Aches And Pains

For over a week now I have been waking (sometimes in the middle of the night) but always when I get up in the morning, feeling very achy and often quite painful.  I don't feel I can contribute it to overuse or strain (except the stabbing pain under my left shoulder blade from wrangling a queen mattress) because I have only been to the gym once in the past nine days.  It's my joints and muscles that hurt with even muscles cramps sometimes.  I am wondering if the stretching I do at the end of each workout is what my body is lacking.  

Saturday 8/1 - The ending of July marks the transition from mid-summer into late summer.  Schools will be starting up soon and fall is not far off.  This also means that hopefully the days will be getting cooler.
I was at the ranch by 8:00 to do chores because I had switched with Bonnie.  Then I met Barb and Steve who were looking through tack options that they’re gonna use for a photo booth at their party in three weeks.
Patty and I did more cleaning up in the ranch house, trying to get the smell and stains out of the rug and vacuuming up dog hair and dead bugs from under and behind furniture. 

At 10:45 some of the ladies (missing from photo are Jan and Karen) started arriving and by 11:00 everybody was at the ranch for our Boarding Co-op meeting.  Patty, Joe and I all did some talking.  Questions were asked and we also got off track several times, going into details related to the topics we were covering.
We had pizza and salad at noon and by 1pm most everybody hit the road except Joanne, Patty and I.  Patty and I did some more cleaning and Joanne worked the jigsaw puzzle for a bit.  She was staying until time to do late afternoon chores.
By the time I got home, there was only an hour left of gym time before it closed and I basically felt spent from all the cleaning, so called it a day.

Sunday 8/2 - After a second night on our new mattress, I was thinking the cool gel foam top was way to soft.  It is more difficult to sit in bed and read and it wasn't doing anything beneficial for my back.  I was missing our much firmer mattress.  

The skies were not sunny all day. In fact, there were quite a few episodes of clouds. 
I was in a short sleeve shirt at church and got too cold. Shirley offered me a sweatshirt, but I declined.  I hit Food City on my way home.  

I put away groceries and did some of my Sunday weekly chores before heading to work at the pool.  I did run back to the ranch to take care of a few items first (to re-stock supplies for our Air B&B) and was at work by 1:30.  The shift was unremarkable, much slower, and rather boring.  I was able to close 45 minutes early and get home with plenty of time to finish up all my house chores.  

It had rained a bunch (I believe over two inches) during the day Saturday and overnight, so after dinner, while putting cracked corn down back, I took a look at the drainage ditch.  I was glad to see that it was no longer clogged up with sticks and leaves.

Monday 8/3 - I had an uneventful shift at the pool with a small crowd due to two pop-up showers and overcast skies.  I felt worn out after my nearly five hour shift and it wasn't even that hot and humid.   

After a long dog walk (Cookie took her sweet time about peeing) I did household chores and fed pets early so I could get to Mirror Lake Blast in plenty of time.  Joe went to the ranch to check in an over-nighter.  The Blast had a small crowd because of rain not ending until 4:30 and unfortunately, the band wasn't that great.  Penny and her grandnephew hit the dance floor with a few others. 

Tuesday 8/4 - Arriving at the ranch at 7:15, I opened the pasture gate for Amiga and Zorro and lead Rico down the drive, past the two over-nighter horses who were in the corral.
Due to unforeseen circumstances, I ended up going out on my own because Bonnie and Jan weren't able to go. Rico did well on our 3½ mile ride, although had a 180° spook and two other moments of fear response.  But I liked his forward movement and energy.  



I mucked and raked hay out of the aisleway, waiting on the over-nighter to leave so I could let the three boys back into the front pasture.  








I finally got to the gym and had a good workout.  I primarily worked on abs and upper body/arms, but also hit my leg abductors, adductors, and glutes saving hamstrings, quadriceps and calf muscles for dancing later.  I finished with a good stretch routine.  



Now that our Air B&B is pretty much ready to go (just don't look at my own house for cleanliness), I hope I can focus on my gym workouts and make it a priority to get there on a regular basis.  Motion is lotion and should help me with all my aches and pains.  And exercise is also a good stress reliever.  




Patty had afternoon chores and reported that we had a dead chicken.  The hen had no signs of struggle or injuries.  We think it was our older hen Black Betty.  Research said that old hens can appear fine (which she did this morning) and then just die from heart or organ failure.  Now Gloria is the last of the chickens left from the first batch of 12 we got five years ago.  Joe buried the hen when he went out to meet different over-nighters for tonight.  





