Is the day after Christmas the worst day of the year? I always thought so, especially as a kid. I was driving around today, which happens to be the day after Christmas, and I got to thinking about the holiday from a couple perspectives. One train of thought focused on Christmas now as an adult. The other thoughts dialed it back a few decades to me as just a kid.
The first time I heard the great expression 'Don't count your chickens before they hatch' was on a Christmas morning. I was probably 10-years old and we were living in San Antonio, Texas. My older sister, Laura, and I were going downstairs to see what Santa had brought us. Laura, who I'm pretty sure didn't want any part of her little brother so early in the morning, wasn't nearly as excited as me.
Me: "I bet we got bikes!!!"
Laura: "Don't count your chickens before they hatch."
Me: "What's that mean?"
Laura: "We probably didn't get bikes."
I may not have known the meaning of when chickens do or don't hatch, but I was about 10-steps ahead of Laura. In fact, I was at least a good hour ahead of Laura. What she didn't know and what I DID KNOW is that we did in fact get bikes from Santa! How did I know? I knew because it was my regular practice in those days to wake-up earlier than the rest of the house and sneak down for a Santa preview. So, I guess that means I had enough since to check my chickens and make sure they hatched.
Another thing I remember as a kid is feeling sad for cows on Christmas morning. It was definitely a quirky thing, but very real for me. I'm not sure when I first noticed my bovine empathy, but to be honest it still exists to some degree even now.
I noticed it this morning. Granted, it's the day after Christmas but that twinge of Angus angst was still there. I don't have the same feeling for horses. They always seem more social to me... more frolickly. I definitely don't have the same sentiment for dogs and cats, probably because they most likely have the run of the house. But for cows, maybe pigs and sheep too, it's a real feeling. I guess it's because even if it's not Christmas, but more definitely on Christmas, cows always look sad.
So my logic must have been that on the one day that's the pinnacle of excitement for children, it must have hurt my heart a little to think a cow had absolutely no idea what it felt like to get presents.
My beef with the day after Christmas is easy to analyze. Seriously what kid would like the day AFTER the best day? The day after Christmas means there are 364 more days till Christmas. I really can't express clearly enough my disdain for December 26th.
You'd think that was then, this is now. Surely, the day after isn't on my 'day-dislike' list anymore. But oh, it is. I felt it today driving through the pasture seeing the big, black cows primed to pop with their calves. That sight made me sad for the cows which reminded me it was December 26th which got me thinking that I shouldn't count my chickens before they hatch. For at least a little while, I was 10-years old all over again.
Bill Robertson, I'm also not a big fan of Tuesdays.
Teresa's 60th, Red River, NM & The Great Bait Debate
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| T's 60th/Red River, NM |
Teresa and I loaded up and met the family, not all of them but a bunch of them, for her 60th birthday celebration in Red River, New Mexico.... elevation 8,750 feet. I'll explain the significance of the altitude in the coming paragraphs.
T's wish for her birthday was to have her children and grandchildren all in the same place at the same time. Thanks to one text from me to daughter Ashton and daughter in law Kayci, the wish came true. Thank you girls!!
It would be a tremendous understatement to say we made some great memories. We spent three full days together. Every hour included a memory. But Teresa and I agree that the funniest memory comes from the day the dads in the families, Bobby and Cody, wanted to take us all fishing.
There were two ponds within walking distance of our cabin, but Capresto Lake at 9,131 feet was calling. Again, there's the altitude sentence.
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| Capresto Lake/New Mexico |
Capresto Lake is exactly how it looks in the picture... Fantastic! It's not that big but it's tucked away in a narrow mountaintop valley. The water's so cold that Ashton's description reminded me of a glass of ice water. The ice has melted, but the water temperature is cold enough to make children squeal and adults shriek with likely vulgarity if there's ever a big splash.
Getting to this mountaintop fishing hole was no easy task, but Bobby and Cody covered every detail or so we thought. And that's where the Great Bait Debate begins.
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| The Great Bait Debate/Capresto Lake, NM |
The details took awhile, but eventually we packed up two vehicles and headed up the trail. Imagine 45 minutes to one hour on the bumpiest/narrowest roads you've ever ridden. We lived. We unloaded children, chairs and grandparents and walked down a rocky/steep trail to this really incredible vista.
I think our goal was to catch dinner but more importantly make memories. We succeeded in spades on the latter.
Cody: "Where's the bag with the bait?"
Kayci: "What bag?"
Cody: "The white bag I gave you."
Kayci: "What? I didn't know what was in it. I left it at the cabin."
Bobby:" Wait. We don't have the bait?"
Halli: "You forgot the bait?"
Kayci: "I didn't forget the bait!"
By this time, we're all roaring with laughter and Tillie's still playing with rocks, but it gets even better.
Bobby: "Anybody got gum? I know people who fish with gum. Something shiney."
Bill: "I have some Nicorette."
Teresa: "No! That's too expensive."
Halli: "I have Gummy Bears."
Bobby: "That might work."
Halli: "Want me to throw some crackers into the water to attract the fish?"
Cody: "Can't hurt."
The bottom line is... We did fish with gum and Gummy Bears and Halli crunched up crackers to attract the fish. We didn't get a nibble. but I think we all spoke and heard sentences that we never expected: "Anybody got gum" and "Gummy Bears might work."
The honest truth is we did bait hooks with gum and Gummy Bears and Halli did crunch up a bunch of crackers. And best of all, the moms and dads fished with the children. It was a sight to see.
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| Ashton & Avery/Capresto Lake, NM |
But alas, the mountaintop trout probably wanted whatever was left in the white bag that was left back at the cabin, on top of the ice chest just inside the back door that included Moonpies, Cheetos, Baked Lays and my low sodium peanuts.
