Let The Good Times Roll

Let the good times roll - basically says, let things that are going well proceed.  I try to have as much fun and live life as richly as possible.  Even though Joe is gone for the next three weeks (in Peru with daughter Britney), that ain't going to stop me from going out and having a good time... let the good times roll.  Often, even when Joe is here, we go our separate ways, doing our own thing, and having fun with our own friends.  Don't get me wrong, we enjoy being and doing things together too.

I must admit, I was a little melancholy and envious that I wouldn't be spending three weeks with Britney.  Although, hearing about a delayed flight, long wait in the airport, troubles getting a taxi, and envisioning the long plane ride, I was glad I stayed home.  Seen left, their first night in Peru at an Airbnb.  Britney reported making great new friends (which she has a gift for doing quickly) with their incredible hosts, even though they were only there two nights.  She has a joy of living attitude and always lets the good times roll.

Saturday after finishing and posting last week's blog, I finally got outside and planted my new Hydrangea. They don't look as blue here because of the sunlight on them.  I also think they need more acid added to their soil.  Then I watered all the other new plantings.


I mowed the lower 2/3rs of the backyard and then spray painted the blue plastic tub I bought cheap at Big Lots and also the grinder pump top, which was bright green.  They are now the same matching brown.





After cleaning up tools and taking care of the dog, I was off to the Music Festival.  I sat with Don and Irene and (to their right in this photo) DJ and Donna.







I had missed the first band that played from noon to 1:30.  After the second band finished at 3:30, I ran home to walk the dog.  Then I was back for the last band, Pink Cadillac, from 4-7 pm.
 


Me and my amigas, left is Gwen. 
Above Donna and Annette

Not only did I enjoy the people, music and dancing; I savored my hot dog, popcorn, and beer.






The Pink Cadillacs were real crowd please-rs.  It was their goal to enable us to have as much fun as possible.  They were entertaining to watch and during several songs they came out into the grass and got people up and dancing.  (video) Let the good times roll while rollin' down the river.  Don't it make you want to SHOUT! (video)  



It was a beautiful day, but unfortunately, the crowd size was not as large as hoped for.  All who did attend seemed to have a good time, enjoying the weather, music, food, and drinks.

After getting home, I took Maggie on a nice long walk to make up for my absenteeism.

Sunday, Mother's Day, I put my flowers on my desk so I could better enjoy them.  Besides, I had to guard them from the cat who kept trying to eat the leaves.  Notice the flowers have really opened up.









I got a kick out of this chipmunk who appeared stuck in the corncob hanger.  His little pouches were bursting.  He sat in this position for many minutes, but then just backed on out.  Maybe he was resting or just enjoying life.

I saw posted on Facebook this photo of Dan and Valencia, taken at her graduation.  Not only has she graduated college, but he has been promoted to warehouse supervisor at Wayfair.  I also got word from Dan and Courtney to have a Happy Mother's Day.  And Joe sent some photos of Britney 'letting the good times roll' while they were touring Lima in Peru.














Seen right, it looks like the police are keeping their eye on the Brat.  Grandma Beverly said, "Britney looks ornery enough to need that hoard of police." 😜

After church, outdoors on a pretty 67 degree morning, I grabbed an early lunch and then went to the barn.  Amiga was enjoying herself out in the pasture with all her friends.

I rode out into the winter pastures across the road.  Seen bottom left, the largest of the four fields.  Seen right, a deer we flushed out a few minutes after taking the first photo.  The doe looked at us and then just sauntered off into the woods.

I rode for nearly two hours.  Amiga's gait was very smooth today, with very little lameness issues.  We caught the long trail from the back of the winter pasture, rode down to Daddy's creek and on to the swimming hole.  I haven't been down this trail since last fall.








Amiga thinking about inner tubing in the creek.  😜 


I saw this large yellow fungus and had to share this photo of it.

It was so peaceful, pretty, and cool riding along the creek (video).


Back at home I planted flowers in my new tub and put it on the grinder pump lid, seen below.  I watered lots of plants that needed it, took a longer than usual dog walk, cooked ham and bean soup with some other stuff thrown in for good measure, read, computerized, and was in bed by 10 pm.

Monday started out beautiful and promised to remain so all day.  I sat here all morning, getting this blog post started.  By 9:30 am I received communication from Joe that he and Britney had just arrived at the Cusco guest house, and were resting to adjust to 11,000 foot altitude.








By days end they sent photos of the archeological ruins and said they had done lots of walking.  Seen right, Britney pointing out the 12-angle stone, two feet thick, over 1100 years old, weighing tons.  It is not known how the Incas moved these and built this.  Amazing.

Britney making more friends.  She said they met some really sweet boys from northern Peru, and had a 'double date'.  What's not to like about this girl?


Getting outside after an early lunch I finished planting flowers (seen right between the two trees).  I did lots of weeding of the mulched areas in back.  There are all these little plants (seen at the bottom of the right photo) growing in most of the mulch - I had already weeded them from the top part of this bed.  I got two azaleas planted to replace a bush that didn't survive and all new plantings got watered.  I also dug up some grass and stuck it in a little pot and brought it in for Stevie, hoping she would chew on it instead of my other plants.  It seems to be helping.

After I feed the dog and cat, Maggie and I took a nice long walk.  I had a late (frozen) dinner and did some reading and my usual Duolingo Spanish practice.  I am not making good ground on either.

