Manners Matter

In a 'me first' world, it is becoming obvious that manners and courtesies are disappearing.  But manners matter.  They matter with adults, kids, dogs and horses.  Manners matter at home, work, play and on trips (driving to town, shopping, at doctor's office or going to concerts, during dog park play and walks, at horse camp grounds, etc.).  Manners are important because they show love, gratitude, and respect toward others, and even the environment.  

AI Overview: Manners focus on teaching kindness, consideration, and value toward another.  Manners create predictable, courteous behaviors that reduce conflict, build trust, and can even trigger positive chemical responses (oxytocin) in others, making interactions more pleasant and productive.

Saturday 4/25 - I was up starting this blog from 1:30 to 4am.  UGH!  My thoughts, plans, ideas and worries, circulating through my brain along with the itchy tick bites driving me crazy, keep me awake.  What do ya do when you wake up and can't get back to sleep?

I did morning chores in the damp.  We were getting a little drizzle off and on, but not near the amount of rain that had been forecasted.  
All chickens were accounted for.  

Driving home I noticed the cattle at the stables a lot closer to the road, and could see many babies.  

There was also a group of rather pregnant gals, waiting to calve.  

I saw Joe on the road as I was heading home.  He was on his way to the ranch to meet the Spectrum guy who was coming out to clean up this mess of wire and the box.  It had been left like this several weeks ago.  Come to find out they couldn't remove it but would send another guy out to hang it up higher, out of the way.

Joe fixed the underground wire to the chicken coop.  When he dug it up, he saw that it was just nicked.  

So Joe wrapped electrician's tape around it, and then taped a plastic bag around that.  His electrician friend said if it gets wet, it will just trip the circuit breaker.  So it should be alright. 

Once buried back in the ground, the next concern was if the chickens would dig it up.  These girls love fresh, loose dirt to dig in.

I was counting on a rainy day for R&R, but the rain didn't really come until an afternoon storm moved into the area.  Later to measure, we only got a half inch.

As I was leaving for the gym when the storm was rolling in, Joe was outside mowing the lawn.  For today’s daredevil, crazy, risky behavior… while the thunder and lightning cracked right overhead, he was pushing the lawn mower around down back.  At least he wasn't in flip flops.  All I can say is, I guess God doesn't need him up in heaven just yet.
  



We want Cookie to be a well mannered dog, because it matters.  She is learning (partly from Maggie's good example).  In this photo, they are to stay out of the dinning room while we were eating.  Cookie is a work in progress, and is very trainable... unless she is in rowdy, rambunctious puppy behavior or on the hunt for something.  Then you might as well forget it.  We try to discipline with immediate, consistent, and calm redirection rather than harsh physical punishment.  The use of clear, one-time commands helps.  We also implement brief, calm time-outs or redirect bad behavior by immediately offering a desired alternative.

Good dog manners matter so we (primarily I) will continue to work with her.  Training takes time, consistency and immediate action, so it is a big commitment.  Maggie is well mannered, making her pleasant to have around.  Everyone comments on what a nice dog she is.  We have worked diligently with her.  But she will go into the 'zone' and misbehave sometimes. 
 

Sunday 4/26 - After church I worked at getting the second roll of fencing boxed up.  I had to splice cardboard together to make the second box because this roll had been stretched out across the lawn and Joe and I couldn't get it rolled any tighter, so there was no getting it back into the original box.  The first roll, in box on top, shows size difference.  Both boxes are up on the wheelbarrow so Cookie can't destroy them.  





After a nice ride with Karen; she, Patty and I wormed the horses.  You can see the white paste on Rico's lips.  In the next photo, after I finished mucking, I watched Zorro, who had been rolling in the pond, get up and continue eating wetland grass from the water's edge.  







I was exhausted, even before finishing evening chores at the ranch, and I had more to do at home.  Joe ordered delivery from Dominoes, and we enjoyed chicken/pasta dishes without having to cook or do dishes afterwards.  We watched the action packed movie 'Apex,' which I highly recommend.
  

Monday 4/27 - While I was at the gym for a few hours and Joe was supervising Cookie, this basket handle got chewed up.  In defense of Joe, Cookie can destroy something quickly and quietly without you realizing it, until too late.

I had made a trip to the community dirt pile and after lunch, took the equivalent of nine, five-gallon bucket loads of black dirt to the ranch.  The area you see here, with old hay spread on top, needed lots of prep before I seeded it. 
 

This is another view of the same seeded spot.  I had also seeded two more other little areas, so had six total to water.

Patty was mowing, and ran out of gas, so we had to check in with golfer Joe to see if this tank had regular fuel in it.  I texted him the photo. 






I had a fantastic, short, two mile ride on Amiga.  We connect so well and she is so dependable.  

I had to go grocery shopping after leaving the ranch.  Well, while I was going down St. George headed to Food city, I experienced an incident of road rage, both with an aggressive driver and in myself. 