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| People of the Red Willow Pueblo/Taos, NM |
I guess I was the unofficial tour guide, but I wasn't very good. I told all the kids, that is the lil' ones, that the church in photo was built in 1610. Carson and Jet, the two oldest were impressed. Then, I looked back at the tour map and realized I was wrong. I had read about the much older, off limits church. The church in the photo dated back to only 1800-something.
I admitted my mistake. The good news was, both boys did the math and I'm pretty sure realized that they too were making some fun, everlasting memories with their grandmother. I'm pretty sure lil' Tillie (2 yrs) didn't hear a word that I said.
Bill Robertson
As for the elevation... Breathing in Snyder at 2,350 feet is like taking your breath through a big megaphone. Breathing in Red River at 8,750 feet is like breathing through a three-quarter inch hose. Breathing at Capresto Lake, while walking up hill, is like breathing through a fat straw like we had back in the days of the 7-11 Slurpee. I always got a Coke & Cherry mix, by the way.
Gracie & Me #7; Bad Dog and the 4th of July
All good things come to an end. If it sounds to good to be true then it probably is. That's the way the cookie crumbles. Those are all clichés and now all are absolutely applicable to Gracie and her days at The Scurry County Golf Course.
Yep, that's right. The mysterious stray who showed up on our porch one evening and became our dog, complete with spaying, shots, a new collar, toys, treats and even a giant kennel, showed her true colors this week... on just about every hole!
So as of July 17, 2019, she's officially banned from playing golf... at least until she realizes I have thumbs and she doesn't.
She's not banned by the course. I'm pretty sure nothing's really banned at the SCGC. She's banned by me and Teresa and I'm pretty sure with the full support of her very patient Uncle Marvin. It's a shame too because her first few forays on the fairways were really pretty good. But with each visit to the course, Gracie became more and more cocky, for lack of a better word.
I snapped the photo to the left just a moment too late. Gracie had been nose deep in a 'nine-liner' hole. Nine liners are little ground rodents that scurry all across the course. When Gracie sees one, all discipline goes out the window and that's just one of the issues with Gracie playing golf.
Let's face it, she's a dog. So, she chases just about everything including shadows. One recent outing, she chased a shadow all over Hole #8. It was actually a dove flying back and forth from tree to tree.😆 That's okay if she's out of our shot line. Unfortunately, Gracie began the habit of circling us at every tee box. Then when we were on the green, she began waiting til precisely the last moment before getting up and walking across our putting line.
First though, we had a great July 4th with my son, Jack, and our daughter in law, Allison.
They were moving back to Nashville from San Diego. They're travel plans came right to us. So, we all headed to Grandbury, Texas for a lil' RnR for the big, holiday weekend.
A great visit just doesn't do it justice. We rented an Air BnB that was perfect. Grandbury was practically perfect in every way and the young Robertsons showed up excited and ready for their new chapter in life.
We ate. We drank. We visited and Allison even taught us how to play Texas Hold 'Em. I'd call it our best visit with the young Robertsons. It'll be hard to beat.
It's funny how when children get older and self sufficient the conversations and certainly the time together dwindles. I think Harry Chapin even wrote about it "The Cats in the Cradle" back in 1974. The bottom line is/was, the child's grown up and time is very limited.. just like it was when their parents grew up. But in this one instance, in this one weekend, we all together owned that time and it was indeed a great time.
Now back to the dog... All of Gracie's golf course shenanigans would have been excusable except she began to ignore my cues like: "Here," "Come" and "Stay." Of course I know that still sounds trivial except.... The Scurry County Golf Course is bordered on the south and east by two, busy roadways. They're not highways, but both have heavy, fast moving traffic. So while I think I could put up with her oblivious wondering and Uncle Marvin could too at least to a lesser extent, Gracie's banned from playing golf because what if a shadow crosses the road seconds before a fast moving oilfield truck? Here's a text conversation I had with Teresa only a short while into Gracie's last golf outing.
The last part about pre-heating the oven to 375-degrees isn't important. That was a supper issue. It's the middle of the stream that's most eye opening, at least for us.
T found an article about 'why my dog likes to run.' The article specifically addressed Labradors. Gracie's not a pure bred, but she's definitely part water dog.
Anyway, the experts said when these dogs get to be about one year old and Gracie is about a year old, they tend to be distracted, disobedient and wonder. That's Gracie... SPOT ON!😡
Long story short is, we must make Gracie think we hung the moon, invented sliced bread, started the first fire and somehow managed to create the wheel. We gotta be her be all and end all. As it turns out, it's not that hard because there's one absolute key to getting your dog to stay, come, sit, heel and more and it's summed up in one simple word. FOOD!
I've begun carrying around a baggie of dog treats in my pocket, rewarding Gracie at practically everything. Immediately, she began sticking to me like white on rice. She's still not ready to go play golf, but she is learning that I have thumbs and she doesn't.
Bill Robertson
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| Gracie/Scurry Co. Golf Course |
So as of July 17, 2019, she's officially banned from playing golf... at least until she realizes I have thumbs and she doesn't.
She's not banned by the course. I'm pretty sure nothing's really banned at the SCGC. She's banned by me and Teresa and I'm pretty sure with the full support of her very patient Uncle Marvin. It's a shame too because her first few forays on the fairways were really pretty good. But with each visit to the course, Gracie became more and more cocky, for lack of a better word.
I snapped the photo to the left just a moment too late. Gracie had been nose deep in a 'nine-liner' hole. Nine liners are little ground rodents that scurry all across the course. When Gracie sees one, all discipline goes out the window and that's just one of the issues with Gracie playing golf.
Let's face it, she's a dog. So, she chases just about everything including shadows. One recent outing, she chased a shadow all over Hole #8. It was actually a dove flying back and forth from tree to tree.😆 That's okay if she's out of our shot line. Unfortunately, Gracie began the habit of circling us at every tee box. Then when we were on the green, she began waiting til precisely the last moment before getting up and walking across our putting line.
