A good hair day (revisited)

I originally posted this entry almost five years ago, in November 2005. It deserves another visit. May all our returning service people return home safely from their tours of duty to open arms. God Bless 'em, today and always.


"Today is a good day," the woman said as she walked through the hair salon.

There was something in the way she said it. A calmness in her voice that pulled my attention to her. Ev stopped cutting my hair momentarily and looked up as the woman sat down in the chair at the station next to us. With a smile, Pam draped a shampoo cape around the woman. "Oh?" she remarked as she cocked her head, eye brows raised in curious expectation.

"Yes," the woman smiled. She looked up at Pam, then said, "Today my son is back on American soil."

With those words everything stopped. She held our attention. There were only four of us in the salon, but with her words I was taken by the sense that I would carry this moment all my life. Ev dropped her arms to her side as I turned in the chair to face the mother, swallowing the lump I felt in my throat. "You must be relieved," I heard Ev say. "Does he get to stay home for the holidays?"

The mother turned to both of us. She radiated with a glow; a peaceful serenity of total calm surrounded her. "He's home to stay," she replied, her words floating in the air like the promise of a new day.

Pam asked the question we all formed in our minds. "Where was he?"

"Iraq." It was a simple one word response, filled with such emotion I wondered how many times she had said that word before, her voice then filled with uncertainty and a mother's fear. The uncertainty of wondering how much longer, how many more times would she say that word. The uncertainty was gone, replaced by pure joy.

For the next few minutes she shared her joy with us. Through her words I learned. Her son served in the National Guard, called to duty almost two years ago. Now he was returning back to everything he left behind, his family, his home, and even his job. His employer was holding his job for him. I learned the most dangerous part of being in Iraq for the soldiers, is the trip home. The soldiers do not fly out of Iraq, they must make a long journey across the country...a journey across open terrain in which they are vulnerable. A journey that for some ends much too soon.

"That," she said, "is when many of them die. On their way home."

As she calmly spoke my thoughts turned to them. Silence followed.

It was an ordinary day that started like any other. Normally I make my hair appointments late in the afternoon, after work. But when Ev offered the lunch hour time slot, I took it. I'm glad I did.

I am a creature of habit and while I don't always resist change, I thrive in the mundane and routine. In the structure of that routine I find security. Then one day, I changed the routine and did something differently, with a few second thoughts. Now, I realize that change can bring us blessings. I felt blessed to be there that moment. It gave me the chance to witness first-hand one of the happy stories. After months of hearing and reading so many negative accounts of this war, for me, this one moment helped to counter balance some of the negative. Not all of it, by no means, but some of it.

The mother finished sharing her story with us, then eased her back into the chair as Pam lowered her head down to the sink. The salon was quiet as Ev turned to me and lifted her hands back to my head. I turned my thoughts inward, silently remembering all the news reports, all the numbers, all the anger.

It was the opening of a simple door, and a simple change in my schedule, that brought me to the moment. A moment I never expected...a moment I will never forget. Guess you could say it was a good hair day.

Moments ago, as I was preparing to save this entry, I heard the sound of a car door outside. I looked up from the computer screen, out through the window and watched a young couple with a baby walk into the tree farm across the street. For years I have watched families walk amid those trees. Today I watched this young couple, undeterred by the blowing wind or cloudy skies, their baby carefully bundled against the cold, moving carefully between the trees, searching for and then selecting just the right tree. Creating a tradition. It is a time for traditions, old and new.

Change, it seems, can be apowerful thing. Sometimes change is good for the soul.


~~Create a new tradition this season; do something out of the ordinary!~~

~~Forgiveness is a choice to release the other person from the need to make them pay for what they did that caused harm. Forgiveness is the key to restoration in a relationship.~~

Dave-isms

Dave-isms =  musings and comments from Duke's veterinarian expressed during examinations and general conversations.

"In my next life, I want to come back as your horse."

"Don't worry, that cut is a long way from his heart."

"I like this horse."

Healing

Getting better every day...almost healed after only two weeks.

Day 18, Tuesday August 17, 2010

Probably would have healed a lot faster were it not for the numerous times the scab was rubbed off by Duke scratching it, or me accidently knocking it off while bridling him.

