly as it came on. This is not goodbye. I
will see these people again! Many I will see at shoots throughout the
year; others more often as we live in the same State...some as close
as the next town.
While
I'm not thrilled about going home – I am less distraught about it
than I was when I thought I was leaving a week ago. I would choke on
using the word “home” when referring to Weiser Idaho. I would
call it 'north' or “The place where I pay taxes” ...anything but
“home.” That is ridiculous. Referring to any one place as home
does not lesson your attachment to another. Home truly is where my
friends and my critters are. It is said that home is where your heart
is. I'm OK with that now...because I've discovered that my heart is
big enough to encompass two geographically separate places over 980
miles apart. I could not have said that two months ago. Two months
ago, I was a new retiree. Today...I am a Snowbird.
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