HEY........WE CAN DO IT.............!!!

We're not fast but we are determined.............LOL  We "git er done" and the donkeys get rounded up and fed and watered, so that's what it's all about.  At least that's what we tell them when they are yelling and screaming in the throes of starvation I guess.  They sure seem to think we need to pick up the pace.

Some more of Linda's pictures, we've had to wrap Quilla's legs since he came back from Colorado, so she added a blue neckerchief to complete his outfit. 

I can guarantee none of them are starving although I'm sure they get hungry, since most of them are on reduced rations and have been since the mesquite bean season.  Since most of them are, well to put it delicately, a little short for their weight, John hasn't upped their hay yet.  Two of the 3 boys that are here until their family gets a house built need to lose weight.  Smoky Joe doesn't have a weight problem, he's too busy running around being obnoxious.......LOL

At least I'm pretty sure that's what the girls think.  He seems to think he is the answer to a maiden's prayers, and the girls don't think so.  Now that Boaz is back and Joe has been relegated to 2nd place everything is back to normal.  Doesn't stop Joe from sneaking about when one of the girls is cycling, but the day to day goes smoothly.

Don is ignoring Gigi which is a good thing.  If she was cycling and he was trying to entice her, he really needs to work on his technique.  He looked more like a bully.

I think this is Cisco, but after saying Cheyenne was Justin, I'm not saying for sure....LOL

Linda took a picture of a bag of potato chips Doug found for Thanksgiving.  YUCK, that doesn't even sound close to good.  Of course I'm a plain jane kind of potato chip eater, I don't want them all gussied up, but that particular flavor is really strange.........LOL

They had an extra day before they had to hit the ground running, so they took the dogs to Huntington Dog Beach.  Saddik is a desert dog, the biggest "ocean" he's seen is the Rubbermaid water trough, as far as we know.  The other dogs had been out there before so they were all checked out on beach and ocean.  Linda said Saddik was a little hesitate, which is funny.

He's in, but he isn't staying.......!!!  

Trying to fly perhaps, or just not touch the shoreline

Lola and Doug, looks like she enjoyed a roll in the sand after playing in the water, she's actually shiny black.

Saddik has a girlfriend named Sophie

Spending time with Sophie and her Mom

Looks like the dogs had a great time

 As of Friday, the day after Thanksgiving they are in the Christmas tree business.  Linda called this morning and said it's pretty quiet so far, but I'm sure that will change with the passing days leading up to Christmas.

We are planning on participating in the Tucson Rodeo Parade the 22nd of February this year.  I sent in the paperwork last week, haven't heard back anything.  Years ago our son and his wife, rode in the parade as outriders, in case a horse ran away or something happened needing them to help from horseback.

We'll represent the rescue, the plan so far is, BlackJack will have a banner with the name of the rescue on it.  For sure we'll have Lynn and Linda's 3 donkeys, they are use to crowds and noise, John will lead one of them.  Georgette that did the parade in Tombstone last spring wants to do it, so if she does Quilla will probably walk with her with another banner.  He even did some parades in Colorado, so he's a good candidate.  We'll all have to dress the part, which for John isn't a problem.  He has all his outfits he wears when he does jeep tours and he also has his miner outfits, which is probably what he will wear.  Lynn and Linda dress sparingly when racing, shorts and tank tops.  Not exactly vaquaro/western, so we've got to round up some outfits.  Georgette and her husband Dave do cowboy shooting and she says she has all sorts of outfits, so in January we'll have a "pick your outfit" day for Linda and I.  John should be able to put enough together for Lynn  to pass inspection.

He will NOT be wearing this outfit, that duster would cause all sorts of problems I think.  I can just see that flapping around and donkeys leaving the area and I'm sure some of the horses wouldn't be impressed either.............LOL  Perhaps something a little less floppy.

IT'S JUST JOHN AND I FOR THE NEXT MONTH.......!!!

Lynn, Linda, Doug and the 4 dogs left after chores yesterday morning and called last night when they got there.  Didn't have any problems and got set up in the RV the boss had rented for them.  That way they didn't have to drag their RV out there.  Linda said it's really nice.  

The dogs seemed to think it's just fine.  Lola was out playing with her ball and missed the photo session.

It's been along time since John and I have done chores by ourselves, but we managed to remember enough to get it done last night and this morning.  They seem to think we are too slow, but there's a lot of difference between 2 people, and 3 or 5, unfortunately they don't seem to see the problem, except from their point of view.  They better get use to it..........LOL

Today we plan on letting everyone out on the 10 acres to see if Don will leave Gigi alone.  I don't know if he's just being a bully or if she was cycling.  Either way, since she is already crippled and we don't want to take a chance on her getting hurt.

