It Ain't Fittin'

This blog title brings several things to mind... like it ain't fittin' that it is now autumn, summer is gone, and fall is upon us.  It also ain't fittin' that I don't have time or energy to do everything on my list.  I just can't fit everything in, especially now that I have another pet to care for.  And last of all, I hope people don't look at me and my enthusiasm and joy of dancing, and lack of inhibitions... and think, "It aint' fittin'; it just ain't fittin'."


I could discuss the offensive, improper, nasty behavior of too many Americans, but will just say, it ain't fittin' to be hateful to others.  The inappropriate behavior of individuals who are being disrespectful to other races, religions, and ideologies needs to stop.  It is tearing our country apart.  On the other hand, it ain't fittin' for Christians to hide their faith so they don't offend anyone.  The secret of Christian living is love.  Only love fills the empty spaces caused by evil.  I pray that we can once again become a loving nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty, and justice for all. 

Arrow made it clear, which way to go.

Saturday, I finished and posted last week's blog.  Then I worked at the pool from 8:45 - 1:00.  The water was 70 degrees.  Too cold for most to get into.  I took a quick plunge at one point because I had gotten so hot from scrubbing lounge chairs, to clean them up before winter storage.  I was quick in and out of the water, but found the experience to be exhilarating, invigorating, and refreshing.

This appears to be the top of a silo,
out in the middle of the woods.

Once home, I rushed to walk the dog for a quick potty break because Joe had left her home alone much earlier.  Then I changed into hiking clothes and hurried into town, with dog in tow, to pick up Joe from golfing.  We proceeded to hike three different trails for the Marathon, totaling four miles.  Like at the pool, the numerous black gnats were annoying.

We both snacked as soon as we got home, I while sitting on the back porch.  I was working on finishing my paperback and Stevie and Maggie were resting nearby.

But Monita didn't think this was fittin' and that we all should play.  I had shooed her away several times while trying to snack.  So then she moved to Stevie.


















Eventually Stevie moved up on the porch rail, out of Moni's reach so the kitten sought attention with the dog.








As night set in, and we got hungry, Joe grilled Hobos that we each made to our liking.


We tried to watch a movie together, but it was an epic fail to find one we both wanted.  I think we each kept thinking, it ain't fittin'.  Pretty soon, I decided I was too tired to stay up anyway.

Sunday morning the wrestling cats were a distraction from getting this blog post started.  And I took even more photos, requiring time to download and more space because they weren't fittin' into this post.

 There was a break in the action, and then it started up all over again. 

You may worry about Monita getting hurt, but so far Stevie hasn't been too rough.  And you may be concerned that Stevie is not getting a break from this little ball of energy, but Stevie instigates play lots of the time.  And if Stevie needs to escape, she goes up into the balcony where the kitten can't get over this barricade, seen left.

Shirley was not going to make it to church, so I decided to go hiking with Joe.  I was messing here at my computer, and a little slow to get going, but we were out the door soon after 9 am.  First we took a few more things over to Patty's new house, turned off her water and moved the patio furniture the sellers left for her, into her garage.






We drove quite a distance to the Windless Cave hiking trail.  Maggie was glad to stop for a pose on this old avalanche of boulders that the trail worked its way through.




This hike was a three mile hike, an out and back, that took us to the cave, seen behind us in left photo.








Again, Maggie was happy to jump up on this big rock inside the cave, to pose.

Then we drove to Cumberland Mountain State Park.  We were hoping to get an early lunch before our next hike, but there was a huge crowd and long line.  That just ain't fittin'.  So we hiked first.

On this hike, we missed a turn and ended up hiking five miles instead of just the two we had planned to do.  So we had gone an extra three, putting our total at eight.  We ended up eating a very late lunch, but at least there was no crowd.  We sat outside with the dog.








One thing that drives me crazy, is that Joe listens to his book on tape while we are hiking.  It ain't fitting'.  He misses out on the sounds of nature, on all my wonderful comments, and on directions, like "I think we are supposed to turn here."

I went to the CC to hot tub, read and nap in the sun, and then more hot tub and shower.  I was so relaxed when I got home, (and still full from lunch) I decided to skip dinner.  I read on the back porch until dark.









The cats played, wrestled, rough housed, or fought quietly.  I wasn't sure what they were doing (video).  I am concerned about them hurting each other.  Monita is such a pest, I don't blame Stevie for trying to get back at her.

Once it got dark, I moved inside to my desk and worked here on blog notes and down loading photos.
These photos show Monita trying to figure out how to get Stevie.




Monday I decided to hike without Joe.  He had had enough hiking for awhile.  I just wanted to get the Hiking Marathon done.  So I got maps, loaded Maggie, and went to my first destination.  We hiked the Soldier's Beach Trail while the day was already warming up.  We were near Meadow Park Lake for most of the trail, so Maggie was able to get into the water to drink and cool off several times.

I missed a turn while driving to the Lake Alice Trail hike, but only went an extra four miles.  At least this wasn't a big loss of time or energy.  I did end up putting over 40 miles on my car, but I completed the marathon. 

Selfie of Maggie and I sitting and resting in the hatch of my car.

dang photo won't post right side up

It was 2:00 when I got home.  I ate a late lunch and sent my marathon mileage sheet in to the hike coordinator.

Monita figured out how to get up on this bench, one step closer to Stevie, who is looking down through the hole at the trouble maker.

