DID YOU MISS ME.........?????

I have been without internet for 4 days, consequently I couldn't update my blog.  It all started with an electrical storm, that didn't seem that close until it "zapped"  my router for the computer.  Called my provider and they were out that afternoon to replace it.  That evening when I was making sure I hadn't missed something while my router was down, we had another nasty storm, only this time it as really quick, really loud and I saw fire in my computer corner, where I was sitting.  And my brand new router,was no more.  The poor thing only lasted about 6-7 hours....!!!  Called again and was told they had no more routers, I wasn't the only one having router outages.  We had a lot of nasty weather for 2 or 3 days.  They had them on order and it took till this morning to get them.  Robert, bless his heart came out as soon as they got them.

We've known Robert since he was about 3 years old.  His mom has been in this valley probably close to 50 years and he was raised here.  I was looking for a rooster when he was a little bitty thing and his mom said she had an extra one, she'd drop by next time she went to town.  Unfortunately Robert was with her and he was under the impression that rooster was his.  Oh! my, talk about a rooster loving breakdown.......I hope the rest of her trip went better than the few minutes they were here.  LOL

Heard from Linda about their latest burro pack race last week-end.  She said the boys seem to be figuring out what they are suppose to do.  This year was suppose to be mostly training to get the boys use to all the excitement and being out of their comfort zone.  She said when they were loading Leddy and Turbo, Quilla started braying.  I guess he likes going on adventures too.  Maybe if they have another parade, that's more his style, but I guess he's ready to go anywhere now.  I told her Quilla and Boaz are going to be bored when they come back down here, we don't do anything exciting, like they do on a daily basis, there's always something going on up there, it sounds like.

Here's a nice picture of Leddy all ready to go, or resting afterwards, I'm not sure which.  She said he's lost some weight, which is a good thing.  He was a little chubby before they left for Colorado.  All this running and training is good exercise.

Unfortunately, the flies have finally arrived in Colorado and the donkeys are having to wear flymasks.  I'm sure the flies aren't as bad as they are in Arizona.  You would think with all the rain and humidity, the flies  would have plenty of moisture.  I don't think they are as bad as when it's really dry, but they are still a nuisance.

Here's Quilla showing off his fly mask and leggings.   The boys were already wearing masks and Quilla was wearing leggings when they left in early May, so Colorado weather is definitely better for them. 

I had to put leggings on Coquette this morning.  I've been able to keep her legs from getting bloody with daily doctoring, but noticed this morning a couple of spots that were open, so she's now covered on all 4 legs.  Gus and Penny are the only others having to have their legs covered.  So I'm actually having a pretty easy summer of doctoring this year, thanks to Linda.

We're still fighting the battle of the mesquite beans, not to mention green stuff growing everywhere.  Most of them are looking at our offer of hay, like we're trying to poison them by giving them "equine jerky" as my good friend Claire called it years ago.  Why would they eat hay when all that green stuff is out there just for the taking.  Coquette just looks at the hay like we aren't very bright if we think she's going to waste her time eating "THAT".......!!  She's plumped up nicely and when the season is over she is going on a diet along with some of the other chunky ones. 

We have had a few cows go on the 20 acres.  John opened the gate a few days ago, hoping they would go in.  But I don't think they've made a dent in the mesquite beans over on Burroland.  There are still quite a few beans over on this side and the donkeys are eating all they can find, but there's always more when the wind blows.  Even with all the rain, none of the ones that have fallen have turned black yet.  Over here the donkeys are eating them before they have a chance to lay very long.  But they are piling up over in Burroland.

Thanks for the pictures, Linda.

GREAT MONSOON SO FAR

Almost every day we get at least a shower, sometimes it's 1/2 inch or more.  The donkeys are still only on the 10 acres, and actually there aren't many beans left.  It keeps them busy running around just to make sure more haven't fallen.  Because of all the rain we now have lots of green stuff coming up.  So that is keeping them busy too.  

Hopefully by the time it stops raining, the beans over in Burroland will have laid on the ground and gotten wet enough to no longer be edible.  I don't mind them eating the green stuff and if it doesn't rain for a couple of days it will wither up anyway.  Actually today is suppose to be zero chance of rain.

