May was over finally and the livestock was mostly well. I was still a little bit on cloud 9 from Memorial Day evening. My self imposed life sentence in Hades had fourteen months to go before I was "pardoned" but I had no clue on that yet. In all, those final long months were the best of times and the worst of times in true literary fashion. But as all things do, they came to pass.
June 5, 1965 Sat
Why a Saturday morning would be slowish I do not recall. But it was. Maybe there was some important mail expected--for the family/parents, not for me! There would have been no delay for my mail! My friend Maureen had gone to college at Flag the past year and I think went back in the fall. She was still working with horses and still kind of hoped to get a colt by one or both of our studs. We had kept in touch at least off and on and did until the next fall.
By now I think I would have been riding Chief (finally!) and I know I was training Leo. Why Dad was trying to ride Lyno I really do not know. She was slightly bigger than Buzzie but still an immature long two year old and I know he and his big saddle (60# or so--I struggled to lift it onto a larger mule or a horse Tina's size) and he being 200# or close--was too heavy for her. She was high strung and could be flighty but I rode her later with no problem at all. It was one of his wild hair things; he'd decide I was doing too much or maybe not doing things according to his way or maybe he'd heard that I was getting the credit in many circles for doing the real breaking and training. One Big Shrug. Quien sabe?
Of course I was past eager to see Dusty again. B&B 6 was still at Adamana which is off north of I-40 and on or near the Navajo Reservation, not far west of New Mexico. To come by the Verde Valley, he would have to turn off at Ash Fork and come down to Prescott, go over Mingus on 89A and then going on, continue up 89A through Oak Creek to Flagstaff to get back on the Interstate. Making that loop would add a lot of miles and time so I could not expect him to do it often. Just wish.... As it was, I got a letter at least once in June while B&B 6 did not get back to Clarkdale until the end of July. So I guess I lost that bet!
What was being discussed as "business" I do not recall. More ranch deals I suppose. Summer seemed to fire that effort up anew annually for several there. And where Charlie Mike and I scored some bottles, I am not sure either. However we both kept an eye out for any 'homeless' batches to which we could slip under cover of deep dusk to rescue! Very often that was the only money we had except Mama Witt (maternal Grandma) would send us some once in awhile for a birthday or other occasion. I expect Charlie Mike got $5 or so for his 8th grade graduation.
Photos--seems like the same things over and over. How may ways can I portray the animals and our rag-picker appearance and such? In a word, boring.... And daily life was much the same. First shot is fixing fence at the pasture after one of the frequent summer washouts.Mom. Charlie Mike and Alex who wasn't big enough to work a lot yet. All the family that summer (1965) getting ready to go to Prescott likely. And Lyno wearing what maybe was the big saddle. We had several so this may not be the one as I think it had square skirts? I usually rode my light silver horned one or a McClellan on the colts and younger horses while training them. That kept the total weight well under 150#
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