Catch Up - Ozark Empire

I have several pictures that I need to post so I can get caught up.  Our Internet has been spotty the last few months so I got behind.  It seemed to work out to where when it was working, I didn't feel like sitting at the computer.  We finally got the phone company to look at it the day after Thanksgiving.  This little guy was a miracle worker and we now have wireless.  Out here in this part of Lawrence county high speed wireless is a rare thing.  Our poor neighbors 100 yards away are "too far" away to get it.  Hopefully being able to sit on the couch and use Jay's laptop will be more of an incentive to post pictures.

The Ozark Empire Fair was the first week of August.  That was the week after we found out about the first negative test and the same week Jay and The Icebox were in Columbia.  It was a hectic week.  On the first night the cattle were in Springfield Jay went to Columbia to get things set up.  Cade went with a friend to Springfield Cardinals game so that left me to watch the cattle and take them to tie outs.  Did I mention this was the first time I'd ever been left alone with cattle at the fair?  Jay got some people from Miller to help me out.  I told them thank you and the mom said we all have our first fair...yeah, it's just usually not when you are 33.  When it was time for tie outs her daughters (7th grade and Freshman) help me lead them and they tied the knots.  I didn't even know how to do that!  It was a little embarrassing.  I guess I'll eventually learn over the years....

Here Cade is talking to a friend that he made.  It was so funny to watch him around the other kids.  Even though it was pretty warm that week and it was a lot of long hours Cade did really well. 

Here's Jim and Jay getting Ruby ready while Cade did something else...

 Here is Cade and Ruby.  Ruby ended up 6th in her class.  She didn't do as well as we had hoped. My totally untrained opinion is that she will do better next year when she's a little older and bigger.  She is a really pretty cow - very feminine.  Who would've thought I'd ever think about such things???



Here is Jay and Buttons.  He showed Buttons because we didn't want Cade in there with 6 other 1500 pound bulls.  Buttons placed 3rd in his class.  I think he placed better than we thought he would.

It was fun, it was an experience, but I was so glad when Jim and Jay got the stuff loaded and we headed for home!