Friday, September 28, 2007

Country Gal by Vanita Blundell Sept. 25, 2007

Elk Season is going strong in New Mexico- I made it to the camp with eight hunters, one spectator, and seven guides. Since this is archery season it is more difficult to get the elk. The guide tries to call the elk within 50 yards or less of the hunter. Some of the hunters can shoot up to 65 yards, but most of them would like the elk 30 yards or closer. If the hunter has not ever been around elk before it is a little over whelming as the bull elk are in rut and they are bulging and screaming so when they come within 20 yards of the hunter sometimes he freezes and is unable to shoot the elk. But he has a great story to tell in camp. However, out of the eight hunters seven went proudly home with their elk and the other hunter had tales to tell of the ones that got away.
In camp we had two pharmacists, a dentist, a mechanic, a financial adviser, a tomato farmer, a deputy, a truck driver and a real estate broker. With all of the diverse ways to make a dollar we had plenty of interesting conversation. I can remember something that Rocky Stewart said ‘you learn more with your mouth shut than you do with your mouth open’. That is so true, one time in camp one of the hunters was talking about looking for sheds. I should have just kept quiet, but oh, no not me, I just had to put in my two cents and told them that Mom likes to look at different kinds to barns, as well. I had no more than said that than I knew that I had inserted my foot so far in my mouth I should have choked on it. They were talking about the antlers that the deer and elk shed every year. I was so embarrassed but I have learned my lesson. I am trying to keep some of my opinions to myself but there are times when I just cannot keep it in. Such as when one of the guides was telling us that his wife was about to deliver their third baby and the other guides told him that the third baby did not count and he was not required to be there. Where do guys get that kind of information? I just had to give them my opinion and did my best to shame all of them. The expectant father went home the next morning. Jennifer and Jeff say that I have a passive aggressive personality so I am good at giving guilt.
While I was away Jennifer sold a puppy for me, so I have 6 down and 2 to go. Life over all is good.

Monday, September 10, 2007

Country Gal by Vanita Blundell Sept. 18th

Country Gal by Vanita Blundell Sept. 18th
The State Fair has come and gone by the time this article is published. I have fond memories of the State Fair. I still get excited just thinking about it. As a kid I liked the rides- except for the Old Mill- I was a fearful child and the dark tunnel with things jumping out at me was not what I thought was fun. My sister, however, thought it was wonderful. So much so that she spent her hard earned money to buy both of us a ticket. I think at the time it was either a quarter or fifty cents to ride- she insisted that it would be fun. I very cautiously got in the boat; I got to sit in the middle between Vickie and a complete stranger, which was terrifying in itself. After getting seated I prepared myself for what was lying ahead. I did what, all brave people do I shut my eyes and did not open them until the ride was completed. . When Vickie had realized that I had shut my eyes she was disgusted with me. Oh well, like that had not happened before. I worked hard sometimes to disgust her. However, I must admit that I did not see anything to scary.
I loved the carousal and the Scrambler. I could usually talk Mom into riding a couple of rides with me if they were not too wild.
The worst thing that I ever did to my family was that I wanted to ride the roller coaster and I wanted Vickie and Dad to ride with me. They half-heartedly agreed to ride with me. After all, Vickie had just tried to scare me to death in the Old Mill. So I figured she owed me. When we got in line Vickie and Dad tried to talk me out riding the death trap. I figured it would not have been as scary as riding with Dad when he was after a cow in the pick-up. But then again why would I need to pay for a ride that I could get at home for nothing? Dad said that if I wanted to go up and down hills at a fast pace just ride with him the next time the sheep got out, he promised that it could be exciting. But nothing would have it; I had to ride the roller coast. The seats were made for two passengers not three but the carnie allowed the three of us in the seat- but before Dad could get seated and secured they started the ride- we started the slow uphill climb with Vickie franticly trying to get Dad the rest of the way in the roller coaster car, by the time we had rounded the curve Dad still had one leg hanging out and Vickie, being the dramatic one, was yelling for me to help hang on to dad as we were headed for the downhill slope, we were yelling and Vickie was pulling then we had a couple more turns and a couple more bumps. I am not sure if we ever got Dad all the way in the car. By the time the ride was over I thought it was great - but by the looks I got from Vickie and Dad, I did not have the nerve to ask to ride again. Vickie was wild eyed and Dad went to find some Pepto- Bismal. I did not think that I ever got Dad to ride a roller coaster again. Then several years ago I took my kids to the Fair. I thought I would take Jeff and Jennifer on the coaster of death that Vickie, Dad and I had ridden years before. Sure enough the very same ride was there. I learned my lesson I did not try to get the three of us in one car. I was telling the kids how much fun they were going to have. When the ride started Jeff was not impressed at all and all during the ride Jeff screamed ‘you lied, you lied, this is not fun’. I must admit I did not feel too good when it was over- but I did not want to kids know.
Now when I go to the fair I enjoy the exhibits and the animal barn and yes, the food. Where else can you get flowering onions, potato curls, salt water taffy, carmeled apples, chicken and noodles, and bierocs? No more roller coasters for me as I do not like to ‘toss my cookies’ in public. I like to see all the free stuff and the pig races. The next time I make it to the Fair; I think I will see if I can get a golf cart to ride around. This is just exactly how I keep my nice round figure- I certainly can not maintain it by walking and exercise.