The problem with Joe and Boaz seems to have come to an end.  Yesterday morning before they left Doug saw Joe making a wide berth around Boaz, so I guess he's decided to drop back into 2nd place with the Tula group.  He came in with them this morning and Boaz didn't seem to care.

Here's a selfie Linda took a couple of days ago.  If you look behind her, the Colorado boys are following along in line.  It's hard to see, but all five are there.

This is Leddy, Turbo and Leo with their Thanksgiving decorations

This is what Lynn and Linda wake up to each morning.  The donkeys are going to think they've been deserted until Lynn and Linda come back.

 

I would have never thought this would be possible, but Linda managed to put a hat on Penny, that is touching her ear.

Justin is sure he deserves a cookie.....I have been informed this is actually little Miss Cheyenne, and she has begging down to a science...!!

Gus joining in the festivities for the 1st time.

 

Big Boss BlackJack with his little turkey friend

WOW..............talk about a lot of animal crackers.  Mindy has been here for 3 days, grooming and just hanging out with the donkeys.  She even brought goodies, I've never seen this big a container of animal crackers.  The donkeys REALLY like them...............LOL

FORGET THAT "NOT MUCH GOING ON" THING..........!!!

When Lynn and Linda are here the pace picks up, and we try to keep up..........LOL  The guys are    working on Leddy's shelter.  It was Leo's shelter, but for some reason Leo decided he didn't want to go into that pen.  Have no idea what happened, it would take 2 or more people to get him in there and that was after circling the pen area a couple of times.  Leddy doesn't care , so they just traded pens and it's working. 

We had planned on putting a shelter in that pen, got the boards the day we went to the Pecan Festival, but things had been busy.  They started yesterday and should have it pretty well done today.  Had to go to town to get things John forget to put on the list.  That always seems to happen, no matter how nice a list he makes, there's  something that get forgotten.

 Of course there is always extra help, I think this is Leddy trying to figure out what in the world they are doing to his pen. 

Looks like Pepsi thinks they need his help also.  I'm pretty sure they don't.

We have a problem, actually we have 2 problems that we've not had before.  One of them is really not much of a surprise.  Boaz has always been the head gelding, and there hasn't been anyone that challenged him.  While Boaz was gone to Colorado this summer Joe one of the 3 that are boarding, while their family gets a house built, took over the job.  They have squabbled ever since Boaz came back, up to and including bloody ears, hair patches missing, and one bitten tallywacker.  Poor Boaz, Joe really knows how to hurt a guy..........!!!    The yelling and wrestling is dying down, so I guess they are figuring it out.  Not sure who won, maybe they will share the duties, although Boaz is usually pretty sure of his position.  If he is let out of his pen first he runs to Joe's gate and they scream at each other, I guess telling the other one what they will do when that gate is opened. 

The other problem is with Don Juan one of the other boarders.  Just in the last couple of days he has been terrorizing and actually biting and slamming Gigi around.  He's not acting like a jack trying to breed, he's just acting like an overbearing jerk.  He's had her trapped in her pen, which to her is her safe place.  He's also had her in a shelter up against the wall.  If he's out and she's in her pen, he'll go to her gate, like he's waiting until she comes out, so he can get her.  Very weird........!!!  The 1st time he did it, I had to break it up and he tried to ignore me, he was so focused on her.  I had a 5 foot long flexible rod, and even using his butt as a target 4 or 5 times didn't faze him.  All this time he had hold of  her neck and wouldn't let go.  I finally whacked his butt harder than I wanted to and he let go and I could run him off.  

As long as this is going on they won't be out at the same time, last night he stayed in the pens, today Gigi is staying in the pens.  She's already crippled, she doesn't need all that banging around and biting.  

Linda took this video of Penny following Lynn to her pen.  She knew there were cookies when she got there, and was more than willing to up the pace......!!!  

It's about time for Lynn and Linda to head for California to sell Christmas trees.  They are taking Saddik the dog and also Doug is going with them to work as security at the tree lot.   So it will be just John and me for about a month.  They almost took our poo picker, I guess they have quite a few young men working for them and it would have been good money for him.  But he has family obligations for the holidays and decided not to go.  Whew!  If he had gone, not only would it just be John and I for chores, but we'd have poo to do too.........!!!  LOL  We could do it but it's been quite awhile since we done both and probably would take us a lot longer.  

