Misc stuff from mostly awhile ago.

Ok, so here's the deal . . . I wrote these notes about two months ago . . . "poker, special rodeo, Ken, Sentalina." Do you think I remember what they were about . . . well, a little. Kind of. So, I'll just wing it, and then fill in with some current events so they don't get two months behind also!

Poker . . . I've been playing in a "neighborhood" game. I thought it was going to be low stakes, but sometimes that doesn't always work out. The first time I played, I was down over forty dollars and came back to win at least twenty. Not exactly sure how much. The second time I played, I won even more. The third time I played, I lost! I didn't take one hand the entire night! (6:30 to 9:30) What a freakin' bummer! I'm still ahead, but not too anxious to play again, although I think I'll win next time!! [Current update on poker: last game lost $1!]

Special Rodeo - - Cadence made an appearance, brought horses, and we did the "barrel racing" part of the rodeo. Actually, someone just walked the horses with a rider around the barrels. Everyone had a lot of fun. There was this one older woman and she was scared to be on the horse. I was horse leader and the two side walkers weren't with Cadence and weren't experienced in doing the side-walking. So, when the woman showed fear, they kept asking her if she wanted to get off. I can't remember exactly, but I said that she'll be fine, and I looked back and smiled at her. I said, "You're fine, aren't you?." She nodded her head and kind of smiled. By this time we were about halfway through the barrels, and she was doing fine. I looked back and said, "This is cool, isn't it?" And I can't remember what she said, but she smiled a big smile and you could tell that she had finally relaxed and was enjoying it. I felt like I had made a difference. That's what this is all about. I had my picture taken with a big bull that was at the rodeo, and if I remember I'll post it on here.

Ken: I don't remember at all what this was about, so I will say hello to Ken and Paul and my cousin Ronnie who just died. I talk to Ken a lot when I'm working with horses. I had to do something with Aslan that I was a little nervous about, so I asked Ken if he would help me. Everything turned out perfect. So . . . I don't know if he really helped, or if it was like the feather and Dumbo . . . remember that part . . . ?

I take care of two horses at my house: Gitanna and Sentalina. Gitanna is the smaller one and she is very affectionate. Sentalina is a pretty big girl, no definitely a big girl, and she was always standoffish. So, a couple weeks after I moved in and she finally allowed me to touch her, I excitedly told Jennifer about it. She instructed me not to touch her anymore! She said that if Sentalina learns from me that she can push people around, then it would make Jennifer's job that much harder to un-teach her.

This was a huge wake-up call for me, because as I think I've mentioned before, this is a life theme for me. When I worked at the school, the middle schoolers walked all over me. And I allow horses to walk all over me . . . hence the instruction not to touch Sentalina. Since this happened a couple months ago, I have been much better. I wouldn't exactly say I'm good at it or even efficient at it, but I'm much, much better. The hardest thing for me is knowing when the horse is just being affectionate and when he/she is pushing too far. Jennifer says it's a feeling thing . . . so, that will take longer than just step one do this, step two do that. But . . . I'm getting it. And I can feel changes in myself with people as well because of this lesson . . . so, it's all been very interesting.

I have a couple more "current" notes, but even they aren't current anymore! I remember them better than two months ago, though.

I was driving the other day and I saw a couple deer in a pasture . . . one of them was peeing. The intimacy of that moment really got to me. I see deer around here fairly regularly, but this . . . this was something more . . . a glimpse into their private life or something. It's the same way I felt when I saw that coyote pooping. Something most people don't get to see. Silly, I know, but it felt special in a very intimate way.

A couple weeks ago, Jennifer gave me some new hay for my two girls. Different hay. Hay not to their liking. So, when I threw the hay over the fence, the two of them completely ignored it! Wouldn't take one bite! Then, they began pounding on the fence with their hooves saying, "We don't like this! We want our old stuff back! This is yucky! Give us what we want!" The following day a lot of the hay that I had fed them was strewn about. But, in a couple days, they were eating most of it. Horses . . . they're like kids . . . I think.

horses not eating/pawing fence

The way home

This is now over a month old, so I'll do the best I can with my notes!!