Country Gal by Vanita Blundell Sept.11, 2007

Country Gal by Vanita Blundell Sept.11, 2007
I was sad to hear the news of Rocky Stewarts mother, Betty Stewart had passed away. She had a long battle with cancer. Although I did not know Mrs. Stewart, personally, I knew that she must have been a wonderful woman since the daughter-in-laws said that they always felt to be part of the family- not just someone who her sons had married. Acceptance is so important to have a happy family. I went to funeral with friends and it was good to see Shelly and Brandi Stewart. Rock and Libby must be proud to have such beautiful and gracious daughters.
This past weekend was Football Homecoming. We had the King and Queen candidates and their attendants. It seems that everything pertaining to school events, I have tendency to compare them to my school years. As I said last week everything changes- Do you remember when one of the organizations sold the huge Mums? If memory serves me, you could buy them in red, white, or bronze. Bronze was my favorite. When I was living in Texas, at their homecomings they had the big Mums then if a boy liked a girl, (whether romantic, secret admirer, or as just friends) he would buy her a ribbon to add to her flower. The ribbon was in one of the school colors and was at least two inches wide and over twenty-four inches long. Some girls might have eight or more ribbons to add to her corsage. When I was in the lower grades I could not wait until I could either buy a mum or better yet receive one from that someone special.
The other day I was looking an annual from the 60’s and the girls had the long white gloves and the enormous evening gowns and the ‘beehive’ hair. They must have had to make the platforms for the Kings Court larger than they do now, just to hold those dresses and their hair. I am sure there were times when parents were relieved when their daughter was not chosen to be a candidate as the purchase of a dress would have been a hardship for them.
Homecoming, years ago, was later in the school year and the weather was usually cooler and sometimes downright icy out, those poor girls were so cold - I have been told that some of the girls had long johns on under their gowns to help keep them from freezing to death.
My senior year when we had our football homecoming, I was dating Jim and he was so beat-up and exhausted from the game. I was excited to go to the dance since I had a date and everything, but at the party he actually nodded off while we were dancing. The only thing that kept him awake was the throbbing pain from the beating he took during the game. I guess does not say much for my company, but he was really ready to go home and be left alone. And besides, the dance started so late and I had to be home by 11:00, and since he was so tired, we left before the dance was over and he got me home early- Which made my dad very happy. I have always thought we would have enjoyed the homecoming dance more if it would have been the following evening rather than directly after the game and it might have helped if we would have won.

Tuesday, September 04, 2007

Country Gal by Vanita Blundell Sept. 04, 2007

Country Gal by Vanita Blundell Sept. 04, 2007
Another Labor Day has come and gone. This is the time of year that school should be starting instead of two or three weeks ago. I have mentioned before that school was not my favorite thing to do- but it did have its merits- such as recess - gym class- music - and lunch. I had a strong dislike for phonics - SRA readers- and nap time. As most of you know I went to school in Wilmore until it closed in 1971. I loved the playground at the school- there were two big trees that we found to be suitable for playing house in. We would pick weeds and make little brooms and we would clean out the bottom of the tree around the roots and make a playhouse there. We had found some left over coal and we used the coal for ‘gold‘. We would have our ‘husbands’ go out and get us some ‘money’ and the bad guys would rob them and we would spend the rest of the recess time chasing the robbers to get our ‘gold’ back. Now when I go back and look at the trees that we played in they do not look nearly as huge as I had remembered them and the roots that we sat on are not as big and wide as I had pictured in my mind. Of course, I am considerably larger now so I guess everything has a way of evening out.
We had music every year at Wilmore. I was annoyed when the Music teacher would teach us about time and notes and sometimes even about composers. I just liked to sing - but as I got older I realized how much I had learned. Mrs. Miller, Mr. Haynes, Mrs. Hosey, Mary Margaret Pierce, there is one more music teacher that I cannot recall, were our music teachers. But they had actually taught me something and it did not hurt one little bit. I can still remember the teacher with her pointer, pointing out notes on a board and she was showing us all about the different kind of notes and counting them.
I always liked P.E. class- we had two ropes that was attached to the ceiling of the gym and we took turns trying to climb to the very top. It scared me to death when I finally made it to what seemed like the top of the world. Almost everyone made it to the top at least once. I think, I was in fourth grade when we got the dreaded ‘peg board‘. The peg board was the worst thing. It had to have been inspired by the devil himself. It was a 2x12 board with large holes drilled in to it that was bolted to the wall. At the time, I thought that the board must have been 20 feet long. The idea was to climb to the top of the board by using a peg in each hand to climb the board. I do not think that I ever got past the first or second row of holes. It seemed to me that the first row of holes were, at least, five feet off the gym floor so I had to stand on my tippy toes to even get started. It was truly a terrifying experience. I always thought it was a ‘guy’ thing as the guys did not seem to have the problems with it as the girls did.
Then we had lunch time- Lunch at the Wilmore Grade School was great- Our last year there was the best- the other years were good, too, but the last year so extra special. Since there were only17 students- we had home cooked meals- We had fried chicken- always homemade bread. I am sure that all of the schools had good food as well- but I always thought we had the best.
Now I am older - my school days are over, the Wilmore School is gone, I doubt that I can climb any rope and I do not mind taking a nap once in a while, but I still love music and I still like lunches. It seems that life is ever changing and the only thing that is consistent, in this ole’ life of ours is inconsistency.