They plan on leaving Monday, then I guess John and I will have a "pity party"..........!!  LOL  When they come back after Christmas we are going to try to participate in the Tucson Rodeo Parade the 22nd of February.  We plan on taking 4 donkeys, although I signed up for 5, just in case someone else wants to participate.  If they do, Quilla is in waiting.  BlackJack will carry the banner with Forever Home on it.  The other 3 will be Lynn and Linda's donkeys with their pack saddles.  If there is another person that wants to participate, we have a pack saddle for Quilla.  You have to dress old fashioned, John has his miner costumes, but I don't have anything and Lynn and Linda when they do burro pack racing, wear minimal clothes, shorts and tank tops.  So I guess we'll have to go find some miner clothes. 

 

NOT MUCH HAPPENING, WHICH IS A GOOD THING

We're all staying busy, Lynn's been cutting firewood for a neighbor, today he and John are at her place, splitting said wood.  Don't know how long they will be gone, once Lynn gets started on a project he stays with it.  He cut that huge tree down in a day, John had been looking at it for years and saying he needed to start cutting on it.  He would have cut off a big limb and been satisfied till we needed more wood.  Lynn saw the tree, and once John said it needed to be cut down, the poor tree didn't have a chance......LOL

The donkeys are enjoying having them back, Linda usually brushes on them every morning before they go out of their pens.  And of course there is always the required animal crackers.  I think everyone is being a little stingy with the crackers.  Dr. Jeremy was rather judgmental of our animal cracker regime, which consists of you see a donkey mouth and it gets a cookie, so everyone is trying to cut back.  I think Penny is still getting what she thinks is her fair share, especially at night when they go out of their pens at bedtime.  She is persistent and will run up behind John, stick her head under his arm and start pushing his arm up and keeps at it, until he gives her a cookie.  Once the cookie is eaten, she will do it again.  

Bryan sent a picture of Casper having breakfast.  Bryan still hasn't worked with him, but I'm sure Casper is enjoying having friends on both sides of him, unfortunately the pen looks "Casper" proof for escape..!!    LOL

Linda took this picture a couple of days ago.  This is the most important building on the property...........THE FEED ROOM.!!  They all know this is where good things come from.  Doug was standing by the door and they were trying to get him to give them treats.  

This is Miss Pennypacker and her friend Coquette.  Someone must be in the feed room and Penny is trying to get the point across that she would like a cookie.  For a donkey that probably never had many treats in her life, she's has certainly learned the art of begging and is making up for lost time.  

Yesterday we went on an adventure.  Lynn and Linda went with us to the Pecan Festival in Sahuarita.  They have it every year and advertise as the largest pecan coop in the world.  

This was the band area, they had food trucks and tractor pulls, wagon rides thru the orchards, and of course lots and lots of assorted pecan items to sell.  I think they had 4 gigantic jumping castles for the kids.  The news this morning said there was over 20,000 people there and I believe it.  It really was nicely organized, but they needed more people to take money, it seemed there were lines everywhere.  John stood in line to buy some pecans for me, he's such a nice guy..............sometimes.....!!  LOL  He said they only had 5 registers going and the line looked like a snake, curling back and forth 2 or 3 times.  They charged $5 to park your car, in an area probably 40 acres, and it was pretty full.  

They had a little petting zoo, with 2 cute little mini donkeys. 

 

It was in the high 80's yesterday, I hope this squirrel survived without having a heat stroke. Lynn, Linda and  John had just got a hug and the squirrel was headed for me..........!!

Years ago John and I went, and it wasn't nearly that big.  We parked in the parking lot, no charge, went in and could look at all the pecan items, but over the years I guess it's become a happening.  I can't imagine how many people it took to get it set up.  That's just one tent in the picture above, there were probably 3 or 4 more, huge tents too. 

Yesterday was Veteran's Day and a lot of the businesses give discounts, so we took the stock trailer (made parking fun, but at least they didn't charge us extra for taking up 2 spaces at the pecan festival.........LOL) and after the Pecan Festival we went to Home Depot to get Leo's shelter material.  The stock trailer is great for hauling boards and plywood, you don't have to tie it down and unless you need to use the trailer, it's a great place to store it.  Lynn and Linda are leaving for California to sell Christmas trees around the 20th of November.  They will be taking all 4 dogs and Doug is going with them and will be working on the tree lot as security.  I don't know if the shelter will be up before they leave.  This time of year the weather is usually pretty good, doesn't usually rain until after Christmas, so shelter isn't really necessary........hopefully.  

So I guess John and I will be on our own until after Christmas, for the 1st time in about 4 years.  We also might be losing our poo picker, heard this morning he might be going back to Ohio.  If that happens we will be busy busy until the gang gets back.   

