My Other Shoes

I wont dispute that my running shoes are my favorite pair of shoes to wear.  However, they are not my ONLY pair of favorite footwear. 

Unlike some of my friends, who shall remain nameless (but if you go here you will figure it out yourself) I dont own multiple pairs of shoes.  I never have and never will be a shoe-a-holic.  I'm particular about my running shoes and my boots.  I have a pair of dress boots that I'm slightly obsessive about but that's about it.  Those 2 in the picture and 1 other
pair of boots....that's my shoe closest right there.  well, the ones I wear, how about that.

I love my boots.  Not just because they are comfortable, which after hours and hours of being in them, they usually aren't.  Mostly because when I have my boots on, its means I'm playing ranch hand that day and working some cows. 

I love cattle work.  Its not "work" for me, so its fun.  It can be stressful, for sure, and the only critters that tend to be more ornery and irritable then my 2 year old when he desperately needs a nap, is a momma cow, when someone is messing with her baby.  Those are the moments I love the most!

Today, we branded our fall calves....a small bunch, 35 to be exact.  Add in enough ropers and riders (3 of those),  2 branding, 2 vaccinating (including ME) and it went really well.  Only a couple escaped calves, and with the ropers we had, it wouldn't surprise me if the "escape" wasn't "accidental"....sometime they have a need to chase cows.  I have a need to run, they have a need to rope. 

Thanks for the pic Jamie....I "borrowed" it ;-)

Anyway, I manged to fit in a much needed run this morning with Katie.  Took me an hour to get the boys ready and out the door.  So I could run for 45 minutes.  Anyone else see the problem in that equation???

As I'm walking out the door, Shawn gave me the list of stuff I needed to drop off for the branding.  Like vaccine and forks to hold the calves.  Of course, as I'm running late to meet Katie for the run I really don't have time for but I desperately need, I'll just swing by and drop off all the stuff that easily could have been at the pens (aka MIL and FIL's house 2.3 miles down the road) the night before.  Since he was trotting away on horseback, he didn't hear me asking those questions, which is probably good....I didn't have time to argue my point, I wouldn't win and it would only cut into my run time. 

Delivered the items, went for the run, hauled my arse back home and swapped out my Athleta and Asics for Cowgirl Tuff and Twisted X.  It was cold today so the Cold Gear remained the same. 

We started at 1000am and were done by 1105am, in town having lunch by noon.  Not quite the whole morning ordeal as it is in the spring when we brand 500 calves but still, a good break to the monotony.

Ive said it before and I will say it again...I love cow work.  Its not work for me, which is probably why I love it.  Shawn understands but I don't think he gets it.  Just like I don't get why he doesn't jump out of bed in the morning and run to the barn to catch a horse.  Its daily for him, but for me, its once a month, or last minute "need-free-labor-get-the-wife" call for help.  Either or.....cow work tends to do the same thing for me as running.  Gets me outside.  Gets me dirty and sweaty (not so much today but you get the idea) and feeling like I accomplished something.  Something that alot of people wouldn't have a clue about, unless your also a ranch wife (or ranch child) and get the summon demand order request to help, then you know exactly what I am talking about.