FINAL Fair?

Summer, 2009:

It is hard to believe, but this may be our last year to show cattle in the Douglas County Fair!?! The boys started to show nine years ago, when they each had a bucket calf to show. We purchased them from a patient of Jeff's, Carol Keen. They were little holstein's, and the boys loved them! We'd wash and lead them, and even though one of them did die (that is an entire blog entry all it's own!) we had a great time with them! All these years later, and many steers later (Bullwinckle, Hurricane, Charger, Dubwa, Dedondero, Supa Steer etc.) we are toying with the idea of retirement! Hogan will, after all, be a Senior in high school next year!?! It would be nice to let him enjoy his final summer at home (as a full-time resident in the Randall house) without having the extra responsiblity of rinsing, tying high, leading, showsticking, etc. Now that Hogan is considering retirement, Preston has made it clear; he is not showing next year! P. actually loves to work cattle, but he hates the Fair! Spend just a few minutes with Preston during the summer, and that point comes across right away! That leaves Reese; who loves the Fair, but isn't doing backflips to go to the barn, rinse, lead, muck, etc. each and every day!

We'll see what finally happens...as for me, I'd love to take off the yoke that comes with daily care of steers. It is a long nine months, and I think I could find other things in which to pass the time!

We'll be calving soon! No way that we're giving that up any time soon! Jeff loves that too much!