FOR LAURA - A PLEASANT SATURDAY STROLL WITH THE DONKEYS

Farrah - isn't she beautiful?

On Saturday Laura took her sweet Farrah and I took "which ever one walks into the halter first" (Julio this time) for a walk. We didn't go far but even in that short time I was mesmerized by the clip-clop of their hooves hitting the ground. The walk itself was uneventful and except for the occasional tussle over eating grass instead of walking, it was very pleasant.
Laura and I always seem to find something to giggle about and I am sure that our happy mood made the donkeys happy and relaxed.
They spent a few moments tethered to the hitching post near the Shoppe and got lots of pats from our visitors. Then it was time to head back to the paddock which, on a warm, humid day seems a very very far way away. Both donkeys were reluctant to rush past the long grass that grows beside the path but after a few hiccups we were back at the gate to their paddock.
The plan was for Laura to lead Farrah in and then for me to lead Julio in. A simple plan made complicated by the other donkeys in the paddock who quickly gathered at the gate to greet us.
Suddenly things got silly. Farrah and Laura made it in to the paddock but Julio and I weren't so fortunate.
Then there was that moment of Eh-Oh when I realized that I was putting one donkey back into paddock and, at the same time letting one out. Suddenly the donkey on the right side of the fence has head gear to help you control him and the one on the outside has nothing on him to grab on to.
I actually had a mini panic attack but thank goodness for Laura who kept her cool, calmly unhaltered Farrah and tossed me the lead rope.
Fortunately, our escapee hadn't gone far as she had been distracted by the lush grasses beside the path and had stopped to snack.
My job was now to sneak up to her and get the lead rope around her neck. Have I mentioned that Juanita is about the largest donkey in the standard herd, and can be hard to handle if the mood strikes her? So the fun begins. I sachet up to her thinking that i will casually put the lead rope over her neck, then catch the loose end and "Bob's your Uncle".
Juanita had her own plan and it did not end with "Bob's your Uncle". I tossed the rope over her neck, reached for the loose end, Juanita turned her hind end toward me, I leaped around (or over) her back end, grabbed the loose rope end and, you guessed it, "Bob's your Uncle".
My levelheaded, quick-thinking friend, Laura cheered and we led Julio and Juanita back into the paddock. The donkeys wandered off while I spent a moment getting my heart restarted and Farrah got the rest of her hugs from her biggest fan, Laura.
I wish there were a hundred Laura's for each of our donkeys. She just loves Farrah and not only shows it with hugs and rubs - she tells Farrah she loves her and I know in my heart that Farrah knows exactly what Laura means.
Thank you Laura for your calmness and quick thinking. You add meaning to the phrase "Got your back". Although the situation wasn't dangerous to Juanita or to me, I wouldn't have wanted to be chasing Juanita all over the Refuge. And, as it wouldn't have been the first time that I would have had to chase behind a "free-range" donkey, I was glad to avoid the teasing I would have gotten from Rob. Actually, he doesn't tease, he just laughs.

Oh, if you are wondering what "Bob's your Uncle" means, you can look it up on google, and then "Bob's your Uncle". Cheers.