That's the cool new nickname I earned while I was in New Mexico! I love it!
My iphone took a dip in the waterfall on our ranch. Yes, I know how cool that sounds: waterfall. ranch. I get it, but seriously! Hear me out! My iphone, my baby, the love of my life almost met it's maker today! Well, not really it's maker, but it almost went to the sad sad place that all dead iphones go when they've been submerged in water. Where ever that is.
I was working from the ranch house today, sleepily clicking away until my head could no longer stand the smell of urethane paint that my dad's employee was using to coat the new wooden stairs. I felt queasy, tired and irritated by the headache that had formed. So, I debated on whether to make the 20 minute trek to town to get some "real work" done or just go for a walk around the property. The walk sounded better. I'm a known workaholic. So, breaks have begrudgingly somewhat become a part of my daily routine.
I sauntered down our road to the lower pond and was enjoying the fresh rain smell. As I walked around the pond I decided to hike up the canyon and through the small waterfall that forms into a creek that feeds our pond. It's always been one of my favorite spots on the ranch-especially this time of year! The canyon rocks are covered with green moss, baby ferns and leaves from a plethora of oak trees that grow up like crooked necked old men, bending and hovering their low-reaching branches like withered canes. I was so excited to take it all in. The fresh air had never been more crisp. The water was getting colder and I imagined what it would look like when the snow comes again. The rocks were perfectly green and slippery. I took a million photos with my iphone, my baby, careful not to slip or fall over and let go of my precious. I popped my iphone back into my sweatshirt pocket and started further up the waterfall. But one precarious step was all it took. That's when I heard it. It's an unmistakable sound, the sound of plastic casing tapping against rock. To this Mac disciple, it's the sound of horror.
I felt around the inside of my sweatshirt pocket and said out loud, "What? No. No, that can't be. Oh my gosh. Oh crap. Oh no. OH NOOOOOO!" I frantically searched the craggy, mossy rocks and shallow pools of water first. "This can't be!", my mind raced. "This only happens to other people!" And that's when I started frantically plunging my hands and arms into the deeper parts of the wintry currents. Luckily, my first plunge was my last. I had found it! I had rescued my love from the icy grips of rugged rain water! If it were an option I would have administered mouth-to-mouth just to be sure it would survive. Instead, I desperately, but lovingly touched the little circle button hoping I could will it back to life. Success! It's eyes opened, flickering while I pushed the little arrow left to right holding out hope that I would once again see my home screen. Spotted with drops of water, I could still make out the basic apps of my sweet baby. It was going to be alright.
This is right around the time that I realized I was so far up the canyon that it would make more sense to cut across the hill to my left, through another canyon and hike straight up the hill to the main road rather than go back the way I came in. I simultaneously remembered that I was in mountain lion country. I was so busy being enchanted by my iphone and the nature that was its background that I forgot to be on the lookout for wild animals. (Hence the name Urban Cowboy.) But when love is on your mind you'll do anything to rescue, save, nourish or otherwise tend to the object of your affection. So, I tramped through the muddy fields, around fallen trees and down the steep and slippery canyon walls just to get my treasured possession to a much needed bag of rice. It was treacherous and I looked like a rag flailing in the wind as I tripped, slipped and bumped my way to the top of the mountain. Muddy, sweating and out of breath I made it to the main road, raced to the house and saved my dear iphone.
I may not be the best at living in the country. In fact, I'll be the first to admit that life on the ranch has me perplexed most days. But when the chips are down, the proverbial sh*t has hit the fan, and you need someone to git 'er done, I'm your girl!