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| July 4, 2019/Grandbury, Texas |
They were moving back to Nashville from San Diego. They're travel plans came right to us. So, we all headed to Grandbury, Texas for a lil' RnR for the big, holiday weekend.
A great visit just doesn't do it justice. We rented an Air BnB that was perfect. Grandbury was practically perfect in every way and the young Robertsons showed up excited and ready for their new chapter in life.
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| Jack & Allison Robertson/Grandbury TX, 2019 |
It's funny how when children get older and self sufficient the conversations and certainly the time together dwindles. I think Harry Chapin even wrote about it "The Cats in the Cradle" back in 1974. The bottom line is/was, the child's grown up and time is very limited.. just like it was when their parents grew up. But in this one instance, in this one weekend, we all together owned that time and it was indeed a great time.
Now back to the dog... All of Gracie's golf course shenanigans would have been excusable except she began to ignore my cues like: "Here," "Come" and "Stay." Of course I know that still sounds trivial except.... The Scurry County Golf Course is bordered on the south and east by two, busy roadways. They're not highways, but both have heavy, fast moving traffic. So while I think I could put up with her oblivious wondering and Uncle Marvin could too at least to a lesser extent, Gracie's banned from playing golf because what if a shadow crosses the road seconds before a fast moving oilfield truck? Here's a text conversation I had with Teresa only a short while into Gracie's last golf outing.
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| The Gracie File |
T found an article about 'why my dog likes to run.' The article specifically addressed Labradors. Gracie's not a pure bred, but she's definitely part water dog.
Anyway, the experts said when these dogs get to be about one year old and Gracie is about a year old, they tend to be distracted, disobedient and wonder. That's Gracie... SPOT ON!😡
Long story short is, we must make Gracie think we hung the moon, invented sliced bread, started the first fire and somehow managed to create the wheel. We gotta be her be all and end all. As it turns out, it's not that hard because there's one absolute key to getting your dog to stay, come, sit, heel and more and it's summed up in one simple word. FOOD!
I've begun carrying around a baggie of dog treats in my pocket, rewarding Gracie at practically everything. Immediately, she began sticking to me like white on rice. She's still not ready to go play golf, but she is learning that I have thumbs and she doesn't.
Bill Robertson
Gracie & Me #6: Bob Barker Told Me to do It
"Gracie! C'mon down!" I remember a summer in 1980 when I worked for my uncle Jimmie at his New Mexico ranch. I lived in the ranch hands house. It was a lil' square house, three bedrooms, one bath, an old fashioned kitchen, eating area, living area, but NO air conditioning. The lil' house was surrounded by a chain link fence because it literally sat in the middle of a pasture at a horse ranch. If we didn't have the fence, we'd have horses at the front door. In fact, a horse bit off my VW Rabbit's antenna.
I remember a young guy named Troy from anywhere USA, but mostly I remember Rudolph, the illegal from Mexico. Back in those days, we called him a 'wetback.' We probably can't call him that today.
My uncle Jimmie's ranch, 21-miles west of Tucumcari along I-40 in Montoya, NM, was hot in the summer... Very hot. We'd go home for lunch and siesta and watch The Price is Right with Bob Barker.
Rudolph would prep his part for lunch. I can still see him heating up tortillas on the old, white electric stove top, the type with the circular burners. We'd roll 'em up with everything from this, that and the other thing. Then, we'd each get our chairs and watch Bob Barker and The Price is Right! with Bob Barker. The host ended every show with "Protect the pet population. Have your pets spayed or neutered." Rudolph probably doesn't remember. He ate more than he watched as he didn't speak English.
This is where Gracie enters the blog. We didn't expect Gracie on our front porch. We sure didn't expect her to adopt us. And while we are grateful for Gracie, we definitely don't want any little Grace's'. So, we pulled the trigger.
The picture at left is Gracie going to see our friend Dr. Church. He's an Aggie, but a good Aggie.
What you need to know about the picture is this. Gracie typically rides in the back of my truck when we go from home to the ranch. But she jumps out at every stop, so I put her in the backseat when I take her golfing. So bless her heart, she immediately 'loaded up' in the backseat yesterday morning probably thinking she was going golfing where she runs and swim and runs and swims and runs and swims.
Her first clue should've been that Teresa was riding with us. Teresa normally does not go to the golf course with me. Her second clue might have been when we drove by the course, specifically hole #6. It's a log Par-4 with out of bounds all down the left hand side. Bogey is a good score. If you're putting for par, you're pleased. It's got a crazy green because it's an optical illusion. The green appears to break uphill. You think it should go left, but the ball rolls to the right. Gracie was looking out her window when we passed Hole #6. I wonder if the following was going on....
Gracie: "There it is! There it is! Let me out! Let me out! Wait... wait... wait... WHERE ARE YOU GOING HUMAN?! You're passing my favorite place."
By the time we got to the corner, Gracie was laying back down. If she could talk, I suspect it was.. "Uh oh. Where are we going?"
The picture to the right is Gracie and me walking into the West Texas Animal Clinic off U.S. Hwy 84, about three or four miles from Snyder's square. Like I said, Dr. Church is an Aggie, but with a quick sense of humor and a kind heart. Back in the day when he'd come into the deli, he'd have a BLT. Normally, he just says "Hey Bill" and I reply "Hiya doc.'
What you can't see in this static picture is that Gracie was just fine walking to the door. But once we hit the threshold, I think she realized she was at the doctor's office. She pretty much dug in her feet as soon as her nose hit the invisible shield at the door frame.
We dropped off Gracie yesterday. She had her surgery today. We pick her up tomorrow. Teresa's said more than once, "I wonder how Gracie's doing." I tell her, "She's safe and cared for." My hope is to write an update very soon.