I am going to diverge for a moment, because I think this is important.  Road rage, the cause of it and the reaction to it, is basically due to poor driving etiquette and a loss of good manners.

 

AI: Road rage is fundamentally a severe loss of manners, where drivers replace social etiquette with aggression due to perceived loss of control, stress, or anonymity.  It transforms routine driving into hostile conflict, often triggered by actions like tailgating, failure to signal, or slow driving in the fast lane.  Practicing courtesy, empathy, and maintaining emotional composure is key to preventing these dangerous confrontations.  Manners cost nothing.  Road rage = bad manners; angry, rude, dangerous behavior.  

   



What happened with me today is; I was being tailgated going down St. George (and I was already going 5 miles over the speed limit).  I kept increasing my speed thinking that would get the driver off the back end of my car.  I was up to 39 miles an hour, and the driver gunned her engine, dangerously passing me, in a no passing zone.  

Well, I let her bad manners get the best of me, and laid on the horn while she was passing.  (Also considered bad driving manners.)  She proceeded to stick her hand way out the window and flip me off for probably 30 seconds while she disappeared down the road.  There went my happy, good mood.  I loathe road rage.

Tuesday 4/28 - It was quite windy at bed time last night and we got some loud thunder storms in the middle of the night, disturbing our sleep a few times. (different rain gauges here and at ranch showed 1½ to 2 inches.    

Courtney had posted photos, including one of herself, which I saw first thing this morning.  I really like her new hair style.  


After morning ranch chores, I went straight to town for several stops and plenty of purchases.



Not getting home until 2:00, it took another hour to stow stuff away, try new harness on Cookie (which was too big), and have a light snack.  Joe took care of breaking the dental dog chews in half (video) which we do to save on cost.  



I decided it was too late (and I was not motivated) to go for a ride or gym workout.  I read on the porch swing and rested.  








Then I planted most of the flowers I'd bought.  
This second flower pot doesn’t look like much yet because I got these all at half price because they were not doing very well.  I ended up also doing some weeding and yard clean-up, of storm debris.

Wednesday 4/29 - We did not get the second round of storms predicted to hit late in the night.  I was a little disappointed because we still need a lot more rain.    
In the back you can see lots of green leaves blown down from the trees.  Is that Bambi & Thumper or Rocky & Bullwinkle sharing some cracked corn?  No, it's Bambi and Rocky.

I spent a little extra time here at my desk, doing clerical stuff in the morning.  I keep the dogs in the office/cattery with me, to supervise Cookie until Joe gets up.  She is always trying to steal the toy Maggie has even when there are plenty around for her.  

I hit the gym for 90 minutes of leg and aerobic work, before scooting over to The Center for my first day of work this summer.  Our whole Dorchester Pool team of five employees were given changes in procedures including computer operation for this coming season.  With Wyndham closed, it will be very different without all their guests.  



From The Center I dropped in at the dog park (since it was on my way) where I met Joe and Cookie.  She was having fun running with two 'new friends.  At the end of this (video), when the man is telling his dog 'go play with Cookie, go, go' she thinks he is scolding her, so she is moving away from him.  

 





With a couple of hours in the afternoon, I putts-ed around.  After dinner I took Cookie for a nice long walk (video) cause she still hadn’t pooped after her dinner when Joe walked both dogs.  This puppy is quite time consuming, but worth it.



Walks are a good use of our time and good medicine for our old bodies.  Besides, Cookie is cute, fun to watch, and she deserves a good home.

Tonight's Survivor was a special two-hour episode which featured a visit from social media celebrity Jimmy “MrBeast” Donaldson.  There was a million-dollar coin toss at tribal council, which caused chaotic play that pulled the rug out from under some schemers and left everyone scrambling!

Thursday 4/30 -  Wow, another month ending.  The passing of time seems to continue to gain speed.

Because I could not handle another trip to Nashville (hate riding in the car and I have to find horse, cat, and dog care), Patty went with Joe to Dan and Vale's in my place.  They were on the road by 8 this morning.  They will spend today and tomorrow helping with last minute cleaning and staging (for real estate photos) while also watching Layla.  Ava will be at pre-school.  

 




Morning time was the usual.  I hit the gym from 9-11:00, needing to get back in preparation to meet the Spectrum workers at the ranch (they said between 11 and noon).  
I did some housekeeping things and enjoyed photo updates from Murfreesboro, while waiting to here from Spectrum.
 

More things were getting boxed up.  

Deep cleaning continued.

Closets and shelves were organized.




While Layla supervised.  












Spectrum never called = pulled a No Show.  So I headed out to the ranch at 1:00 to do a few things and ride before chores.  Jan joined me for a nice 3½ mile ride.  It was perfect weather, and actually, I was a little cold.  Spectrum had promised to be out this afternoon, but again, didn't come.
 

Back in Murfreesboro, everything had been removed from the patio and it had been power washed.  










All the outdoor furniture was also power washed.  









