I got to milk a cow. Now I know to people that have grown up around farm animals and that are used to this , it's not a big deal. But , to me It is a big deal. First of all because I am pretty terrified of cattle. As a child I was chased by a newly de-horned bull. I was in the pasture with my brother and cousins, all of which were much older than me. Anyway the bull was let loose into the field and he was rightly so mad. He came after all of us, and since I was the youngest I could run as fast as everyone else. He got closer and I ended up on a big rock in the middle of the field. The best I can remember is that he kept circling the rock and wouldn't let me down. They had to come rescue me in the jeep. Not surprisingly it sorta soured me on cattle and I have avoided them until Friday. The lady that helped me achieve my goal only had a number, no name, and was pregnant. She was 5 years old and due in December to deliver.
In many ways this was a very surprising experience....She was a jersey and really gentle. When my DD asked the 'cow man” if I could milk her he was very nice (Katie worked at the homestead where the demonstration was being held—and had asked if I could try it before). She had beautiful big brown eyes. When I went into the closure where she was the girl in there told me just to put my hip against her and tug on her teat. I had always heard it was hard to do. Now I am guessing she is was extra easy or something, but I just did what they told me and – viola' ---- milk. LOL I know that is dumb but to me it was fun. I was surprised at how thin the milk looked. It looked more like skim milk than what I imagined. The milk was not being collected into anything but when it went by it looked thin. But anyway it was one thing off of my bucket list.
Then the next day—even more exciting was our daughter graduated Cum Laud with a BA in Public History.I am and was so proud of her achievement. She made it in just 4 years too. Much to my amazement it takes longer than 4 years for most people to get that 4 year degree. I had no idea that it takes longer. Anyway... She worked hard and always took more than 13 hrs a semester.. her GPA was something like 3.74-- which is just .01 away from Magna Cum laud.
We were delighted to be there with her on this important date. My brother and sister in law, Brad and Susie, and Mark's Dad and his wife Lillian were all there to help celebrate this great experience. We are all soooo proud of her. She has been accepted to the Master's program at University of Memphis. Of course I have had a lot of emotions during this time. . I am so proud of her. She is my light of life.
This weekend she came home for Mother's day. It was so nice to have her home again. She went through a bunch of her extra belongings yesterday. Picked out what she wanted to take with her. And un-assembled her desk. She loaded it in her little car. Last evening she and her friend Katie went shopping. She came home with a couple of new dresses and a laptop computer.. That is what we gave her the money to buy for graduation. Anyway, this afternoon we had a meal together and she left for Murfreesboro, Her intentions were to pack up her belongings from the apartment she is in and move to Memphis tomorrow. She called a little while ago to say she was on her way to Memphis.
I think she could tell I was upset and sad because she kept telling me all the things we can do when we come to see her in Memphis. Peabody hotel and the ducks, Sun Studio, Graceland, mud island, Beale street........... lots of things to do. But the reality is that she is not 358 miles away--- on the other side of our long long state,5 hrs and 31 minutes (according to mapquest) and a whole new world away from us but they are the keys to a whole big world
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