Monday Memoir, Oct 10, 1964

 So the 1964 fall saga continues. Today, many decades later, it seems like another lifetime only partly recalled. Or a movie I watched, a book I read?   Yes, "Older but no wiser."

Oct 10, 1964 Sat

I got up just a little tardy but I hit the work and got a thing or two done. I rode Annie out. Ginger’s leg was dragging again but I fixed it. I also caught Chipper. He was gentle, really. I watered everyone and put Lyno, Leo and Buzzie through their paces. They‘d forgotten surprisingly little.  We spent some valuable midday hours discussing ranches but I got two feedbags made anyway. We {Charlie Mike and I} rode Buzz, visited the camp cars and found no one was home. Took Chief out and bred Susie. Rita was also in. Tina, Patsy and Bunny all seem to be okay so far. Thank gosh. It must’ve been that hay. Got home quite late, but I don’t care. No place to go tonight but I’ve got all dolled up to go to church tomorrow. Wonder if someone will get back? I can’t wait to see him again but I’m scared to really after yesterday. I may write him but I’m not sure. I don’t know what to do, really. No, I know but I can’t, that’s it. We got a little work done today anyway, no?

I have to laugh. I didn't here but I used "chores" so recklessly and habitually then. Really a 'chore' is a rather small and mundane task, like one might assign a kid so they earned an allowance. What I did was not in that category and had not been since fairly early in the time we had livestock--say 1956-7 or so.  From about twelve on, I was a near-full-time ranch/stable hand and edging into the 'real' job of cowboy girl well before this point. Summers and from  June 1962 on it was 12-14 hours with a couple off for lunch--at anywhere from 1:00 to 4:00 --and siesta in the hot months.

Ginger was the paint filly Susie delivered back in January just after an extreme cold period. She had a loose hip or stifle joint for awhile, not sure what caused it, but she did outgrow it after a time.The three young Quarter Horses (Leo, Lyno and Buzzie) were two now, ready to be ridden lightly, which I did, and if not, they were ponied most days and some ground work done to further 'socialize' them. Buzzie trained very easily and I could already ride her bareback and feel safe. I was worried after Peppy had lost a foal the prior week but the rest all seemed fine. In retrosect she may have gotten jostled seriously in the travel over from New Mexico which caused the miscarriage. Did have some almost nasty hay then though... Quien sabe ~ one big Latina shrug.

So on the 9th, a Friday, I had met Dusty early afternoon before he left for the weekend. This became a near-habit for us until B&B 6 pulled out and was resumed the next year when they returned. That day our convesation had gotten a bit more serious and deep. We'd both been learning about each other as we talked, mostly in careful and outwardly casual words. What was different? Only a few of the most subtle and cautious admissions were spoken but in a few intense meetings of gazes, the growing attraction was acknowedged. I was both joyful and troubled about that. I know he was too.  All at once it was not just a fun, casual and harmless game anymore.  The next few weeks things did get difficult as I will cover in due time. For now, I had no idea of all that was coming.

Also about this time, Dusty traded the Dodge sedan for the Plymouth wagon which he then drove until mid-1966. It was silvery-gray and  metallic green, styled much like the Plymouth Fury of similar vintage. I christened it "Moonspinner."  (At this point I nick-named about everything!)

Okay some photos to illustrate the era.  First, "Moonspinner" at the end of the River Road just above the trail down to the fishing hole.This spot does not exist today or at least is inaccessible. I have tried to locate it and failed. Next, Buzzie and Lyno, both saddled. I was riding Buzz and this is on the ridge above the Sycamore Canyon Road and the old TAPCO power plant, partly demolished now. Next is me on Buzzie, sometime that summer, about the 10th time she was ridden. I was then using the light McClellan saddle and a hackamore bridle on  her. (note Lyno has that bridle in the prior photo; it was a good training device.) We're behind our houses in Clarkdale. Finally Ginger at the pasture main corral about this time. She never was really a pretty animal but had a good disposition and the flashy color going for her. We would ween her and bring her home from the pasture not long after this.