As for the other principles in this writing, I haven't seen Troy since August 1980. I heard that Rudolph got deported for back child support. And as for the KING of the game shows, Bob Barker, 'C'MON DOWN!!!"
Bill Robertson
Next: Gracie's release. Teresa thinks she'll be a Conehead.
I remember a young guy named Troy from anywhere USA, but mostly I remember Rudolph, the illegal from Mexico. Back in those days, we called him a 'wetback.' We probably can't call him that today.
My uncle Jimmie's ranch, 21-miles west of Tucumcari along I-40 in Montoya, NM, was hot in the summer... Very hot. We'd go home for lunch and siesta and watch The Price is Right with Bob Barker.
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| Bob Barker/The Price is Right |
Rudolph would prep his part for lunch. I can still see him heating up tortillas on the old, white electric stove top, the type with the circular burners. We'd roll 'em up with everything from this, that and the other thing. Then, we'd each get our chairs and watch Bob Barker and The Price is Right! with Bob Barker. The host ended every show with "Protect the pet population. Have your pets spayed or neutered." Rudolph probably doesn't remember. He ate more than he watched as he didn't speak English.
This is where Gracie enters the blog. We didn't expect Gracie on our front porch. We sure didn't expect her to adopt us. And while we are grateful for Gracie, we definitely don't want any little Grace's'. So, we pulled the trigger.
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| Gracie Goes to the Vet/June 2019 |
What you need to know about the picture is this. Gracie typically rides in the back of my truck when we go from home to the ranch. But she jumps out at every stop, so I put her in the backseat when I take her golfing. So bless her heart, she immediately 'loaded up' in the backseat yesterday morning probably thinking she was going golfing where she runs and swim and runs and swims and runs and swims.
Her first clue should've been that Teresa was riding with us. Teresa normally does not go to the golf course with me. Her second clue might have been when we drove by the course, specifically hole #6. It's a log Par-4 with out of bounds all down the left hand side. Bogey is a good score. If you're putting for par, you're pleased. It's got a crazy green because it's an optical illusion. The green appears to break uphill. You think it should go left, but the ball rolls to the right. Gracie was looking out her window when we passed Hole #6. I wonder if the following was going on....
Gracie: "There it is! There it is! Let me out! Let me out! Wait... wait... wait... WHERE ARE YOU GOING HUMAN?! You're passing my favorite place."
By the time we got to the corner, Gracie was laying back down. If she could talk, I suspect it was.. "Uh oh. Where are we going?"
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| Blame Bob, not me Gracie/Snyder, 2019 |
The picture to the right is Gracie and me walking into the West Texas Animal Clinic off U.S. Hwy 84, about three or four miles from Snyder's square. Like I said, Dr. Church is an Aggie, but with a quick sense of humor and a kind heart. Back in the day when he'd come into the deli, he'd have a BLT. Normally, he just says "Hey Bill" and I reply "Hiya doc.'
What you can't see in this static picture is that Gracie was just fine walking to the door. But once we hit the threshold, I think she realized she was at the doctor's office. She pretty much dug in her feet as soon as her nose hit the invisible shield at the door frame.
We dropped off Gracie yesterday. She had her surgery today. We pick her up tomorrow. Teresa's said more than once, "I wonder how Gracie's doing." I tell her, "She's safe and cared for." My hope is to write an update very soon.
As for the other principles in this writing, I haven't seen Troy since August 1980. I heard that Rudolph got deported for back child support. And as for the KING of the game shows, Bob Barker, 'C'MON DOWN!!!"
Bill Robertson
Next: Gracie's release. Teresa thinks she'll be a Conehead.
Gracie & Me #5: Gardening with Gracie & Martin
I'm flummoxed as to what should be the lead sentence for this particular blog. After all, the blog's title is "Gracie & Me." So, it seems appropriate to begin with something "Gracie-ish.". I guess what I can honestly post is that I've never been the type who puts pets, a.k.a. animals, above human beings.
I just can't cross that threshold. I love my children far more than I'll ever love Gracie. But now that I'm a devoted canine's Human, and I think for the very first time I'm experiencing that pet loyalty that's fodder for so much more than this blog, I can temper my previously vocal disdain for what I, up until very recently, considered unrealistic behavior regarding commitment to pets versus people. (Whew! How's that for a run-on sentence? Can you tell we've been binge watching "The Crown" on Netflix?)
At first blush, Gracie looks like a Lab, "America's Family Dog," in fact the dog I've always wanted to follow me around, sleep on the foot of the bed and just be. But the truth is, Gracie's a stray, a mutt, a mix. She's like Heinz 57. If it weren't for Gracie's gentleness and Teresa's insistence, I'm not sure she'd be part of our family like she is now. Don't get me wrong. She's still a dog, an animal. We don't call ourselves mom and dad to her. But, she is our dog now and unless she freaks out on us, she'll get presents at Christmas.
Another gentle soul who I would've missed if it weren't for Teresa's insistence to 'give him a chance... I see hope in his eyes' is now someone I consider a good friend. He's someone who's leaving our city for more opportunity and our city's going to be worse for his departure. If you live here, you've seen him, probably walking all over town with what he calls "my life." That is ubiquitous, brown backpack.
My friend is Martin Edwards. We met one day at our restaurant, The Big Apple Deli. He and his wife, Rachel came in for lunch. Martin didn't hesitate to ask for a job.
My response because it was the lunch hour and we were busy was honestly not good. It was Teresa who talked me off the ledge.
Teresa: "That guy asked for a job. I think you ought to talk to him."
Me: "IT'S THE LUNCH HOUR! Wrong time!"
Teresa: "Give him an app after lunch. I see sadness in his eyes and hope."
