Back In Shape

After two weeks of vacationing with our houseguests, I really needed to get things back in shape... the house, yard, and my body.  I had neglected daily watering, and with the heat, the new grass and potted plants were dry and stressed.  Dishes, cupboards, refrigerator, furniture, and my blog were in as bad disarray as my body.  A lot needed to get done to get things back in shape.  This week started the effort to do so.
Post vacation depression made it tough to get going.  Several times I had to tell myself to just do it.  It was toughest to get myself back to the gym.

Saturday morning I was still in vacation mode.  It involved the usual tea drinking, chatting with Mom, and computer time.  Patty took this photo of Maggie and Stevie lounging.  The girls went antiquing early, and I went to the barn at 9:00 to check on Zorro.  He came right to me and showed no issues of foot tenderness.  I had worried about his feet being sore after our long ride Friday.

Coming home, I made a quick trip to the store.  Mom helped me fix (snap) fresh green beans and I got them cooked with sauteed sweet onions.  She would have them later, for her early dinner.

Once the Iowan's got home, Therese and Joe went to the pool and Patty and I went for another ride.  This time I borrowed Gerry's big quarter horse Badger, seen upper left.  We had planned to go on the long ride that goes along Daddy's creek, which is too rocky for Zorro, because he doesn't have shoes.  Patty rode Amiga again.


Both horses did great and so did us two girls, I must say.  I took this video on our way back to the barn.  We finally got a little rain once we were in the car headed home.


Therese fixed rice when she got home from Mass and Joe grilled the chicken I had marinating.  Just before 7:00, when Patty and I got home from the barn, we warmed up the already cooked green beans, and dinner was ready.  We had one last night of puzzle working, but it was to bed early for everybody.

Sunday morning Joe left for work and Patty and Therese hit the road for Iowa (at 7 am!).  I turned off the air-conditioner and quickly realized I needed to get my body back in heat (humidity) tolerance shape.  But I love that I can hear the birds singing and the wind in the trees again.  The cat and dog are glad to be able to come and go on both screened porches.  I did five loads of laundry throughout the day, getting all the sheets and towels back in shape, ready for when more houseguests come.  Stevie loves the bag and box Therese left, and plays hide and seek with Maggie.





Mom and I watched a little of the Summer Olympics... viewing many athletes in top physical and mental shape.  Just before Joe got home from work, I cleaned out the refrigerator, putting some stuff in the cooler to go home with Mom.  I hated to have to throw some things out, but there was stuff we just won't eat.  (Maggie has been enjoying a small spoonful of Ricotta cheese on her food each night.)  I re-organized the food onto its usual shelves and was glad to finally have the fridge back in shape.

Joe left with Mom at 1:15, to take her home by way of a stopover in Macon GA.  I continued with laundry and tried to make a dent in my blog post for the past week.  We had a lot of leftover ice cream, and I felt the need to get rid of it and the whip cream, so indulged myself in quite a large bowl.  Then feeling guilty about all the extra calories, thrown on top of an already fattening body, I took Maggie for a nice long walk.  I was feeling sad that everyone was gone, but phew... glad I could finally relax and have quiet time in my own neat and clean space.

At bed time, with no one to distract me or need me to turn the lights out, I started back up my habit of nightly (a lesson a day) Bible readings.  And I did two days worth, each night this week, because I had gotten so far behind.


Monday I was basically a slob all day.  During morning computer time, I heard lots of chatter between two Pileated woodpeckers.  Seen right, it appeared the adult was instructing a smaller one, teaching it the ins and outs of feeder feeding.  At one point, the smaller one was flying up against the picture window, not hitting it hard, but seeming to want to fly through it to our front yard.

After the rental guy came and got Mom's bed, I got busy vacuuming, and moved all our furniture to where it usually goes, getting things back in shape.  Folding chairs and table leaves were also stored away.  Again I worked on my Blog, but I was still feeling lonely and depressed.














The majority of my day was spent at the computer, drinking three cups of tea.  I ate cookies, candy, more ice cream, and muffins.  I was in such a funk... everybody was gone and I missed their presence.  I did take Maggie for a long, scenic walk on part of Druid golf course, (several photos from this included). Meanwhile, Joe had successfully dropped Mom off and then spent the night at Daytona Beech winning enough $ to pay for his trip.


Early Tuesday morning I finally got my blog posted.  I spent two hours out in the yard, mostly watering (with fertilizer) all the new transplants and grass.  I worked the 2-7 shift at Dorchester pool, even though there had been a schedule change I wasn't told about and Mary Jo also arrived for the same shift.  I hadn't worked for eight days, and her daughter was visiting so we both preferred that I stay and do the shift.  I got home exhausted at 7:30.  After walking Maggie, I ended the evening with popcorn and an adult beverage.

I met Jan at the barn before 8 am Wednesday.  We took our time getting tacked up to hit the trail. 

The temperature, humidity and flies weren't bad and there was often a nice breeze.

This interesting looking flower was all along the trail under the power lines.  

We rode to Terry's where we hung out and explored for quite awhile.  Below, Amiga meets Donkey.  We arrived back at the barn at 11:30, a 2 1/2 hour ride.  Both of us were a little saddle sore.
 

After lunch I concentrated my efforts in the front yard, trimming bushes and weeding.  (Before left and after below)  Joe got home from his Florida trek, took a nap, and then headed out to his weekly card game.






Meanwhile, I kept working in front.  I finished the trimming, but only got the front bed weeded, with others still to do.  One more load of mulch still needs to be spread.  Another before and after photo below.












The front entry sidewalk (below) also looks much nicer.  I just wish I had gotten this all done before company came... but oh well.


I finished up in the yard with more watering before coming in for a late dinner, if you call a big bowl of ice-cream and Cool Whip dinner.
But the cool whip is gone now,
so that is one less thing I have to eat to clean out the fridge.

While my tea was steeping Thursday morning, I took Maggie for an hour walk.  To get my body back in shape, I am re-committing to walking first thing when I get up.  This sets the tone (speed) for one's metabolic rate for the day and helps you burn more calories even while sitting.








I got a good start on this blog while enjoying tea and breakfast.  But then I was just so sleepy, I had to take a nap.  Hum... the effects of morning exercise?
Or, am I still recovering from houseguests.

Joe worked all morning and I did a lot of watering before going to work a 2-7 shift.  Shirley dropped by the pool to chat and bring me a packing list for our Alaskan Cruise.  I have less than two weeks to get house, potted plants, pet care, and packing in shape for our departure.  Seen right, glad this branch didn't fall while I was out there working.  It even broke the flat stone on the right of the bottom.

When doing my nightly feeding of the fish, I noticed that Charlie, a catfish I have had for easily 15 years, had died.  I remember moving this fish from classroom to classroom, and home for the summer to Heritage Rd., the farm on US 150, and then here to TN.  Joe and I watched Olympic swimming and gymnastics to end the day.


I noticed this slime mold in the back when putting corn out Friday morning after my one hour walk.  I am not sure how it can grow when it has been so dry.


Once I was done computerizing for a few hours I went out to continue weeding in the front beds, in preparation to eventually finish mulching them.

Mid-day I went to the barn to ride Amiga.  Oscar, seen right, is such a stately barn cat.  I didn't have long to ride and Amiga has a saddle sore, so I just went bareback.  

Then, I finally got my sorry sack of flesh to the gym.  I had to back off on some of my normal weight amounts or number of reps, but it was a redeeming workout.  I knew I was going to be sore from it... the cost of getting back into shape.
Joe and I had dinner together (a rare occurrence these days) and watched more Olympic events.  Fast forward is such a nice option when you have taped TV shows.