Dear Friends and Relatives,
Thank God it's October! We thought the tragedies of September would never end...from terrorist attacks to personal sorrow and medical problems...we've had enough news for a lifetime!
It started for us actually before September, when mom had to go to the hospital after her doctor's visit. (Apparently you do inherit things from your kids.) I was diagnosed with a heart problem last year, and this year mom finally caught up. She had a bout with atrial fibrillation (like me), and they discovered a leaky central valve while she was there. After her release, they had her come back in for an angiogram, and found 3 blocked arteries. However, because the pulmonary testing on her lungs showed "borderline", and she now has extensive heart damage, the doctor's all feel that she is not a candidate for surgery. So, the verdict is pills and dietary changes. (That means for all you people who come to visit...don't let mom con you into going out on the town with her for dinner every night.)
The Trip Out: When I had a break in the Vegas show schedule, I started the drive back to our ranch in Missouri. The place was Albuquerque, NM...the time high noon...the temperature was 115*...and the air-conditioning went out in my 14-year-old Nissan truck. Now mind you I had over 350,000 miles on old faithful, and she still had plenty of power...so I continued onward...icing down our "Yorkie dog" the whole way. Upon arrival (32 hours later) I decided it was time to hand old faithful down to my daughter (a city driver), and I went out and bought a new 2002 "Salsa Red" Nissan XTERRA 4x4. When you drive cross-country in all different kinds of weather like I do, pull horse trailer, and need a little more comfort than you used to when you were younger...how can you go wrong with that package? (I should get paid for this ad. "Nissan..,you have to crash them, or hand them down to your kids...'cause they just refuse to quit!")
Mom and I had a busy 3 weeks, and of course we had to break in the new Xterra. Mark joined us on week 2, and while mom stayed home to recoup a little, Mark and I went to Branson and took in a dinner/show cruise on the lake. The showboat "Branson Belle" hosts wonderful musical talent, and serves a filling prime rib dinner as you cruise around Table Rock Lake. (Mom tells me that while other entertainment resorts may be suffering from a lack of air-traveling tourists...most Branson visitors arrive by car or bus, and they are doing fine.)
Right after Mark flew back to Vegas, mom and I headed to a Newcomer's Conference at Cadron Creek Arabians in Quitman, Arkansas where we were meeting with another Las Vegas couple who flew in to select an Egyptian stallion for next year's breeding season. While there, we were fortunate enough to be able to see our mare's 2001 colt before he shipped out to his new owners in California. "Congratulations" to Les & Stephanie Detmer on their purchase of the beautiful big bay colt they named..."Thee Destndheart" by the classic black stallion, Al Baraki, out of Faliha. We know you will have an exciting future together, and we expect to hear great things.
Then came September 11, 2001
The Trip Back: I was grateful I had chose to drive and not fly that trip, and I had to leave for Vegas just a couple of days later. Even the thrill and comfort of the new Xterra wasn't enough to brighten the visual and physical devastation that replayed itself in the theater of my mind. What I hadn't anticipated was the grid lock on the highways. All those people who were not up in the air flying to their destinations...were on the road! Wall to wall traffic the entire trip...until I got to Kingman, Arizona...just 100 miles outside of Vegas.
It was at that point when I had to change highways, and it changed my entire awareness of reality. As I crested the hill leading out of the little city of Kingman, I realized I was now the only vehicle on the road. It was like I had taken a wrong turn that led into a different time zone. It was as eerie as a scene in a spooky movie. A few miles from Hoover Dam I was stopped at a roadblock where I was informed that no trucks, buses, R.V's, horse trailers, or anything other than passenger vehicles were allowed to cross the dam. I wasn't sure where the Xterra fit, but they let me go through...much to my relief! Once over the dam, I thought the familiar lights of Vegas would comfort the solitude of the last few hours, but I was wrong. It was like a ghost town! There were still lights, but there were very few cars on the streets...not even a cab in sight. I eased my way across the valley, and pulled into the drive just before dawn. Still in disbelief, tired, and unsure of my surroundings.., reality hit once more...my cell phone rang!
Alidaar Daughter
Her Straight Egyptian (in utero) foal
FOR SALE
The beautiful mare pictured is Faliha (Alidaar x AK Faiza, by *Ibn Moniet El Nefous). She is in foal to the exotic and extremely classic black stallion, "Al Baraki" (Thee Desperado x Ali Jamila) ... who is on AHW ..."Leading Juvenile Sires List." Here 2002 foal due in Late March is already sold if it is a "filly." However, if she has a colt, he will be available, as we do not keep or mantain stallions. If you hurry, you can also name him ... just like the owners of her 2001 colt. (Congratulations Stephanie & Les Detmer of California on their purchase of Thee Destndheart). For information contact us.
In Memory of "Oreo"
Jocarta's Kiss of Turo
10/10/94 - 09/26/01 |
