DAY TWO, MONDAY

Karen came to see me today. That made me really happy. We animals can read minds, you know, but sometimes we are not sure we have it right. I was 99% sure Karen had not sold me to Rose. Rose is nice, but she will never be my Karen. So I was glad to see her again.

Rose and Karen talked about the high sill from my stall to outside. The first day I could hardly raise my bad left hind leg over it and Rose was worried that might make my leg worse. She talked to her son, Bob, and he said he could make a small ramp, but by the next day after my laser treatments, I could do the sill just fine. Karen thought we should leave it for my ‘therapy.’

Rose asked Karen if she wanted me to have a haircut. My mane had been growing out. If you don’t know about mule manes, well they are not usually pretty like a horse’s. They mostly stand up straight and if longer, fall over, but in a strange way. Karen said, “Yes, do it!” So I got a beauty treatment. Also got my eye hairs trimmed because they were sort of in my eyes. Rose left the muzzle hairs so I could find my hay and obstacles better.

Next Karen took me out on a rope to eat some Arizona monsoon grass. Boy was that a treat! All the other mules were jealous, I know they were. Poor Sunday, she really was because she loves to eat. Rose took pity on them and since it was close to feeding time, she let them inside the barn. Things are looking up for me. My leg feels better, Karen is still my heartmate, and the food is good. What more can an older mule want?

KAREN AND ME in Northern California where we used to livelottie (4)

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