We were suppose to race last Saturday night......BUT.......Mother Nature had other plans.  Although the race director told us at the driver's meeting we would race if it took all night.  They finished one race and here came the rain.  We all stood around and lamented our fate, and at 9pm the powers to be, gave up and sent us home.  Actually the Hornets are the only cars running street tires, so we could probably have ran, although I'm sure someone would have ended up in the wall, so it's probably just as well.

Gigi is walking good for her.  I haven't taken her "diaper" boot off.  Since it's so rainy I've left it on to hopefully keep it from sealing over again.  I'll probably take it off tomorrow, I'm sure it's worn thru by now.  Gorilla tape is good, but not that good.

Smoky Joe is gimping around again, so I guess his abscess sealed over too.  It's not bad enough to keep him from chasing the girls.  Coquette seemed to be the focus this morning, although she wasn't interested in playing the game.  She had 3 geldings chasing her around, one of them was Joe.  She needs to lose weight anyway, so the exercise will do her good........!!!  LOL

If anyone in the Tucson area has cats and wants a well built cat tree, get in touch with James Caddell at 520 272-6850.  He also has facebook pages, but they aren't very easy to use.  One is  Custom made cats trees by James. 

Anyway this is a "beauty" we picked up yesterday.  It's very heavy and very well made, has 5 levels a rope scratching area, a scratching pad and a tennis ball.  John had to use a 2 wheel cart to get it into the house it's so heavy.  We paid $150 for it, which compared to what is available in the pet stores was a bargain.  He said that's how he got started building them, his wife got one at Petsmart for $130, they have 3 cats.  He said after 6 months it was falling apart, so he decided he could do better. 

Put it in place and I think everyone was on it at least once.  Nigel went up on the top level and was still there when we went to bed.  There's 5 levels but the chances of all of them getting on it at one time is slim to none.  Moogee hates the 3 boys and they seem to have the same opinion of her.  Julius the outdoor cat that comes in daily, actually use to lay on the old cat tree, he came in this morning and skirted around it, because it wasn't there yesterday.  Cats are funny little creatures......!!!

I'M BACK..........!!!

Actually I've been back for a couple of days...........but it's taken this long to catch up........!!!   LOL  Just going thru the mail was an experience.

John and Doug took good care of the "fur" kids, although John called Dr. Jeremy out to look at Gigi's foot after I left.  He agreed that it was an abscess and she isn't the best patient, so rather than fight with her and get her all upset they agreed to let it open on it's own.  I think it was the next day she was walking pretty good.  Unfortunately by the time I got home, she was 3 legged lame again, I guess it sealed over.  With the rain and wet ground, it's not unusual to have abscesses.  In fact Smoky Joe gimped around over a couple of days, yesterday he was walking good.  

So we soaked Gigi's foot in White Lightning and wrapped it in a diaper and duct tape boot and she seems a little better today.  Usually with an abscess as soon as it pops, they walk normal, but she's still limping.  If she isn't OK by tomorrow, I'll probably soak her again.

Linda  shared a video of one of their friends and his burro Sheba.  She obviously wants the road to herself.  Isn't it pretty country?

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10210042210678577&id=1435808892

I'm just putting in the link, lately my blog has been uncooperative when I try to download a video to my account.

She also sent a silly picture of Boaz

He's had gotten begging down to a fine art.  She said he has learned to put his tongue on her leg or whatever body part he can get to.  LOL  

As for my trip, it was uneventful, which when flying is a good thing.  Well, the 20 minute sprint thru the Houston airport to catch a connecting flight wasn't a lot of fun.  We took off from Tucson about an hour late, so needless to say we also landed in Houston late.  Wouldn't have been such an experience, except it's a long long way from Gate 34 to Gate 6.  As I was running (well by half way, it was more of a hobble) I wondered if I collapsed on the floor, #1 would anyone notice, and #2 if they picked me up would they take me to my gate or insist on taking me someplace I didn't want to go?  If I had thought they'd take me to my gate, I might have tried it............LOL 

I dreaded going to Missouri in July, figured it would be really hot and really really humid.  I was pleasantly surprised, the weather was really nice, although the natives were complaining about it being hot.  It wasn't over 100* so I had no complaints.  

