I took my truck and trailer to the car wash the day before traveling to the clinic. I have a white truck again! On the way home from the car wash, my radio gave me static. Huh? What’s wrong with my radio? As I got closer to home, I looked at my antenna. I didn’t look at the antenna. I looked where it should be. Damn! There is no antenna. Cursed truck. I parked truck and trailer at home and hurriedly drove my car to the car wash. My antenna should be there. No, it wasn’t. I drove the route I took home, looking for my antenna. I did that twice. I checked the trash can at the car wash. The antenna was not anywhere at the car wash, on the road, or side of the road. Damnation. Would I have time tomorrow to get a new antenna? Is the attach place broken? Where do you get a new antenna? Who installs them? I’m furious at my truck. It’s nineteen years old. Good Lord. I’m driving a nineteen-year-old truck, but with less than 200,000 miles. I need a new truck. When I settled into my recliner, I checked into a dealership for a Ford 150 truck. Two days later, I had three or four phone calls, messages, and a couple of emails. The dealership is anxious to sell me a truck. Note, phone calls still coming.
On the travel day, May 14th, I managed to pack enough clothes to last three days instead of three months. I woke at my usual time, packed the stuff I had forgotten, got Fancy into the trailer, and pulled out. The heck with the radio. I’m traveling in radio silence.
Amazingly, it’s very peaceful without the radio. I thought about Fancy and my relationship. I thought about my behavior with Fancy. I made some agreements with myself about my behavior with Fancy and the behavior of my body parts. Our body parts have minds of their own. Only when the mind fully engages with the said body part does the body part behave. Essential body parts are arms, hands, fingers, body balance (seat), shoulders, belly button, legs, heels and feet. All these parts frequently misbehave.
Dang, it’s a long way from my home to Marshfield. It’s near two hundred miles. Did someone make the route longer since I was there last year? It’s our first time out into the real world during the 2020 pandemic. Did things change?
We made it in fine form to the stable. I unloaded Fancy, found the person in charge, got my stall, shavings, and a holder to hang the water bucket. I installed Fancy in her new temporary home. Next was to unload all the stuff that Fancy needs for three days. Thankfully, I have a little lightweight cart to transport her hay, feed, saddle, saddle pad, halter, horsemanship sticks, grooming tools, etc. Also, Whitney was there to help me. Thank you, Whitney!
I unhitched the trailer successfully and blocked the wheels. I drove the truck back to the barn, where I remembered the mounting block sitting high in the truck’s back. The barn manager got the mounting block out of the truck. It’s hard for me to get into the back without the trailer as a step. I got Fancy’s shavings scattered, and now it is time to fill the water bucket. Where is the water connection? I had to get the barn manager to find it. We are in an aisle where cows run through, so it hides behind a wooden enclosure. The barn manager got a hose hooked up, explained how to turn the water on and off, well as the device on and off to start and stop the water. I am not mechanically inclined in any fashion.
Whew! Time to depart for dinner. I have a favorite BBQ place where I go. One room is the bar, tables, and pool table side, and the other room has the food order counter and tables. I took the bar side and got my favorite wine delivered. It turns out the new bartender grew up in Ava and now loves me. ( I have that effect on many people.) I met the owner who regaled me nonstop again about her rescue horses, her life, etc. I was thankful when she returned to cooking. Scream!
The Holiday Inn Express hotel is in Marshfield. After trying to enter into a large storage closet, the helpful front desk worker pointed out the aisle, and I found my room. Sadly, the air conditioner was blowing out air, but no cooling. I couldn’t get the darn machine to pay any attention to my button-pushing temperature demand. Back I went to desk controller. She kindly explained that the temperature control was on the wall. I pledged her to secrecy about my closet and machine ineptness. She pledged. I plunged into the bed after a shower.
Pre-Day 1 is a success. Fancy is at the stable with all her stuff, and I’m where I can be clean, fresh, and rest (after the mandatory wine and loaded baked potato meal).