111. A Good Spoiling

It rained buckets last night and the driveway had enough water running in it that we practically had to carry Maggie out to do her business.  She just can't seem to figure out exactly what rain is.  She tries to keep her feet out of the water and keeps shaking off the rain.  It 's a little hard to do your business while you are shaking and prancing, but finally with lots of cajoling she finally managed.  I guess I can't blame her really, but it does bring back memories of summers spent with my Great-Aunt Carolyn and Great-Uncle Reese on their farm in Iowa.

It was such a wonderful way for a child to spend a couple of weeks in the summer.  I'm sure it was an emotional expense to my parents, especially my mildly over-protective mother.  My aunt and uncle spoiled me rotten and their two sons and my other Uncle Larry were there, as well, to share in the spoiling.  The last thing my mother always said was "Now don't let her ride that horse."  Uncle Reese never lied, he just always said, "She'll be fine, Maxine.  Stop worrying."  

As soon as the dust was settled on the road and the car was out of sight, I was plopped on the back of Old Star and off I'd go.  The wonderful sense of wickedness and deep feeling of love brought on by the memory of that moment has never left me.  Old Star and I spent many hours together during those two week summer vacations.  I felt so important taking jugs of water out to the men in the fields.  Even on the rare occasion when I fell off, Old Star just stood there and waited for me to clamber back on.  Every child on earth should have such experiences.  Those days certainly made an impact on my life.

The one thing that took getting used to though was the fact that they had no indoor plumbing except for a hand pump at the kitchen sink.  Everyone used the out house during the day and each bedroom had what my Uncle Reese called a "Thunder mug" under the bed for emergency night use.  That's all well and good in the summer time, but the winters in Iowa bring lots of foul weather and I do mean foul!  Baring one's bottom with a foot or two of snow on the ground and wind blowing through the cracks   in the walls of the "facility," well, you can imagine.  So, if Maggie could talk, I would assure her that there are worse things than doing one's business in a little rain.

So even if it is raining buckets outside, we don't have to use a "Thunder mug" and fortunately we don't have to bundle up and traipse out to the "facility."  But I can tell you, you can keep your fancy spa, what I wouldn't give for one more two week summer vacation on the back of Old Star with my Great-Aunt Carolyn and Great-Uncle Reese spoiling me rotten!