Falling

Falling is not a term we old people like to hear or worry about.
Riders are also weary of it, when it refers to coming off our horse.
Falling is what is happening now though, because we are in the thick of fall and leaves are coming down, temperatures are declining, and daylight hours are dwindling.  Everything seems to be falling.  I miss summer already.


Friday 11/2 - the day's high was 60 degrees at 2am.  It was 40 degrees when I got up at 6:15 and it didn't get warmer than 45.  The sun's rays never appeared from behind the clouds.

Before sun up, Monita on the beanbag at my feet.


What a cuddle bug!












Stevie sitting on my lap once there was daylight and she could watch birds and woodland critters.
















I did not sit here all morning, although it was tempting.  I did laundry and some deep cleaning in a few areas of need, including the dining room floor.

A trip to the barn was necessary to pay board and I decided to hop on Amiga and work with her out front to see if I could get her to relax out in the big open field.  Selfie's on horseback are not that easy.  I like this one where I caught Amiga's kind, gentle eye. 








It had misted on me during our 30 minutes of riding, and also during several of my dog walks.  So I never did feel warm during the day, until my long, hot shower at the gym.

Now that there is less daylight and outdoor time, I have more time for the gym.  I had actually gotten in a 15 minute aerobics workout after weights and then went to my favorite one hour stretch class (first time since last spring).  Being sweaty, and in the cold classroom, really gave me a chill, so the shower felt great.

Patty, Ana, and I met at Reds and sat with her friend Max (seen to my left).  We enjoyed libations while sharing some of Max's nacho supreme.  Once the music got going, we also had a good time with singing and dancing along.  Terry even played a Spanish number so Ana and I could merengue.  

Saturday 11/3 - since I had stayed up late, I slept in until 6:45.  I was ready for the upcoming time change.  Joe's cruise ship had docked by 7am and he sent me a photo announcing that he was the main event champ.

The rain and wind had finally stopped and the sun came out.  Boy was the yard a mess, covered in leaves with some sticks and limbs tossed in for good measure.

Monita enjoying the view while I sat here until mid morning.

I have been considering discarding my plans for shelves on the side wall since I can't come up with something I like that will work.  I wonder, are they really necessary and would they add or detract from the look I have?  But then there was another traffic jam and confrontation. 

Monita lost her footing, nearly falling to my desk below.  Thankfully her small agile body was able to recover, gain her balance, and get out of Stevie's way.








I planted the new Norfolk Island Pine I had just bought, putting it into a larger pot.  Then I transplanted several of my house plants giving them larger pots and new potting soil.  Here is a look at my entry with the plants spruced up.







These two photos show the new Norfolk Pine, to the right of the dog bed.  On the other side of the dog bed is the year old Norfolk I was replacing because it has lost most of its branches.  I had second thoughts though, not having the heart to throw it out just yet.




I have also temporarily put the entry safari rug in the sunroom in front of the couch to give me an idea of what size runner I want there.  I was playing fetch with Monita and Maggie (seen in living room)  at the time of this photo. 

I watched another Hawkeye game at Spikes, with the usual crowd, including Patty.  Just like last week's game, we lost in a very close competition.  Purdue beat us by two points in the last eleven seconds.  It was such a bummer.













I always like coming home to my fur babies and they are always happy to see me.  It was dark when I arrived, and I set all the clocks back.  Then I struggled to stay up until the new 9:00 bedtime because it was really an hour later for my biorhythms. 

Sunday 11/4 - Wow, up at my usual 5am and daylight was soon gracing the Glade as I walked Maggie around the block.  Can you spot the deer in Allen's yard, not too far out from my window?  She is a big doe that is very well camouflaged.   










After Church I got busy out in the yard, wanting to plant some perennials I had purchased.  Well first I decided to clean out the dead annuals from the large planter I have.  

This spike plant was the only thing surviving, and was doing great, so I decided to try planting it to see if it will survive the winter.  Then I decided I needed more moss around it, so I went into the neighboring woods and transplanted what you see here.







Here is a look at this little moss garden I have embellished from what was spotty sections of moss growing here originally.  I watered the transplants well, and the original moss, and all the grass seed which hasn't yet germinated. 



I never got the perennials planted, and had to put yard work on hold so I could get to the barn by 2:30.  Judy called the mares in (video) so I didn't have to go so far out to get Amiga. 