I can mark another car rental company off my list.  For some reason I ended up with Budget, rather than my favorite Enterprise.  Got my paperwork and key in my hand, go to where they said my car was and it was a Smart car.  

http://www.carpricesecrets.com/smart/fortwo?mkwid=bing_cps_search&gclid=CMju1qu5mNUCFQi8fgodx1kIfQ&gclsrc=ds

There is no way I would ever drive one of these little coffins without handles out of a parking lot and into traffic.  My paperwork said a Hyundai Accent or equivalent..........  So I made a u-turn and went back to the counter with my complaint.  I was told that was their economy car and I would have to upgrade, did I want a 6.2 Dodge Challenger or a Dodge 6.2 Charger?  No I just wanted transportation, not a ticket.........!! LOL  He ask if I could drive stick shift, so ended up with a Ford Focus.  No big deal but it was keyless and 6 speed with the reverse on the left instead of the right, so I had somewhat of a learning process, especially when it came to backing up, I had to get the book out of the glove compartment.  To back up, you had to lift up on the boot around the gear shift.  I have a complaint into Budget, about having to upgrade, I'm sure they will really take my complaint into consideration..................not....!!  LOL

I knew there would be some downtime, I don't expect what little family I have left to entertain me, 24/7, so I found out Lucas Oil Speedway was having a big dirt late model show in Wheatland, Missouri.  If you have never heard of Wheatland, I'm not surprised, there are 431 people in the town..........there were probably 10,000 in the grandstands for the races.  

Preparing the track

 

Some of the cars hot lapping

The man that started Lucas Oil Company, owns 1/2 the county and most of the town according to some of my cousins.  They said he decided to build a 1st class racing complex for lots of different types of racing, including boats.  From what I saw he's accomplished his dream, it is really a wonderful place to watch races. And I would imagine it would also be a lot of fun to race on too.......!!  LOL 

I'LL BE BACK NEXT WEEK

I am leaving in the morning, headed back to Missouri for my Aunt Toby's funeral.  She was always smiling and I have lots of good memories of her when I was growing up.  She actually was my stepfather's sister, one of five sisters and one brother.  I became part of the family before I was 3 years old and I was just one of the grandkids, of which there were many, never a "step".  She was almost 91 years old and I always went to visit with her, when I went back for a funeral or school reunion.  The last time was 3 years ago, when I took Mother back to Missouri and for the 1st time it took her quite sometime to remember who I was.  Still  had that pretty smile on her face though.  

I don't like leaving John in charge, he always does just fine, BUT, he doesn't like it when something goes wrong or needs doctoring and we hadn't talked about it.  I always call every night to catch up on how the day went, so it's not like I have abandoned him completely........!!!  He's going back to Indiana in September to a family reunion in Indiana, so I'll have to weigh hay and run hay thru the leaf shredder, which I haven't done in a LONG time.  I think he handles it much better than I do, he always says I'm the CEO, BUT he's the one that makes the whole system work. 

But this morning Gigi came in limping badly.  Unfortunately it's her good front leg, so she's dealing with a crippled right foot with a shoe on it, and the left foot that is probably dealing with an abscess.  The weather we've had lately makes an abscess my first WAG (Wild Assed Guess).  She actually let John pick up her foot to clean it in case it was a rock and he felt for heat.  Then he checked the leg from shoulder to hoof, poking and twisting, with no reaction.  So she's been gimping around slowly all day.  

I told John if she isn't better tomorrow, to call Dr. Jeremy and see if he can come out.  He is a wizard on lameness, so hopefully if it is an abscess he can find it.  

If he comes out while he's here he can also look at Cisco's ears.  Every year he gets a nasty smelly icky something in his ear.  In the past vets have treated it and it goes away until next summer.  It's probably ostitis and I've actually treated it for quite awhile with Animax aka Panalog, which is what the vets always prescribed.  Ran out a couple of year ago and used an OTC stuff that worked well.  Unfortunately it's no longer manufactured, so I'm back to using something that will require a script.