Then everything was put in place in a nice, neat, orderly fashion.  Lookin' good.  




Layla's big play area had been removed and she was now confined into a good old fashion playpen, the type we used with all our kids.  



Layla was making the best of it.







There was, at some point, time to show Patty their new subdivision and take a look at new house progress.  The footers and foundation (a slab) have been poured.  

Also at some point, Ava had been picked up at preschool.  

I did evening chores at the ranch and was completely exhausted and hungry when I got home, but the dogs had to be walked and they and the cats fed.  




Cookie, like Maggie, loves to chew on sticks and run around with them.  

Cookie has on an old harness we'd used on Maggie when she was a smaller seven month old pup.  It is adjustable and works perfect.  I am glad I dug it out and tried it.

I was falling asleep at my computer and went to bed earlier than usual.
 

Friday 5/1 - May Day.  On May 1, 1886, a nationwide general strike in support of the eight-hour work day was observed.  May 1st May Day is the international workers’ holiday honoring the labor movement.  It is celebrated in at least 80 countries worldwide.  Our “Labor Day” was put in September – by President Grover Cleveland in 1894.

It was brought to my attention that the tack room had been left unlocked, with the light on, and last night's feed not used.  OMG, I completely forgot to feed Cash and Cowboy.  After our ride yesterday, I had told Jan to leave the light on and door unlocked and I would go back down to feed.  I don’t know what happened other than I had changed my usual feed routine, was preoccupied texting with Joe andDebra, in a hurry to get home to the dogs, and very tired.  I can't believe I totally forgot.  UGH!!!  May Day, May Day... I need help, I am loosing my mind (memory).
 

I got to Patty's at 9am to feed Ellie, I wasn't going to forget her.  She looks a tad put-out in this photo.  I think she was looking for lovin' rather than food.  I gave her some but couldn't stay long because...

...Cookie was tired to my car outside,waiting on me.  

 



Once to the ranch, Cookie got tied in the front yard to wait on me while I fed Pasos and did chicken chores.

Next I took Cookie down to the barn, where I tied her in the isle, while I got a bag of feed from the shop.   

 
As I was getting into my car, I saw what looked to be a brindle pitbull coming down our drive towards the barn.  I thought it might be the same dog Jan had seen.  Once it got closer, I realized it wasn’t a dog at all.  LOL  This young deer is probably last year‘s baby.  It was trying to figure out how to get back into the woods.  It panicked more when Cookie barked so then it tried to get over the wood fence (video).  I put cookie in the tack room because she was barking at it.  When I came out, it had figured out an escape plan. Maybe it ran back up the drive.  I don’t know.
 

I tied Cookie to the electric pole by the corral and watered all the newly seed areas.  This first one I seeded has started germinating already.  

It is difficult to see Cookie in the first photo.  Here I zoomed in on her.  She stayed quietly tied, the whole time I worked.

Meanwhile, back in Murfreesboro, Ava had been dropped at preschool and Joe and Patty were helping Dan and Vale with last minute preparation for the professional photographer.  

   
Layla was sure to get in on the action.






What a busy body, but she does very well at entertaining herself.  

Cookie and I went up to the ranch house for a lunch break.  Well, I ate and she watched, and got a bite or two when I was finished.  At this point, the Murfreesboro work crew had gone to lunch while the real estate company took photos.  Patty sent me photos of the house before they left.  Once the listing is complete, I'll send you a link.  Please pray their house sells by end of July or earlier.  Their new house is to be completed by the end of August. 

Eat in kitchen with Layla and Joe on the loose.  





Dinning room with Paco getting in the shot.  







Ava's bedroom.  







Guest bedroom.  

  




Master bedroom.  

This is how the garage looked, full of all the extra stuff they had removed from the house and yard.  All of this is in addition to the storage unit they have moved a bunch of stuff to. 

After lunch, Cookie and I went down to the barn.  She was kept in Amiga's stall while I got Rico and tacked up and rode off.  I took him on Stratford Circle.  Other than one big spook, he did very well.  I rode back into the barn yard just as Karen and Jan were ready to ride out, and joined them.  This was good for Rico to go back out and he totaled a little over six miles for the day.  

Bonnie had chores this evening but I helped out by taking care of the Pasos and chickens.  They were finishing up a little more hay before going out on the front pasture for a change, to give the side pasture a rest and a chance to recuperate.  

I had 'parked' Cookie back up at the house while I finished up with horses and chickens.  

I love our inviting hammock, the mountain view, the red shop, shed and barn, Mama's memorial rock, and even Cookie monster.  
Cookie and I got home for a late dinner time.  Joe and Patty had gotten home mid afternoon and Joe had left again to play poker.  I didn't last very long after completing evening tasks here at home.

The Golden Rule - treating others as you want to be treated, is one of the oldest and most universally agreed upon moral principles in human history.  Having good manners towards other people, their animals, and the environment you’re in, is all part of the idea of doing unto others as you would have them do unto you.