For some reason . . . maybe excitement to hit the road . . . I hardly got any sleep the night before I left LA. And then, since I wanted to get out of town before rush hour traffic hit, I left REALLY early . . . I think it was 5:00 or 5:30. Needless to say, I was VERY tired on the trip.

I stopped for breakfast in Barstow, California . . . way out of the way of rush hour traffic. I got gas somewhere on the California side of the border . . . and when I got to Arizona, which was less than an hour later, gas was about a dollar cheaper! Bummer! Oh, well.

I was exhausted by the time I got to Flagstaff, so I stopped to have lunch at Sizzler. It was excellent! A good respite from the road. Oh, and did I mention that it was over one hundred degrees as I was driving . . . bummah! My car was wonderful, though, even with the air conditioner on.

Back on the road again, because I had reservations in Tuba City, Arizona. I used to love Tuba City in the old days . . . before it was actually a city. But, anyway, the motel was a little bare bones, but clean and fine. No tv and no telephone, but I did have internet, so what else did I need!?!

The following day an easy drive home. I stopped at Kayenta, Arizona for breakfast, and was home soon after. Home sweet home!

In Los Angeles

First thing this morning, I reached into my backpack for a clean t-shirt. Oops. I had a stack of about six t-shirts . . . and they never got put into the backpack! Luckily, I had one that I sometimes use for sleeping. It's still clean. The other days I'm just going to have to stink! Sorry!

Saturday morning, I went to breakfast with Edie, her brother Ralph and his wife Ruth, and Ralph's daughter Vickie. I met "Uncle" Ralph and Vickie when I was about sixteen years old at my friend Karen's parent's condo in Mammoth. I had a great time with them. Ruth is also a writer and so I had a connection with her, which was nice.

Dylan, Karen's twenty-something son, stopped by to see his grandmother, Edie. I haven't seen him for many years. Although he is unorthodox with multiple piercings and tattoos and even an implant, he is one of the most incredible "kids" I've ever met. At eighteen years of age, he decided *on his own* that he needed to go to detox. He completed the program and although it's been a really tough road, he is still clean after many years. What a great kid!

The reason I went to LA (after I swore I'd never return when my Mom moved to Maine) was to attend my Aunt Claire's book signing party. The really cool thing is that she had it at a fancy place that was within walking distance of Edie's house. So, I walked.

Even though I had told my aunt that I *might* come, she was totally surprised . . . and excited . . . to see me. I got to see cousins that I hadn't seen in about forty years. Their comment to my aunt later . . . she has matured! Duhhh! I'm menopausal, guys! But, don't forget, I'm still a wild child!!

After the party, I went back to Aunt Claire's with her sons and their adult children. It was interesting being with family again . . . it happens so seldom these days!

Sunday, I had a very nice lunch with Edie at a great Mexican restaurant, and then spent the afternoon with my Aunt Claire. A good time was had by all!

Next day . . .

This is now so long ago, I can't remember what my notes even mean! Sorry! I'll do the best I can.

It was 85 degrees this morning when I left Vegas this morning at 7:00. A barren landscape from Vegas into California. I was going to go a roundabout route to avoid downtown Los Angeles, but decided to go for it, anyway. I hate city driving, but it actually wasn't too bad. I got lucky.

Before going to my friend Karen's Mom's house, I stopped at Trader Joe's in Westwood to pick up some stuff. Then, I went to the library to work on my writing while I waited for her to get home. There was a guy in front of the library talking to himself. Nothing like LA for scary people!

Karen's Mom is awesome, and I always enjoy seeing her and spending time with her. Across the street from her house, an old senile woman comes out every night . . . apparently like clockwork . . . and starts yelling and screaming at imaginary people. It's somewhere between entertaining and tragic. Sad, really.

