The Mule Chronicles Spring 2017...Preparations Day 1

It's official folks, as of 6:30 pm yesterday I was on vacation and preparing to engage all resources in prepping for the pending mule adventure when I was met with some concerning news. Apparently, the RV Tour Bus scheduled to be our conveyance to mule mecca was displaying some undesirable traits. Namely, the RV was not playing well with the tow vehicle which, it seems, might result in fire, death, and/or total destruction. "The Father" rushed the RV to the nearest Freightliner dealer for emergency repairs only to be met with someone who clearly fails to see the urgency in our predicament and the gravity that failure would represent because he only pledges to "do his best" to get it repaired and back before we are scheduled to leave on Friday. Now while The Father assures me that "do his best" really is a good thing, I failed to see how this situation didn't require the higher, and more urgent, "move heaven and earth to save the day" response from the repairman. The Father worked tirelessly to calm my panicked protests and assured me that we were still going on the mule adventure regardless of whether or not we had the RV Tour Bus. When I inquired as to sleeping arrangements I was told we would use a...tent. A TENT? I am a delicate flower. I require a certain level of comfort and a surrounding of leisurely air. How will we ever support the rather large supply of electronic documentation equipment that is now a very real and necessary part of The Mule Chronicles?

A SMALL sampling of the electronic
equipment planned for the coming episodes.

Again, I am reassured by The Father that everything will be just fine and the adventure will continue without any issues. Upon trying to point out that this trip has already been placed into jeopardy by his recent bought of the death flu, I quickly get "the look" and abandon my line of inquiry as The Father clearly expects me to take this whole challenge in stride while relying on some deep source of previously unrecognized source of inner faith. (I should note here that "The Mother" was present for this exchange but sat motionless and silent like some kind of headlight stunned deer fearful of being sucked into the vortex of worry that I was wrapped up in. The Mother will likely deny this account or claim she was empowering some secret source of inner therapist zen, but don't be dissuaded from the truth.)

A rather uneventful night followed, with a pre-preparations dinner of Indian Food (proudly sponsored by India 4 U, conveniently located in the Slatten Ranch Shopping Center on Lone Tree Way near Highway 4. Seriously, some of the best Indian Food around, check it out. The Chicken Tikka Masala and Aloo Gobi are the bomb!) and a quick trip to Target to secure some provisions. It wasn't until we got home that I realized it was 9 o'clock at night and thus what I thought had been the mule gods parting the crowds to prepare the way for the glory that is about to follow was simply my complete and utter loss of time and lack of awareness of reality...Hey! Don't knock me, I am in a pre-mule adventure euphoric state...and I'm a delicate flower.

An early evening crash from all the excitement was inevitable and thus I was completely passed out by 10 pm ("The Daughter" is going to claim that this is way past my normal bedtime normally). The problem that would soon follow is being awake at 0213 in the AM when I awoke in a full sweat and panic thinking I had missed the departure for the mule adventure. Being unable to sleep despite all of the crafty make my self tired tricks I have picked up over the year, I resigned myself to getting up and getting an early start.

I did my best to not awaken "The Wife" out of fear of being beaten within an inch of my life for unnecessarily waking her on a work night (which, despite what she might think, I really am sorry about). I tip toe around in the dark, quiet as a church mouse when I am confronted by a scene from the Exorcist as "The Wife" sits bolt upright in bed and says "what are you doing" in the most frightening guttural demonic tone. I apologize profusely for waking my beloved spouse while backing slowly out of the room and promising to "keep the ruckus to a minimum." I'm not sure why or how she decides to tolerate my antics, but I'm not one to question luck or divine intervention, so I'm just going with it.

So there you have it. Day 1 preparations are underway and the Spring 2017 Season of The Mule Chronicles has started with only a few minor giddy ups in our hitches. I hope you'll tune in for the for all the antics over the next several episodes. Don't forget to like and share in order to expand the reach of The Mule Chronicles...we wouldn't want to keep a gem like this from everyone now would we?

Thanks for tuning in...Scott

P.S. I almost forgot! @RebeccaGracePhotography is designing a logo for The Mule Chronicles so save your pennies, there might be merchandise options in your future.

P.P.S. Do you think Stuart goes through as much advanced planning for my arrival as I do?