School's in!

Back to school, back to work.  It's all the same for me.  I drive a school bus.  Pick kids up, drop kids off, pick kids up, drop kids off.  That is my job.  I drive A LOT!  Oh, there are regular school days and then there are field trips and let's not forget the sports events.    It is amazing how many muscles are on hiatus during the summer months.  When school starts, Oh, the aches and pains begin.  And the finger bruises.  Those are the worst.

But, when you see the nervous smiles of the first day step up on the first step of the bus, your heart melts and you smile and say "Welcome back!"   They just beam a smile back at you and you just know that it is going to be another good year.

Ok, maybe not a good whole school year, but mostly good.  The kids are getting younger every year.  Do you realize that I transport kids that have just turned 3 over the summer and barely potty trained?  Back in my day, you had to be at least 5 to go to school.  Now we offer preschool transportation.  Times are sure different now.

Fair Happenings

this is Buck

and this is Cisco

You know that summer is almost over, when the Champaign County fair is over.  Yes, Jayde has participated in the county fair for the last 4 years.  She leases a horse (or 2) from Traci Faulkner, a friend of ours from church, to show in 4-H.  The horse she loves, Buck, was not showable this year.  He had a sore hoof.  So, Traci decided that it would be a good idea to have her show one of her other horses, Cisco.  Now, you have to know that Jayde really doesn't like Cisco.  He is young and doesn't like to listen to anyone but Traci.

getting Cisco ready for the ride meeting.

Unfortunately, Jayde didn't show at all at fair for 4-H.  Buck was still not up to par and there was a mix up in what class she was to show in.  When she did get the opportunity to show in the open classes, Cisco didn't listen to her.  So, we borrowed another horse for barrels and the ball race.  The horse's name is Speedy.  He is a thoroughbred and he used to be a barrel horse after his racing career was over.  Anyway, they blew the barrels.  He never made it past the first one.  But, she got him under control on the ball race, but neglected to throw the ball in the barrel.  DQ.  She did, however, enjoy the ride!  I finally saw a smile on her face after 5 days of fair.

Traci showing Jayde that Cisco will go over the bridge

Since she had her time, it was time for me.  After spending all but 1 night at the fair, I decided to have a go at the fun stuff, myself.  I enrolled in the baby bottle competition and the ribbon race.

 Baby bottle is where 2 people ride 1 horse.  The one that is "driving" the horse holds a baby bottle, filled with 2 inches of water, behind their shoulder and "feeds" it to the person sitting behind them.  That person cannot use their hands to guide the bottle and has to empty the bottle as fast as possible. (that was me!)  We did not win, nor did we finish in any placement.  But we had a blast!

  I borrowed this picture from Google images. example of baby bottle

Ribbon race is 2 people on seperate horses, each person holding opposite ends of an 18" ribbon as tight as possible.  The judges make you walk, trot, canter, turn, turn nose to nose and back your  horse across the show ring.  My partner dropped it at canter.  But it was fun.

  I borrowed this picture from Google images.  example of ribbon race.

Our end of the barn, 3 days into fair.

So, after a week of RV living, it was time to pack it in.  I did not stay for the demolition derby or the cattle sorting.  Both events draw a huge crowd and I just didn't have the strength to handle the crush of human bodies.  So, I got my end of fair food, cleaned up the RV and said goodbye for another year.  It was fun, but it was time to go home.

  borrowed image from google images




  Cattle sorting...borrowed from google images.

Wish I had taken more photos than I did, most of which were of the club decorating the barn.  Since Jayde didn't really "show" I really didn't take out my camera much.

Now that fair is over, it is time to get down to the business of getting ready for work and school.  Oh, yeah, that kinda goes hand in hand in the business that I am in.  lol

I really hope everyone has had a great summer and enjoy the beauty of the coming fall.