Early Warning Signs of Pending Cowgirl

Dad, feeding my early horse addiction.

When I was just under 2, my mom got up in the morning to find my room empty. Certain that her priceless little girl had been abducted a la the Lindbergh child, she was pretty scared. After checking all over the house she did not see a sign of me. The kitchen door was open... (I can see her now mumbling to herself about how if someone is going to kidnap your baby, at least they could close the door- we're not trying to heat the great outdoors here).

She began looking all over the neighborhood. She enlisted Mary Jo, and Nancy and the whole "21st Ave" Gang of Moms. I was found, up the hill at a pasture petting a horse. Mom ran up, and found me smiling, a HUGE horse head lowered down where I could reach him. "Pretty Horsie" I think was along the lines of what I said when I saw her.

I am sure she was thrilled. I imagine she expected some relief on my part to see her but instead I greeted my mom with the obvious- pretty horsie. Not "hey, mom- how's the blood pressure and oh my the way you might want an adult diaper next time and yeah, thanks for finding me before a coyote carried me off".

It was just the beginning of many days I would start with a "pretty horsie" at sunrise and a smile on my face.