The Ranch

This past Saturday we had the opportunity to visit my dear friend Pat and her husband, Hoppy, at their ranch in Blanchard. It is always a fun treat to spend the day out there. There is plenty of room for the boys to run around and when I am with Pat, the conversations fall easily into laughter. We hadn't but walked through the door when she offered Joshy and Ben a popsicle. She is smart enough to know that the affection of children can be bought...

As we were wrapping up lunch, Hoppy watched as the boys mulled about in his office. Joshy, as always, was full of questions. What is this can? What are these rings? At one point I turn around to Hoppy explaining how to use brass knuckles. Not many offices where a child can stumble onto WD40, ring sizers and brass knuckles inside 12 square feet. Not many 4-year-olds that have to set their brass knuckles on the counter so they can go to the bathroom.

The star of the day was Anabelle. Pat's newest pony, she was just the right size for an eager cowboy in training.

After Hoppy saddled her, he simply showed Joshy where to put his foot and Joshy pulled himself right up into the saddle.

We all took turns walking Anabelle and Joshy since it was a bazillion degrees but Joshy didn't mind because he couldn't get enough. It was a 180 from last year when it took all afternoon to get him to pet a horse, no less ride one. This time he was excited to be a cowboy and more than once informed us he was ready to take off without us holding on. This, in turn, brought back two memories. 1. Being a little girl in Half Moon Bay and being walked around the corral on horseback by my mom or dad and always wanting them to make the horse run. 2. The vision of Tina, as a teenager, galloping off into the woods when her horse just decided to take off, neither of us able to go after her since my "yah" produced no movement and John's "yah", walking into a bush. There she went. Off into the distance. Screaming as she bounced along.

So back to sweating in the sun, chaperoning Joshy around the yard. Where was Ben during all this merriment, you ask? Well, Ben found the one spot that had the two most sought after commodities. Food and shade.

He pulled that apple off the low hanging branch himself and just dived right in.

Ben did finally get his turn on the horse and Joshy his turn with the apples. I just had visions of that horse biting off his hand, so I kept showing him how to hold the apple. Thumb down. Thumb down Joshy. Thumb down. Just throw it. Throw it! He did great on the form until Anabelle couldn't fit the whole apple in her mouth and started to sort of gnaw at it. That was when the throw it came into play.

I am so thankful for Pat and Hoppy and the love she has shown not only me but my family. I love her dearly. Although...I think she might be cashing in on that love as she mentioned something towards the end about helping to paint some fence...