Saturday Sam and I, with friends Frank and Barb, ventured south to the small town of Joseph, Oregon for the 14th Annual Bronze, Blues and Brews Festival. Nestled in the peaceful and beautiful Wallowa Valley, Joseph is named for Chief Joseph, famous leader of the Nez Perce tribe. While the first theme of the event was bronze, it quickly became obvious to us that the primary focus is the blues and the brews. There were very few bronze sculptures (Joseph is a major bronze foundry of the Pacific Northwest), there were several bands, but there was lots of brew. We had fun, got too much sun but probably won't go back next year.

Passing by a buffalo farm on the way to Joseph, Oregon

There are two bronze statues in this photo. Can you find them?

Sam, me, Frank and Barb enjoying the blues and brews.

Sam and I with our new 2005 Jeep Wrangler in front of Lake Wallowa

Returning home on a lovely stretch of road called Rattlesnake Grade.

Birthdays and head wounds...

Saturday morning I took Duke for a ride to our local fairgrounds to check out their 100' round pen and huge riding arena. It was something new to do and we had a great time. Amy brought the girls over but they're just not ready to climb on Duke's back yet. To them he must seem like a giant! That's okay, we have plenty of time...

Relaxing with Duke after a nice long ride at the fairgrounds.

When Duke and I returned to the barn I noticed a nasty cut above his left eye, and for the life of me I can't figure out how he cut himself. He didn't have the cut when I loaded him at the fairgrounds, and I didn't notice it when he stepped off the trailer. It wasn't until he was in his corral that I saw it.  I was a little panicked and called a friend who got me calmed down and pointed me to a great product called Vetricyn, which I've seen advertised heavily on RFD-TV.  My tack room is stocked with several first aid products, but with a wound so close to the eye the risk of the medication running into his eye is too great.  My biggest concern was get the wound clean without getting soap or medication in his eye. Vetricyn can be sprayed directly on the wound without damaging or hurting the eyes. All the while I'm cleaning the wound, Sammy is calling wondering where I am (I'm at least an hour late in returning home by that time). I explain the situation, he's pretty sure I'm exagerating until I show him the pictures. A quick trip to a local pet store and I returned to tend to the wound. This stuff is amazing!! Within 20 minutes of spraying Vetricyn on the wound, the swelling reduced by half!! If you have animals, you need to check out Vetricyn! It's not just for horses.
Duke annual dental work and vaccinations were coming up, so we visited the vet on Monday to have the wound checked out (ironically it was shaped like a check mark). I thought the vet would opt to stitch the wound, but in the end it was best to cut the flap of skin off so the wound could heal cleanly.

 

Day 1: Saturday, July 31. Right after I first noticed the wound.

Day 3: Monday, August 2 after our visit to the vet. Still swollen and looking very painful.

Day 6: Thursday, August 5, swelling gone and healing is underway. He even looks happier.

I've been going out twice a day to apply the Vetricyn, but we've reached the point where we can cut the daily treatment back to once a day.

Dukey loves his kitten.

We have several barn cats, two of which had litters this spring. Three of the kittens from a feral mother adopted me last April and they've been living in Duke's hay room ever since; they just showed up in the room when they were about three weeks old. Only two remain now, exactly one month before making the decision to put Rumbeau down I had to make the same decision for one of the kittens who did not have any use of her hind legs. She just dragged both behind her; a visit to the vet revealed she had no hip joints. As I debated taking her home with me, the vet took me aside, and offered guidance as to the amount of care she would need. She would not be able to urinate and defecate on her own, she would require constant care, and such care demands 100% comittment from every family member. Then the doctor left me alone in the room to make the decision. It was a very difficult decision, the kitten who I had named Honey was barely six weeks old at the time. Concerned that I would want to hold the kitten during the procedure, the vet explained this wasn't something I would want to see because of the way she would have to put her down. I hated having to do it, and even today I still cry. Born to a feral mother who probably didn't get enough nutrition during the pregnancy to feed herself, let alone her babies, I just wanted to give the kitten a chance for a normal life.  Her brother and sister, who I've named Boots and Bitsy, are happy, healthy and thriving today; and Dukey loves his little babies.

Sam turned 55 on Sunday. We celebrated the occasion with dinner at Amy's on Saturday and dinner with friends on Sunday. Amy prepared a wonderful grilled steak dinner and our friends put together a crawfish feed (fresh from the Snake River). Both were scrump-dilly-lish-ous!!!