Micki picked me up and we went to Lake Tansi for the Frank and Beans Band.  The weather was a little iffy, and it had rained 45 minutes before the start up time.  But there was still a good crowd.  





It was a beautiful night with cooler temps and lower humidity.  








The band was great so I did a lot of dancing and my hamstrings, quadriceps and calf muscles did get a good workout. 

Wednesday 8/5 - I met Bonnie at the ranch at 7:30 and we went on a nice, easy, relaxed 2½ mile ride.  Her new horse Rosco did wonderful, and Rico did well also.  

This fly-mask (unused extra) hanging in the upper feed room had a big mud wasp nest attached to it.  It looked like all the hatchlings had emerged, which was confirmed when I removed it and broke it open.  

Joe was out, finishing up removal of the last of this tree that has been laying in the barn yard.  






He had mucked some in the upper paddock, but I finished up what he missed or what the Pasos had added since he had cleaned up there.  I also did several little odds & end chores/jobs.  




When I raked up the remainder of sticks and bark in the barnyard, I noticed that the tree stump had a white fungal ring, indicating an internal fungus infection.  No doubt, that's what had made the tree sick and basically killed most of it. 

I did a little cleaning in the ranch house, after the over-nighters, but they would be back Thursday evening.  Patty did one more steam cleaning of the rug, after we moved the couch out of the way.  




As Patty was finishing up, this light bulb (screwed into the lamp that was turned on) blew up.  Now another mess to clean up. 

I finally got home at 3:15 and was pretty much done for the day.  I proceeded to waste a bunch of time, playing games on my computer instead of working on my blog or doing some other office business I needed to get done.  When a storm came through at 4pm, that helped me at least not feel guilty about not working out in our yard.

Thursday 8/6 - Geese at the ranch late this afternoon were flying around, landing, and then taking flight again; maybe looking for a good place to forage for food.  But flocks of birds flying overhead reminds me of fall migration.  

I started out the day being pretty productive and was even at the gym by 9:30.  I did a full, total body workout, but kind of 'hit the wall' before I finished.  I just pushed through to the end.  

I came home for a big, primarily protein lunch and then was off to the ranch to take supplies (clean towels, coffee, and kleenex) out for the over-nighters.  I took our heavy duty vacuum and worked on the rug in the living room.  I was going to run to town and come back, but decided to just stay and do chores a bit early.  





By 4:15 I was off to town for a big shopping trip.  I was totally exhausted by the time I got home at 6:30.  Knocking a basket of stuff and our electronic photo frame off the kitchen counter with the shopping bags, sent me into a fit of anger.  My fatigue and frustration were soon exacerbated when I discovered two dog pee accidents on the rug.  It was more work I was just too tired to do, but it had to be cleaned asap.  

Friday 8/7 - I had taken a pain sleep aid, needing to calm my irritable mood and manage the sore joints and muscles I was experiencing.  I woke after six good hours of sleep, condensed my morning computer routine and by 7am was tending to household chores I'd skipped last night.  I needed to prepare for house guests coming shortly after I would get off work.  





Splash came into the pool office for food and even allowed me to pet her.  







Once full, she decided to lounge on the cool floor, in the shade of the office.  And even without food motivating her, she permitted me to pet her some more.  






A thunderstorm hit just after I pulled into the garage and minutes after Joe had headed out with Cookie for a walk.  They got back soaking wet and both needed towel drying.  

Styx and Monita rarely coexist this close to each other.  After showering, I continued cleaning house, and was able to get mostly finished before Dan, Vale, and the girls arrived.

Layla and Ava were quick to start exploring and play with the dogs (video).  I yelled at Cookie for getting a little rough and ended up making Layla cry.  Shoot!


Shirley picked me up just before 5:30 and we proceeded to Patty's and rode with her to town where we met Judy and Bonnie and enjoyed dinner and a very lively conversation.  We finished our evening at the Playhouse for the musical 'Heartbreak Hotel.' 

I Want To Cat

Being a cat comes with great perks like sleeping all day, effortless grooming, having humans do everything for you, and no need to work or exercise.  
Daily Life and Comfort = Free food and housing: A human servant brings meals and cleans your litter box.
Lots of sleep: Cats sleep for about 15 hours a day.
Easy cleaning: They clean their own fur all the time.
No work: You do not have to pay bills or go to a job.
Super Powers = Great balance: Cats always land on their feet; along with Super senses: Sharp night vision and Great hearing.

