Rodeo

Yesterday we went to the Yavapai County Fair and rodeo. This is country where livestock and horsemanship are still significant parts of daily life for most folks. It was a small fair, but great fun! 

One of my favorites in the horse showmanship competition was the young lady who had boots the same color as the tape on her horses ankles.

We saw piles of piggies and strutting turkeys and marveled at the wide variety of ducks. Western domestic ducks are built rather like Mae West or Marilyn Monroe --short and placid with full, plump bosoms. Indian Runner ducks are built like Twiggy or Kate Moss. Tall, lean and very nervous looking.

Miss M and Miss P had a great time in the petting zoo. We had to teach these city girls about how you feed the critters with an open palm and let them nibble the alfalfa pellets off your skin. It tickles! The goats got fairly aggressive, trying to knock the cup of pellets out of your hand. There was one determined ewe who was going to get her share, dammit!

And then we tried the pony ride.The guy running it was great, being very kind and patient with kids who were not familiar with those big scary quadrupeds.

We played some games, and won prizes. We ate fair food. Miss P tried deep fried macaroni and cheese. Kyle had deep fried pickles. I went for the deep fried frog legs. I bought kettle corn - the large bag. It was about three feet long! I thought the others would want to share, but it turned out that it was ALL MINE.

The California girls were delighted to find an In and Out Burger in Prescott, AZ. We had to stop. 

Meanwhile, Dennis had stayed behind to talk to sales people about putting in a fence. And while he was there, the city watermain out at the corner started a gusher. We returned to a house without water. The city workers were gathered around a hole seven feet deep. Dennis was watching them and saw them expose a number of different mains. "What are those?" he asked. The city worker rapped the wet one with his shovel. "This here's the water," then he rapped the one wrapped erratically with electrician's tape and other patches, "This one's the gas line," "Thanks," said Dennis. "I won't bother you any more." He went back to the house and tried not to think about yahoos with shovels bashing that fragile gas line.

Water was turned back on at 9 PM. I had been in bed for two hours by then.