Long story short is, we hired Martin and within days he became our 'right hand man.' We hired dozens and dozens of employees over our eight years, many were absolutely fantastic, but Martin is the one who set the 'incredible employee bar.'
He's as honest as the day is long. He's as kind as Gracie is gentle. He's as hard working as anyone could ask. And maybe most importantly, he was NEVER late for work.
Put it this way; If Teresa & I ever go back into business for ourselves, we'll ask Martin if he'd like to be our very first hire. No doubt about it. If we opened a brain surgery clinic, we'd hire Martin first! If we opened an all you can eat fried chicken and veggies place that serves homemade, ole fashioned 'soda biscuits' like Mrs. Goodwin in Snyder with an unlimited salad like the Wall Street Grill in a place that's open only on Sundays for after church family meals, we'd hire Martin first.
We're gonna miss Martin. He and Rachel are moving on to Lubbock. We can't blame them. Rachel's moving up the WalMart ladder and Martin deserves a chance to be someone else's right hand man.
I hope whoever visits with Martin will see what Teresa convinced me to see in him and in Gracie. That is, don't judge a book by it's cover. Read a few pages. Give it a chance.
Bill Robertson
Next, sorry Gracie. We're only following Bob Barker's advice.
I just can't cross that threshold. I love my children far more than I'll ever love Gracie. But now that I'm a devoted canine's Human, and I think for the very first time I'm experiencing that pet loyalty that's fodder for so much more than this blog, I can temper my previously vocal disdain for what I, up until very recently, considered unrealistic behavior regarding commitment to pets versus people. (Whew! How's that for a run-on sentence? Can you tell we've been binge watching "The Crown" on Netflix?)
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| Gracie @ WRP/Snyder, TX |
Another gentle soul who I would've missed if it weren't for Teresa's insistence to 'give him a chance... I see hope in his eyes' is now someone I consider a good friend. He's someone who's leaving our city for more opportunity and our city's going to be worse for his departure. If you live here, you've seen him, probably walking all over town with what he calls "my life." That is ubiquitous, brown backpack.
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| Martin Edwards/WRP, Snyder TX June '19 |
My friend is Martin Edwards. We met one day at our restaurant, The Big Apple Deli. He and his wife, Rachel came in for lunch. Martin didn't hesitate to ask for a job.
My response because it was the lunch hour and we were busy was honestly not good. It was Teresa who talked me off the ledge.
Teresa: "That guy asked for a job. I think you ought to talk to him."
Me: "IT'S THE LUNCH HOUR! Wrong time!"
Teresa: "Give him an app after lunch. I see sadness in his eyes and hope."
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| Martin & Gracie/WRP, Snyder TX June '19 |
He's as honest as the day is long. He's as kind as Gracie is gentle. He's as hard working as anyone could ask. And maybe most importantly, he was NEVER late for work.
Put it this way; If Teresa & I ever go back into business for ourselves, we'll ask Martin if he'd like to be our very first hire. No doubt about it. If we opened a brain surgery clinic, we'd hire Martin first! If we opened an all you can eat fried chicken and veggies place that serves homemade, ole fashioned 'soda biscuits' like Mrs. Goodwin in Snyder with an unlimited salad like the Wall Street Grill in a place that's open only on Sundays for after church family meals, we'd hire Martin first.
We're gonna miss Martin. He and Rachel are moving on to Lubbock. We can't blame them. Rachel's moving up the WalMart ladder and Martin deserves a chance to be someone else's right hand man.
I hope whoever visits with Martin will see what Teresa convinced me to see in him and in Gracie. That is, don't judge a book by it's cover. Read a few pages. Give it a chance.
Bill Robertson
Next, sorry Gracie. We're only following Bob Barker's advice.
Gracie & Me #4: Gracie Goes Golfing & the Littliest Cowpokes!
I'm eating crow and strangely enough... It's not that bad if it's cooked right.😀 I'm eating crow because until very recently I absolutely hated dogs on the golf course.
My frustration began when I began playing golf again, mostly at our county course. Besides a laundry list of golf etiquette violations that rub/rubbed me the wrong way, the biggest frustration is/was people bringing their dogs with them while the humans golfed.
One golfer in particular brings his little dog that barks and barks and barks. My golf game is consistently inconsistent. So the last thing I need when I'm trying to drive, chip or putt is a yipping dog that I can hear literally ALL OVER THE COURSE!!!😝
But now, that's all changed because of our new dog, Gracie. I took her with me to the course last week. I really didn't know what to expect from her. So, I played early with my regular golfing buddy Marvin Morrell, now officially nicknamed "Uncle Marv." Take a look and turn up the volume because this is how it went.
It really wasn't as chaotic as the video makes it look. The worst part was when Gracie & I first arrived. She ran and smelled. Then, she ran and smelled some more and some more and some more. But within about 15-minutes, Gracie calmed down and hung out with me on the putting green.
Uncle Marv and I always play only nine holes. We start on number one, which should be an easy Par five. Usually, we make a mess of it but I think we both believe the next eight holes will be easy birdies. But as it usually turns out most times, they're not easy bogies much less birdies.😂
Anyway, Gracie was great. Sure, she ran when we took off in our carts. But when we got ready to tee-off or play a shot, she stopped and even took proper position, that is behind the player about to take his/her swing.
Seriously, there was a time when we were teeing off. I think it was on number three, a very long par three, slightly uphill to a left to right slopping green. Gracie was hanging out directly in my target line. I said, "Gracie, go back to Uncle Marvin." And, she did! Ladies and gentlemen, this dog is a stray that showed up on our porch. She doesn't yip, jump or have any other bad habits besides a little chair chewing. And NOW.... she knows where to stand on the golf course! Call me crazy, but Gracie might be the perfect pet!!!
One of the better things about getting older is having time to really enjoy the good stuff. And it turns out, watching the grandkids do their thing is definitely a good thing.
