Sunday, August 9, 2009

Saturday, July 25, through Monday, July 27, 2009

Saturday - Went to look at a new apartment today. It's a separate space away from the main house. It's a one bedroom, and is totally twenty-first century! Including: a microwave, dishwasher, and washer/dryer . . . and, did I mention . . . a flush toilet! OMG, it has a flush toilet! I filled out an application, but Brian, who owns the place, said I have to be cleared by his daughter who has three dogs . . . so, I have to bring Moki to meet her and the dogs tomorrow.

Sunday - This morning I went to what is called a ranch rodeo. They do stuff you'd normally do on a ranch, rather than the trick kind of stuff from a real rodeo. They had to load cattle into a trailer, give a calf a shot, and do other realistic roping stuff.

Before it started, they did something called "calcutta," which is what pari-mutual betting was before it was pari-mutual betting. You could "bet" on one team of riders to win the rodeo. They had an auctioneer "selling" the teams. It was incredibly interesting. Each team sold for about $75, and whoever had bought the winning team got the rest of the money that the other people had bet.

I noticed some of the cowboys using stirrups like I've never seen before . . . they were circular, and the boot goes in all the way to the heel. Most stirrups have a flat place on top where it connects to the saddle, and a flat place on the bottom where you have the ball of your foot. These were totally different. There was an older cowboy sitting in back of me, Dan, and I asked him about the stirrups. He said they're called "oxbow stirrups" and are for roping cattle or something . . . easier to get your feet out of.

Called Brian and went over and met Aubrey, his daughter, and two of the dogs, Johnson and Roxie. They were fine with Moki . . . not exactly friendly, but it was okay. Brian had me fill out a rental contract, and it's a done deal! I'm moving!

Monday - After I signed the papers yesterday, I thought it was a done deal . . . but, today, I found out Brian had called my references. For some stupid reason, that scared me. But, not to worry, everything checked out! Silly me.

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