Stop me if I have told this story before but it has been on my mind to tell you.
Boo and I were at the Farmers feed store the other day and RACING. (TonTon stayed home as he had a baby to mind). Boo and I roared into the parking lot and parked. We leapt out grabbed a cart and jogged down the back of the store, nabbed the items I needed threw them into the cart at speed, checked the list then pushed the cart straight to checkout. Checked Out. (Boo kindly accepted a treat from the nice check out boy).
Jogged out into the car park, threw all the 50 pound bags and shell and bowls and etc into the back of my little zippy cooking oil car (VW golf) then ran the shopping cart back to the shopping cart parking area (which is always, for some obscure reason, far, far away from my car parked car) and the dog and I were power walking back to the car when a large breathy man called out from his big flash bright red super duper high rise Ford Pick Me Up. ” Slow down! You know”, (he paused and gathered a breath) “Slow and Steady wins the race!. ”
I turned to him, spinning on my toes, called my dog to heel, caught his eye in mine, paused, flashed my whitest smile and shouted “Nope. I’m sorry. Wrong Planet, Mister”. – I raised my voice so the whole damn carpark could hear ( I was not a director of theater for nothing) – and using my best Shakespearian up to the peanut-stalls voice: “FAST AND STEADY WINS THE RACE ! Fast and Steady! Slow and Steady is just another excuse for SLOW!.”
And I smiled again. As you do when you let loose a winning but slightly stinging retort. Made a little bow with my chin (lightly cuffed Boo to make a little bow too) and exited stage left.
“And the trick is BooBoo, to know where you are steadily racing TO”, I said to myself as Boo and I climbed into the cooking oil car: the dog in the passenger seat, me in the driver seat ( this is an important distinction – it is always wise to make sure the dog does not get to drive) and peeled out of the car park. Both of us watching the man in the red truck from our rear view mirrors, scratching his head mouthing Fast and Steady?
Yes. Fast and Steady. Keep up!
Women Farmers take no prisoners.
That is all.
Love celi
ps: Please excuse the repeat of this lovely header shot, I posted it on Instagram yesterday, of Poppy in her cool barn. Camera House was having a sulk! So there were no other images. I am still adjusting to working without any students! Fast and Steady yesterday. Fast but Steady.
The Kitchen's Garden 
28 responses to “Fast and Steady”
It’s very important not to let Boo drive 😉
He frequently climbs into the drivers seat and leans his head back into the seat , then looks at me mournfully, No, I say gently – he will sigh and move back into his assigned space. Poor BooBoo – c
Ha ha – perhaps you can teach him in one of the fields 🙂
Mirrhi does that, except I get the ‘I’m sure it’s my turn to drive’ look, then the sulks for a while as she takes her assigned seat. Poor Mirrhi Mirri 🙂
Eli automatically leaps into the driver’s seat if he’s left in the truck until John or I turn around and shake a fist at him. Then he goes back where he belongs.
Animal abuse! Animal abuse!!! She chanted, channeling Boo, of course.
Much love,
Your Gayle
Slow and steady? Nah. Tell that to the boys and girls in Rio.
Boo is a dog of many talents, but I think driving may not be one of them. Does he like hanging his head out the window, with his tongue lolling and ears flapping? I always love seeing a dog enjoying his ride like that.
He is a nose hanger, just reaching the nose to the open window.
🙂
Well said and well done
Fast and Steady – my kinda philosophy.
I cannot imagine you doing anything slowly😀
Methinks the poor guy is still shaking his head and wondering which planet he was on for that wee while: do not think Shakespearean theatre director voices speaking in Kiwi tones is too oft heard in the middle of Prairie country 🙂 !
That poor man sure had something to mull over during his stroll into and around the feed store 🙂 Laura
Perhaps he was hoping a local storm hadn’t sprouted a mini-tornado right there in the lot. I think seeing you moving at top speed may be a bit like witnessing a very purposeful funnel spinning across the landscape 😉
A great story! I can see the reel playing in my head. Great line and the smile with the coordinated wheeling with the dog, Perfect!
Such fun to pop out the “voice” that reaches the peanut gallery. I’m stuck with slow and steady these days, but I’m still going and nothing seems to have affected the “voice”. I don’t think Boo should drive. Dogs have such different priorites that we do and somehow driving doesn’t seem a good idea (there was some video or other that showed dogs driving but I don’t think I’d care to be their passenger). Love the light in the barn and Poppy looks content.
Yes Celi! You tell that silly man! Although the mucky humidity does seem to beg me to slow down. Your insta feed is great! I’m sjpbf over there.
Sometimes fast and steady is the ONLY pace!
Linda
Slow and steady is my hubby, Forrest. He gets the job done, of course. I’m like you… the race is ON!! I get the job done and THEN SOME!! Ha ha! It’s all good ya know!
Why does that not surprise me? You look like a fast and steady gal in your photo. Keep a-goin’, girlfriend. Keep a-goin!!! Love, Gayle
That guy’s probably still in the parking lot.
Ha! If only my toddler (who often climbs into the driver seat) were so easily swayed back into her carseat…