Our six year old granddaughter Halli loves riding horses and she wants to RODEO!😃 She has a lil' horse named "Bliss" and this is their first summer to participate in our area's "Play Day."
I know it sounds like something my mom did with my little brother, Peter, and the other neighborhood mothers, but this is a lot more than that. It revolves around kids, horses, families, competition and a LOT of sunscreen and bug spray.
Gobs of kids are there and even more adults. The kids are separated into age groups and compete in three categories; Barrels, Poles and Flags. The bigger kids are fast and furious. The little ones like Hal aren't so fast as they are determined.
Here's the visual: Halli's little. Bliss is about 15-hands. Hal's saddle is tiny. Her feet in stirrups might go down to half of Bliss's body. But still, Hal's determined to get Bliss moving. Hal's not wearing spurs. So, she's gotta kick to get Bliss going. Her legs are too short to squeeze, which is what she'll ultimately learn starts and stops a horse.
So, she kicks and kicks and kicks. But her little legs really don't go anywhere. Imagine that you are standing with your arms hanging at your side. Now, flap your hands. That's what it looks like when a little six year tries to propel a 15-hand horse into locomotion. It's priceless to see up close and personal. It's absolutely perfect!
I think if the horse, Bliss, could talk she'd say: "Hang on Lil' one. I got this. It isn't my first rodeo." I suspect if Halli could talk to Bliss that she'd say,"THAT IS SO MUCH FUN!"
It's fun to feel young enough to take Gracie golfing with Uncle Marv. It's a lot more fun to be old enough to see and hear the fun of these Littliest Cowpokes.
FORE and GIDDY-UP!
Bill Robertson
Next, Gracie the Gardner and my friend Martin!
My frustration began when I began playing golf again, mostly at our county course. Besides a laundry list of golf etiquette violations that rub/rubbed me the wrong way, the biggest frustration is/was people bringing their dogs with them while the humans golfed.
One golfer in particular brings his little dog that barks and barks and barks. My golf game is consistently inconsistent. So the last thing I need when I'm trying to drive, chip or putt is a yipping dog that I can hear literally ALL OVER THE COURSE!!!😝
But now, that's all changed because of our new dog, Gracie. I took her with me to the course last week. I really didn't know what to expect from her. So, I played early with my regular golfing buddy Marvin Morrell, now officially nicknamed "Uncle Marv." Take a look and turn up the volume because this is how it went.
It really wasn't as chaotic as the video makes it look. The worst part was when Gracie & I first arrived. She ran and smelled. Then, she ran and smelled some more and some more and some more. But within about 15-minutes, Gracie calmed down and hung out with me on the putting green.
 |
| Gracie Golfing/Scurry Co. Golf Course |
Uncle Marv and I always play only nine holes. We start on number one, which should be an easy Par five. Usually, we make a mess of it but I think we both believe the next eight holes will be easy birdies. But as it usually turns out most times, they're not easy bogies much less birdies.😂
Anyway, Gracie was great. Sure, she ran when we took off in our carts. But when we got ready to tee-off or play a shot, she stopped and even took proper position, that is behind the player about to take his/her swing.
Seriously, there was a time when we were teeing off. I think it was on number three, a very long par three, slightly uphill to a left to right slopping green. Gracie was hanging out directly in my target line. I said, "Gracie, go back to Uncle Marvin." And, she did! Ladies and gentlemen, this dog is a stray that showed up on our porch. She doesn't yip, jump or have any other bad habits besides a little chair chewing. And NOW.... she knows where to stand on the golf course! Call me crazy, but Gracie might be the perfect pet!!!
 |
| Youth Play Day/Scurry Co. Rodeo Grounds |
Our six year old granddaughter Halli loves riding horses and she wants to RODEO!😃 She has a lil' horse named "Bliss" and this is their first summer to participate in our area's "Play Day."
I know it sounds like something my mom did with my little brother, Peter, and the other neighborhood mothers, but this is a lot more than that. It revolves around kids, horses, families, competition and a LOT of sunscreen and bug spray.
 |
| Cody, Halli & Bliss/Scurry Co. Rodeo Grounds |
Gobs of kids are there and even more adults. The kids are separated into age groups and compete in three categories; Barrels, Poles and Flags. The bigger kids are fast and furious. The little ones like Hal aren't so fast as they are determined.
Here's the visual: Halli's little. Bliss is about 15-hands. Hal's saddle is tiny. Her feet in stirrups might go down to half of Bliss's body. But still, Hal's determined to get Bliss moving. Hal's not wearing spurs. So, she's gotta kick to get Bliss going. Her legs are too short to squeeze, which is what she'll ultimately learn starts and stops a horse.
 |
| Halli & Bliss/Snyder Co. Rodeo Grounds |
So, she kicks and kicks and kicks. But her little legs really don't go anywhere. Imagine that you are standing with your arms hanging at your side. Now, flap your hands. That's what it looks like when a little six year tries to propel a 15-hand horse into locomotion. It's priceless to see up close and personal. It's absolutely perfect!
I think if the horse, Bliss, could talk she'd say: "Hang on Lil' one. I got this. It isn't my first rodeo." I suspect if Halli could talk to Bliss that she'd say,"THAT IS SO MUCH FUN!"
It's fun to feel young enough to take Gracie golfing with Uncle Marv. It's a lot more fun to be old enough to see and hear the fun of these Littliest Cowpokes.
FORE and GIDDY-UP!
Bill Robertson
Next, Gracie the Gardner and my friend Martin!
Gracie & Me #3: We go to Taos, Gracie goes to camp & Mom's Gall Bladder
Boy oh boy, a lot's happened since my last blog. Starting with our new dog, Gracie, it's been a whirlwind.