We're actually getting some rain, don't know how much so far, but it's enough to make some of the washes run.  The big one across our property is still dry, but if it rains heavy SE of us, it will become a raging river, for a couple of hours.  It's fun to watch, but unfortunately it sometimes takes out the perimeter fences and sometimes the one between the 10 acres and Burroland, which has to be fixed immediately, sometimes with a flashlight, before the donkeys decide to go on a walk a bout...!!!  LOL

Poor little Casper isn't happy in his "prison" of field fence at the neighbor's.  I talked to Lara today and she said he finally will take a cookie from Vic, but still won't take one from her.  I guess he's still checking the fence to see if there is a weak spot.  I seriously doubt it, the original owner was one of those people that overbuilds everything, he had been in construction and it showed in the way he built everything on the property.

I've put out the word to Arizona rescues to try to find a mini molly mule or mini mare, but haven't had any offers.  We might be on the trail of a couple of standard jennies that if we do get them, we will put them over with Casper, to see if it helps to make him less of a wanderer.

Till next week........!!!

CASPER IS BACK IN SOLITARY AT THE NEIGHBOR'S

Yesterday morning, a neighbor left a message on my phone asking if Casper was missing.  No, he wasn't he was here with the donkeys when it was round up time for breakfast.  She came by on her horse and told John that earlier, like about daylight 2 cowboys in a pickup were trying to catch him on the main road.  She said he must have spent quite a bit of time outside her fence, because there were little bitty foot prints all over the place.  Needless to say he outsmarted the cowboys and escaped to head home.

Casper fights horses.  When Kris's 2 mares were here, he thought Apache was cute and he and Mel went at each other thru the corral panels.  Always before he had only been around geldings as far as I know, but he and Mel sure didn't get along.  Of course Kris said Mel was a drama queen and she did seem to want to be in charge of everything around her.  She certainly wasn't going to be in charge of Casper, if he had anything to say about it......LOL   

So I have no idea why he was trying to get into an area that had 3 geldings in it.  As I said he was here for roundup, so we are left not knowing how long or how far he has been traveling.  We had caught him a few times hanging around outside our fence, and we'd yell at him and he'd scoot under the fence.  The neighbor is probably not a mile away by road, who knows what route he took to get there.  

He may be standing still, but you can bet that little mind is whirling.......!!

So we called Vic and he said bring him over.  Talked to Vic this morning and he said Casper is "pissed".........LOL  He won't have anything to do with them, won't take a cookie and is spending his time running the fence line looking for a weak spot.  If the little devil ever finds out how good mules can jump, I don't know what we'll do........!!!   I'm trying to find a little molly mule or mini mare that needs to be rehomed, but haven't had any luck so far. 

Doug's son Conor was here for a few days for a surprise visit.  He lives in Michigan and decided to drive down and surprise his Dad.  He left this morning, heading back to Michigan.  Not the best time of year to come to Arizona for a visit, it was hot the whole time he was here, but I think they had a good visit. 

We actually got 1/2 inch of rain last night which is much appreciated.  We are hoping for a good monsoon this year it's been so dry for almost 10 years the desert is starting to look rather bleak especially the prickly pear cactus.  They say a good chance of rain the rest of this week.  If we got 1/2 inch every night that would be great.  

I like the night rains, otherwise it usually rains at chore time, which adds a new dimension to chores.  Night rains also cut down on access to mesquite beans, because when it rains the donkeys hold up with their butts turned to the rain.  They aren't eating when they are standing, so that's a good thing.  They only have access to the 10 acres right now.  Hopefully we'll get enough rain to turn the fallen beans in Burroland black and the donkeys won't eat them.  Sure wish there were a lot of range cattle like there were a few years ago, so we could open the gates and let the cattle clean them up.  

Heard from Linda in Colorado, she actually sent pictures of Lynn's foot after he had a chain saw accident and sliced thru his heavy boot.  Not a good thing to do, especially when you have races with dog, and burro races planned.   Hope this doesn't mess up all the fun things they have planned for the summer. 