Saturday 7/25 - Today was a very lazy day, much like being a cat.  By day's end, I realized that I'd been a bum most of the day and have been lazing around a lot lately.  I was feeling guilty, especially after seeing how hot and tired Joe and Patty were from mowing/working out at the ranch.
I did get to the gym for a leg workout, including 45 minutes on the elliptical.  But it wasn't that intense, it was in the air-conditioning, and I didn't even bother to stretch when finished.  


It really wasn’t that hot out, and I had the time, but chose not to ride, which is my usual #1 priority.  I had ridden three of the last four days, much more than the four times total in the first three weeks of July, so I wasn't feeling the need.  It has just been such a hot, humid, rainy month.



Look how bow-legged Cookie is.  In this photo it looks really bad because she has her right foot turned inward.  But she stands and sits this way quite often.

I was engrossed in the James Patterson book, Fear No Evil, and read for several hours total today.  I actually finished the book because it was a real page-turner.  I had checked it out less than two weeks ago and didn’t even have to renew it.  Usually I renew at least once, sometimes twice, before finishing a book.

I did shuck corn and boiled it, while Joe grilled a packaged stir-fry meal.  Then after dinner we watched the movie 'Lost On A Mountain In Maine,' a true story.

Sunday 7/26 - I could not be able to 'cat' today because I had church and then was working a big party (Christmas in July) at the pool.  I found it interesting that at church (seen on the big screen) they were also announcing their 'Christmas in July' fund raiser that was occurring this week.

Sundays are also the day for my weekly household chores; collect and take out the trash and water all my house plants.  With corn husks and cantaloupe seeds and rind in our compost tub, I dumped it down in the woods.


While down back with the tub, I collected three loads of the dead leaves and smaller sticks I had raked out of the drainage ditch, and also dumped them.  

There is a huge 'crater' from an up-rooted tree I have been dumping this kind of debris into.  The deer who had finished the corn, then came to see what I was up to.  

  
I left for the pool at 1:00 and the party was going strong when I got there.  
Jackie, who I relieved, can be seen far left in this photo of Berry, Malissa, Steve, and Barb.  


Marie with Berry and Malissa. 



Ellie, who has been helping me with training tips for Cookie.  
Now if I just had or took more time to work with this puppy.  

We had our largest turn-out yet, for this summer.

A fun time was had by all, especially those who par-took of the 'Jingle Juice.'

 

I had given some meat scraps to the feral cat who has been coming around, much more regularly.  
When I say I want to cat, I mean a domesticated house cat.  The feral cats have a rather tough life.  

Anyway, this girl (assumed female because its calico) has gotten much braver and came into the office.  

I didn't get home until just before 7pm, and still had cats to feed and litter boxes to clean.  I am their servant. 

Monday 7/27 - It was a foggy morning to start the day.  Vicki needed me to cover her pool shift Wednesday, so she covered for me today.  









I worked out at a very busy gym from 9-11.  I also saved us a spot at Mirror Lake for the night's concert.

Joanne took this photo last evening after feeding the Pasos.  From the looks of it, you wouldn't know that Rico has been mean to Amiga the past several days.  I saw him trap her in her stall last Thursday, and kick her several times.  So I did some research. 
Common Causes of Sudden Gelding Aggression:
Pain or Discomfort can trigger sudden defensive or aggressive behavior, causing a horse to be cranky.
Resource Guarding: Changes in feeding routines, weather, or competition for space, water, or hay can cause a gelding to become reactive & guard resources.
Herd Hierarchy: There can be a change in dynamics, figuring out pecking order or shifting social bonds.
 

Joe and I were at the ranch waiting for Volunteer Tree service when they arrived at 1:30.










In no time, they set up the remote-controlled crane for tree removal, and started taking down a widow-maker by the chicken coop (video).  




This machine is much lighter weight so could be right over our septic tank without causing damage.  

Once the dead limb was down, they also trimmed off a big branch that was hanging low over the back wall and shading the three pine trees I had planted along it.

 

Joanne arrived to do ground work with Rico and helped Joe and I with picking up branches from the yard.  She snapped this silly photo. 

Once the trailer was full, we quit and went down to the barnyard.  



The leaf dump was closed today, so Joe would have to wait to unload the trailer tomorrow.
 

While one group from Volunteer Tree service had been trimming the tree in the yard, another group had cut down this mostly dead tree in the barnyard.  

Joe left with Cookie.  Joanne and I took Amiga and Rico down to the barn.  We noticed that Rico had a swollen eye lid, which may be why he has been refusing the fly mask.

Also, some of Rico's anxiety/naughty behavior might be because of the presence of the new goats, which had been loose in the neighbors yard yesterday.