The journey begins . . .

I left home at four a.m. this morning, while it was still dark. I drove south to Farmington, and then west to Shiprock. I thought I knew which way I was supposed to go, but it was still dark, and I must have missed the turnoff for Kayenta. I prefer driving through the reservation . . . but, oh well. It turned out that I went south instead of west, and I ended up heading down to Gallup, New Mexico. Which was okay . . . it was an alternative route, but I didn't really want to go that way.

I ate breakfast there, and did some yoga . . . I woke up and had some lower back pain, so I did some yoga before breakfast hoping to get rid of it. For the most part, it worked, but it took awhile. I was hoping it wouldn't take me as long as it did, but I ended up getting to Vegas at two o'clock in the afternoon. I found my hotel and checked in. The room is large and nice. The room rates are cheap.

Then, I took the monorail down to Circus Circus. Well, actually, the monorail went to the Sahara, which is a now defunct casino. The monorail drops you off at this kind of seedy area, and I had to figure out how to get to Circus Circus. It was a much longer walk than I had anticipated. Bummer. After being so long in the car, I really wasn't up for that . . . plus, the temp outside was about 104!! OMG! Hot! And forget about that "dry heat" deal . . . it's still oppressively hot!

Finally made it to Circus Circus, but I was too late for the buffet. Last time I was down here, Circus Circus had excellent buffets for about three dollars. It was over ten years ago. Well, forget cheap! The buffet is now fifteen dollars or something! But, alas, I was too late to have it, anyway.

I looked around at a few food places inside the casino, and finally settled on Mexican fast food . . . it was reasonably priced and reasonably good. Then, I went back to the Adventure Dome . . . the inside amusement park! First, I went to see the bungee jump . . . I was really excited to try that. Well, it wasn't exactly what I had expected. In fact, it wasn't a bungee jump at all. It was jumping on a trampoline, while you are suspended in a harness. Hardly a bungee jump. I declined the whole deal. I had planned to buy the all day pass for twenty-five dollars, so you can ride the rides as many times as you want. But, the wall climbing (and the so-called bungee jumping) weren't included in the all day pass! So, I paid for the wall climb and it was taller than I had ever done, so that was cool. But, I forgot to ask the guy to time me, and I think I did it pretty fast. Oh, well!

The roller coaster was next. It was cool! Fast, and a couple of upside down roundy rounds. But, I have to admit something here . . . something embarrassing. It was so exciting that my mouth was open the whole time, and I was kinda, well, kinda drooling. Yes, drooling. All down the front of my shirt. And . . . the poor kid next to me . . . as we were getting off, I noticed him wiping his glasses off! Gross! Sorry kid!

After the roller coaster, I headed back into the casino looking for the Circus Circus midway. It, too, was disappointing . . . just not like I remembered. It seemed a lot more expensive than before, and most of the patrons were little kids. Since a lot of the games are multi-person, it meant that if I won, I would be beating a little kid. The whole thing turned me off. I left . . . in search of a poker game.

I found the poker room in approximately the same place it used to be. But, the lowest limit was $3/$6, which is really expensive . . . especially when you're talking about hold 'em. So, I passed it by. Oh, well. I thought maybe another casino might have stud poker and a little cheaper limits.

Even though it was interminably hot, I began the long walk back to my hotel. I wasn't going to go for the monorail again! There were some things I wanted to see on the way, anyway. I passed by the Excalibre . . . the casino with the King Arthur theme. It was kind of cool. Then, I made my way to the Mirage. They had a dolphin and white tiger exhibit that I thought was free, but it wasn't. Last time I was there . . . it was free. That was back when Siegfried and Roy were still there, though.

WAlking on, I checked poker games in a couple other casinos, but to no avail. Nothing that I wanted to play in. Oh, well. Finally back to my hotel, and I settled in for a short evening of surfing the net. Good night.