If the ox is in the ditch

My mom was 83 this week and is a remarkable woman. She and my dad raised five kids and provided us with everything we needed. Notice, I didn’t say want but we had everything we needed. Mom made all of my clothes until I got into high school and asked for “store bought” clothes. This hurt her feelings terribly and for that I am sorry.

Mom has the most amazing memory. Growing up, mom used to use many phrases but “if the ox is in the ditch?” was one that seemed to come up pretty regular. Most of the time, it occurred on Sunday. We all knew that the sabbath day was a time of rest but if something unexpected happened, she would just look at us and say “Well, if the ox is in the ditch?” which all of us knew that sometimes there are extenuating circumstances that won’t wait and God would forgive you for working on His day.

For those of you that weren’t lucky enough to grow up in east Texas, the phrase means if you have something you have to do, well…you better get it done. No excuses.

It seems I am always pulling that ox out of the ditch.

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Fall Leadership workshop for TxDLA starts tomorrow and I wanted to make a few “homemade” gifts for  some folks that really helped me with the conference.

I made strawberry fig preserves on Friday.

Saturday, I needed to go pick up pecans. While at Sister and Charles’s (aunt and uncle), I took a break and worked the cows. They were being sold to someone in Oklahoma and needed to be sorted: heifers, steers, babies and bulls. I loved seeing the spirit of those Brahmas. The gate would be opened for them to return to pasture and they would take off and get to the opening and kick sideways and backwards, kinda like saying, “yeah, you know better than to mess with me.”

I have a few bags made, a couple of aprons and a market bag now made.

Hopefully, the workshop will be great and my friends will like their gifts and all will be good until that ox gets back in the ditch.