I THINK WE'RE ALL READY FOR WINTER..........!!!

We actually had a few sprinkles last night and today it's really humid, so hopefully we'll get some rain in the next few days.  I'd hate to put up with humidity without eventually getting some much needed rain.  

The donkeys are vacuuming up ripened mesquite beans as fast as they can.  The problem with mesquite beans is, if we locked them in their pens and that would have to be done for weeks, not days, the beans would still be there.  Unless we got a good soaking rain.  The beans on the ground turn black if it rains and the donkeys won't eat them.  That's a good thing........!!!!  

So they are staying in their pens until noon before they go out for the afternoon.  I was hoping it would be so hot by then they would just go find a shade tree to stand under.  They seem to be determined to eat beans no matter how hot it is.  

Gus has a routine of eating slow, so he usually doesn't go out until noon anyway.  He has a special soft place by the dog pen where he likes to lay most of the afternoon.  But once the beans started falling, he started spending his afternoon roaming around looking for beans.  John and Doug put up corral panels around the area, so now he is locked in for the afternoon.  He is chronically foundered, has to wear special shoes on his front feet, and doesn't need the extra sugar and starch in the beans.  None of them do, but, as we say mesquite beans are like "crack" for donkeys.  

Doug took these awhile back of Gus in his "spot" hanging out with Saddik

I guess they are "best" buds

Linda sent more pictures from Colorado, this time it was a doggie outing in the mountains.  They all looked like they were having a lot of fun, in the tall grass.

Saddik surveying what looks like an old burn area

Cute picture of Lola

I think this is Lennon getting a drink, looks like he knows how it works

Thanks Linda for sharing your adventures with us.........!!!

YESTERDAY AFTERNOON WAS RATHER EXCITING.........!!!!

We got a call from our neighbor that relies on John for everything, from shopping to fixing any and everything that breaks, that her ride hadn't shown up to take her to a doctor's appointment.  Years ago John found out that she can call in advance and get rides to the doctor, which is a good thing for him.  It was getting close to time, so John said he'd take her and off he went.  

Not long after he left, I heard the most horrible noise, sounded like metal crashing and banging around.  Looked out and there was a Devil Duster going thru.  Went outside and Doug come flying out of his trailer, said he thought it was going to turn over.  Looked towards the pens and this is what we saw.  

This was 2 shelters for the donkeys, one was actually 2 pens away.  It flew up in the air and hit a gate on it's way out, that John had to straighten so it would close today. 

 

This was Gus' shade area, Doug was trying to figure out how to tighten it up.  Gus was under it when it collapsed, but it didn't take him long to get out.  I guess Cheyenne is the "sidewalk boss" for the project

Doug and I were out in the pen area trying to organize the mess and heard this funny noise, sounded like it was coming from the neighbor's but she wasn't there.  Sounded like a horn.  I hopped on the quad and went over to investigate.  Saw nothing, came back and the sound got longer and more desperate, Doug thought it sounded like it was coming from the east side of the pens.  He went down that way and started shouting there's a car in the wash. 

Yep, looks like a car..........!!!

 We went down to investigate and found the woman that was suppose to take the neighbor to her doctor's appointment.  The wash is between us and the neighbor.  She said the GPS told her to turn right, so she turned right.......!!!  She was in far enough she should have figured out she wasn't on a road..........LOL 

It doesn't show just how much gravel is over the axle, from her spinning the tires in deeper and deeper.  

We all waited a couple of hours for what we thought would be a tow truck, but instead her boss came out from Tucson with a 2 wheel drive pickup to fix the problem. 

I have to say this is NOT the best way to get a car unstuck

Needless to say there was no way a 2 wheel pickup was going to get that SUV out of there.  What's really funny is the SUV is 4 wheel drive, I don't guess either of them knew that.  Once the boss showed up, tried to pull it out and said he was calling a tow truck, Doug and I came home to do chores, since John was still in town with the neighbor. 

After John got home he was out surveying the damage and planning what he had to do today, just before dark, and saw a tow truck coming in to get the SUV.  The driver managed to get it and get out,  I bet that wasn't cheap.  If John had been here he might have been able to get it out with the Bronco, but it would have taken quite a bit of digging to clear the back wheels.

