June is here again!
If you haven’t looked at the calendar lately, June is back. June means a bunch of bittersweet things to my family and me. We’re only going to talk about the sweet.
The Estes Park Wool Market is one thing that June means to our family. OK, it is sweet for Elaine and just a little bitter for me. Elaine, Ivy and Girl Twin head to Estes Park for 3 days to play yarn store, seeing old friends, meeting new people, staying in motels, going to restaurants and having fun.
Boy Twin and I stay home to keep the store open. That’s not all the work we do! We stay at our house to feed the chickens, llamas, and yaks. Did I mention we take care of the dogs, also. Four of them.
While the girls are in an Estes Park restaurant enjoying themselves, Boy Twin and I are helping ourselves to cereal and/or Raman noodles after a day in the store and taking care of the animals. Do you see where the bitter part of June is coming from?
This June, we were going to do it differently. Boy Twin and I were planning on spending at least one day with Elaine in Estes Park. Girl Twin and Ivy would take our jobs at home.
That was a really good plan. But, construction has taught me that even when you have a good plan (construction language) happens. A senior citizen fell (or was pushed) down the stairs. With a sore back, I thought it would be better to stay near home. It was decided Boy Twin and Girl Twin would trade spots, Girl Twin would stay home to watch Monner.
Sunday morning, Girl Twin and I started our ranch chores. It was already getting hot. We opened the door of the chicken coop and let them wander around the ranch. The chickens ran under our deck. (They always do that.) Underneath the deck is shady and cool. We let Maggie (my four-legged alarm clock) out of the house. She sniffed around and ran back to the deck. Girl Twin was getting Lizzie out the house. Next, came that sound!
If you have heard that sound once, you will recognize it immediately. Rattlesnake! It must have been chased out from beneath the deck by the chickens.
Girl Twin: Monner…… Me: I know, don’t let go of Lizzie, get her back in the house!
I grabbed Maggie and pulled her back from her stare down with the snake. I need her to wake me in the morning. Girl Twin and I put the dogs back in the house.
It is amazing how fast and painlessly you can move with a rattlesnake near your deck. I forgot my back hurt like (construction language), while I was running for a tool to make the snake wish he picked someone else’s deck.
I ran into the house praying the snake would still be there when I got back. He was! One shot, dead snake. As I have said before, snakes are fine, on someone else’s property.
June is the start of rattlesnake season. That is more bitter than sweet. The wildfires have started. Another vote for bitter. Father’s Day, sweet.
It doesn’t matter if you call him, Dad, Pop, Pa, Father or even Monner, hug him if he’s with you! He will appreciate it.
Oh-oh, I think this might have been more bitter than sweet.
Our crazy lives!
Monner