I left off in my last blog with the story behind Gracie getting her name. She's apparently taken a 'shine' to it as she does come and stay when commanded. You know, "Gracie come!" or "Gracie stay!"
Before I go on, I still gotta tell ya that I can't believe this dog's incredibly good demeanor and behavior. It's really got me stumped. The vet told us that she was barely one year old. I can't think of a single dog I've ever had that at that age wasn't bouncy, jumpy, chewy, messy and practically all but impossible. Gracie is absolutely none of those adjectives. None!
The picture at the right was when I recently took Gracie golfing, which was an adventure. I'll get to that sooner or later. But first, let me tell you about our trip to Taos and Gracie's trip to Canine Camp.
We'd planned a long weekend in the New Mexico mountains many, many months, at least weeks, before Gracie pounced on our porch. We didn't want to back out of our plans but we had to find a safe place for our new dog. Long story short is, Gracie went to a boarding house in Snyder and we went to Taos.
The Canine Camp (klip'n k-9's) was at first crazy traumatic. Thank goodness I had Gracie on a leash. We walked in. A Doberman puppy kept barking and barking and barking. Gracie didn't like it and "Remi" the barking Dobie gave me a headache. The whole time I was thinking; 'This is a bad idea. I'm never gonna get out of here." But, I gotta give kudos to the "klip'n k-9's" operator. She took charge. Got "Remi" to hush. Made Gracie comfortable. And, I got out of there. Bottom line is/was, Gracie was super well cared for and really didn't want to leave when we returned from Taos.
Taos, GOD's country at 7,000 feet! I bet I haven't been to Taos in 40, maybe 45 years. I don't think Teresa's ever been. We couldn't have been more pleased.
Our place was an easy walk from the plaza. We'd walk, eat, people watch and walk some more. I dunno if I'd call Taos kid friendly, unless it's ski season. But, it's definitely almost AARP friendly. If you can just slow down a bit, enjoy that amazing blue sky, watch the cool 'granola crowd' and loosen your belt for a gastro-experience, Taos is top shelf.
We never found Julia Roberts who supposedly has a ranch somewhere in the area, but we did get an eyeful. Our mission was; Eat a big breakfast, get in the car and just drive. Then later, we'd sit and people watch.
Isn't it funny that when you get older, you can just relax and be amazed at natural and man made wonders. The Rio Grande River Gorge Bridge is an absolutely show stopper. The picture is small but the sky is incredible and the bridge span is phenomenal. Imagine seeing it in real scale. It was amazing and it's only seven miles from the Taos plaza with a great restaurant on the way.
If there was nothing man-made in the Taos area, just looking at the mountains, watching the sky and enjoying the crisp high altitude air would be enough. But there are plenty of man-made things to take-in. I'm not necessarily saying take-in and like, but more take-in and appreciate.
If you want a full dose of 'off the grid,' don't miss the Earthship Biotecture that's just a little further down the highway from the Gorge Bridge.
Everything at this compound is recycled.... everything! We didn't take the tour because by this time the wind was howling, but we did drop by the Visitor Center. In fact, if we'd taken the tour we would have gotten the senior discount. Woo Hoo!
I bet Teresa and I could live in an Earthship given it's proximity to Taos, but I don't know if either us have the 'Nature DNA' to help or enjoy any of the construction.
We did have 'people watching' overload during our visit. I suppose even a normal weekend would've been fun considering we already know most of the people in Snyder, America.
But this was Memorial Day Weekend and that meant it was Red River Bike Rally Weekend. I bet for every one four wheel vehicle we saw, there were at least 50-to-75 various versions of motorcycles that roared around us.
I took the picture to the right because I'd never seen such an exaggerated 'Trike.' By the time we left Taos, we saw dozens of these modified motorcycles. What a time we had in Taos and what a shock we returned to when we got back to reality in Snyder.
We got home. All seemed good and then BAM! Unbeknown to us, mom, a.k.a. Marianne, had been really feeling bad before, during and after our Taos trip.
We were back at The Windmill Ranch taking care of our regular routine when I got multiple texts from my older sister, Laura. They read something like:
Laura: "Hey are you aware of the stomach ailments mom's been having the past few days?"
Me: "I had no idea."
Long story short is... Mom was in pretty severe discomfort. She drove herself to see her primary physician. We met her there. The doc didn't take long to order a C-T and labs. Both should Gall Bladder issues.
The rub is/was, that was on a Thursday and into a Friday before the tests returned. My little sister, Julia, came in from Albuquerque for the weekend to help. By Monday morning when mom already had a consult scheduled with a surgeon, she was in more than severe pain. I could show you a picture, but she'd be real pissed.
Anyway, we didn't wait for the afternoon appointment. We took her to the E-R in the morning and by 3:00pm, she was out of surgery with that giant gall stone as a souvenir. That was the biggest, but she had dozens of more stones.
Post-op wasn't pretty. M had lots and lots of pain. She got more morphine than I knew anyone could have. In fact, she was eligible for a morphine 'hit' every 10-minutes.
But GOD is indeed good. By the next morning, she was weaned off the morphine and getting a Tylenol-3 drip. She was a completely different person. The only rub was.... She talked and talked and talked. We couldn't decide if it was the meds or just the fact that she likes to visit.
Now, we're three days post OP and she's sitting up, lipstick and eyes done and wearing pearls and earrings.
I wish I could remember the exact prayer I offered over her before they wheeled her through those big swinging doors. I can't. But, I can say ABSOLUTELY everything that I/we prayed for was answered. Absolutely everything!
So, we got a dog that doesn't jump and an 87-year-old mother/grandmother who feels great. I wanted a dog. I got one. I wanted my mother to be relieved of her pain and discomfort and she is. I prayed about both. I got both. I'm thankful and blessed.
