It all started with a visit to the kindergarten program where all of the parents had several cameras each. I didn't have any but thankfully Garrett didn't sing anyway so it was better left unmemorialized. Then it was time to take the pony to Stockton's class. I decided to walk her there because she has a tendency to be a little high strung and I thought that she may be mellow after the long walk to school. Oh yeah, I had two kittens in a backpack as well. Stockton forgot to tell the teacher that we were coming so it came as a complete surprise to her. She decided that it would be great if each of the students had a ride on the pony (with no parent release form or legal release signature - I love her!!). All of the kids survived and so did I even though I came close to heat exhaustion on the way home.
The evening began with the boys heading out on the father's and son's outing. All of a sudden the girls were gone with friends and I found myself alone. When does that happen with a family of 7?! What did I do with my time you ask? I hooked up the horse trailer and went to pick the horses up from the spring pasture (I should have taken a bubble bath!). As I drove up to the pasture, a wild animal that I at first thought was a cat went running by. Then I noticed that 3 cows were out - but out of where because we don't have any cows. As if this ride needed more confusion, I suddenly saw that there was a skunk between me and the horses. I sat in the truck for awhile but the skunk seemed completely unworried. I honked the horn and nothing. By now our dog who was in the truck noticed the skunk and was going crazy. I decided to open the gate and drive into the pasture to scare away the skunk. Here I came with a big truck and 3-horse trailer and the skunk just slowly sauntered into the ditch and through the irrigation tunnel.
I had to drive way into the pasture which has very uneven ground in order to get far enough away from the skunk. I parked and began trying to catch the horses. One was interested enough in the grain that he let me catch him but when I tried to put him in the trailer, he ran off. I was not about to lose this battle without a fight so I ran too (holding onto the leadrope). The horse was running, I was running, and who knew where the skunk was (or the plethora of snakes that inhabit this particular field). Finally I got outpaced by the horse and the rope flew out of my hand. I did some kind of a front flip. I have grass stains to prove it. I finally got the horses caught and loaded and home just in time to prepare for Brooke and all of her friends to come. They were coming over to watch a movie outside. We have couches, blankets, and a TV set up in our backyard (white trash - I know). It is all set up by out bonfire pile so I stoked up the flames for them and laid down on the couch to wait for them. I watched a bit of Bedtime Stories while I babysat the fire. They came and I went in and now I am very tired.