Tuesday morning I woke confused from a strange dream that seemed so real.  I had to rush my place here at my computer with my tea because I needed to leave for work at 8:45.  A lunch was packed along with plenty of water, and I took Maggie on a long walk before shutting her in the Mancave for the next five plus hours.

My first day back at work this season went well, was fun, and I look forward to many more work days like this.  I love my job at the adult pool, keeping everything looking good and meeting so many nice people.

I came straight home from work at 2:15, walked Maggie right away, and then had to run errands.  It was 5:30 by the time I got home again.  There went my afternoon of yard work, although I walked around in back watering what needed it.  I took this photo and (video) of Mrs. duck whom I haven't seen in days.







I was hungry and tired and had just purchased some tasty salad fixins, so ate an early dinner out on the back porch.  Stevie was lounging and watching critters beyond the screen.  Then I took Maggie on a one hour walk.  With my remaining energy, I read until sleep took me at 9 pm.

Wednesday was another gorgeous day in the neighborhood.  I didn't linger here very long, because I was going on a morning ride.

Jan rode to Wildwood from Terry's and Deana joined us for part of our ride.  She is seen left on her cute little palomino mare Sandy.

Amiga and Cash were both wound up, having a new horse on the trail with them.  Deana turned back early because Sandy is still getting back into riding shape.
Seen right, Jan on Cash crossing the creek ahead of Amiga and I, as we ride towards Terry's. 

Amiga says hi to Donkey while we were hanging out at Terry's.

Once back to the barn, I treated Amiga's hooves and legs.  While standing in the cross tie, she was resting her two sore legs, front right and back left.  She had not favored them too much during our 2 1/2 hour ride, but I could see they were tired/sore.








I brought home buckets and tubs of horse manure, so set to work down in back.  Mr. and Mrs. duck were both together, preening and drinking after eating the corn I had brought them.  Before dumping manure, I wanted a base layer of pond swamp to help build up the ground level.  Our end of the pond was collecting sticks, leaves, and sandy muck from runoff coming down from the creek upstream, so it needed dredging.

Above left photo taken after I had removed ten wheel barrow loads from the creek where it enters the pond.  Above right taken Thursday after five more loads were dredged from the pond.  Bottom two photos, first load of manure ready for dumping.  All the dark soil on the ground is where I had spread the pond muck.

Seen left, with all of the manure unloaded and spread out, I realized I need more.  I finished up outside by mowing the rest of the back and the two side yards.

I got a phone call from Joe and Britney after dinner and they sent more photos.  It was good to hear from them.  They are having a blast, the good times keep rolling.

Trying some salt at the salt mines

Seen above and right, visiting the terrace agriculture micro-climate thing at Moray.

Seen left, an alpaca burger for dinner.

Thursday I debated taking Stevie to the vet.  She had been under the weather for a week, sneezing and laying low, finding out-of-the-way places to sleep a lot.

But, because she seemed to be getting better, I decided to hold off.  By the time I posted this, she appears to be over her cold or allergies or what ever the problem was.

I mowed the front yard, moving my neighbors 'fishing gear' out of the way.  Once finished, I let Maggie play with it.  The ball bait worked, and Allen caught himself a dog (video). Ha ha ha.

I took the X book (which was due and I had just finished) to the library drop box, packed a lunch, walked Maggie for 30 minutes and then headed to work.  But first I went to the barn and filled my tubs with more manure.  It was a slow day at the pool because it was a little overcast, although it was still warm with the partial sunshine.

I closed the pool an hour early because no one was there.  Once home I wanted to unload the manure and plant grass seed.  I needed one more load of pond muck so raked some out of this area (seen right).








Over an hour later when I took photos, look what I noticed in the muck, circled in red in above photo.  Seen in left photo, I moved closer and zoomed in with my cell phone.  Yep, it is a Copperhead.



After getting the manure spread, I dispersed grass seed and then put grass clippings I had collected earlier over the seed. 








I ran out of grass clipping so used mulched leaves to finish covering the seed.

Maggie had been patiently waiting on me, hooked out in the back yard, so we went for a nice long walk and I got to enjoy this sunset.







By evening, Joe and Britney had arrived at Machu Picchu via train.  This is a photo of them touring the Inca ruins the next day.

It was a rainy day Friday, and I was glad to get some relief from watering new transplants and grass seed.  Two of the song sparrow eggs have hatched but mama is still sitting on the nest, not leaving to get food just yet.

I had an appointment to give blood so combined it with some errands and shopping.  Got a new library book, my hair cut, and bought some more shrub to 'finish' landscaping the yard.  It is never finished.  LOL



I got home feeling tired, so set up to read my new book in the sun.  It didn't last long and I was chased inside by sprinkles, and then rain.  So I sat on the back porch with my kitty, who was finally being more sociable, and read my new Janet Evanovich book.

To end the evening and the week, Shirley picked me up and we went to the library building for the Moodlighters monthly dance.  The theme was horse racing, so I decided to go as a cowgirl / barrel racer.  Shirley followed suit.  Seen right, Donna and DJ Garrison, he sang and played music for this event and Donna joined us 'single ladies' dancing.  Let the good times roll.

There was to be a planned power outage overnight, from 11 - 5, so after walking the dog, I prepared to be in the dark if I woke up in the night.  When my bedroom light went out at 11 pm on the dot, I finished my Spanish lesson on my i-pad and went to sleep.