Customary Routine

Routine provides a feeling of structure and familiarity, which provides direction in our lives.  It is a way of organizing our life so that it makes sense to us, enabling us to act instead of standing still because of a lack of direction.  A routine that is customary is necessary at all ages, but is more common the older we get.  We become creatures of habit.  Otherwise, if we veer off track, we might forget to do something important or crucial.

I don't see customary routine and activities as enslavement.  I have a preference for them.  It is why I am not a fan of traveling and explains why I forget to do important things when I have company.  Habits and routines are a bit like patterns: that pleasant sense of repetition, the comfort of knowing what’s coming up next, and the order they can bring to life is reassuring.  

Saturday I worked 9-2.  Joe and Patty came out and a little later Shirley with her three grand children.














I ended up having lots of guests, several families with plenty of kids.  One of the ladies counted 17 children in the pool at one point in time.  And I have found that the younger dads are usually the biggest rule breakers.

As soon as I got home from work, we went on a pontoon ride on St. George.  It was a beautiful day for it. 

I attempted a nap once home and showered, but that is not my customary routine, so sleep evaded me.  Mary and Patty got all packed up in preparation for an early departure in the morning.









Then we went out to dinner at Ruby Tuesday's and next to the Playhouse for the performance of Million Dollar Quartet.  I thought it was going to be a concert so was pleasantly surprised that it was a musical comedy.  We all enjoyed the performance which was very well done.

Stevie grazing on her grass.

Sunday morning Patty and Mary were on the road by 6:30. 

I still did not get back into my routine of going to Church because we had planned a pontoon boat ride at 10 am on Lake Dartmoor, to take Ken's parents on a tour.







We waited an extra half hour for rain to clear, but it started back up again as we were boarding our boat.  It was wet and kind of cold, but we didn't let that stop us from having a good time.



Thankfully the skies cleared off after 40 minutes and our remaining 80 minute ride was pleasant.  It even got warm enough to anchor and Joe went for a little swim.   I tried getting photos of this goose family but only this one, with just one of the babies, was in decent focus.

Rain moved back into the area in the afternoon, and came steadily, off and on, most of the rest of the day as I tried to get last week's blog finished and posted.  I had been distracted from my customary routine of updating notes each morning and sorting through photos, so I was really behind.

I went to the barn at 5 pm to soak Amiga's foot and check on her.  Kayla was just getting there to bring the horses in so I helped out a little and then only gave Amiga half her grain, saving the rest for when we were done.  Taking a good look at her foot after soaking, I noticed that the blow-out hole (line) was longer (right photo)







Amiga also had a new area of drainage on the front of her foot at the top of her hoof line (the perioplic ring I believe) seen left, indicating that this was quite a large abscess that had been festering.





After Maggie and I ate dinner, we went for a long walk.  This photo was taken at the large rock overlooking the pond in front of the number 14 green of Druid.  I went to bed at 9pm, shortly after Joe got home.  He was early because his poker outing had not been successful.

Monday morning I took this photo of the bird nest.  I had heard the babies chirping the day before, so am not sure when they flew away.  Now I need to do some cleaning.

In an effort to get back into my 'gym' routine, I went to Ballroom Aerobics, and then made a big (long) shopping trip into town.






It rained most of the afternoon, and we ended up getting three inches by the time it quit.  I took these photos of the pond and creek in back... not flooded but full.






More asparagus has come up.  I think it likes the moisture.





Mirror Lake Blast was moved indoors with Dave and Daphne (out of Nashville) being the entertainers.  Joe and I went and enjoyed the show.

I have been reading a new paperback as time permits.  With company gone reading and computerizing does occur more often.  And with Joe home now, I have someone to talk to when it gets too quiet around the house.

I worked 9-2 and then went straight to the barn to pay my board.  Oops, I was really late on this payment.  I had completely lost track of the days.  Having company will do that to you.

I rode Amiga, trying out her new fly mask, that Jan picked up for me (video).  It keeps flies off her ears and out of her eyes, protects the eyes from brush out on the trail, and its light weight mesh breaths and is cool.


Amiga felt and looked great, no lameness issues at all.
Back at the barn, Ambrie and Brook were getting ready for the bonfire and hay ride...










...but took time to horse around a little bit.

As I was leaving I enjoyed this view of the sky.  The white, fluffy cumulus clouds were pushing away the dark, flat nimbostratus rain clouds.

