BACK AGAIN, TILL NEXT TIME.........!!!

I got back from my trip to Missouri for my 50th high school reunion.  Had a good time, got to see a lot of people I hadn't seen for quite sometime.  Found out one of the boys had a crush on me in the 1st grade.  I told him "good grief" I had the thickest glasses & the knobbiest knees of anyone in school, but he said he thought I was kind of cute.  Very weird.......!!  

The committee that put the reunion together did an outstanding job, we had some great food & it really was a lot of fun.  One night we had some really good German food, outstanding schnitzel & spatzle, one night great -BQ, & a really good breakfast the last morning before we all said good-bye & went our separate ways.  

Of course I couldn't be gone that long without doing something donkey orientated.  A few years ago the plight of Ebenezer came to the attention of some people in my home town.  He had survived for 30 years in a field, by himself, without any shelter, or much attention, if any from his owners.  As the owners aged, they were even less involved in his life.  

EBENEZER HAVING SUPPER

It's quite a story about how involved people became with him, & how much his life has changed.  

EBENEZER'S NEW SHELTER

  

I happened to drive by when his caretakers were there & they invited me in to see the old guy & share donkey stories.  Once he was thru eating, he was ready to go out in the field.  Shirley was making him wait & we were standing there talking.  I had been petting him & all of a sudden he reached down & acted like he was going to bite my leg.  It wasn't done with malice, he cut his eyes at me, right before he did it, & he didn't really bite, just acted like it.  I think he was testing me to see if I'd flinch or run away.  Later on after she allowed him to go in the field, he came over to the fence where I was standing & put his muzzle where I could pet it.  I think the old curmudgeon wanted to get a reaction from me, & when I didn't jump back, he decided I was OK. 

Zeke & Mike's walkathon next Wednesday, Oct 12 is falling into place.  They will start at 6am at the gate of Ft. Huachuca & hope to finish up 12-14 hours later in Tombstone.  We will meet them about half way to take some pictures & if Zeke & BlackJack get along OK, we'll probably walk with them aways.  With BJ, it will all depend on how he feels about the situation.  He can be the biggest wooly bear, or he can be a real pistol, if the mood hits him.  He is usually nosy enough that if it's interesting, he'll join in with what's happening.  Of course what we think is interesting, doesn't necessarily mean it will be interesting to him.......!!!! 

Tucker is growing like a weed, although we're still having a hard time getting a fly mask to fit him.  We'd like to let him & Mocha out to roam on the property, but I'm afraid he might get hurt on the cactus or mesquite, or who knows what.  He runs around & around in circles in their pen.  While I was gone, John said he was trying to run around, but Momma Mocha was standing where he wanted to run.  He had to stop, turn around & run the other way.  Of course she was still there when he came around again.  John said the 3rd time when he had to stop in front of her, he reached down & bit her on the leg.  I'm not sure that's a real good idea, to be biting the leg that feeds you........!!!  She has started acting like she's going to kick him, if he tried to nurse while she is eating which doesn't seem to deter him very much.  

Thelma still hasn't shown any signs of having a baby, so maybe she isn't PG.  I'd rather she wasn't although it would probably be easier to have 2 little ones, rather than one, trying to find someone to play with.  She has started following John around all over the property during the day.  At least it gets her out of her pen, we open the gate & most of the time she doesn't go out.  I would imagine her feet bother her, although they've been trimmed, it will take awhile for them to hopefully shift around so she will be comfortable.