Monday Memoir, July 17, 1965

Mid July and monsoon in progress although we did not use that term then. It was simply summer rains. Seems that 1965 was fairly normal in that regard--not daily or many real heavy but afternoon showers to downpours were fairly common. It was hot with 100-105 common but not the extremes being felt now.

July 17, 1965 Sat

Got up late but went right to work. Fed and then came up and restacked all the logs better. That took ‘til 8:30. Finally we saddled up and rode out. Took Chief along. No mares in but Rita so bred her. I think Tina and Patsy may well be settled. No mail. I watered and led the babies when I got home. Charlie Mike went out at noon and I did the home chores. After lunch I started to chop weeds where they moved Harrelson’s trailer but all too soon it began to rain and it really did rain, too. All afternoon. I guess it was a 2 inch rain at least. The canyon ran wild. Bitter Creek wasn’t bad.  We saw Johnny Garvin over there. He said they are at Adamana still but going to Phoenix next week since they haven’t got the timbers yet to come here.  Walked to town to mail things and got a loaf of bread. We drove out and had a lot of mud shoveling to do at the pasture.  The home chores were a mess too. After that we went pop-bottle lifting and got 57!! Boy that really is neato! Had a nice supper and listened to records through the evening. I guess I’ll have to be watt-ching all next week. Maybe I’ll get a letter on Monday. I’m hoping so, anyway. He should let me know what comes off. Eve’s curse finally hit me. I’m a day late. Hope I can sleep over it. I hate rain but nearly hope it takes out a bridge here or I hope they get the timbers. I’ve got to see Dusty at least once. Just in case we were to move! Not that I expect that to really happen. It’s been a pretty good day though.

Restacking logs--I am thinking that was a big pile of mostly juniper logs originally cut for fence posts but ultimately became firewood. Over time big piles of rolling stuff will fall down, scatter and become a mess.  And one aspect of my neaten and straighten OCD would be to get them back in order. Nobody told me to; I just did things like that. 

Sounds like I rode out for sure and probably Charlie Mike did too; perhaps hay was needed or some other job required Dad to drive out also. An aside, we stored hay in the loading chute at the corral, maybe 6 to 12 bales at a time which allowed riding out to feed until that was used up.  I'm not sure if I led Chief or he was trailered, but leading was likely.  I do not think we had any colts born the next year so that effort was an exercise in futility.  Some mares miscarried and other foals were lost in the 1966 bout of spring sickness which was the very worst.

Ah, Harrelson's trailer. Harrelson was a feed and  stock dealer in Phoenix we patronized a lot. For about a year he kind of palmed off some big old mules on us after offering a special discount on hay we bought. A big red mule called Rufus was the first and I think some of his help brought that one up a few days after the deal was made. Then we ended up using his klutzy trailer behind a big load of hay on the F700 to bring home the mules we named Lyndon and Hubert that I have mentioned. The trailer sat in Clarkdale for a bit until a semi trailer of hay was delivered and they took it back. It was summer and weeds grew like crazy so there was a thick patch when the trailer left. 

July rains--welcome but a blasted nuisance for the mud, floods and mess they created. Just part of life. And pop bottles--we gave many a good home! Most were lost or abandoned. This batch was in a small shed at a vacant run-down house between the regular part of lower town and the river. I could not find the spot today if I tried but we explored at times and had found this stash. They were dirty and a few broken but we managed to get a refund for most of them, a welcome source of scarce cash.

And I was still anxious about Dusty and the possible return of B&B 6. Johnny Garvin was a member of that crew and lived in Cottonwood. Lucky to run into him. If  they moved from Adamana to Phoenix, coming down I-17 would be the shortest drive although the train would go by a different route. So maybe...and I would be Watt-ching just in case.

Eve's Curse--still had frequent bad cramps. I had now livd with that for over ten years. I tried Excedrin, Midol and other pain pills to small avail. Could almost expect a restless night without much sleep. Another possible ranch deal and move was on the radar at this point so I hoped B&B 6 would be back before that happened--even though I actually had no real belief it would. All in all, it was a better day than many...

A scramble of photos. The pasture corrals--the loading chute was on the corner to your right and the closest side. Patrick about this time but photo to show part of the log pile. And Patrick again,with the F700 loaded with with hay and a corner of that trailer mentioned. Looks like we stored hay in it temporarily. All FWIW but anyway photos!!