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June 15, 2021: It’s tired and I’m getting late

Another busy day around here, which is one that felt as though the wind was pushing at my back the entire time.

The day began last night, when I cleaned out the trailer and then tidied up the trailer tack room. This, so that the trailer would be ready this morning, when Pete was to set out for a ride with Hrimfara.

This morning, I got her ready for her 45-minute trek across town. I brushed her and told her what a good horse she was, and that Pete was going on a trail ride. Hrimmi wanted to know how many horses and riders would be present and if any of the horses would be Icelandics.

I told her that I honestly did not know, but I suspected that our friends the


Pete and Frank cross channel of the Knik River

Sihlers would be there. Frank rides a mustang. Claudia rides an Icelandic.

Pete then attempted to load her into the trailer by giving a gentle tug on her lead rope. Hrimmi planted both her feet. I got a target, a bucket lid, and she loaded right up. The former was an example of negative reinforcement. The latter was an example of positive reinforcement. The horses, I have learned, clearly prefer the latter. And there are always two options.

Pete also took Shadow with him. Of course, even as busy as I was, I fretted all day about how it was going. I did not cease to fret until 5:30 p.m. when Pete returned. The horses, who were in the yard, let me know they were back. They were racing around and whinnying.

It was a small group of riders, consisting of Claudia, Frank, and Pete. And their 16-mile ride was uneventful.

Me, I went to the Meeting House, grabbed the loaner library cart, drove over to the Palmer Senior Center, and loaded up said cart with many, many books. I then rolled it in the door and into the dining hall.

Loretta, who tends to the gift shop and the library, greeted me and followed as I rolled the cart to the far end of the room. On our way there, she told me that the staff needed 150 books for baskets they were putting together. I started sorting, putting books on the table. The next 45 minutes was like a fish feed. The seniors scooped up the books as quickly as I was putting them out.

Lots of stories. My friend Rocky showed up. He said that he had enough books to read; however, he did like books with pictures. I handed him a copy of Richard Bach’s Jonathan Livingston Seagull. He said that he’d always been meaning to read it. He then sat down and did not even look up when we left.

One woman appeared at the table and announced that she loved to read books that had a lot of blood and gore. I handed her two books. Another woman started telling me the story of Sherlock Holmes’s daughter. It was quite interesting, and I think I’d read it.

I’ll take another load of books to the Senior Center on Thursday. Could end up being a problem, not enough books to distribute.

Next: 166. 6/16/21: Rain

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