Memoir Monday-Feb 1, 1960

 

Monday, Feb 1, 1960

Another busy day as ours usually are. We took Tina out to Coon’s today and were going to move Mary and Carrie but changed our minds. Blackie wasn’t acting good so we ran her and Colonel nearly all the way home. I rode Col up to mail some letters after noon. One of the pipeline guys was trying to make conversation but I shut him up quickly. We rode out to the pasture and brought the herd down and fed them. Lobo is better still. In a few days he will be well. Got the chores done rather early but to no avail. I went to the stupid Cub Pack meeting and was bored to death. Sometimes I get so damn mad and sick inside that I could kill myself. Saw “Curly” today. He had to stop and look at me as always. Some old goat is driving RE’s tractor. I hope he was transferred to rhubarb. Of course I‘ll probably end up there too so I shouldn’t talk. I feel like crawlin’ in a good deep hole tonight. Bye, Gaye

Back to the year I was out of school or what in my ongoing Memoir project, Shoving Smoke and Herding Cats (being written which has kind of triggered these posts) I call "The Mule Year." Being out of school by now was no longer much of a holiday and adventure--mostly lots of work, out in the weather whether good or bad, and very little 'fun' to be had.

Riding was an every day thing and we had parts of our growing herd located in several different places. The Coon Ranch was north of Clarkdale off the unpaved road that went out to the mouth of Sycamore Canyon where it ran into the Verde River but that was much farther north. The ranch/farm was maybe two miles north from the bridge--the old bridge--at Clarkdale.  Colonel and Lobo were both horses we took on consignment when we got various batches of mules from the Kansas dealer, Willis Grumbein.  I don't think I have photos of either one--still did not have my own camera yet. Colonel was a very plain bay gelding, fairly well broke and placid tempered. I rode him quite a bit.  Blackie was one of the mules that I think I mentioned before. Mary and Carrie were also some of the mules. They were really too big for saddle animals and more suited for being driven as a team. Not sure what we were going o do with them. 

In the previous fall I had met and got interested in a guy who drove a tractor for installing the natural gas pipelines around the area. That did not end well and I marked him off my 'handsome hero' list. "Curly" was another member of that same 'former fancies,'  a very un-exclusive club! "Rhubarb" was one of my brother's and my pet pseudo cuss words, here I guess used instead of hell. Obviously I was not in a good mood or frame of mind that evening! I can't recall what I was so pissed off about and upset over since I really did not say. That was not too unusual! I was close to 17 but still in that teenage self-centered and over-reaction stage.

So a few photos:  The old bridge at Clarkdale over the Verde. Now blocked off and falling apart.  Next, holding baby brother Alex who was a year old in the spring of 1960. Charlie Mike ready for school.Part of the Coon Ranch which was behind  or north of the old Tapco Power Plant; I think it may be razed by now.  Gaye on Tina, out in the rugged hills east of the river from Clarkdale.