Memoir Monday, March 6, 1965

March came in with fair weather it seems. But I was getting sick. I made it thru the day at least, but not in great shape. 

Mar 6, 1965 Sat

            Got up with a sore throat and a sick, shaky feeling but stumbled gallantly along. We did all the chores and got Cinder in.  The latter took a bit of doing and some time but it is on my shield or with it when I go mule catching. So I led him home on foot. Charlie Mike went up for mail. None for me. I watered everyone and then Dad and I worked on Cinder. Did the noon chores and ate lunch before going over to Patterson’s for a load of hay. We got an honest weighed ton of three wire alfalfa bales. Seventeen weighted 1970 pounds. That is the first honest ton of hay we have had in a coon’s age. The only way to buy hay is to weigh it. Soon it was chore time. I took my temperature, it was 99.6 but I rode Cinder out anyway. We were nearly done with the chores when a pickup and trailer drove up. They brought Jolly and Happy back. We unloaded them. Jolly was pretty banged up and hot so we had to walk her cool. I got awfully cold and shivery. She sure is lovely. I like her with a full mane. She is really a beauty. Happy is the same ugly duckling but a little heavier. They both seem to be in season now. Can’t figure why they did not breed them. I went to bed right after supper, feeling like I had really had it. Got tonsillitis I guess. Ugh. I hate to be sick.

I guess we did not have a saddle along  as we had driven to the pasture. I did not trust riding Cinder bareback although he was a good little mule so I walked him home. I am not sure now but guesstimate it was maybe 1.5 miles from the pasture to Clarkdale. I think we needed to work on his feet. He needed careful trimming and some modified shoes to keep him sound. Going back later that afternoon, I did ride  but we also apparently drove to haul some of the new hay, Patterson's Feed Store was not economical but they never sold mouldy or bad hay! 

It  had been a long time since we took the two young Quarter Horse mares to New Mexico back in September. Why they were returned six months later I am not sure and they had not been bred as they were supposed to be. Another deal that fell apart for obscure reasons--at least obscure to me. 

After a bit of a struggle of a day, I went to bed right after  supper. I'm not sure if I was better the next day or not. Colds, tonsillitis and virus bugs seemed to really seek me out during these months. Just part of the routine and ongoing troubles that hung around like a gray cloud. I guess I was a bit of a hypochondriac since I seemed to complain a lot about not feeling good. Well, that tended to be a family trait anyway!

A few pix--not too exciting! First is Happy Bars about this time. Her profile was a bit odd but she was not bad looking, just no beauty.  She was a buckskin. Next is Jolly Babe--she was gray and as sweet tempered as she was pretty. Finally the old cowboy girl and the pickup that saw so much use in those years--actually there were two and this was the second one. I was better dressed than usual, clearly going somewhere.