It's a 3 shirt morning!

What's a 3 shirt morning you ask? It's a morning that starts off like the picture to the right. Sorry I haven't posted anything in awhile, in fact the last couple of days I've been contemplating what I wanted to post. I guess this morning you could say I had an epiphany!!

There's a reason this blog is called "Mi Vida Loco", and for those of y'all who somewhat have doubts about the infamous Brooks boy's stories, again check the pic to the right. I'm telling you...between the two of us we really do get into some scrapes.

1st shirt....OK, maybe I'm not quite the athletic figure I used to be. As evidenced by the cricks, cracks, and groans I proceed to go through to make it out of bed in the morning. Including the first few bent over steps that mimic that ninety year old man off the Benny Hill show. That being said, I've decided to devote my summer to finally getting in a little better shape, than I've been in the last couple of years. This morning it entailed rolling out at 6 AM after thirty minutes of snooze buttoning, and walk/jog our ranch road a couple of times. Followed by some push ups, sit ups, squats, dips, and stretching (sometimes I actually like yoga). Not much but I admit by the time I was done I had soaked through my first shirt of the morning. On to the shower!

2nd shirt....I'm dressed for work 7:15 and on to the daily grind of life. Which this morning has me heading up to the office to finish a curriculum project. I'm not dressed like they typical teacher but for me its a clean shirt and a pair of jeans. However, I still have to feed the kids...a.k.a. the horses. This is a usual routine for me and it just involves filling up water buckets, throwing hay, and passing out the grain. Routine...a way of life that I take for granted. This morning was not routine. The mare in the pic is really a great horse. Lately she has been a little "bitchy" to say the least. Her morning "routine" is to snap at the gelding "Rebel" she's stalled next too before she gets any breakfast. Whatever was in the cards this morning wasn't routine. This sultry June morning she uplifted her rear-end and proceeded to say hello to Rebel with a kick that left her right hind leg stuck through the panel.

What happened next? Moments like this I feel at times have become second nature to me. Maybe it's these moments that have created the "shoot from the hip" attitude I go through life with. Sometimes not a bad thing. I know there is some urgency here, first thing is to sum up the situation..this is pretty much how it went in my mind, "Mare's calm, geldings not....is there anyone close to help? nope...all alone on this one bud, first thing, move the gelding...ok done, next? get the damn mare free!...how the hell am i going to do that? where's the chain? phone call to Andrew, and its not here...(typical) my first plan is never the right one!!! scratch that..ok need something that will support her and lift her....hmmmm I know i'll use the tractor but what can i tie around her? a regular ranch rope is to thin and likely will cause internal damage...not a good plan, but there are the load straps on the the flat bed, yanking one off, charging the tractor like a rough rider taking San Juan hill, the next moment finds me a little bewildered...did you know applying the right amount of gear, and way too much power that you can actually spin the tires on a 50 hp 4wd tractor?...kinda cool, but not noted right away, as I'm flying to the barn but a little impressed with my ability to maneuver the big red beast like she was a 10 second car on a back street of Military drive instead of the bulky farm equipment she is. Seconds seem like minutes as I feel the sweat pouring through me....tractor fits in the alley way of the barn check, wrapping the make shift harness around her and tying the rope off....thank you mom for all those boy scout meetings as I tie a knot that won't hurt the mare when she's lifted, lifting her gently she staggers to her feet like a hobo awakened from a great slumber but is standing on her own and looking puzzled at the contraption that has returned her to freedom. She seems to smirk at me with a look of...it was worth it!!! Damn horse but I still love her" 2nd shirt soaked and the sweat of adrenaline is rancid...I think of a Chis Ledoux line, "I think my 24 hour deodorant quit last night", but mine didn't last half an hour.

Late for work now but no time for another shower. Reapply the deodorant, snatch my 3rd shirt of the morning and off to work. I opt for the bike because the adrenaline is still pounding, and nothing seems as soothing right now as the wind in your face at 80 miles an hour. Not on time but not too late, sitting at my desk and marveling over the mornings events. Wondering why I'm not committed to an insane asylum? I chalk it up to another day in the odyssey called Mi Vida Loca, and if you don't believe me.....Well pictures don't lie!