Bill Robertson
Next: I dunno bc every time I think I'm gonna write about something specific it seems I get a strange curveball. If I had to be specific, I'd tell ya... I'm not in charge.
I left off in my last blog with the story behind Gracie getting her name. She's apparently taken a 'shine' to it as she does come and stay when commanded. You know, "Gracie come!" or "Gracie stay!"
Before I go on, I still gotta tell ya that I can't believe this dog's incredibly good demeanor and behavior. It's really got me stumped. The vet told us that she was barely one year old. I can't think of a single dog I've ever had that at that age wasn't bouncy, jumpy, chewy, messy and practically all but impossible. Gracie is absolutely none of those adjectives. None!
 |
| Golfing w/ Gracie/Scurry Co. Golf Club |
The picture at the right was when I recently took Gracie golfing, which was an adventure. I'll get to that sooner or later. But first, let me tell you about our trip to Taos and Gracie's trip to Canine Camp.
We'd planned a long weekend in the New Mexico mountains many, many months, at least weeks, before Gracie pounced on our porch. We didn't want to back out of our plans but we had to find a safe place for our new dog. Long story short is, Gracie went to a boarding house in Snyder and we went to Taos.
The Canine Camp (klip'n k-9's) was at first crazy traumatic. Thank goodness I had Gracie on a leash. We walked in. A Doberman puppy kept barking and barking and barking. Gracie didn't like it and "Remi" the barking Dobie gave me a headache. The whole time I was thinking; 'This is a bad idea. I'm never gonna get out of here." But, I gotta give kudos to the "klip'n k-9's" operator. She took charge. Got "Remi" to hush. Made Gracie comfortable. And, I got out of there. Bottom line is/was, Gracie was super well cared for and really didn't want to leave when we returned from Taos.
 |
| Taos NM/2019 |
Our place was an easy walk from the plaza. We'd walk, eat, people watch and walk some more. I dunno if I'd call Taos kid friendly, unless it's ski season. But, it's definitely almost AARP friendly. If you can just slow down a bit, enjoy that amazing blue sky, watch the cool 'granola crowd' and loosen your belt for a gastro-experience, Taos is top shelf.
We never found Julia Roberts who supposedly has a ranch somewhere in the area, but we did get an eyeful. Our mission was; Eat a big breakfast, get in the car and just drive. Then later, we'd sit and people watch.
 |
| Rio Grande River Gorge/Taos, NM |
Isn't it funny that when you get older, you can just relax and be amazed at natural and man made wonders. The Rio Grande River Gorge Bridge is an absolutely show stopper. The picture is small but the sky is incredible and the bridge span is phenomenal. Imagine seeing it in real scale. It was amazing and it's only seven miles from the Taos plaza with a great restaurant on the way.
If there was nothing man-made in the Taos area, just looking at the mountains, watching the sky and enjoying the crisp high altitude air would be enough. But there are plenty of man-made things to take-in. I'm not necessarily saying take-in and like, but more take-in and appreciate.
 |
| Earthships/Taos, NM |
Everything at this compound is recycled.... everything! We didn't take the tour because by this time the wind was howling, but we did drop by the Visitor Center. In fact, if we'd taken the tour we would have gotten the senior discount. Woo Hoo!
I bet Teresa and I could live in an Earthship given it's proximity to Taos, but I don't know if either us have the 'Nature DNA' to help or enjoy any of the construction.
 |
| Red River Bike Rally/New Mexico 2019 |
But this was Memorial Day Weekend and that meant it was Red River Bike Rally Weekend. I bet for every one four wheel vehicle we saw, there were at least 50-to-75 various versions of motorcycles that roared around us.
I took the picture to the right because I'd never seen such an exaggerated 'Trike.' By the time we left Taos, we saw dozens of these modified motorcycles. What a time we had in Taos and what a shock we returned to when we got back to reality in Snyder.
 |
| Mom's Gall Stone |
We were back at The Windmill Ranch taking care of our regular routine when I got multiple texts from my older sister, Laura. They read something like:
Laura: "Hey are you aware of the stomach ailments mom's been having the past few days?"
Me: "I had no idea."
Long story short is... Mom was in pretty severe discomfort. She drove herself to see her primary physician. We met her there. The doc didn't take long to order a C-T and labs. Both should Gall Bladder issues.
The rub is/was, that was on a Thursday and into a Friday before the tests returned. My little sister, Julia, came in from Albuquerque for the weekend to help. By Monday morning when mom already had a consult scheduled with a surgeon, she was in more than severe pain. I could show you a picture, but she'd be real pissed.
Anyway, we didn't wait for the afternoon appointment. We took her to the E-R in the morning and by 3:00pm, she was out of surgery with that giant gall stone as a souvenir. That was the biggest, but she had dozens of more stones.
Post-op wasn't pretty. M had lots and lots of pain. She got more morphine than I knew anyone could have. In fact, she was eligible for a morphine 'hit' every 10-minutes.
But GOD is indeed good. By the next morning, she was weaned off the morphine and getting a Tylenol-3 drip. She was a completely different person. The only rub was.... She talked and talked and talked. We couldn't decide if it was the meds or just the fact that she likes to visit.
Now, we're three days post OP and she's sitting up, lipstick and eyes done and wearing pearls and earrings.
I wish I could remember the exact prayer I offered over her before they wheeled her through those big swinging doors. I can't. But, I can say ABSOLUTELY everything that I/we prayed for was answered. Absolutely everything!
So, we got a dog that doesn't jump and an 87-year-old mother/grandmother who feels great. I wanted a dog. I got one. I wanted my mother to be relieved of her pain and discomfort and she is. I prayed about both. I got both. I'm thankful and blessed.
Bill Robertson
Next: I dunno bc every time I think I'm gonna write about something specific it seems I get a strange curveball. If I had to be specific, I'd tell ya... I'm not in charge.
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