THE COMPLETE DESERT EXPERIENCE!

The Irish have a saying "Be careful what you say...if you brag the leprechauns will hear you and change your luck". And it is often all too true.

As we were reaching the ranch after a wonderful scenic ride on a fresh, sunny morning with a fresh breeze, I remarked to Betts "Someday I will tell you that we had a lousy ride. But again, it won't be today!" Not 5 minutes later, Betts horse froze and I heard a rattling. Looking down I saw an angry Mohave rattler about 5 feet to our side. Both horses looked...then walked on. So much for our history of snake-less rides this spring! Maybe the gila monster we saw along the trail was our first hint of the things to come.

Then as we were unsaddling, I heard a roar behind me, and looking around, saw a huge tornado of brown sand whipping up to the sky and heading our way. I yelled at Betts "Sand Devil coming", untied Bart, and we both hunkered down as the brown sand tornado spun by us. Both horses jumped, then tucked in and were full of sand and brush in their mains and tails after it passed.

I hosed Bart off, and was about ready to leave...then decided to give him a light flake of hay. When I was breaking it apart, I felt a sharp stick, and thought I had picked up a sticker or thorn. But I didn't see anything, yet my hand hurt...then started to swell...and felt like the pins and needles of an awaking leg that had fallen asleep. Betts suggested I go to the ER, and that sounded like a smart idea. I thought about aphylactic shock as I waited for the light to turn in town, and then for the front desk to get me signed in.

The nurse assured me that there are no Brown Recluse in this area, and if it had been a Black Widow spider, I would be in intense pain. His diagnosis was a scorpion sting. So I took an Alavert, put some ice on it, and now have pins and needles in my hand and running up my arm.

Before the ride, I dropped off a box with a new extended mirror in the unopened box for my old truck, and a matching used mirror at my neighbor, who was having a garage sale. When I got home, I noticed they were closing up, so I stopped in to see how they did. She angrily told me that someone had asked if he could take the mirror over to his truck to see if it fit (the box clearly said "For 2005 Ford 150 truck"). Apparently, the potential buyer took both the new and used mirrors....and left! So I lost out on the $40 I almost had in hand. And it is only 3:00! Maybe I should hole up and not do anything more today! But I plan to go for a swim, then to the clubhouse for the monthly pot luck. Sure hope I don't get food poisoning!!!!!!