Monday, January 25, 2010

GOT MYSELF A NEW LID TODAY & MY LAST PHOTO GROUP

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OLD BUILDINGS ARE ALWAYS GREAT FOR PHOTOS

Another sun filled day & the ground is drying up nicely.  I am over my bout of temporary insanity in wanting a concrete pad, acres of pavement, & a postage stamp swatch of manicured grass.  Very close call there.  I could have been hauled away & locked up for those terrible thoughts:((  Fortunately we'll be back boondocking next week again & I know that will instantly erase any nasty thoughts of concrete & pavement.....10-4:))

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Kelly headed off for her exercise this morning & I headed off down to the corral to do some clean up after the donkeys were in the pen for a few days during our recent spate of rainy weather.  I suppose that stuff in the corral is normally left to dry up & blow away in the wind but the landscape gardener in me took over & hauled me down to the pen with a shovel & rake to clean things up. 

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KELLY AT JIMMY’S HOT DOG COMPANY IN SAN JOSE-BISBEE A COUPLE WEEKS AGO

Headed off about 12:45 for my Elfrida photo group in the little towns library.  The usual gang, Mary Beth from Douglas, Jim from Sunizona, plus Jean & Ray from Gleason were all there & it was decided to drive a half mile up the road to an old tumble down building & do some photography.  Each went their separate way crawling around with cameras clicking amidst the brambles & rubble of the building.   Different ideas & different perspectives.  I knew it was my last Photo group but didn't have the heart to tell anybody.  I'm just not very good at saying goodbye to people so we all parted with the old familiar, "Ok, see ya next week."  I'm kind of like that about not going to funerals as well........."Ok, see ya later."

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MONDAY AFTERNOON PHOTO GROUP

Happy to report the little Motormouse woke up totally fine this morning.  No stiffness or soreness that we could see.  It is possible the donkey accidentally or intentionally missed Cora & stomped the ground around her.  In the fraction of a second it took I thought I saw her stomped but maybe not.  Anyway, all is well & I was over at the fence today rubbing some donkey noses & scruffling some donkey ears telling them everything was A-OK & not to worry:))

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PIGEON PALS

On the way back from Photo Group today I stopped into Elfrida’s High Lonesome store.  They have a bit of everything in this well stocked western store from hay bales stacked outside to western belts, jeans, shirts, jackets & cowboy hats.  It was a cowboy hat I was after.  Wanted a lighter one than I have & something I can wear on hot days.  Wanted a wider brim as well.  Saw hats ranging from $32 to $155 so it was a no brainer for me as I found a size 7 & a half $32 lid made in Mexico.    It’s called a SUN BODY HAT.

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NEW LID TODAY

Test fired the rigs engine this morning & it started right up & ran as smooth as a Swiss watch.  Brought it up to temperature & did not leave the area in case I forgot to shut it off like I did one time this past summer.  Also fired up the generator & all was well there too.  All systems are go so far but already today I could feel a bit of sadness creeping in about our departure.  As much as I'm ready for new horizons I am definitely going to miss the old ones here at the ranch.  Don't know if we'll ever be back this way but as we pull out of the driveway & head down the road soon I'll look out the window back at the ranch to Gleason & Pearce thinking......Ok, see ya later.

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PEARCE, MAX, GLEASON, CHECKERS & CORA (MOTORMOUSE)

GROANER'S CORNER:((  Sign seen hanging on a divorce lawyer's wall:  "Satisfaction guaranteed or
your honey back."

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The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now....AL.

13 comments:

  1. VERY COOL new Lid! Love the stories your photos of the old buildings tell.

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  2. That new hat is definitely you, Al! Good buy - I'll bet the $155 lid wouldn't look any better anyway!

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  3. Al,
    In the Navy we had friends and acquaintences; friends are the people that become part of your extended family and acquaintences are people you just meet and work with. You are my....no, OUR friend and will be missed. Whether you return to the Sulphur Springs Valley or not is of no consequence because we will always be in touch through the blogs. Who knows??? You may see a blue FJ Cruiser next to you some morning in the boonies with a tent outside and a smart dog and stupid dog with us.

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  4. P.S. Jean says the hat looks nice. It looks like a great "amigo" hat.
    I think you look like one of the old cowboys on an ATV out to round up a bunch of donkeys.

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  5. That's a mighty fine hat! Looks like it was made for you!

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  6. Al that hat is right down your alley. You would fit right in on a western movie set.....like Lonsome Dove, Open Range etc

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  7. Al, just curious. If Jeanie and Ray said you could take Gleason and Pearce with you... would you?? :)

    BTW, LOVE the hat. Good choice.

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  8. Nice hat ! Looks like its on the head of a guy with a lot of memories, a little sadness, but an eye on the horizon. I'm looking forward to the upcoming travels of the Bayfield Bunch ! Happy Trails - Cindy L

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  9. LOVE THE HAT..CAN'T GET DENNIS TO CHANGE OUT OF HIS BASEBALL CAP...KIND LIKE BILLY CRYSTAL IN THE MOVIE "CITY SLICKERS". BE SAFE ON THE ROAD. MAYBE OUR PATHS WILL CROSS SOMEDAY!! KEEP BLOGGIN'!

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  10. Even the cowboy Mike was impressed with your new lid Al! And we are so glad Miss Cora is OK--don't we love those animals! Glad you guys are getting on the road soon.

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  11. Great post today with some awesome pics! Looking forward to your new boondocking travels to parts unknown. Give those danged donkeys one more pat on your way out.

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  12. See ya later, Al, every single morning on your blog! We'll miss having you two close, but we will still hold the two of you close as friends (in Ray's definition). And when we get to Bayfield, we'll look you up.

    Yes, we like the hat -- and once you get some good sweat stains on the thing, with a little corral dust and donkey poop rubbed in, it'll look even better!

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  13. Ya gonna love the lid, I got mine when I was over in Tombstone a couple years ago. I shaped it classic sombrero.

    latter Dude & Dudette

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