Reflections continued . . . by The Cowboy

May: We get back into Ontario a hundred miles at a time, see the family, spend some time in Tillsonburg and then go to the lake to setup out new Summer Place. We get to Trillium Court RV Park and they have assigned us a postage stamp size site.

 

We work on it for a week and are determined to make it work even though it is very small for our size rig. Dig, dig, dig. Move flowers, decks, sheds and anything that is not firmly bolted down. 

I may mention that by this time I can lift a patio stone and carry it four feet before I must sit and rest for 20 minutes. I am up for three hours then back to bed for a four hour nap, but it is a start right?

 

After a week with some REALLY helpful neighbors it comes to our attention that the much larger site on the ravine we have been after is coming available.

That was all that needed to be said. The Princess has the coach packed up ready to roll in less than ten minutes so out we go to back into our new seasonal site. We are both about as happy as a new colt in a fresh pasture after a rain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June: Work and more work getting our new Summer Place whipped into shape. We are laying patio stones, planting hundreds of flowers, adding onto our deck and just hundreds of jobs to do.

Our Great neighbors are over, giving of their time and energy to make sure things get done.

You never realize just how wealthy you are until you can just sit back and reflect what a great bond you have with your friends.

We are nicely settling in and one day we get a call from our youngest daughter. Not that young any longer but she doesn’t realize that. She wants to come down and “VISIT”.

She also informs us that she is in charge of “Survivor” games for her group’s campout on the July long weekend.

Down she comes and with one of the god given talents she has developed, before we know it all of us are neck deep in construction of one fashion or another, building water balloon slingshots and target boards, ring toss boards, survival tribal dummies and just a full six days for us building props.

When the day arrives we load everything up and off we go for a fun filled weekend of being “Roadies” for the tribal Queen in the Survivor marathon that she has planned.

It was a real blast and everyone had three days of some of the best fun at the event they had ever had. It all went off “Slicker than a doorknob on an outhouse door”.

We enjoyed every tiring moment and the memories made will last forever.

The Cowboy Reflects

Hoping everyone had a wonderful Christmas and by now all of those New Year’s Resolutions have been broken.

It’s that time of year when we all reflect on our lives and the past years’ happenings and this post by The Cowboy is just that.

It’s a little bit late in coming – my laptop was in for repair. However, maybe our reflecting should be year round instead of waiting for the end of another year . . .

And Yes . . . you can expect more ‘Çowboyisms’

January: Enjoying the winter in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas  - other than a Doctor’s appointment where he sits me down and says “We need to get you in for a biopsy on your throat”. Have you any idea how long the days become and how little you can find interesting once they throw that on the table? But, “Just 'cause trouble comes visitin’ doesn't mean you have to offer it a place to sit”. Life moves on and so did we.

 

Just another (gorgeous) day in the RGV

Click on the above to read our January 2012 post.

 

 

 

February: Life picks up with some positive things going on. After 8 years and thousands of dollars I FINALLY get a divorce from a previous marriage. “I AM A FREE MAN”. What relief. Short lived as that feeling was.

Now if you really want an experience that will shake you to your soul. Have your Doctor sit you down and explain your biopsy came back positive and you have Cancer. There is just no way could I explain how this news changes EVERYTHING. You are sad, happy, angry, worried and determined all in the same moment. You worry about some of the strangest things and the topic will not leave you alone for even a few minutes.

 

 

I keep reminding myself,

“Every trail has a few puddles”.

 

 

 

March: The doctor has suggested that I get out of the Valley since Cancer is not prevalent in the Spanish cultures and treatment here would be second best. He suggests Houston or Illinois. We opt to stop in Houston and take a look. This is about the time that I was faced with a true understanding, “Courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyway”. It became my way of life. By mid March I am undergoing Radiation and Chemo treatments. You can read more if you choose in older posts.

April: I am at a point now that I am pulling from areas I never knew I had. They have taken me from who I was and everyone knew to some stranger that has lost weight, strength, reassurance and most of his humor. I have been “Rode hard and put away wet”. Instead of running along I am able to just make it through a day with most of it spent sleeping. You have absolutely no idea the power of having a GOOD WOMAN by your side. How The Princess stood those months still today leaves me shaking my head. I always thought she was smarter than to get herself wrapped up with a burden like me but I sure am glad she is blind!!!  I learned a very long time ago, “Treat a woman like a racehorse, and she'll never be a nag” and that filly is pure thoroughbred.

 

Finally the bell is rung and I have spent my last days under treatment. We head north a few miles for a week’s R&R. What I was thinking at the time I am not sure, a week ya right. Not much recovery in only one week but I look at The Princess and say “are ya ready”. She gives me that I’m not sure why but I trust you look and away we go, Heading NORTH.

 

 

To be continued . . .