Should the little things matter? In a way yes...
...all the little blessings and nice things we take for granted.
We need to keep them in mind and be thankful for them.
All the little inconveniences and problems we face each day? No.
Worrying about them just adds stress to our life.
We shouldn't let the little things consume us.
When it’s all said and done, we’ll get through it all.
Every single one. We will be okay.
Bob Marley's song - Three Little Birds, speaks of this.
Marley knew of the power of faith.
In Brian Ford's analysis of this song, he said: "Every day we encounter obstacles, challenges, struggles, opposition, you name it. But Marley saw the bigger picture. Through suffering, death, and despair, he knew that at the end of the day, it was all going to be okay."
Saturday 3/29 - We continued to get up-dates on Britney. This is their view from the apartment. 
Juan Carlos continued to do the recommended, twice a day care of Britney's incisions. 
He cooked for her, made smoothies, and kept the house clean. 
And the night before, Britney's boss and three of her students brought them a care package of food. She was eating like a queen and was definitely in good hands.
I was up at 2am scrolling through Facebook and organizing photos for my blog. I went back to bed from 6 to 8 am. Then I put in too much time trying to finish off last week’s blog and get it posted. So it was much later in the morning than I had hoped for.
The phlox has started blooming, but look at all the leaves, again in my beds. It is a loosing battle until folks up-wind get theirs cleaned up. I know, every little thing - not worth worrying about.
Below, my project supervisors were good company.
I brought Maggie with me because we were planning to have a bonfire in the evening. First I checked on the baby chicks. They were doing well. Then I went down to the barn and conditioned my saddle while waiting on Betty and Joanne to get back from their ride. The leather cleaner and conditioner did a nice job.
Betty and Joanne did chores together, meanwhile Patty and I went up to the house to work on the pictures and frames I had bought.
Patty was going to work in the raised bed garden but a little pop-up shower (really more like just a drizzle) caused that to be put off. We also decided to cancel the bonfire for tonight because of the cold, gray, threatening skies and the wind.Each picture frame needed the backing glued down in spots and then to dry for a day.
Next we fixed the frame of the large picture and then hung it. As it turned out, breaking the glass on it was a blessing in disguise, because with the glass the whole thing would have been much heavier, making it very difficult to hang.
We put it on the dining room wall.
After some chicken and chick care, I got home with the dog right at dinner time.
It was another quiet evening at home with Joe in Iowa.
Sunday 3/30 - Church was later this morning because all three services were combined into one. It was nice to have a full church and I enjoyed the bell choir and vocal choir. But I recalled why I prefer going to the contemporary service. I am not a fan of all the liturgical, more formal, structured worship.
It was cold, windy, and sometimes rainy. I ran to Food City, and then went next door to deliver (much overdue) card and flowers to Carol, and chatted with her for a bit.
Once home, I was back in my PJs wanting to stay put the remainder of the day. I didn't accomplish much all day; lunch, dinner, lots of snacking, computerizing, reading, taking a long nap, and snuggling with the cats and dog.
After eleven hours Saturday and one today, of playing in a senior poker tournament, Joe reported placing 52nd, and winning triple his entry fee cost.
Monday 3/31 - It had stormed overnight and rain lingered through the morning. I didn't have much to blog about the day before so spent time playing games and researching, texting, and sending several e-mails regarding the stables.
The duck trio (two drake and one hen) have returned and are competing for corn with the deer. The hen, in front of the drake, is difficult to see.
I had been hitting the junk food pretty hard, all morning, and finally decided (at 2pm) to get my sorry self out of the house and to the gym. I immediately came to life. It was so good to see friends and start moving. I did a total leg workout in addition to an hour on the elliptical. I very gently and lightly tried a few arm and ab exercises, but stopped right away, because they caused pain. I don't want to make my 'rib condition' worse. 
All pets were fed. This is how the end of feeding time typically goes - chunky monkey Monita eats fastest and then goes and sits and stares at the other two. Skinny Babe gets done with her scoop of canned food and then moves Mama Styx off her side of the plate. Monita cleans up anything left behind by Babe. And Maggie licks the mat after I pick up the plate.
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Tuesday 4/1 - Happy April Fool's Day!
