Some Things are Just Meant to Be...aka "I love a good deal"!

Intro to the story:
Every month I get a new stack of magazines from places like Schneiders, Rod's, and a couple of others I can't recall right now.  In them there are always cute pictures of gorgeous young women with sexy little buttoxes rocking their equally sexy riding chaps and their very pretty show shirts with the bling.  Every time I look at them I want some of those chaps.

I  do realize that I no longer sport the sexy little buttoxes that I used have, but for my age and my weight, the buttoxes I do sport are not shameful, and I can still pull off a pair of chaps.   I know this because I have a very nice pair for riding motorcycles.  (yes I have used them for horseback riding on very cold days as well) No, they aren't as cute as those young girls, but still acceptable riding gear for me. (I think)

Every since I started taking Trax to public events, I thought it would be nice to have a pair of those very pretty riding chaps.  But even the cheap ones were out of my price range.  I mean I probably could have bought them, and I think TC even offered to buy them for me once, but truthfully I knew I was going to need his help with things like farrier bills, and hay cubes, and with that in mind, I "chose my druthers".

As in "I druther you helped me buy for feed the ponies, than help me look good while riding."

Besides as we all know from watching that new show "Rodeo Girls" (ugh)  All the money, fancy riding clothes, or even fancy horses, cannot make you a better rider  Truly being a better rider and having healthier horses is much higher on the priority list for me.


The Story:


There was a yard sale sign down the road.

Usually the yard sales in my area are pretty good.

This one wasn't.  Not that they didn't have any thing decent...no wait, this one really didn't have anything decent.

But it seems like once I go to one, especially a crappy one, then I have to keep going until I find a good one.
Simon went along for the ride.

We did eventually find several, but we had to drive all the way to Apache Junction to do so.  Still we didn't buy anything.  They were good yard sales, but nothing I needed or wanted.

There is an Antique Mall  in AJ.  Said mall just opened up a second store front in a different building, same parking lot.  I knew it was coming but this is the first time I had seen it open.  So we decided to stop.

The first thing I saw was a black cowboy hat.  It had a cool shape to it, but was too small for me.

The second thing I saw....

Black Suede riding Chaps.

They were disgustingly filthy but they are a womans large with +3" in length.  I am 5' 7' barefoot, and cannot wear anything less than a 34" inseam without feeling like a total dork.   So I usually go for 36" inseam just cuz that is how I like my jeans...dragging on the ground, a little frayed behind the heels.   What can I say I'm a product of my generation.

Anyway, I tried these on, they were too small around the waist but plenty of room to adjust to make them larger.  The important thing though was would they fit around my rather "voluptuous"  calf and thigh diameter?  I zipped them up and it was like they were made for me. A tad snug at the calf, but only enough to make them stretch, not rip out at the zipper.

As you can see they have been trimmed diagonally on the bottoms. The inside shorter part comes right to the floor, and the outside is still long. If I am riding they will hang past my boot.

I held my breath and looked at the price tag.

$34.00

SERIOUSLY??????

I tried not to act too excited as I gently placed them on the counter.  I asked them to hold on to those while I looked around a little more.

When we were done, I quietly paid for my purchase and then ran out the door before they decided they had them priced too low.

I brought them home, removed the conchos, threw them in the washer on the cold, gentle cycle.

TC says, "What are you doing? That will ruin them."

Oh ye of little faith.

I punched a new hole in the back belt to where I thought it would need to be to fit me.

I took the washed chaps out of the washer and hung them out on my clothes drying bar (I never put my jeans in the dryer) to dry out over night.

I brought them in the morning and they were just a tiny bit damp.

Threw them in the dryer for just about 5 min to soften them up.

They look fabulous!!

I put them on again.

Yes they still fit perfect.

In fact, they are too loose at the top. (I'm going with a Woo Hoo!)  because I need to bring them in just a bit.  No problem, one more hole will fix that.

I have a very pretty red and black western shirt which will match perfectly.

Trax, I'm sorry, but I take this as a sign that you are going to be a show pony yet!