Flashback Friday: Bullfighting

I am so excited about Flashback Friday today. I love these photos. I love this story. So, when I had the opportunity to scan these photos the other day, I knew exactly where I was going to put them. This story is near legend in our family and I am so grateful that these photos have survived all these years and that I now have a digital copy of my very own. So, in honor of my Mother for Mother's Day this weekend, I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

I was so young when this happened and although I have heard this story numerous times, it has been years since the last retelling. So, the other night when my Dad was over visiting I cornered him and had him refresh my memory on how it all went down.

My parents were on a trip to Mexico back in the early 80's, I think, when my Mom and Dad had the opportunity to participate in a bullfight. For those of you who know my Mom well, you know that she is classy, a real lady, and a city girl, who at the time was married to an Idaho farmboy. Talk about two worlds colliding. Well, as the story goes, they signed up to participate. Mom went first of the two. She got a bull that had been through 4 or 5 people prior to her, so he was tired and ornery. What a great combination. Tired AND ornery. As my Dad tells it she stood there shaking the bullfighting cape (is that what it is?) out in front of her, yelling, "Come On! Come On!" Well, the bull stood there a minute and then started kicking up dirt with his hind right leg. She kept yelling, "Come on! Come on!", while the bull was preparing to charge. Apparently the second he took off for her, instead of holding the cape off to the side like she had been instructed to do, she clenched her fists together in front of her with the cape in hand, tightening her muscles and screaming.



Here is a close-up of said clenched muscles and screaming. Classic. I love it.


As you can see it didn't take much to take her down.


I would give almost anything to have been there and seen this first hand. But, oh how grateful I am that it was captured on film! I love you Mom. I think you are amzing and I love that you are brave enough to do fun and crazy stuff like this. Thanks for all that you do and for who you are! Happy Mother's Day!