So bad it was almost good

you can't appreciate professional until you've experienced unprofessional
and boy this little hill billy of a rodeo was just that -

a horse broke it's leg (flapping in the breeze kind of broken) before the rodeo even began.

about a quarter of the way into the evening all of the participants names were beginning to sound familiar.  the same cowboys were competing in every event.  "Now we will watch Billy Bob and Jimmy Joe ride the buckin' bronco.  Now we'll watch Billy Bob and Jimmy Joe milk the wild cow.  Now we'll watch Billy Bob and Jimmy Joe's sister and mama barrel race."

they were brave, I'll give them that.

but they were bad.  really, really, make you feel nervous the entire rodeo, bad.

no one roped a calf.  no one stayed on a bull long enough to clock a time.  no one made it out of the rodeo without an injury.  no one.

after nearly freezing whilst watching fireworks and listening to neil dimond's "coming to america" we returned to the cabin to find a big black sickly cow hunkered down on the edge of the property.  her baby sat nearby, nuzzling up to her every few minutes.  phone calls were made, authorities came, and in the end nothing could be done.  so the kids had bike races, in front of a dying cow.  We ate dinner on the deck while enjoying the sunset, over a dying cow.  we roasted marshmallows and played guitar, in front of a dying cow.

the next day we decided to break away and take the kids on a hike.  there was weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth until i pulled out some grocery sacks and excitedly announced that we were going on a treasure hunt at which point everyone piled happily out the door.  apparently it's all in the presentation.  (so what if God were to call this life a quiz instead of a test?  better, right?)  anyway, i made the mistake of letting my 6 year old take control of the camera on our "treasure hunt."  I have now seen myself from angles that a person should never have to see.  i'm making some lifestyle changes.  right after i polish off that half eaten package of double stuffs in the cupboard.

glue factory, Billy Bob, dying cow, treasure hunt, double stuff rear end.
It was just that kind of a weekend.