I skewered shish-kabobs and Joe grilled them for dinner.  We enjoyed cocktails, a delicious meal, and a beautiful evening out on the porch.

While out with Maggie on a nice long walk, I checked on the Druid family pool.  Work on it is progressing.  I thought the light from the setting sun looked pretty on the rock wall.





The sky had a pretty pink color, seen in this photo looking east with the number 18 green of Druid in the foreground and the mountains in the distance.  It was nearly dark (and just about bedtime) as we arrived home, and the pretty, almost full moon was rising in the sky.  I didn't attempt a photo of it.



The morning sun Wednesday was casting light on the flag Dan brought from Afghanistan, but I couldn't get a good photo to show it.  I like how the corners of our house face N, S, E, and W.  It allows direct sunlight to come in every window at some point in time during the day.  How it shines in also varies depending on the time of year.





I picked Carole up for Ladies Club and seen here, I am with Rosemary, Carole, and (a different) Shirley.  We had a story teller (who also sang) for our entertainment.  She was enjoyed by all.





Home by 1:15, I walked the dog and then worked in the yard till 6:45.  Joe was out golfing and then to his other weekly poker game.  I planted five of the eleven little juniper (some Bar Harbor and some Blue Rug) I had bought, plus some more Japanese Spurge ground cover.


Accustomed to this routine, Maggie sat on the deck and kept a watch out for stray golfers, rodents, and possible deer sightings. 














While in back working, a golfer who was down near the cattail on the other side of the pond hollered to me that the landscaping look great.  So during our evening walk, I went that direction first, to see how the yard looked from across the pond, and took this photo.

Maggie, Stevie, and I had a late dinner and then I took the dog on an hour walk.  Again, energy, daylight, and time, were gone for the day, so I went to bed.

Keeping a watch on us below, from her balcony 'perch' is one of Stevie's customary routines.  Thursday morning proceeded as usual.

Joe helped me with a few little projects involving the bird feeders and then I went to the employee picnic at St. George Marina.  We were served tacos and best of all, the desert, Choco Taco ice cream.  Stupid Blogger turner this photo sideways.




I worked at the pool 2-7 but didn't get home until 7:45 because I had a family of eight come out late and stay till closing so I had to re-clean in a few areas.

Beer and a movie with Joe ended the evening.  We watched this good documentary, Unbranded.  It followed four men and sixteen adopted and trained wild mustangs on an epic 3,000-mile journey from Mexico to Canada through the American West.  It was done and filmed to inspire conservation efforts and prove the worth of the wild horses living in holding pens in hopes more will be adopted.  Their customary routine during the six month journey was amazing.

Friday I had a morning riding date with Jan so left for the barn at 8 am.  She and Cash met Amiga and I on Srandford drive and we proceeded into the Dorchester golf neighborhoods.  I wanted to try a road that had been blocked but was told was now clear.  The first large tree was gone, but soon we had to turn around because we hit another large oak completely covering the road.







We rode to Terry's so I could see the new fencing (that's Jan on Cash near their barn in the above photo).  Then we rode down to Terry's in-law's new house and out the drive and down Eli Ford road back to Marmaduke.  Amiga and I were out for over three hours and she did great!  I soaked her hoof just to be sure all the abscess is being drained out, even though I don't see any drainage.

I got home at 1:00 and was delighted to see that Joe had mowed the front and side lawn before leaving for the airport.  (As customary these days, he is off again, for ten days in Las Vegas and Utah.)  Entering the house, I was also glad to see he had vacuumed (his only routine household chore).  But when I opened the Mancave to let Maggie out, she had made a mess pilfering through his trash can and chewing (tearing) several things up.  It was an easy clean up job though, compared to the cat throw up I dealt with earlier.



After a late lunch, I decided to nap on a lounge chair on the deck, soon got too hot, so went to the Conference Center pool to cool off and read in the sun there.  A quick dog walk once home and I was off to Shirley's for dinner. I got word from Joe, that he and Greg made it to their first touring destination, Hoover Dam.  I hurried back home to feed the cat and dog, and walk Maggie again.




Then I was off to St. George Marina, with Shirley following me.  We had fun dancing and socializing at the Full Moon party, but it was not near as rowdy as last month.

I still haven't gotten back into my weight lifting routine.  I now work Tue, Thur, and Sat; the days I usually went to the gym.  I need to come up with a different game plan.