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29 September ~ 2007

I got up early and went to horse rescue. Today I tightened wire fences, which I have done before. They firmed up fine by cranking down the wire strainers, but I noticed the end post pulled in. Upon investigating I discovered whoever put it in the first time didn't use concrete. Pretty hard to tighten a wire fence when the end post is stuck in dirt.

I talked to Jenny about it and she said we need to start over, to dig out the post and pour a bag of quickcrete in. She said they have had to do that to some of the other posts. I offered to come back in the morning to re-set the post, and pick up a bag of quickcrete on the way.

I will visit my mother afterwards tomorrow. I couldn't today because she had gone to a potluck with her friends. I had to caution her to not complain about the time I spend at Horse Rescue and my other volunteer work. She is a very practical person and doesnt much see the value of things unless you are doing something for yourself. I have explained to her that all my volunteer work is incredibly rewarding.

On Thursday I led a nature program for a group of young adults from a state juvenile detention center I took a walk with them and told my mountain lion and bear stories, (the program was Lions and Bears), and two-thirds of them were very attentive and responded well. A few of them just looked at me with a mixture of anger and contempt while I talked. I am hoping they may have been interested in my stories, but did not want to show it. I have no idea what else is going on in their lives as to make them feel so overwhelmed. The bottom line in all my stories, which I don't say but which is still there, is that immersion in nature and wilderness is fascinating, healing, and a way to develop strength and resilence. Its something too many city people just don't understand.

Right after horse rescue I went to a storytelling class with Julie Davis at SwallowHill. I have taken this class with Julie for more years than I can remember. This year I am trying to use it to fine tune the eight stories I will tell the rest of the school year for my elementary school. Here is the one I told last week, which was not polished, since I just practiced for it the morning of the class. I will tell it to the three classes of third graders next January. My October one is here. It is from a children's book by C.J. Taylor called the Ghost and Lone Warrior. I modified it some during my four days of practicing.

The band was ok at the Grizzly Rose on Thursday (just ok). It is Walker Williams, and I have been seeing him there for sometime in the early 90's. Everytime he plays a slow song called Daddy's Farm, and I have heard that so many damn times I feel like covering my ears. They did play a few good ones though, and I guess I will go there tonight. (Saturday). I thought of just staying home or going to a movie, but those are solitary activities, and I feel a need to be around people on Saturday.

Even when the band is not that great the DJ can sort of save things by their selection of songs. Thursday night he played a beautiful waltz called BlueBonnet Blues by Chris Ledoux. My partner was a lady named Mollie - who was short and slim, with long brown hair and jeans and a black blouse on. She was friendly, and I got a good feeling from her embrace. All of it - the waltz, and her scent, and her simple beauty, was downright romantic. I told my Swallowhill friends I have been thinking there has to be some sort of a story there, waltzing to BlueBonnet Blues with dark-haired Mollie. (listen to Bluebonnet Blues here (enter userid of 'music' and password of 'music')

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