My busy day off

I awoke around 4 AM, got up and made coffee.  I could tell it was going to be a hot day, so I decided to get my daily ride in as early as possible.  By 5:15, as it was barely starting to get light, I was at the barn with Blue.  We had an outstanding ride, going at least twelve miles, with Blue in a peppy foxtrot all the way.  I ended up wishing I had skipped the coffee, though:  I had to find woods or tall weeds three times while we were out.  I'm glad my horse is patient with me while I'm mounting and dismounting.

I was home by 7:15, and Cliff was already up.  I put Blue out to pasture, came inside, traded my boots for walking shoes, and went for a three-mile walk with Cliff.  In the back of my mind I was planning on picking some cherries and making jam today.

It was not to be, though.  Cliff needed to take a tractor part to Higginsville, and wanted my company.  Besides, he was going to Orschelns (a farm supply store) and I needed some fly spray for Blue.  I'm not sure how much good my company did Cliff, since his brother kept him occupied on the cell phone about half the time.

I decided we'd have taco salad for lunch, and when we returned home, I got hamburger out to thaw.  We started discussing how we dislike our Ford Explorer, and recalled test-driving a couple of program cars (Mercury Marquis) a few months back.  "I wonder if they're still up at Richmond?"  I said.

With 2 1/2 hours till time for Cliff to leave for work, away we went to Richmond.  Yes, they still had both of the cars we had lusted after six months ago... and the price has gone down.  Who knows what will happen next?

With insufficient time to make taco salad, we went through a Taco Bell drive-up and got a couple of Burrito Supremes.  Those are way too messy to eat in a car, especially for the driver.  As if that didn't make driving difficult enough, Phil called once again on the cell phone, and talked for another twenty minutes, while I held the pitiful remains of Cliff's burrito.

When we got home this time, Cliff had 35 minutes to take his shower, get ready for work, and make his lunch.  What a day.  No cherry jam as yet, but at least I had a wonderful ride.