Monday, May 13, 2013

Branding

     I guess I've hit that rebellious streak that eluded me in my teen years. Monday afternoon I finished my swim at school and decided I didn't feel like Physics class that day. So I didn't go. Then I found out branding was happening this weekend at Grandma's and my Dad had flown in. So there was no way I was missing out on that. The obvious thing to do was to skip school on Friday. And I did just that.


Kyla and I drove down those beautiful country roads to my grandma's ranch. A hot meal and good company were waiting for us. Early the next morning nestled in our beds Dad whispered in our room that kittens had been born the night before (I'm still a little disturbed that the odd cringe-like movements the cat made on my lap the night previous were contractions and the little wet spot on my jeans was amniotic fluid. But I try not to think about that too much) There were 5 kitties and they were darling as could be. We had a bit of a search and rescue mission for one when it decided to leave the nest (seriously after 1 day!) and found it's way through the cracks of Grandma's porch.
One day old kittens and a proud momma

In the evening all the cowboy hats pulled into the yard and all calves were ready to be branded. Although all my relatives on that side of the family are from country roots I definitely don't claim to be a country girl. I love it out here but I'm pretty sure I'm still a 'city slicker'. I remember my first branding and I ran away and cried. The smell stung my nose and I didn't like to think about it. This time I was actually useful! I shied away from the vaccination needle at first. But then I decided "Hey. I may be a city slicker, but by golly I am the most qualified medical person here!" (even though they still don't let me poke people with needles) So I jumped right in.
      One family friend kept asking when I was going to wrestle the calves. I thought he was kidding so I kept saying "I'll grab the next one". Until the last cow came and suddenly I was on the ground wrestling with its hind legs. I guess city girls aren't all useless!
  After the work was done we made our way back to the log house at the top of the hill for one of grandma's dinners. She made 4 1/2 dozen buns. They all got eaten. My Grandma is famous for them. We had a million different desserts that made everyone loosen another loop on their belts. People stayed to chat and catch up until the stars told them it was time for bed.

    The rest of the weekend my Daddy and I (Kyla too) went to the Didsbury car show. He just cannot get enough of those vintage cars. I'd like to keep a tally of how many he has been to. We stopped to chat with one of the owners and his wife (the most hilarious English lady I've met) "If women decided to get together and collect old washing machines and have meets to talk about them they'd think we were daft!"
I'm starting a club girls! Lets talk old washing machines!
I just can't get enough of those '50 belairs. One was for sale, but unfortunately $32, 000 just isn't in my budget right now.
Spent the weekend with vintage Maseratis, Lamborghinis and Ferraris.

    I spent some quality time wandering through memory lane. The old barn is coming down one day soon and I just feel like a part of what I know the world to be will be gone. That may sound a little melodramatic. But that barn has stood there for over a hundred years. I've played in it, fell asleep in it, spent hours looking for kittens, feeding horses, playing pretend, helping the hired hand. It houses many of my fond memories. And I wouldn't be surprised if I cry the day its torn down.

     Many a wondrous thing happened. I got my first burn of the summer. (and it's not a farmer's tan because I was on a ranch). Something about the first brown skin of the season is so exhilarating. Spent the day with my Grandma for mother's day. I watched 'Singing in the Rain' for the first time. Oh I loved it. And got some good quality time in with my old man. It's been 4 months since I've seen Pops.


So perhaps the weekend was a little bit on the rebellious side (I didn't even study much for my midterm today!) But if the consequences from this weekend were supposed to help me see the error of my ways, then it did no such thing.

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