Linda sent pictures from a local parade they did Saturday.  Everybody was all decked out for Independence Day and looked great.  Don't know if there were prizes or not, but they should have won, hands down..........!!!   Well maybe I'm a little partial.........!!!   LOL

Leddy, Linda, Quilla and Steph, ready to go

 

Turbo and I think that is Lynn.........LOL

Always have time for visiting with new friends

THANKS LINDA FOR THE GREAT PICTURES.....!!

It's almost like we are there too

 

I BET THE DONKEYS WISH THEY HAD GONE TO COLORADO WITH BOAZ AND QUILLA

It's not getting any cooler, well it is, but it's still over 100* every day, so it's hard to tell.....!!  LOL  John stays out in it most of the day, I'm a "woose" I don't handle heat if I can stay out of it.  Still no chance of rain, although the humidity is rising.  They tell us the high humidity is necessary to get the rain.  BUT, many years we get the heat and humidity and not much rain if any.  

I raced Saturday night as planned and did pretty good, finished 3rd, running pretty close behind my two nemesis.  Brandon broke our tie, as I knew he would unless he had bad luck.  He's now 9 points ahead of me.  The other guy is about 40 points behind me, but he won and passed inspection this time.  As long as I keep finishing good, it will take him awhile to nibble away at my lead on him, but I'm sure he'll catch me before the end of the season.

Actually they both were having problems.  Brandon's car was over heating, I was close enough to him to get his water all over my face shield.  The other guy's car was smoking and by the end of the race, John thinks it blew up on the last lap.  Maybe if the race had been 5 laps longer, the finish would have been different.  John says I can't wish them bad luck, so I'm just making an observation......!!  LOL

Our son Rod, set fast time in his modified and finished 3rd in his main event.  I teased him that he didn't want to let his mom finish better than he did.

 

This is Rita Race Cat.  Rod has had her for years, she was a stray and like most cats has become indispensable by having her curious nose in any and everything going on in Rod's garage.  She sleeps in the seat of his modified and when he brings the car home from the track, he said she goes all over it, checking it for damage I guess.  Or heaven for bid, some other cat being on "her" car....!! 

All the donkeys are doing good, unfortunately mesquite bean season is getting here in a hurry, I guess the hot weather is quickening the process.  The last few days we have noticed the tree limbs are really moving around a lot.  Perhaps because the donkeys are grabbing the limbs they can reach and shaking them until the beans fall or they break the limb, whichever happens first.  We have 5 that I already consider obese or close to it.  Sure wish the range cattle were still around, so we could let them in to clean the beans up in Burroland.  But they aren't so we will have to try to get thru the season without weight gain or colic.  

It was about this time last year when Miss Penny Packer coliced with an impaction of mesquite beans in her gut and had to have surgery.  Sure don't want to have to go thru that again, but we would.  I know the clinic thought we were crazy, having colic surgery on a 20 some year old, unfriendly donkey that is hunchbacked and has had a broken jaw and lousy teeth.  But she came thru the surgery with flying colors and has had a chance to eat a lot more animal crackers, so why not.  When John lets her out at bedtime, she follows him into all the pens and if he doesn't pay her with animal crackers as quick as she thinks he should, he says she pokes him in the back with her nose.  If that doesn't work then her head goes under his arm and she starts pushing and lifting his arm.  Last night when he came in she followed him all the way to the gate.  When he disappeared into the house she started yelling.  I told him Penny didn't get enough cookies, but he didn't want to go out and give her a cookie, because by tonight it would become a habit........!!!  Poor little Penny...........LOL   

 Linda sent some more pictures

Being in Arizona in 100* temperatures right now, if I was there, I think I'd be making snow angels, or just "rooting" in it for fun.........LOL

Dogs and donkeys headed out for adventure

Boaz must be sneezing or got a bug up his nose.....!!

POOR QUILLLA AND POOR LINDA..........!!!

As of this week, Quilla is having to have his legs covered, so although being in Colorado does help with the skin problems he has on his legs, it isn't a perfect answer to the problem.  He left here with leggings on and has been up there 2 months, so it certainly does help being in a cooler climate.  