I didn't have the time or energy to work in the yard, so finished reading my Sue Grafton book.  Mirror Lake music started at 5 pm, so I was off to it, earlier than usual.  Shirley beat me there and Joe showed up (from golf) a little later.

Terry, who DJ's at Reds' karaoke, and Jojo were the group tonight.  They played great sing-along songs, but not so many dance numbers.  I really like this song (video) they sang, Ebony and Ivory, by Paul McCartney.




The blast ended at 7:30 because it was already dark!  It just ain't fittin' that the days are getting shorter.





Tuesday I went in to work at 8:35.  The pool temperature was up to 74 degrees.  I had more customers than when I had worked on Saturday, and several actually got in to swim.

Seen right, this is the toy Stevie is scared of, that I use to chase her off the counter tops.  Monita thinks it is fun to attack.

Arriving home from work at 1:15, I changed from my swimsuit into yard work clothes.  The sun is lower in the sky now and our deck doesn't get much direct sunlight for long.  I like the shadows it was casting on the puzzle table and cats.








I don't know what these two do when we aren't home, but I do notice them spending a lot of time watching each other.  Seen right, Stevie is hiding in the box inside Monita's crate (where Moni is fed and sleeps at night).

I never made it outside before the rain came.  So my afternoon was spent on the back porch, under a beach towel for warmth, reading.

The rain stopped but the temperature had dropped, so left-over soup appealed.  I had that for an early dinner, then drove with Maggie to a neighborhood, to get in a nice long walk.  I had started a new book (Blessings In Disguise, a Sugarcreek Amish mystery) that had immediately grabbed my interest, so I ended the evening reading it.

We had deer visitors as the sun rose Wednesday morning.  I couldn't capture the doe and three fawn together in the same photograph.   







I went to Ballroom Aerobics mid-morning, and then after an early lunch, drove to the barn to ride Amiga.





There was no rain in the forecast, but we kept getting showers, off and on.  Amiga and I got drenched at one point, during about a ten minute downpour.  I tried to seek shelter in the woods, but was already fairly wet.  We also did some bushwhacking on some overgrown 4-wheeler trails.  The 4-wheelers don't need very high overhead clearance, so there was a lot of ducking on my part.  At one point I had to dismount and walk Amiga under a very low overhanging tree that had partly fallen across the path.  It was a fun adventure.

Back at the barn, I decided to leave my tack out because it was so wet.  It needed good air circulation to dry.  Jan dropped by just as the boarded horses were being brought in.  I had put Amiga out to let her roll, before she was brought in for the night.  So while waiting for her to eat, I brushed Zorro.  Jan helped with the burs in his long hair (above).  I decided to wait on another downpour before leading him out for the night.  So he got to munch on the bale of hay by Amiga's stall (evidence of hay in his forelock).  Then Amiga got a good brushing and Desitin put on her scratches (dew fever) I have been treating.


I got right in the shower once home, even though it was dinnertime.  It was poker night for Joe so I finally finished up the soup I had made last week.  I took Maggie on a long walk as it got dark.  And I didn't last long hanging out with our pets while reading.

 Thursday morning I actually got Monita to settle in on my chest and fall asleep.  I decided to try and take a selfie of us and she woke up before I could get my camera (cell phone) ready.









She turned to look at the camera just after I snapped the first photo.  I took another one and then she turned back towards me and smacked me one, right in the kisser.


Well, that ain't fittin'!
She is such a sweet, ornery little kitten. 
My little monkey, Monita.

I did household chores and then went to the barn to clean up tack before going to work my 1-5 shift.  I was pretty lazy at work, so did just the bare minimum of cleaning.





I got home, showered, and then was off to Stonehenge with Joe.  We met Nolan and Lisa out on the back deck for dinner.  This was my view of the putting green, pond, and 18th fairway from where I sat.  Food and beverage service was extremely slow.  Luckily it was a beautiful night, we were in no hurry, and enjoyed chatting for over an hour before our food finally came.  The food was delicious, worth the wait.

Friday, the Autumn Equinox, the weather continued to be summer like.  It was 70 degrees when I got up, and was going to be a beautiful fall day.  I was a little out of sorts, not feeling great.  I had woken up several times during the night, feeling kind of sick, intestinal discomfort, then too hot (fever?), then Monita kept walking on my head and trying to snuggle, then I was thirsty, then I had to pee, etc.  So I got a slow start to the day.

I did eventually get outside, spending a great deal of the day (9:30 to 2:30) working out in the yard.




Joe helped me get the main central branch of this Forest Pansy Redbud tied and anchored so it is more upright, rather than bending way over.  This will enable us to see under the branches but still be screened from view by them.

After picking up sticks and doing some spot weeding around several flower beds, I worked on removing the poison ivy like weeds from the left side of this mulched bed, basically the whole area seen in the right photo.  The lower photo shows both, part of the weeded bed and the staked Redbud up the hill by the porch.







Once tired of working in a kneeling position, I took the bin of sticks and weeds to the other side of the creek where I spread them out on the hillside.




I noticed this orange golf ball, stuck in the crook of a tree.  I also planted some juniper saplings (that had been in flowers beds) on the hill over yonder. 

Next on my to-do list was to go lift weights.  I found the workout to be grueling.  A shower, then Food City run, and I was home for dinner at 6 pm.  Once we all ate (well not Joe, he was at poker again) I took a long walk with Maggie.  Then I tried to finish up this blog post.  It ain't fittin' that I spend so much time on blogging.