I was back at it,
e-mailing regarding the ranch changes (in schedule and procedures) and
also making more communications concerning the Stables. Then I did a little blogging and gaming. 
Patty had gone out to the ranch to do some gardening and check on the baby chicks. Karen had to care for one with a pasty butt the afternoon before. All were well.
Oops, a little mishap at the yard gate. But this time a golf cart was not involved nor was it me driving. And it wasn't an April Fool's joke.
The post was so rotten, it didn't take more than a little nick with a boarder's car fender to snap it off.
I was back at the gym for cardio, doing an hour on the elliptical, six minutes of very light rowing, and walked thirty minutes while chatting with a member about the board, Strategic Planning Committee, and the stables. 
Maggie and I were at the ranch by 2:30. The chicks all looked good.
I had to put a gate up to keep Maggie out of the laundry room because she was obsessing over the 'squeaky toy' noises from in the tub. And she still laid here and stared while I cleaned up our picture repair mess.
Horse chores went quickly because Betty helped.
Home by dinner time, I cut the asparagus that has literally sprung up over night, and added it to onions and cabbage for part of my dinner.
Poker Joe took care of a last minute overnighter who didn't arrive at the ranch until nearly 11pm.
Wednesday 4/2 - I got to the ranch before nine and started organizing some bins and bags for Joe to move for me. We made some trips back-and-forth between the barn and the upper shed feed room as the overnighters packed up and left.
I got everything organized, cleaned up and in place in both feed rooms (Cowboy, Banner, and Dorado's feed bins in the barn tack/feed room).
Amiga, Rico, and Zorro's feed bins in the upper feed room, with their supplements on the shelf on the opposite wall.
I did dishes and collected trash up at the Ranch house and cleaned the kitchen. Before leaving the ranch, I called Tractor Supply (as I have done every morning and noon the last three days) and they had baby chicks in.
So off to town I
went, instead of going home. I decided to hit the thrift stores first and ended up buying this
cute little pine cabinet for the dining room and also an oak table
(with five chairs) for puzzle working in the ranch sunroom. Joe would get it later.
I went to Walmart and then Rural King and ended at Tractor Supply, where I bought four new chicks, two Ameraucanas (brown&tan) and two Olive Eggers (gray).
I went straight back to the ranch and got the newbies settled in with the four (black) Sapphire Gems. Patty had finished cleaning the bedrooms, bathroom and stripping beds, and started barn chores. As she finished chores, we moved Zorro and Amiga's feed buckets to the upper feed room and Dorado's to the barn tack/feed room. 
After dinner, Joe and I watched Survivor and because I’d only gotten 5½ hours of sleep, I went right to bed once we were done.
Today is the first day I forgot about my ribs and felt almost normal. There were three or four times when I reached for something or pulled or push something and got reminded that my ribs are still healing.
Thursday 4/3 - I arrived at the ranch at 7:30 and closed Rico and Dorado on the front pasture.
Patty arrived just as I was heading from the barn up the drive to the upper paddock with Amiga and Zorro.
She took several photos of the process.
She even drove up the drive past us, to open a gate for me, and took more photos of us coming up the drive.
Notice we were being 'escorted' by Rico and Dorado from the other side of the fence. Silly boys.
We got A&Z settled in to their new paddock, where they have lived for several years before, and were quite comfortable. Cowboy was the only horse a bit distraught, wanting to be with Amiga. Banner could care less about anything.
Boarders started arriving earlier than expected. Susan, Bonnie and Brooke went out to the back pasture to put fly masks on Cowboy and Banner.
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Once everybody had arrived, we did the horse switch. Betty walked Dorado down around the lower paddock and then turned him loose, and I brought Zorro from the upper paddock into the front pasture so he and Rico could meet.
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Soon Zorro joined in, but he didn't really join up with Rico, who was trying to join up with the others. Well, all horses (except Amiga) got a good workout.
Once things settled down, I opened the gate for Amiga to be able to mingle with Zorro and Rico. Then we all went through the new chore process (in the barn and upper feed room) while enjoying wonderful cookies and chocolate bars Susan had made.
