"It's too darn hot..."

...as Ann Miller sang in "Kiss Me Kate." The Portland Airport recorded a high of 92 degrees yesterday, but the regional airport close to us registered 97!! Cooler today (upper 80s predicted) but more humid. Not that we webfoot Oregonians dislike sunshine. It's just that our winter-pasty bodies need a gradual adjustment to the temperature increase. The webs dry out quickly with these sudden heat spells.

Too hot to ride yesterday. I arrived at the barn earlier than usual to avoid the hottest part of the day. I ensconced the dog at one of the picnic tables with his bucket of water where he could choose the sun or shade. It was the favorite barn location of my previous Sheltie. My plan for the day was to give Phantom his first bath of the season. The winter grime accumulated at the roots of his mane has been driving me nuts. Not to mention the layers of Cowboy Magic built up over the winter months. I think he appreciated the dousing (except when I got water in his ear).

When Phantom entered my life he had a loooong mane with the typical endless Arabian bridle path. I braided his mane so it wouldn't become dreadlocks, then one day I decided it was too much work and whacked off his mane with scissors and thinning shears. I left his forelock alone, since it's so much a part of the Arabian expression. And of course I left his tail untouched. Well, more recently I decided to let his mane grow out again. I've kept it braided and he has a neck cover for our wet winters. I also braid his tail during the winter to keep it from getting too tangled and muddy. I think I've created a monster. His mane must be close to 2-feet at the longest point, and his tail touches the ground when at rest.

His mane was sparkling white after yesterday's bath. Gorgeous. Instead of braids I'm gathering sections of mane with bands, almost like the beginning of a continental braid. Anyway, it keeps the mane somewhat orderly and lifts it off Phantom's neck a bit.

I was tossing stuff all over the tack room digging for fly spray and fly masks. Found both and best yet, the bottle of spray was almost full!!

I was practically as wet as Phantom by the time I was done with his bath. I stood on the mounting block to wash and rinse his mane in order to prevent the water-down-the-arm-to-the-pit syndrome. While he munched grass and dried off in the sun, I was working up a sweat running around the barn cleaning up my messes. My second shower of the day was after I got home.

I tell Phantom after a bath that he is not allowed to roll until I'm off the premises. I know he's going to roll...they always do. I just ask that I don't have to witness my hard work ground into the dust. Phantom is generally obliging.

WRITERS CONFERENCE:

I am registered and will have two one-on-one pitch sessions scheduled. Yippee!

Actually resumed work on "Water Tribute." It's a good thing first drafts are supposed to be lousy, because this one certainly is. It would be nice if I had a much-edited draft available for my "first readers" to review before the conference, but I don't know if I'll make it.