My older brother CM. is in his late sixties..there is a lot of space and three siblings between us! Unlike most older and retired truck Drivers CM has taken good care of his health!
He prides himself in his early morning walks . It is not strange to see he and his friends out strolling by the St. Joseph River in the dawn's watery sun shine. They are mostly old Truck drivers and most of them have grown up in that area. They are proud of the beauty and wonders that they see.
He and one of his walking buddies have a Bet. They are picking up cans and the bet is "WHO ever will make the most change at the end of their bet gets to buy the other lunch with their "TAKE"...I don't recall how long they have to do this in! All cans are fair game. The Cans along the road, the cans in the dumpster and those generated in their own home are on their "collection" list...
The county dump does not recycle! I'm mystified at this! It is a fact in the county I live in also... They just plant them under; to go to waste with the rest of the stuff the people of these adjoining counties generate!
These two "old duffers" have fifty gallon drums of crushed cans! They pick up garbage, too! It's great exercise and cleans their environs at the same time. Garbage pick up, is one of the rules to their game!
Earth Day, Brother was cleaning the cans from the garbage cans near the river and the dumpster along the rivers edge. He climbs in! He tosses the cans over the edge. When he gets himself out!(I couldn't do this without a ladder and I'm ten years younger!) He finds he has an audience! They don't stay long enough to see all that he is doing! With his white hair, and big muscular body, I imagine they were a bit startled to see a sixty something Q-tip Climb out of a dumpster!
After he gets himself out, he systematically gathers the cans he has pitched over the side into a plastic tub and puts them in his pick up truck for smashing. (Recyclers are complaining about how dirty the cans they find along the road can be!) He picks up the junk around the dumpster where people have missed that big hole with their house hold stuff . Then he goes home to smash them and add them to his hoard!
The problem is, These folks saw him doing this"nasty deed!" They called the local county police...who Know him well as they have coffee with "The old Farts walkers club,"....This officer called him--- to tell him it is illegal to dig around in a dumpster and he will be cited should he be caught "rescuing" aluminum cans from public property AGAIN....
Happy Earth Day CM!!!
Growing up here we usually had an array of horses to ride and enjoy. Out by my cousin's big farm there is a growing number of 5-10 acre "hobby farms" ...Each seems to have a horse or two! In this era when hay grows more costly to grow; people are literally giving their horses away. More and More there are people with horses who have no idea how to ride or care for them!..
I watched a young man chase his horse through a field with uncontrolled glee the other morning.The glee was mine, He was not to amused! I ate salty potato chips and watched him get his exercise!
I don't know why people do this, if you chase an animal it is normal for him or her to run! That is the nature of all animals, if they are chased they think they are prey! I pulled my car along side his field and watched the rodeo! "Heck!" I had no place to go any way. My fat hands grew salty from the chips, and I needed to get up and move around. Truth be told,I was kind of ashamed of myself for eating "junk food" I was getting thirsty, this was going NOWHERE!
I finally tired of this sport,I was out of chips and thirsty! After leaving my car,I plucked a small rope from the back of his pick up truck! I tied it into a slip knot,leaving a loop big enough to go round the horses head and ambled out into the field to see what I could do.
"Son,Can I give this a try!" I ask ,as I climbed through the barbed wire. I'm to old and fat to crawl over!"I think I can help you!"
"Lady, if you think you can catch him GO FOR IT!"He talked through a mouth full of chew. He was not amused,that a fat old lady thought she could do something he'd been attempting without any success for half an hour or more..
I could tell he had his doubts! Calmly, I held the rope behind my back while I extended my salt covered hand to the horse and spoke softly to him. The young man stepped back by the fence to laugh at my efforts, I'm sure!
When I knew I had the horses attention I stopped in my tracks with my hand extended...Horses are naturally curious animals, I knew he couldn't stand it! He would HAVE to see what I was holding..After he calmed down! He walked to me,he began to lick my salt covered fingers. I slipped the rope over his head and led him to the young man!
Even Junk food is good for something!
They "kid" fumbled the saddle and bridle onto the horses back. I kind of wished I hadn't caught it for him. Perhaps I was now a party to a little Rustling. That is still a hanging offense in Idaho! I half expected the "kid" to mount the horse on the right. Most horses are trained to be mounted from the left! I watched carefully while the boy slipped his right foot into the stirrup. He was mounting from the correct side...wrong foot! Nice boots though!
"Son, if you get on that horse with your right foot, You are going to be on it backwards. Most horses don't care....but you are gonna' have to re arrange that bridle. Placing the bit might be a problem for YOU....I bet he kicks!....
I went back to my car. I no longer wanted to watch!
Great job Sis. I didn't see this one this morning when I came on.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Sis