The barn was crowded with Girl Scouts and about nine of us boarders all horsing around.  I love it when it is busy, but it slowed the process of getting tacked up and on the trail.  Polly was out ahead of us and then Patty and I hit the trail to find her.

The three of us rode together for awhile.  It was a little overcast and there was a slight nip in the air, but it was perfect riding weather.









Patty took this photo of she and Polly heading back to the barn.  Notice the cloudy sky.  I stayed out on Amiga longer because I am trying to re-condition her.





Amiga did fantastic, never rushing, listening to cues, and responding wonderfully.  I got a nice easy gait from her several times and the only time she seemed 'off' was tight turns to the left, which I avoided doing.




She was not at all sweaty when we got back, but I put her in the pony pen to let her have an opportunity to roll.  She was more interested in coming into the barn for her evening feed.  What a pretty girl.

I had eaten a brat left over from the Girls Scouts, so completed my dinner with a salad once I got home.  I struggled to stay awake until 8:30 and then slept horribly because just before lights out, Stevie and I had heard a critter in the new duct work to the sunroom.  It was quite noisy and all I could do was wonder how it got in there, and what damage it was doing.  Ugh.

Monday 10/5 - I had debated getting up at midnight, 2am, and 3:30am, while lying in the dark listening to sounds (mostly rain, Monita, and maybe the duct critter).  When I did get up at 5:30, I did not feel well rested, even though I had been in bed for nine hours.

Not only are leaves falling in the yard, we still get an occasional golf ball.  Can you see the one in this photo?

I did Ballroom and weights.



Joe arrived home from his cruise while I was at the gym.  We were both cold and tired, so didn't amount to much all day.  It wasn't as cold out as it looked, but it sure was damp and dreary.

I did drive with Maggie over to the Lake Pomeroy neighborhood and walk for an hour.  The man who is famous for his show of Christmas lights that illuminate the whole area, was out working on setting up lights.

We watched Survivor right after dinner.

Tuesday 10/6 - With trees half bare, many leaves have fallen, but many more will be falling.
It had been another night of waking several times.  Some heavy storms made me worried about Zorro and our possible (continued) water leaks.  The critter in the duct had also made noise again before I fell asleep, so it too was on my mind.


When I took corn down back, I got these photos.  Leaves are washing down all the drainage ditches and into the creek and then pond.  I hate that they are filling in the pond, making it smaller.




Monita often sleeps with her front legs stretched out like this.  Her front paws look so big because they are so close to the camera.

After Joe and I coordinated our calendars, (our following three weekends were planned) my next item of business was with the farrier.

I got to the barn plenty early, got Amiga brushed, with feet and legs clean, and then rode her bareback while waiting my turn with the farrier.  I let Amiga graze out by the pond where Scout was.

  
The sun was so warm, I carefully took my jacket off so as not to spook Amiga.  She did well, turned to look at it when I held it out by her neck.  But when I shook it...
...it resulted in falling (well, more like sliding off) a spinning horse.  Oops.  It's not the fall that hurts, it's the landing.  But I landed on my feet and hands and still had hold of the reins.  Getting back on bareback was difficult. 

Patty had also come to the barn to help with Zorro.  He did better for Tom during his trim than Amiga did.  Patty was working with him in the round pen when I left.

Joe had started on leaf removal by the time I got home, but I did not have time to help before I was off to Bible Study. 

Joe had also set up an appointment to look at an Arabian that might make a great endurance / competitive trail horse. 

So from Bible Study I met Joe and Karen at the Custard Cabin where she works and we proceeded to Crossville.  Spock was a big boned, 16 hand tall Curly Arabian.  (His hair was very curly.)  It was too wet to ride, but we chatted with his owner quite awhile, deciding this is probably not the horse I am looking for.  And the lady was having second thoughts of selling him anyways.

Joe had blown leaves into eight large piles, but it was too late to remove them from the yard, because dark comes so early now.

Wednesday 11/7 - I had Ladies Club at 10:00, so once again would not be able to help Joe with the leaves.  He set to work before 9:00 and I was really feeling like a slacker.


I sent this photo to Courtney to show her how nicely her knitted Christmas present enhanced my outfit.  I was amazed at how much warmer I was just having this shawl over my back and shoulders.  I also got several complements on it.  So, thanks again Courtney.

Although it was nice to see the three piles of leaves off the front and side yard when I got home, Joe had texted before he left for poker, that Stevie had escaped.

I was not happy, but what ya goin' to do?  I made a quick change and then went looking for Stevie.  My heart began to sink with each minute that passed and I couldn't find her.  