Snake River crawfish....yum!

Moving closer....

What a view!

Wow!  Double wow!

Best trail ride ever today! Duke blew my socks off today during an early morning trail ride at Hell's Gate State Park. The partnership is really blooming and the bond is deepening. I rode him on a loose rein for one and half hours. He listened, didn't fight, just stayed relaxed. Every trail ride up to this point he always had to be in front, the leader. I learned right off the ineffectiveness of holding him back. But then I discovered a technique called quartering. I tried it earlier this year during the Poker Run and it worked. We start with it right off the bat...within a few minutes Duke is calm, not fighting the bit and rushing to be in the lead. Today, for the first time, Duke and I spent the entire ride following our friends. It was so wonderful, for a change. Yes!

Just a nice, relaxing ride. Woo-hoo!!!

Thank you Parelli!!!!

I'm starting to get the hang of this. Finally!

Debbie and Ritz taking a break with the Snake River and the city of Asotin in the background.

Doc and Danel taking a break.

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After the ride with Duke at the trailer.

Maybe I'll submit a little piece of our day to Life In A Day. Have you submitted something yet?

Never enough time

Rumbeau Cox

January 31, 1998 - June 7, 2010

I've tried several times to write this entry.

Last week Sam and I said good-bye to Rum.

It was time to let him go, and put an end to his pain.

We knew it was coming, but it's never easy.

He was always there for us, and will be deeply missed.

Irreplaceable. Unforgettable. Rumbeau.

12 1/2 years of memories...

We recovered his ashes. We'll bury him at the cabin, he loved it there; but I'd like to take some to the North Fork of the Clearwater River this summer...he always loved swimming in the Clearwater.

Oh, the trails to travel!!!

Sam and I returned this morning from a quick trip to Georgia to see my nephew, Mat, graduate from high school. Wednesday we flew into Atlanta, rented a car for the drive to Lincolnton and arrived at my sister Chris' in time for fried chicken dinner with macaroni and cheese and brown crowder peas. I could get used to southern cookin! Spent Thursday catching up, Mathew graduated Friday night and the next thing I knew our departure was looming on us; we had to leave Saturday afternoon to make the drive back to Atlanta in order to catch an early Sunday morning flight. Leaving was hard for Chris and I, maybe more for her...it was, as it always is, a tearful departure.

In Atlanta another reunion awaited us; several friends who moved from Idaho to Alabama made the trip to Atlanta to join us for dinner. After several drinks in the hotel lounge, we were headed downtown (thanks to our designated driver) to experience Fogo de Chao an authentic Brazilian steakhouse. Wow! What an experience, the food was amazing, the environment was warm and friendly--I can't believe we got a table on Saturday night! I've had what I thought were delicious steaks before, but nothing I ever had came close to the meats we sampled at Fogo de Chao. I wish we had one in the Seattle area...I'd make the trip for that reason alone!!!

Just over a week ago, on May 15th Duke and I entered our first competition together, a trail challenge organized by a local saddle club. For me the greatest challenge was getting there, then getting over my nerves. I haven't done any riding in front of an audience, and I was extremely nervous while Duke and I warmed up. He sensed it during the warm up and a couple of times I thought I wasn't ready for this, but remarkably when it was our turn we entered the arena and the nerves disappeared as I focused on Duke and the obstacles. Duke was awesome! Except when he pooped on the plants the club borrowed from a local greenhouse! Oops! There were 11 obstacles and we've only practiced 2, open/close a gate (not captured on video) and walk through 'L' then back through 'L'. Everything else was completely new to us. His personality came out through it all, from his snatching a bite of foilage from the brush obstacle, to playing peak-a-boo at the end of the tunnel. The last obstacle was a old spongy mattress covered with artificial grass carpet...an obstacle many horses refused to cross; but my boy Duke never even hesitated. I am so proud of him, he really enjoyed it...although he wasn't too sure what to make of the miniture horse at first, lol! You can just see him thinking 'What the...?' All in all we had a blast!! It really ended too soon, but we will definitely do another trail challenge this fall, if not sooner. :)

This time, I handed my camera to a friend who was not riding. When she asked me if I wanted photos or videos without hesitating I responded 'Video!!!' It's been uploaded to You Tube (of course).

We're having fun now!!!