David Reflects on Recent Events
My three new heelers, a.k.a., Friends of Skidboot, and Cheyenne, the lie-detector horse, have had a very busy and eventful year so far.
It’s funny – we did two corporate meetings in February. We weren’t even the entertainment. We were part of the leadership training for APAC Company in Missouri, and for United Supermarkets. I seem to recall they tied our message about “providence and doing the right thing” into their annual corporate meetings.
I was invited to stay for dinner at the Supermarkets’ meeting and the entertainment, which was, can you believe it, my favorite, A Beatles Tribute band called “Me and My Monkey.” I was in heaven being a Beatles freak myself. It’s amazing the things I get into all on account of a blue heeler dog.
Then the tide turned and it was one school after another. The kids really liked the horse being in school. Whenever a child denied having a boy or girl friend, Cheyenne would nod dramatically to say they were lying. Every now and then the child would actually say...okay, I really do have one. Very entertaining for me
I must compliment the teachers for having children so well-behaved around the Friends of Skidboot. We received great receptions from the Wood River Primary School in Corpus Christi, Blackland Prairie School’s Cultural Arts Day in Round Rock, Texas. This is where I got Tie-Down from Mrs. Joiner. At Trinity Christian Academy in Addison, Texas, thanks to Doris and Matt Clark, we actually had to shoe a horse for them. I did a horseshoeing demonstration at Frenship High School, Midland, Texas, which happened to be Barbara’s 27-year-old horse. Who’d a thought we’d shoe him in a gymnasium. Those kids were high schoolers. Jason told me high school kids would be a different crowd. After each performance they came down to play with the dogs and were very complimentary to us. Thank you to the Spanish Club and Mrs. Susan Berry. Jason, me and the dogs enjoyed our day there. Oh, and don’t forget the great steaks in the home-ec class!
March was huge for us and the Wild Game Festival at Alvarado, Texas, was also huge. Monte Montgomery gave us our booth and an arena to perform in and the crowds were great. My cousin, John Nelson, and his wife Connie showed up and lent a helping hand with the young pup “Tie-Down.” Rena Mann, my horse riding friend, loaned me her trailer and helped all day. I must tip my hat to her – she was super.
What can I say about Linda Greco except, WOW! This girl is doing more for animals than anyone I know. Started a foundation, raised the money, was Santa Barbara Animal Care Foundation to me. She is an example of how to take care of the pet situation all over the country. Her volunteers all are dedicated to what they do - from exercising pets to cleaning pens and even picking up cowboys at the airport. We went to schools and worked with her volunteers to educate schoolchildren about neutering and spaying pets as well as bite safety. I basically just had fun with Bois d’Arc and the kids. The Fur Ball was fun and they auctioned off a lunch with me and Bois d’Arc. Mimi won the highest bid and she was really sweet, plus her boyfriend was also a fellow Beatles freak.
From the west coast in March it was back to the east coast in April. The Thomas County Humane Society Spring Dinner in Thomasville, Georgia, was another example of people doing something for pets and strays. They raised money the Southern way and, boy, did they do it. Sugar and Vann and everyone else worked hard to put on a feast under a big tent on a plantation. Bois d’Arc and I were treated like celebrities so much I knew it would be hard to get back to horseshoeing and breaking horses. They raised some big money for the Society.
Other events in April included Kathy Bankston’s Texas Days and First Baptist Church Senior Banquet in Allen, Texas, both very rewarding shows. They all seemed to love us!
May was extremely busy for all the Friends of Skidboot! The Cinco de Mayo Festival in Cleburne, Texas, Giddens Elementary School in Cedar Park, Texas, Curington Elementary School in Boerne, Texas, Fuzzy Friends Rescue in Waco, Texas, Lake Highlands Elementary School’s (Richardson, Texas) rewards show for students who wore uniforms regularly, Texas Natural & Western Swing Festival in San Marcos, Texas, a visit to Christ Episcopal Church, San Antonio, Texas to help celebrate the church’s centennial, a trip to the Region XIII Education Service Center in Austin, Texas, concluding with a trip to Lubbock, Texas to bring our message to Frenship High School’s Spanish Club. Travel to many of these shows was from a base at the Still’s Ranch near Blanco, Texas. Not too shabby a place for David and Friends to veg out between shows.
Summertime brings hot weather (duh) and a not-too-busy schedule for us. If we can’t be in air conditioning our “Friends” find it difficult to concentrate on the show and they head for the shade! However, several entities have allowed us to entertain them in their cooler surroundings: The Dinah Harris Reading Program in Tennessee booked us to visit several libraries to promote their Summer Reading Initiative for three days in June. Later in June the Second Baptist Church of Midland, Texas had us out to entertain. July took us to Lake Texoma to entertain at the Prothro Center Pottsboro Camp. With all the rain we’ve had in Texas this spring and summer it was problematic that we would be able to get into the camp but the roads were clear to their place. Lake Texoma was very high, however, and not suitable for swimming.
All in all, early spring and summer have been very busy for us. We are resting a bit during August (trying to catch up on chores at the ranch), although we have a couple of shows scheduled. Our next big trip will be to California in September. After that we are scheduled to be at Bob Phillip’s Texas Country Reporter Festival in Waxahachie, Texas, on October 27th, where we will spend all day meeting fans and putting on shows.
Many people have been asking about puppies. Wish we had some, but, so far, it looks as though it will be another year before our new female blue heeler (Tie-Down) will be bearing any offspring. We’ll let you know when that blessed event happens!