It seems the weather was not very nice all this winter. I recall more snow, lots of rain, a few super cold snaps and just generally Nature throwing crap in my direction to make caring for the animals harder and more difficult than usual. I had little to spend for Christmas so tried to make most of the gifts I gave. Drawings and other art, poem 'books' all hand printed and stapled together, some with pen or pencil drawings and of course sewing projects. I made Christma cards too for perhaps a dozen or more special friends.
Dec 12, 1964
I woke to a gray sky and said “Ugh.” Fed etc. Charlie Mike and I saddled up and rode out on Annie and Buzz. The latter was frisky. The sky cleared and it became a lovely day except for the wind. No important mail-sheesh. Dusty, I am mad at you! I led Lyno and Chief just briefly and then rode Leo. He was pretty high; he didn’t do anything but sure made me edgy for the ride. I was glad to quit. After lunch I went bike riding for a bit. Haven’t ridden in weeks but I still remember how. That’s nice. I patched saddle pads some, not a pet job but necessary. I guess I’ll mail Xmas envelopes to Dusty and Cimarron tomorrow and return the record album on Monday. Another ughy job in a way (the last.) After evening chores were done I made a poem book for Cim. I hope he likes it. That project plus washing my hair took all evening. It is now a very late bedtime. I must do some sewing in the next few days. Letters are off and out ‘til after Christmas except for my three “heroes” and any real emergencies. Tomorrow is bath night but I’ll get a start perhaps. Not much riding etc. tomorrow if I can help it. Don’t plan on it, anyway. I may go to church but doubt it. Will worry about that then. Better luck on mail next week. I should hear from Cim on Monday.
In two more days I would receive another specal letter from Dusty but waitng between them was very hard. I normally rode up for the mail but Charlie Mike got it at times. The folks rarely did--much to my relief. Dusty had expressed concern that others might read his letters but I assured him that was not likely and to this very day, I don't think anyone else has ever read anything he wrote to me. So he began to write a little more freely and though still not really romantic or flowery, did express more of his feelings.
As fall went into winter I was riding both Buzzie and Leo and they were coming along well. They both needed more training and 'wet saddle blankets' as Charley Bryant said, to complete making them into reliable mounts but it was progressing well. I still did not ride Chief yet but I surely could have. He was a well broke saddle horse, really. Lyno was a bit more edgy and she did buck a few times but mostly due to what I felt was provcocation. Although he in his big saddle was too heavy, Dad did ride her a few times and she was not happy.
I had joined the RCA record club even though I did not yet have a record player; that came soon, as another of Mom's trading stamp projects. RCA had a program to give one free record for each two bought. At times I would get too ambitious and order one or two and then be unable to pay for them so back they went. That was sad to me but I still built a fair collection, very eclectic too! The Ventures, to Chet Atkins, to classics and operetta, to Marty Robbins and Jim Reeves!
I still went to church with Evelyn (Graves/Morales) now and then. She lived several places other than with her parents up the street while she waited for Albert to get established in a permanent job so they could get married. Many times I wished I could live elsewhere too but that was not possible for lots of reasons.
I was still dithering over Baird (Cimarron) and Norm (Smoky) but edging closer toward stopping that correpsondence. Over halfway through my main Cowboy Girl stint now but I had no idea of the duration at this point. It looked to go on forever though the seeds of destruction were well planted and growing like weeds. I knew but mostly chose to ignore the omens. That familiar rut led on and I followed it.
Again photos are scarce. I may have one or two of critters and one of me or Charlie Mike that fits in this era. Some are probably repeats but break up the text a bit. Okay, me holding one of the QH fillies --looks like Lyno who was the light reddish dun one. Next is Lyno under saddle. I was probably riding her by now. Charlie Mike 'play acting' though we often felt like we ought to go on strike but there was no ranch hand union to help us! Finally Charlie Mike with one of the bikes. He found parts (some may not have been lost!) or got beat up bikes other kids dumped and I helped him cobble them together to be rideable. At times we had two but usually only one had tires that held air or was fairly safe with a sound chain, some brakes etc. Of course we could not afford a nice one.
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