Change is Good...

....Right????

~

I'm not talking about changing your underwear, although,

a person should seriously consider doing so on a regular basis!

~
I'm not talking about changing your name either,

though there could be advantages to doing so if you are

inclined to live a double life.

~
But Change...

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Change means pulling yourself out of the pit you have fallen into and exposing yourself to new ideas, new people,

and new adventures!

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Change will add new perspectives, new hopes,

and even new dreams!

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Change is about setting yourself free of complacency

if one has fallen into that stagnant stage of life.
We have never enjoyed being complacent or stagnant.
Yet, somehow, we allowed ourselves to fall into that trap.
It has become our "accepted" pattern of living

since the economic crisis hit last fall.

We have not been willing to step out of our

state of complacency ...

to even consider there might be a better way!

It became our safety net of sorts.

We avoided taking any risks (which is not normal for us!).

We simply accepted things the way they had become

and hunkered down for the impending storm!

Survival was our daily motto.
~
But not anymore!

~
We began scrambling to free ourselves

from the burdensome bind

that webbed itself around our existence.

Life became a twisted knotted mess.

We knew we had to set ourselves free,

become untangled...

...before strangulation took place!

We don’t seek riches and material things,

we only want to enjoy life…and to dance again !

~

~

I am elated to say...

We have found the dance floor once again…
We are eager to feel that gentle touch on our soles.
…One step at a time.

~

~

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass,
it's about learning to dance in the rain.
(unknown)

~~

I have tossed the umbrella aside...

And I...

You...

...to this crazy dance called Life!
~

Don't waste anytime wiping your feet..

We do not know where this dance will take us,

but there is one thing we know for sure,

~

Dancing not only cleanses your SOLES...

but it also cleanses your SOUL!

Am I being vague? Not telling you what Change is to us?

That's part of the excitement of Change!

I reassure you, Cowboy will remain a Cowboy...

...and me?

~

Always

will

be

a

Time and Circumstances…

…can changes dreams and perspectives.

After "that incident in July", I quickly sent out an “APB” email across our vast array of family and friends without Cowboy’s knowledge. Soon afterwards, a suggestion came in. I did some careful research before approaching him about the possibility of him pursuing this suggestion. We spent many hours discussing this. We did a thorough assessment of our finances and the decision was made to give it a try.

For 3 ½ months now, my Cowboy has been studying faithfully, taking his exams on line.

To his amazement, as he does not touch the computer if he can help it,

he passed the “book learning” phase with a 96%.
The toughest part was yet to come.

*

The first week of November would consist of an arduous test of his will.

The immense challenge to leave the comforts and sanctuary of his home boundaries

for the west side of the state would have to be achieved.

Another, would be the application of his book learning,

to the hands-on experiences that will be taught.

The most difficult part of this phase, will require Cowboy to interweave with others that do not come from the same walks of life, the simple isolation that he’s accustomed to.

Don't misunderstand me, he is very much a people person and everybody loves him.

He can meld with all types of people easily, when he chooses the circumstances and environment.

At the control of others, his shy side takes over.

If he isn’t made to feel inferior, his personality will blossom profusely.

This, is my concern.

Knowing where he is and who will share in this learning environment

may not allow that process to happen easily. My fingers are crossed for him.

*
This being the first week of November, my sweet Cowboy left several days ago for a weeks worth of hands on application in a “step” towards our future….. we hope!

He had to enter a world in which he feels completely out of his element, his comfort zone.

The metropolis of Seattle and it's suberbs!!

*

Cowboy is comfortable driving dusty country roads while encountering only a

minute number of cars, each containing waving hands and smiling faces.

The bumper to bumper cluster of vehicles without the same slow courtesy,

will add stress to his days. Luckily, Our Son has a friend that lives about 5 miles from Cowboy’s daily destination and he is staying there (which to Cowboy will feel like 500 miles!).

Thankfully, he has a friendly place amongst the "wilds" of the populous surroundings,

enabling him to seek quiet solitude each evening.

I cannot forget to mention there will also be a delicious meal

prepared for him by this friends' lovely lady each evening!

Of course, Cowboy was concerned about that too!

As much as he loves to eat, he is not comfortable eating what he calls “Foo Foo” food.

Meat, vegetables, potatoes, milk is what sits the best on his palette.

It will be interesting when he returns late Saturday,

to hear about the menu set before him for the week.

(Hopefully, there was NO seafood!

Cowboy claims that if it does not come from the solid surface of the earth, it is not edible!)

*
We have no cell phones, not only because they aren’t in our budget, but more importantly, because they don’t work where we live. We don’t have Caller ID available so our outgoing calls on the receiving end show as “Unknown Caller”. I am sure that is why this “friend” has not picked up my calls. (Our families know this fact, they are the only ones who will answer!)

Cowboy would not ask to make long distance calls, out of respect.

For several days now, and several more to come, I must sit here in my own little world wondering how Cowboy is surviving the “Jungles”.

Wondering how he is surviving his daily undertakings.
My time passes quietly as I keep the home fires burning.

Thankfully, there is a woodpile alongside the garage.

Regrettably, despite my rants in the previous months,

there are literally "no chores for me to do"!

More than this allowing for boredom fester…it is Sad.

*
With the economy the way it is, this chance for a change in our life and finances,

may not come to fruition for some time.

It was already paid for, so there was no turning back.

*
When My Cowboy returns, he can add another accomplishment to his repertoire of abilities. Cowboy has spent his life in the quest of acquiring a continuous stream of knowledge and improving his skills in every phase of his “Cowboy Way”.

He has maintained a bottomless pit for his unquenchable thirst for knowledge.

Whether it be within his applications as a certified Farrier,

his passion for starting colts and training working stock dogs;

or the in-depth understanding of cattle, the ranchers and the markets.

Cowboy has always professed “The more I learn, the less I know”.
The same will apply in his becoming a certified Equine Massage Therapist.

*

I pray the economy makes some positive changes in the Ag world..soon!

(We must not tell him I told all of this you, as he is too reticent to admit his knowledge and skills.

His sentiment here is: "Don't tell me, show me.")

When he asks about my newest posts?

I will skip over this one.