Linda is getting to try to figure out what is the best treatment.  Believe me, I know how that goes, the vets usually have their favorite treatment for skin conditions.  It's something that has worked for them over the years and they swear by it.  

After years of trying to heal sores on different donkeys, I have come to the conclusion, the skin conditions are not all caused by the same thing, they all don't look the same and on different donkeys, different "cures" work better or worse.  So it's pretty much a guessing game.  I have discovered Cortizone10, found it at the end of the season last year and it seemed to work really well.  But the fly season was winding down,  so were they getting better on their own, or was it really making a difference?  This spring I started out using it and it is pretty good, it is keeping Rosie's belly under control, which by this time her belly is usually a dripping bloody mess.  Hopefully Linda will be able to keep his legs under control with the first aid stuff I sent with her.  

Things around here are about the same, it's been so hot no one wants to do anything.  It's suppose to be a little cooler next week, but all that really means is, it won't be hot enough to break records..!!!  LOL

I race tomorrow night, it's suppose to be 108* tomorrow, hopefully it will cool off when the sun goes down.  I've been having a problem with the car jumping out of gear.  It doesn't happen often, but when it does it's very irritating.  I'd mentioned earlier about getting another shifter, John talked to a racing buddy that also works in a transmission shop.  He had actually had my tranny apart last winter to lock me out of 5th gear, which I seemed to have an affinity for finding when looking for 3rd.  Believe me the 2 gears are NOT interchangeable on the race track........LOL  Ray said the tranny looked good when he was in it, that it was probably the motor mounts.  As soon as John hung up from talking to Ray, he ran up to the garage to pull a motor mount.........well after we watched a How-To remove motor mounts on you-tube.....!!  John is a Chevy man, and isn't real sure about these little 4 cylinder cars, although he is finding out that underneath, they all are almost identical.  We've had Kias and the Dodge Neon and he said the motor mounts were alike.  He's ran across other things like that too. 

When he got the 1st one out he brought it down for me to see.  YIKES, all of the rubber do-nut inside the medal was torn up and allowed the motor to shift around under acceleration.  They all were really torn up, and desperately needed to be replaced.  That's what he's doing today, he just came in to tell me 2 of them went in real easy, but the 3rd one isn't cooperating.  That isn't exactly what he said, his language was a little more "colorful"..........!!!     No wonder the poor little thing couldn't stay in gear.

Here's the guy that is tied with me for 1st place and will probably surge ahead tomorrow night.  

THE HUMIDITY IS RISING..........!!!

The temperature is down a few degrees, but the humidity is rising, so it's still miserable.  LOL  Everybody is in "it's too hot to do anything" mode and probably will be for the foreseeable future.  I know I am..........!!!  

John spends almost all day outside or in the garage.  I don't know how he does it, he keeps saying he's working on my race car.  But it's ready to head for the track Saturday night, so I don't know what he's doing.  He has been trying to figure out why it jumps out of gear sometimes.  It cost me a win and has allowed other cars to pass me, some of which I managed to pass back, some I didn't........!!!  We got the shifter at a junkyard, it's probably worn.  So the next thing to find is another shifter I guess.

Heard from Linda in Colorado again.  They found a 5k race close to home for people with a parade afterwards.  They asked if they could race donkeys and I guess the people in charge were enthralled with the idea.  Lynn was a little disappointed he wanted to run with Saddik, because Saddik loves to run, and Turbo hasn't gotten the idea yet, that racing is racing, not mosying.......!!!

Lynn said Turbo did real good for a couple of miles and then wasn't interested in trotting anymore.  A man they had met at an auction was there with his donkey Taz and Linda said Taz was more than willing to trot.

Where's the starting line? 

 After the race, they had a parade, so the boys got "dressed" in their mining "clothes" for the show.

Leddy's ready to go

WOW. must be time for breakfast........!!!

 

After the parade, time to mingling with their adoring public

  

Donkeys and children are a perfect match

This was Taz's 1st adventure into racing and parades and he seems to enjoy all the hoopla.....!!!