12.15.20
I still celebrate Christmas as I grew up with it all around me. I love the holidays so much!
This time of the year, I think of the past and all the good things that have happened during my life.
We were singing with the others in the church... "The First Noel"
My MoM turned to look at me, and she had tears in her eyes... we held hands and sang that whole song for just each other that cold Christmas Eve so many years ago.
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The Christmas Pony
I easily can recall the best Christmas I had. I was ohhhhh...10 or 11, I think. I'm not entirely sure but it was one heck of a wonderful holiday for this horse-crazy little girl.
For as long as I can remember, " a horse'' was always at the top of my Christmas lists. It didn't matter what kind, what color, or anything. A horse is all that mattered. Ponies? No- A Horse.
That year, my mom had been rear-ended on her way home from work. Had she not remembered that big sheet of plywood she was bringing home, she would have been killed. The guy who loaded it for her said it would be okay loose, as she was heading directly home.
Wouldn't you know it? That was when someone pulled out in front of her and she had to slam on the brakes. That's when the sheet of plywood went flying. Thank the gods, she had the forethought to lay down in the seat and it went over the top of her. The car behind her hit the rear end of the Rambler we had at the time. (at least that's what I remember about it- my older siblings would remember it all much better) Other than bumps and bruises, she was alright... The car didn't fare as well though.......
My parents had some friends who had a kazillion kids and we were all good pals. There would be afternoon visits with the grown-ups talking and the kids would have a great afternoon playing around their farm. There must have been a least 100 kids,or so it seemed.. there was always someone to play tag with or to climb trees or play in the hay-mow...
OR-- To pet their ponies!! That's where I would be during each visit... looking over the fencing those ponies. Dreaming of how much fun it would be to gallop across those big fields. Every time, we all came home dirty, dusty and totally worn out.
One year we took a drive to visit the Clanton family and again- it was a total blast. This time, however, two of the girls got one pony from the pasture and asked if I wanted to ride? Me??? Of Course I Would. I was told that this pony was just being trained and didn't know a whole lot so I had to be patient with him; that he was just 3 yrs old. I was and we got along pretty good, but that he sure had his own ideas of how a pony ride should go... and they were not in my list of how a pony ride should go for a ride. I fell off and everyone was laughing as this pony stopped to look at me on the ground in complete surprise. I dusted myself off, got the reins again, and clamored back on. Off we went once more and this time I had learned his tricks. It was a better ride this time and I was in love w/ this little pony.
On our way home, we all were still finding hay or straw in our clothing or shoes when my mom asked me what I thought of the pony I'd ridden.
"How does she know I rode a pony???" I thought... I said that it was okay. After So many horses belonging to someone else and no chance of Me ever owning one, I'd learned to not get very excited over it all.
My dad drove along in silence, and then she said
"Merry Christmas''
Why? It was only the middle of December. We all looked at each other wondering what was going on. That's when my mom told me that the pony was my Christmas gift and he would be arriving a couple of days after Christmas.
All of this was hard to believe for a little girl who knew there was no chance of her actually owning her own horse. We were very poor back then and it was tough to make ends meet, without having another mouth to feed. Eventually, on the ride home, I was thinking how much fun my own pony could be. We could ride through the trails all thru the forest, go visit friends and do many more wonderful things. By the time we got to our house, I had already dreamed up the perfect barn for him to live in and brushing him until his coat shined like silver.
Turns out that buying Dusty took all of the money my mom had gotten from the insurance company payment... The rest was up to me. I had to save money for a bridle and saddle. They said they would be able to buy feed/hay and straw for him, but nothing more. < sigh>
That knowledge didn't bother me much as I knew there were ways I could make enough money to buy a saddle or bridle. It would take me a while, but I could do it.
Oh my, did the days drag byyyyyy.... Christmas was a splendid day with fresh turkey and all the trimmings plus all of the gifts we got from our parents and "Santa Claus" I think we all went to bed feeling very lucky and loved.
Finally, it was time for Dusty to Arrive!! My horse-crazy neighbor had given me some of her old brushes and an old towel for wiping his eyes or nose, plus to get the dust from his coat. She and my mom had been friends ever since they were children and I think she enjoyed knowing a kid who loved horses as she did.
An old panel van came up the drive and stopped. I knew it was a pony delivery but WHERE was the pony?? The middle door slid open and there was my pony- he had ridden in between the front and middle seats the whole way to our house. I was pretty well speechless when he jumped out and walked up to me. The kids said that they had purchased a new halter and lead for me because they knew I wouldn't have any. It was so kind of them and I gave them all big hugs.
As they drove off, I realized that it was All up to me now. My dad and I had gone pony shopping and I'd bought a new pitchfork, a rake, and another lead I think, plus another brush. I had very little savings but had the best time shopping for "my pony". My dad even told the cashier that I was shopping because I had a new pony to care for. She told me to wait right there and came back with a little dish to give him food in. Free!
She said she was a horse person also and wished me the very best with him.
That was the beginning of a long and interesting love affair that sometimes was a very unhappy one. I grew like crazy but Dusty didn't. He had a lot of tricks he had not let me know about and I was able to teach him some cute tricks. He would perform them Only if there was food involved or he just felt like humoring me.
I loved him so much even so, and he taught me many things I never would have learned had it not been being owned by a "pony".
The pony below is Not Dusty but they looked so much alike I thought to share Eli's photo here :)
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