THEY HAD A GOOD TRIP

 Thanks for the pictures Linda...!!

They rolled in Sunday afternoon, well actually Linda, 2 of the dogs and the 5 donkeys rolled in without Lynn, the RV and the other 2 dogs.  We asked where Lynn was and Linda had left him at a rest stop talking to people about donkeys.  He pulled in just as we got the boys out of the trailer and into their pens.  

They were all ready to get out of that trailer, especially Turbo and Leddy.  Linda said the other 3 were good travelers, but for some reason those 2 weren't the least bit impressed with the adventure of traveling.  

We managed to get them into their pens, before the "welcoming" committee showed up from Burroland.  They heard the trucks and noise and being the nosy critters they are came over to see what was happening. 

Don't know if Saddik was happy to see Doug or just happy to get out of the truck.!!

Saddik and Lucy sitting on the golf cart

Not sure who Linda is snuggling with, probably Justin

Leo is technically the only "new" kid on the block, introducing himself to maybe Pepsi?

Leo "helping" Doug and John look at Doug's jeep.  Looks like they have more than enough help.....!!! LOL

No problems fitting in, in fact when John let the donkeys out Sunday at bedtime, the 5 went out to roam with all the others.  We thought Leo might have a problem, but the next morning he was front and center with all the others, ready to go into his pen for breakfast.  

We were all at the feed room Monday before evening round-up and we were discussing how much Frijolita was upset about moving into the pen next to Joe.  She was standing in the area and it was almost like she heard what we said.  She walked right over to her new pen walked in, looked around and walked out.  Very rarely am I surprised by anything they do, but every once in awhile they do surprise me.......!!

The donkeys remember that Lynn and Linda use to give them cookies at their RV.  So far Boaz has tried to open the window and Justin tried to climb the steps into the door.  It wouldn't surprise me to have them accomplish their break-in before too long.  LOL

THE ENTOURAGE IS HEADED FOR ARIZONA

Lynn, Linda and the gang spent the night in Los Lunas, New Mexico, headed for Arizona.  It's about 400 miles, so they should get here this afternoon.

I'm sure the donkeys will be glad to get here.  They had to spend the night in the stock trailer.  I'm sure that wasn't what they had planned for the night.  The plan was to stop in an area, where they could take the donkeys out and put them in a pen, BUT, they didn't get as far as they had planned, so on to plan B......!!!  Haven't heard this morning how it went, I'm sure they are on the road, with their "traveling circus"...........LOL 

Ah...the life of adventure......!!!! 

This morning the guys set the pens up for 5 more donkeys.  John and I had to change the set up for our pans and hay buckets.  I don't know how John's hay adventure went, but I spent quite a bit of time, standing in the feed room, trying to make sense of the whole system change.  It's pretty easy to add one donkey, but adding 5 in different areas on the feed schedule, really taxed my brain......!!  I'm sure the guys will be more than happy to tell me if it isn't right.  

To put it mildly Frijolita is PISSED, there is no other more delicate word to describe her opinion of having to move.  What really makes it bad is, she is no longer next to Tula, the head jenny.  She is next to Smoky Joe, who is really far down on her list of favorites.  Joe is a busy little guy, that thinks the world revolves around him, and he also thinks he is God's gift to the ladies.  The girls all think he's a pest, and let him know it.  I think he enjoys the attention, because it certainly doesn't slow him down much.  

It will be interesting to see how the new guys react.  Boaz will go into his old pen, Leddy and Turbo could go into their old pens, but John wants to put Turbo into the large pen, so we'll see how that goes.  Frijolita is actually in her old pen, but poor Quilla's pen has been taken over by Shaggy Bill, who has to eat by himself.  He is an air fern when it comes to gaining weight, we were feeding the 3 boys, Joe, Don Juan and Bill together, but Bill just kept getting bigger and bigger, so he's by himself now. 

Quilla will go into the "temporary" pen that Casper was in.  Frijolita's pen is also a temp pen, both of them have been in place for years.  John actually took Frijolita's pen down a couple of times and just as soon as he did, we'd need it again.  Before the rainy season starts in December the guys will need to build shelters in Leo and Quilla's pen.  

Heard from Bryan, that Casper is still settling in and seems to enjoy having equine neighbor's on both sides of him.  He said Casper isn't running away when he puts in the feed now, so that's a step in the right direction.  I think he'll be OK, when he figures out Bryan is one of the good guys.  Casper has been passed around so much, probably his whole life, that he's not going to waste his time trusting just anyone, so it will take awhile.