I was so relieved after 20 minutes of nonstop searching and calling Stevie’s name when I finally spotted her, but then I had to catch her.  

When she get's outside, Stevie thinks she is a wild cat.  After chasing, coaxing, and numerous evasive moves Stevie ran under the slightly raised garage door, and with remote in my hand I quickly closed it.  I was thankful she was finally trapped, and home safe. 

Now I was finally able to work on leaf removal.  I hauled many loads deep into the woods across the creek, removing two of the large piles from the yard.  I also raked all the leaves from two of the mulched beds down into the oasis where it needs to be filled in more.

 

I was tired and wanting to sit, but with little daylight left, I set out on an hour walk with Maggie.  And it was dark when we got home, but still only 5:30.

I needed a heating pad on my back while reading in bed, and took a pm pain relief/sleep aid when I could keep my eyes open no longer.

A look at Monita on the bean bag under my glass desk.

Thursday 11/8 - Unfortunately the sleep aid did not help the third time I woke at 2am and I finally got out of bed 45 minutes later and worked on my Bible study, drinking warm decaf tea.  I was able to sleep again from 4:30 to 7am.








I helped Joe with leaf removal from nine till noon.






We took four trailer loads to the leaf dump.








After fifteen total hours of work the past three days, the yard is fairly clear of leaves.

After lunch, I got Amiga ready for a trial ride, with her orange (don't shoot me) neck band and her pink support leggings on front.










She is such a pretty girl, although always on the lookout for danger.  During this photo, Shirley was pushing a cart with feed into the barn.

I rode down the Holly Trail to the creek to see what kind of shape it was in and how Amiga could handle it.  The creek was quite full and the hill down to it a bit slippery, so I decided not to take her up the steeper hill on the other side.  Coming back out, I decided to stop and clear this fallen tree that's branches were in the way of the trail and made passage difficult. 





Amiga stood, ground tied, during the ten minute struggle I had with the tree.  (Granted, if she wanted to leave me and head back to the barn she would have had to get past me and the tree.)  Once I finally got it cleared from the trail, I gave Amiga a big hug and told her how good she was.


We got rained on before reaching the barn.  Amiga had been great again today.  She has everything I want in a horse except stamina and reliable soundness.

I got home from the barn too late to make it to the stretch class.  Joe and I shopped at Food City getting soup and salad along with other groceries.  After dinner, we sat by the fire and watched Survivor.

Friday 11/9 - rain moved into the area overnight.  I was lucky to get in a walk around the block with Maggie at 5:30 when it was just drizzling lightly.  By sun-up, it was really coming down again.  And notice, the yard is newly covered in leaves (video).  Stevie sat on my lap while I blogged, but later moved up into the hammock.






It rained heavily much of the morning and the wind was really blowing.  I got in a good workout at the gym and was soon ready to head to Nashville.




Monita posed for a photo I sent Patty, to thank her for being willing to come care for the cats and dog since we would be gone until quite late.

The drive to Nashville, in rain most of the way, was uneventful.  

We arrived at Dan and Valencia's at 3pm.  His cat (Kitty) was hiding up in the cupboard above the refrigerator.  He climbs up there and lets himself in the cabinet, and the door closed behind him.  What a great hiding place.






We opened the door to get these photos.  Needless to say, he was being a bit shy with all the house guests.  Valencia's parents, two sisters, and niece were there for the weekend.

After watching a Halloween movie, hanging out waiting for Daniel to get home from work, we headed into Antioch, to the Plaza Mariachi Music City.




Inside the Plaza there are lots of shops and food courts and there was a stage area with tables and entertainers.  This Latino band was playing fun, upbeat Spanish music, and there were two ladies 'dancing' (in, around, up) on these long sashes.


Courtney met us there and after some libations, we each went in search of food at various venues.



We all enjoyed eating together and watching and listening to the entertainment.  A second group (duo) sang for awhile, while we took several photos of each other.

Valencia's parents Ricardo and Yaneth.

Val's oldest sister Dominica with her beautiful and very well behaved daughter Ariellah.

Val's youngest sister Alyssa.







Dan and Valencia.







And Courtney and Valencia.


The music wasn't as good for dancing as we had hoped, and we were going to be kicked out for a concert at 9pm, that had a $40.00 admission.  So we headed back to Dan and Val's earlier than expected.  Joe and I were soon on the road for home, getting back at 11pm.