Joanne had worked with Rico in the barn because it was just too hot (and humid) out in the round-pen.  I took Amiga on a slow, short, solo one mile ride (video).  

Once back at the barn, an anonymous person was having a tender, affectionate moment with my sweet Amiga.  

I scurried home with no time to shower and was back out the door to go to Mirror Lake Blast where I would get all hot and sweaty again.  Bonnie and Lynn joined Patty, Shirley, Joe, Micki, Linda and I.






Big Shoes was the band.  They were a great band, with lots of accolades and a history of playing with several famous musicians.  Quite a crowd had turned out to hear them, and this was the first night of The Blast this summer with NO chance of rain.  However, the band only played their own music that they had written, plus a few songs from the Little Feat band, but I didn't know that band either.  So we didn't recognize any of the songs and couldn't sing along.  






Some fun songs were played and several were 'danceable,' but I just wasn't feeling it much of the time.  Jake and Micki (seen in this photo) were up dancing much more than most of us.  





The almost full moon was rising as the concert ended at 8:15.  It had been a beautiful night, aside from being quite humid.  A good time was had with a lot of fun people.

Tuesday 7/28 - I got to the ranch at 7am to start prepping the house for over-nighters.  Debra still wasn't completely moved out, with a few things left, and hadn't cleaned any of her two rooms (master & en-suite), but was coming after lunch.  Joanne and I had all three Pasos down at the barn by 8:10.
Did Amiga want to cat?  





No, she just got down to itch her scratches, the scabby spots on her lower back legs, called dew fever.  







Joanne and I had a nice little ride on Zorro and Rico.  It had started out fairly cool, but the humidity was high and as the temperature rose, it started feeling rather uncomfortably hot.  Once back, I took care of the scratches on Amiga's legs.  

Even though Wanda is strictly an outdoor cat, she does have some comforts of home, and is feed more than enough to keep her weight and remain healthy.  She gets her required inoculations and Patty does her monthly flea medicine so she is a well cared for barn cat.  And she is much loved.

I replaced the dead marigolds with these three flowers that have been in our garage window all summer.  I also put the potted geranium out at our front gate, since the potted azalea out there did not survive.  And then I came home for lunch and a nap.

About 3:00, Joe and I loaded our mattress into the trailer with the box springs he'd just bought, when he had taken the broken mower into town with the trailer.  We headed to the ranch to get the master bedroom set up.  Debra and her friend Angela were still there cleaning, but quickly finished up and left.   
Patty soon arrived, and after Joe and I got the box springs and mattress on the bed, he went out to work on tree branch removal.  



Debra's area had appeared clean, but when I looked closer, there was plenty of dog hair yet to get, around baseboards and under furniture.  Patty and I made the bed and did more cleaning.  














The before photo on the left shows the widow-maker hung up in the tree and the other low branch we had removed... compared to the after photo.

The over-nighters arrived at 5pm, two young ladies with six horses.  I had not been happy with Joe about changing our horse hotel add back to also being an air B&B before we were ready to take on customers.  But they were so nice and thankful, that it squelched my frustration with Joe.

Their four trail horses were put in the corral and the two that had been sold and were being delivered, went into the round pen. 

Joe and I both slept upstairs since we had no mattress on our bed.  I was so ready to finally hit the hay.
 

Wednesday 7/29 - I was up for over an hour in the middle of the night reading, which upon rising had not caused fatigue, but did later in the day.

I worked the morning shift at the pool.  Our feral cat, Splash (who has been named for her splash of color and she's a pool cat), has been coming around a few times each day, and becoming more and more friendly.  She came by and walked right into the office, remembering me from Sunday when I had fed her some leftover ham and turkey.  There was left-over chicken tenders in the fridge for her, so I gave her about 2/3 of one.  I fed her out in the shady side of the building.  



Well, once done, she came right back into the office begging for more food, and hopped up on the counter and was sniffing my crackers.  So I gave her a little kibble out of the zip-lock bag we have on the counter.  Well, a little later, she went back in the office while I was sitting out by the pool.  I hadn't thought anything of it, but when she sauntered off and I went back into the office, I noticed this.  She had chewed a hole in the bag of kibble and helped herself to what she wanted.
 

When I got home a little before 2:30 I walked the dogs and then went out on the screened porch where Babe was lounging as usual.  I decided to read and then nap.  I wanted to 'cat' rather than go to the gym.    

Our new mattress had come in the mail but looked too small.  Once Joe was home from golf, he verified it was what he had ordered.  So we unpacked it and put it on the bed.  It had been folded in half and rolled up, vacuumed packed kind of.  It needed 48 to 72 hours to air out and completely fill out, so we slept upstairs again.