Once adjourned, Betty, Patty, and Dave helped Joe with getting the post re-set in the ground and I started cleaning the new little cabinet I had brought to the ranch.
Joe left in the truck with the trailer to pick up the table and chairs, and I took care of the Frontier worker (Cesar) who was putting in high speed fiber-optic cable. I had to run down to Jim’s to ask about Cesar going up the pole in his front yard. And I ended up going in and talking to Denise for quite a while.
By the time I got back to the house, Joe had returned and gotten all the chairs unloaded. I helped him with the table and then he headed home. I was left to monitor and 'help' Cesar, with putting internet cable into the house.
Our red hen Tiny continues to struggle with 'pasty butt,' so I spent 15 minutes soaking her rear end in a bucket of warm water. Meanwhile, Cesar maneuvered his ladder into the chicken yard and was working on that pole.
Back in the house, I finished cleaning the little chest using wood oil soap, and then worked diligently cleaning the table and chairs. It was quite time-consuming with all the little rails on the chairs. Here is the chest (which I really like) and one chair.
I wasn't done cleaning furniture, but definitely ready to quit. I had to get going on chores since we were having dinner out at 5:30.
Getting all the horses into the right (new) feeding position was a bit of a challenge. They were so confused. I had to halter and walk them to where they need to be, except Cowboy and Zorro.
Zorro ate facing Amiga who was in the upper paddock, small shed with Rico across from them in the larger shed. They were all very calm while at their feeding stations.
Dorado was now eating where Zorro used to eat, down in the lower paddock, outside the big shed.
I scooted off for home to shower and be ready to go to dinner. Joe and I met Patty, Karen, Shirley, Jan & Mike, and Betty & Gerry to try out a new restaurant, Sandbaggers Steakhouse.
Our meal was very good, but the conversations were even better.
Friday 4/4 - Our son Daniel's Birthday.
I had morning chores at the ranch so left here about 8am to put fly masks on all the horses who looked quite content when I arrived. The three Pasos were in the front pasture and the other three were in the back pasture.
In this photo, Zorro is walking towards me. Rico and Dorado (on different sides of the fence) are where they can see each other as is Cowboy, where he can see Amiga. 
With fly masks on, I lead Rico into the upper paddock to see how he would do with Amiga and Zorro. Zorro was sure to keep in between Rico and Amiga (video)
A & Z eventually wandered back into the front pasture. I just love our mountain view and looking at the horses. 
Rico stayed in the paddock with Dorado up at the corner of the back pasture where he could see Rico.
Once finished with the horses, I went into the house to check on the chicks (video) and finish cleaning the table and chairs. 
I had added a dish of sand, which the babies really like. They scratch and peck at it, and poop in it. LOL
I finally finished with the tables and chairs and am quite happy with the set. It will be so nice to add the two leaves for larger dinner gatherings or to work a 1,000 piece puzzle.
Finally finished in the house, I fetched my trusty mare. Zorro and Rico followed us to the corral and Cowboy and Dorado went racing into the lower paddock to keep their eyes on us.
Zorro, heading to the other gate, went to see if he could get through. Nope. So he and Rico kind of paced the fence line. Rico was nickering for Dorado, Zorro and Cowboy were nickering for Amiga, Dorado was nickering for Rico, and Amiga (from where I had her tied in the barn) was nickering back.
It was great to get back in the saddle again, for the first time since my golf cart accident. Well actually, I rode bareback not in the saddle (video).
It was wonderful to be out riding and my ribs didn’t hurt hardly at all. We did end up coming across two downed trees and had to turn around twice.
Karen, Betty, and Joanne were saddling up when Amiga and I got back. I had planned to go out alone earlier so Amiga would stay calm and quiet, which she did. We ladies hope the 4-wheelers that drive back on the undeveloped dirt roads will cut away the trees blocking them. 
I made a quick trip to the gym for a 90 minute workout. I tried some arms and ab work, but am still too tender.
I got gas and groceries on the way home. Look at all the bird nests in the Weigel's sign. 
Juan Carlos sent this photo of Britney. She is healing well, but like myself, is ready to get back to her usual routine and snuggle with her kitty. 
We all need to keep in mind that Every Little Thing is going to be alright.
