I was going to write about my grandson running across the yard stark naked…but I will leave that for another time, instead I am going to tell you about my 2 day long weekend.
Not sure how to start this one off, or if I should even write about my fantastic May long weekend that started off with one big “BANG!”
Well it started on Friday, I left work a hour early so I could get on the road much faster…I was heading out to Barrhead just east of Edmonton. It’s about a 4 hour or more drive. I was quite excited to go visit a friend to help her with her branding. This wasn’t the normal branding that I am used to.
I wasn’t there just to help with the branding, I was also going to take a bunch of pictures. Well, she sent me directions on how to get to her place, since I had never been there before. She explain that the quickest way, was to cut though Leduc and up though Devon. Which I have never done before, so this was new territory for me. Actually, the whole trip was kind of new for me to travel. I was making very good time figured that I would be there in no time. Those plans changed in a heartbeat….
As I turned off the main highway 2 to head into Leduc I was not sure on which road to turn onto, so I quickly looked down on my phone where I had the directions that she had sent me. When I looked back up, to my right was a cop car driving right beside me and he was looking at me and pointing for me to pull over. I thought to myself “Shit” I don’t need this right now, because I was having a good day…Before I knew it he was knocking on my window to roll it done.
So I mustered up a big smile and asked the officer what the issue was. He looked at me and said, “you were on your phone” with a smile! Now I couldn’t lie if I tried. Before I knew it I said “yes” I was looking for directions on where I need to go. He told me that I should off pulled over and then taken a look. He then asked me for all my information and the registration that I gave him was an old one. Do you think I could find the correct one? NO!...He told me to look for it and while he took my driver’s license and went back to his vehicle. I tore apart my whole front dash looking for it. So now my truck is a mess. When he finally came back I had managed to find it . But he looked at me and said I don’t need it now. Then he handed me a ticket for distracted driving. Then told me to drive safe and have a good day! “Why do they tell you to have a good day after they hand you a ticket” Well this ticket was $300!! I just about choked. But I am not going to let this wreck my weekend.
As I was coming into Devon there was this big tractor pulling a big seeder, and other equipment that was going slow and taking up much of the road. So I was driving behind him waiting for the option to pull out and go by him. When the opportunity came I went around him, then the road divided into two ways. As I was driving down the road after I passed the tractor, I saw lights come up in my review mirror, and it was another cop. I thought what the @#$ what did I do wrong now. I pulled over and he comes up to my window and stood back, and asked to see my drivers license. I asked him what I did wrong. He told me that I was speeding. I was very surprised by this. I asked him what the speed limited was and he told me it was 80 and I was doing 105. I told him that I never seen any signs that told me what the speed limit was. It must have been when I pasted the tractor. He said I was still speeding. I asked him if he could give me a break, because I just received a ticket about half hour earlier and it was for $300. He told me that he would see what he could do. Now I had no difficult in finding all my information, because it was all handy from my last go around and he did not even wanted it just my name.
The cop went back to his truck, as I sat and waited for my fate. When he got back he handed me a ticket! I was kind of surprised, I asked him I thought you were going to give me a break, he said I did you don’t have to pay this till September, I asked him how much he told me $200, I look back at him and told him this is @#$% stupid why cant you give me a warning I just received one for $300 can’t you give me a warning? He told me that he was not giving out warnings at this time.
Then proceeded to tell me to have a good day and drive safe! Well at this point I was beside myself. I was so damn mad that I hung out my truck window and yelled back at him that this is wrong and don’t tell me to have a good day, all of this with a few not so pretty words. So I am now sitting here with over $500 fines. All I could hope for now, was to have a good time at my friend’s place. (Just to let my friends know if I landed in jail, I would not of been able to count on you all....no picked up there phone when I need to vent...!)
So Saturday morning came along and it was shaping up to be a beautiful day. I was not going to let yesterday affect me at all. I was here to have a good time.
I was sitting up on a man-made hill, taking pictures with my 600mm lens as everyone was bringing in the cattle. The cows and calves were not coming in that well, so I could not sit back and watch without going down and giving them a hand. When I finally made it down to the pasture gate, I saw a good opportunity to take a picture, so, I leaned up against the corner of the fence to take the shot. Well no one told me that this fence was a hot fence, and I get hit but not once but twice. So there I was cursing again. I am thinking to myself why can’t I just get a break and have a good weekend.
So I am now down there helping to move the cattle, on foot. Trying to get them through the gate and all they want to do is blow by me. In every direction possible. There I am flailing around, looking quite the sight, trying to keep them from going by me, and with my expensive camera and lens in my hand all wide open for a cow to hit. Though, that did not cross my mind till after the fact when Libby told me that I was crazy. I do have some real good pictures, so am happy for that. I also managed to get myself all turned around in a calf sled to take some pictures of Libby and her calf with a birthday cake on top of Libby’s head…don’t ask…
Coming home I set my truck to cruise control with the correct speed, and seen cop after cop hiding. I am bound and determined not to add to my collection.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY LIBBY!!
Keep your awesome stories and poems coming. This book is shaping up to look pretty good. So don’t forget about your wild crazy cowboying story or poem. I am still looking for more for my cookbook. If you would like to have a story put in, follow this link https://www.wayofthewest.net/your-stories-poems , this is where you can send me your stories. You can also email me at barbarasphotos@outlook.com with the subject line: Stories & Poems.
I will leave you with these quotes:
It's about being able to go through the grind, willing to get back up when you're knocked down. And when life's not going well, not getting down on yourself and just getting back up and getting back to work, and striving to be the best you can be. - Robbie Lawler
Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference - Colin Churchill
