TOO MUCH FUN!! ALMOST

I spent 7 days in Eminence, Missouri having a blast.

Crazy Mule Lady(Deb) and I left October 23, last Friday. We left at 8 am and met Tom and Tammy in Blakesburg. It is about 375 miles or more mostly on highway 63 South. We arrived at the horse camp about 5 pm. Our friend Jan,
pictured with her mule and horse, took us out to supper and then we started to party. There
was a dance at the camp and we all had a good time. Our schedule looked something like this, seven days in a row.

6am. Alarm, instant coffee. 7am. Breakfast at the mess hall. 8am. tack up the mules (or some folks have horses). 9am until 1pm ride on the trails in the Ozark Mts. A lunch on the trail all
cooked on grills. Lots of sides and desserts. Back to camp by 5pm. take care of the mules, shower. 6pm 15 minutes for a quick drink then to supper before the dining room closes at 7pm.
8pm Dancing to a good band until midnight. Midnight until 2am. sitting on tailgates laughing ourselves silly. Then to the camper to have a bowl of cereal and then 6 am start all over again.
We did that 7 days in a row. We drove home Thursday in heavy rain. Deb and I felt like we had
been rode hard and put away wet.

Tom did the shooting event. A timed even to use pistols to shoot out the baloons. We all thought he won the event, but no prizes were given. He was pretty famous around the camp for the rest of the ride.

We also visited Alley springs. A really beautiful place. There is an old grist mill there and fun to
look at. Also an old one room school house to visit. Tammy is a teacher and she enjoyed the school.

Deb is showing off her new T shirt. Love to all Grandma Jeanie

MULE MAGIC

Yesterday morning at sunup I had two great mules. By Sundown that had magically turned
into four great mules. Their names are Jenny, County, Eve, and Rosie. If they knew that
only two of them were going South there would be a lot of kicking and braying going on.

Sunday morning I started my diesel puller and dead battery. I had left lights on in the Camper.
I called two friends and left help me messages. I went to work at 2pm without hearing from
my # l call for help. Well #l Gary, came up put on the charger, ran the truck an hour closed
the hood and went home. Later, crazy mule man came over and he had to hunt for everything, I am sure he
was saying bad words under his breath. My storage places are a maze that even I can't find anything in.

The final word is my battery is charged and I am ready to go. Pray for me. It is a long way to the Southern border of Missouri.Love you all Grandma Jeanie

HAPPY DAYS 2006

These happy folks are my children. Left to right. Mike, Cathy. Kirk and Carrie.

They were born between 1957 and 1963. Those were the happiest days of my life.

I am getting ready for my trip to Missouri. Imagine riding mules 24 7. Someone else doing the cooking and a dance every night. This seems a little bit too good to be true, but I have been there before. Also, my best friends will be there.

Love Grandma Jeanie

JORGEN(fisher)

This is Jorgen. He is my number 1 grandson. He was the first grandson.
He was fly fishing in this picture. Something like
"A River flows through it:.

I know a very grown up lady who has a crush on
Jorgen. He is one neat young man. I have
promised not to publish her name.

I plan on visiting Jorgen in Colorado Springs
some time late
spring. I have not told him I have to bring one
dog, two mules, and one cat. That may change
his mind. Love Grandma Jeanie

MISTY

Sunday afternoon Jan Murphy and Crazy Mule Lady came to ride with me. It was pretty darn chilly, but we all said if it was January we would think it was a wonderful temperature.

Jan has a new mule, Misty. She is quite a lovely mule and exceptionally well adapted to trail riding up and down muddy slick steep hills. Jan has only had her for a week or two.

We rode for 5 hours and loved every minute of it. I really love this old rail road bridge. It is
such a photo op. I entered this picture of Jan in a contest in the DM register. It is a good example of local historic places. Built before the turn of the century.

Jan brought smoked pork and buns. Plus hot cocoa and pumpkin bars. remind me to always
include her in our plans.

We three are getting excited because in less than two weeks we are heading for Southern Missouri to the Cross Country Trail Ride in Eminence, Missouri for a week of non stop riding.
That will my longest drive so far. Deb is going with me. We are following TNT that is Tom
and Tammy Rabideau.

Carrie came to visit me this morning. We had such a good visit. Love Grandma Jeanie

SEE YOU ALL ON THE TRAIL REAL SOON

HOW TO BEAT THE COLD WEATHER BLUES

This is how crazy mule lady and Grandma Jeanie beat the cold weather blues. We get out there and enjoy the weather. Friday morning it was cold and drizzly and we decided on a afternoon ride in the woods. We left about 3 pm and it was sunny and chilly. We rode until dusk. We played tag on the trails.

It was so obvious that the mules loved it. County is so much faster than Jenny, but Jenny is a game player and she never lets that black mule
get ahead of her for one minute.

The most exciting moment is when we came up on the hunters bow hunting for deer. I am sure they were pissed off to see up coming. Laughing and yelling racing down the trails. One of them even looked a little pale and out of breath. Since we are both RN's we always notice little things like that. You know like someone
need resuscitation. Anyway, we will try to stay out of the woods during dawn and dusk. Deer
season just seemed to come up to soon.

We had planned a weekend ride in the Mountains of Decorah, Iowa. With a forecast of snow, we decided to save our money for our
upcoming trip to Eminence, Missouri later this month.

We even took a little hard cranberry lemonade drink with us. This is a first for me. I said that
Deb led me astray. (Tongue in cheek of course.) I took two health cookies along and had to eat them both.

The woods were beautiful and the wind wispered to us that winter was coming sooner than we than we planned.

I keep getting calls that people see a cat like Marco Polo, but they can't catch him. I got him
at a shelter, and he always was hard to pick up. He was always a little bit frightened of people.
I doubt that we can ever bring him home again. He was a lot of fun and teased Nana all the time
without mercy on that old dog. He hangs out at the VA hospital in Knoxville and it will be closing next month.

I have a date with an old friend this evening. I resisted for a long time, but life does go on and
with winter coming it is cold and lonely around here. Wish me luck on my new adventures.

Come ride with me. Love Grandma Jeanie

RIDE HARD LIFE IS SHORT

BOOTY

This is my new cat, Booty. He was a lost half grown cat and I felt sorry for him because no one
wanted him and brought him home with me from Farmington, Iowa. He originally was from
south of Pella, Iowa, and taken camping in hopes that he could find a new home among the
campers. I had recently lost my cat, Marco Polo, so it seemed like the logical thing to do.

He has gained a lot of weight and is a friendly little cat. He had surgery this week and is feeling
a little worn down in the pictures. He was a free cat, but now he owes me 100 dollars worth
of petting and purring.

He and Nana are the same color and are beginning to be friends. Nana is the one hard to
make up with.

Wish me luck in keeping him safe. Grandma Jeanie