Memoir Monday, June 7, 1958

 Long ago and far away!!  I had just finished my Freshman year at Clarkdale High before it became Mingus. 

June 7, 1958 Sat

Got up at 6:30. Rode Tonalea. Ate and did the chores. Cleaned up the yard more. Went to town. Went to the drugstore for the first time since the 28^th. Remember? I do! Home. Rested til lunch. Noon chores. Fixed refrigerator door. Unloaded Bryant stuff and went to Cottonwood for pills. Home; worked on rigging. Lost a keeper under the post pile but I finally found it. Rode Liz and Lou. Liz is doing swell. Usual chores, ate and to bed. I am not embarrassed by bear hugs any more. I guess I am really growing up. Maybe they don’t know it now but when the right guy comes along, he will fall with a bang. Give me two years to have a beau with a truck and me sitting tight. Adios, Gaye

Tonalea was a little buckskin pony from the Navajo Reservation. My Dad had taken Charely Bryant, an old cowboy friend, up there the previous year as Charley planned to get some goats. He didn't but instead bought a young horse which he gave to me when they got back, in late May 1957. I had him for a couple of years and then he was in and out of my life a few times later. I really liked him. 

At this time, Charley was going to stay with us a short while. His wife had gone down to Globe to take care of his ex-wife who was dying of cancer, and he was not going to go for a little while so we had his stuff at our place. Yes, it sounds odd but I know they all had reasons. Elvie Bryant was a kind, good  western style woman who had been born a Willard so I bet she did this with no complaint. 

Reference to the 28th and the drugstore-actually Wombacher's news stand--was to the last talk I had with one-year classmate, Tyce Miller who was a semi-boyfriend. I never saw him again as his parents moved and he went to New Mexico Military the next year. 

Liz and Lou were mules we had; they were sold the next year to a "dude rancher" who took people in to the Rainbow Bridge National Monument . We had gotten Liz recently as a reject from the Grand Canyon.

I had high hopes but that guy with a pickup truck did not come along for quite some time! I was fifteen at this point and what I wanted I did not necessarily get! But I guess a girl had to dream. 

                               *****

The photos: My annual picture, either 8th or 9th grade. I hated it at the time and thought I looked very geeky.  Oh well! I did hate my ugly glasses! That style was not fashionable then. 

The next is Tonalea as he looked on the Rez. He was well broke though only about 2-3 years old. The Navajo man who owned him was a good horseman and also had herds of sheep and goats. 

Finally the mule Lizzie (Liz) not long after we got her. Dad was gentling her at the time as she was not very well broke or trained at all. Her ears show she was nervous. She became a  good mule though.