One Wild Weekend...

Well, I am sure that it was wild for someone... No that wasn't me, I just hit the road. Hard to believe, right...

Friday night I loaded up with Shawn "Puffy" Coombs and his lovely wife, Mickey and headed off to ST. Anthony, for the Pioneer Days Rodeo. Lemme tell you that St. Anthony, ID is not a mainstream kind of place and it is always fun to see what kind of people come out to the rodeo. If you have ever been to a tractor pull, mud bog, demolition derby or a monster truck rally, you know what I am talking about. Any how, I had forgotten how much fun rodeos are. You see, the rodeo bunch is a lot of folks who travel down the road hitting up the same towns at the same times. I have been doing this since I was a junior in High School, and so I still know a few people. Two of my favorite folks, Brad Reamer and Buck LaRoche, are over 55 and still rope calves and team rope together. I think Buck is over 60 and he still can rope calves at a high rate of speed. The best part is that I hadn't seen them for a few years and they still knew who I was, even with the goatee... (Just a note, some of the kids I went to BHS with didn't recognize me with the goatee when we had the "party" at the City of Rocks, and I saw them almost every day for 3 years!) I kinda felt bad, and I hope that my good friends all forgive me, I hope Ty forgives me for pulling that trick on him, and that Mary understands that I didn't sit very long 'cause I wanted to talk to folks.

So, it was Puffy's first rodeo in the ImPRA, and his horse had never been through a rope barrier (for an explaination of the barrier system call me or listen very carefully to your local rodeo announcer). Any how, his horse balked at the barrier causing his hat to fall over his eyes... Basically, not a good run.
We got home about 2 in the morning and we were supposed to be in Oakley at 8 for the slack there. 7am came super fast... I had the most bumpin headache I have had in a long time. Puffy tells me that that is what is like to have a hang-over, minus the puking, cotton mouth and such. We found out that we would be roping about eleven, so we settled in on Uncle Eugene's big flat bed truck. It lives at the Oakley arena. It is where my family gathers and watches the rodeos there. It is really nice to watch the fireworks from as well.

Anyhow, my tummy got to rumbling so I headed over to the cookshack for breakfast. I knew the fellas running it and I asked them what was for eating. They told me they had panckaes, eggs and sausage. I asked if they'd make a sausage sandwich, and they replied with a message often heard in Oakley, "If you want it that way, do it yourself." So I headed to the back of the shack and proceded to build a fantastic sandwich. When I asked how much they told me since I cooked it, it was free. I had earned it. I don't look a gift horse in the mouth and off I went. Pretty good breakfast.

We finally got our draw and drew steer #36. I asked Merv, the Zen Master of Roping in my book, how #36 ran. He pulled out his notecard (Merv is a serious roper and he watched every steer run. He knew what each would do.). He asked what we drew and I told him. He smiled and said "I can't let you see this." After coaxing, Merv let me see the note. It said "36=MONEY." Simple and to the point. We had drawn the steer to win the rodeo. Booyah! Puffy and I backed into the box. The nod came and out we went. The steer was breaking a little to the left, just the way it should. Puffy threw to be in the 5 hole (in other words, a catch and we could be as fast as 5 seconds...) His loop sailed... right over the horns. No catch. I was a bit disapointed, but that is rodeo. It happens. There is next weekend, we're headed to Shoshone. It oughtta be good.

The rest of the day was pretty chill. Best part of my day was getting home from the rodeo and seeing a letter in the mail with a Oklahoma postmark. In case anyone wonders, I get pretty giddy to get mail and when it comes from that part of the country, I can't help but smile. It's okay, huh.

The rodeo that night was good and the fireworks rocked.

Sunday came fast, but it was a good day. Good meetings. Learned an amazing truth. I was teaching the lesson and a brother made the comment "You never get addicted to anything good. All the bad things get addicting, but I haven't heard of someone who absolutely NEEDS to read thier scriptures or they go into a state of shock..." I thought that was pretty insightful. You have to work to become righteous. It isn't something you just DO.

Then movie night at the Preston house. Bad A and The Champ bought a projector. We hung white sheets and set up theater seating. it was great.
All I know is that life is pretty dang good and I can't complain. Half of you wouldn't listen and the other half would be glad to hear I have the problems...

By the way, drink a Jones Soda. Do it cause the flavors are cool, the picture on the lable is unique and there are fortunes on the lid...