Thursday 7/30 - Shadow does not have the cushier life of an indoor cat.  He has sores on his legs that don't seem to heal and has to search for food and shelter.  But he does get fed twice a day by me and often looks quite content sleeping/resting where he chooses.  







This photo was taken later in the day, when Layla had just woken up from a nap after Joe and Patty had arrived at Dan's.  Actually, the rest of today's photos are from their visit.

Patty and I had met at the ranch to go for a ride.  We didn’t leave on our ride as early as we’d hoped because we were busy doing more cleaning in the ranch house after Debra had turned in her keys and was finally completely out.  We found more pee stains left by Pugsley.  We did finally get in a 2 1/2 mile ride on Zorro and Rico.

Joe was trying to get the tree debris cut up, but all three chainsaws ended up crapping out on him, so he went to town to get them fixed.  He ended up coming home with a new chainsaw.  Hum.



Layla playing with Ava after she had gotten home from preschool.

Joe and Patty sent lots of photos and videos of the girls during their 24 hour visit.


Once I was finished at the ranch, I went straight to town to shop for a mattress pad cover and other things needed for the ranch.  Joe and Patty had left for Nashville and I was back on my way to the ranch to do chores.  

By the time I was 'home for the day,' it was 6:30.  The pets and I all had a late dinner.  I slept upstairs a third night in a row.

Friday 7/31 - What a great way for Joe and Patty to start the day, with little Layla smiles.  I was wanting 'to cat' and stay in bed longer and do nothing, like this kitty (video).    
With Joe gone, I had to walk the dogs right before leaving for work and of course Cookie would not cooperate or just didn’t need to poop yet.  I ended up calling neighbor Susan when I got to work, and she gladly took Cookie out mid-morning and got the deed done.


Ava was dressed and ready to go to pre-school for the big graduation day. 


It hadn't been a relaxing shift at the pool.  We were very busy and I had to deal with a slip and fall.  Later, I had to reprimand a man for drinking beer out of a bottle and get him a plastic cup.  

Patty took this photo of Papaw walking Layla.  

 

While at work, I got up-dates from Murfreesboro.  

Vale, Dan, Layla, Patty and Joe got to Ava's graduation just before lunch time.  










Ava with her 'graduating class' of 20 other students.  

As always, by the time I got home from working at the pool, I was exhausted.  I went out and read another very fast moving John Grisham thriller and took a short nap.  But my nap was interrupted by pool business.  Mary, who had replaced me for the afternoon shift, needed the name of a man I had checked in, but because he entered with a receipt from the indoor pool, he wasn't in our computer.  I had warned her about him because some customers had reported that he had 'changed' out on the deck the day before, putting a towel around his waist and then slipping off his suit.  But then he accidentally dropped his towel.  Well, he did it again today!  I'd had a busy shift, but at least I didn’t have the hassle of dealing with this guy who exposed himself.  Never a dull moment at the adut pool.  



After the graduation ceremony, photos were taken and then our Villhauer clan went out for a late lunch.  


No surprise that Ava got this award.  She can appear shy at first, but once she has warmed up to you, she has lots to communicate.  
That's our girl!  



Joe and Patty got home at 4:30.  Joe left right away to go mow the pastures out at the ranch since rain was supposed to come overnight and was forecasted for all weekend.

After the dogs, cats and I ate, I took Maggie for a short walk and then Cookie for a long walk.  We headed up the Library Trail and saw these triplet fawns right away.  No sign of mama.

I walked with Cookie up to the Druid Club House to see how the golf parking area was coming along.  There was still a worker, at 7pm, taking sand out on the course where they had aerated the greens.  I guess he wanted to get finished before the rain also.


This panoramic view kind of shows you the vastness of the open, flat (mostly parking?) area.
 

I hope the plans for trees planted in little 'islands' in the parking lots will help improve the sight of this site.

Cookie and I headed home going down the #18 fairway after I took this photo of her by the green.  Many cats have a good life, but being a dog (in a loving home) is not such a bad deal either.  





I think if I were truly retired (no pool or ranch responsibilities) I could nearly live the life of a pampered cat (video).






I am not complaining about my life and feel and realize how blessed I am.  But this summer I have just felt too busy, and it doesn't help that I have less energy.  I only made it to the gym once this week, but am thankful we now have full use of the ranch house and have it nearly cleaned up and ready for family, friends, and even customers.  We will not be doing any more long term leases, but just Air B&B and weekly rentals.