Movin' Too Fast

Saturday 5/18 - I had to be at work at 8:45, so I had to speed up my morning routine.  But once I got the pool cleaned, umbrellas opened, and everything set up for customers, I could slow down for the rest of my shift.


Lunch break in the office.

I went straight to the barn after work and rode with Cheryl and Karen for a bit.  I also took Amiga to the creek on Holly trail, and we practiced the parade route.  Amiga always gets moving too fast out in the open on the lawn, but showed improvement.

When the wranglers called the mares to come in for the evening, only a few came.  So I went out to round up the rest.  Amiga got very excited because we really moved as I swung her out past the herd and then drove them towards the barn.  Once the mares figured out it was feeding time, they all raced to the barn, and of course Amiga wanted to also.  But I held her back.






Above, I put Amiga in the pony pen to cool off  before going in her stall to have her grain.

Joe had dinner ready (grilled chicken, tators, and beans) when I got home.  What a nice husband.  I did the dishes and walked the dog and then we watched the three hour finale of Survivor.

Sunday 5/19 - We have had beautiful weather and the forecast for the week looked great as well.  Late spring, when the rains have slowed and the temperatures are in the 70s is so enjoyable.   It's during these days I feel time is movin' too fast.  This tree by the north corner of our house, is blooming more than ever, and smells so sweet.  I open our windows when the pollen count outside isn't too high.





After Church, I spent the rest of the day (seven hours) working in the yard, planting grass seed.  This area we mow, to see down to the pond, has many shallow rocks, some which stick up and are hard on the mower blade and the grass won't grow on top of them.  So I dug them out, added soil and seeded.



You can also see that the ground is not well covered in grass, there are many 'bald' spots.  So all those got raked and then seeded.  I ran out of manure to sprinkle over the top to keep birds from eating the seed and to help keep the moisture in.  I mowed the oasis (Joe had done the rest of the lawn) and bagged it so I had grass clippings to use to cover more seed.  I moved along the back towards Brian's, prepping the ground to be seeded.




I had lots of leaves to also rake up and got another pile of rocks that were on, or partly in the ground.  More fill dirt was added and then it was seeded.
I had come in at six to feed the dog and cats but went right back out to finish up, I was so close to being done.  As dark encroached, I watered everything, and Joe got home early (8:00) before I came in for shower and dinner.  I still needed more manure to cover more seed.

Monday 5/20 - Monita is on the go so much of the time, getting into trouble, or harassing me for attention.  She prefers that I play with her, throwing her mouse toy, etc. rather than seeking my lap for a place to snuggle and rest.  I enjoy a break from her when she finally does decide to slow down and take a nap near by.



I spent two plus hours at the gym, three plus hours in the yard, and didn't get to the barn until 5:30.  Patty was there working with Zorro.









Jan and Polly were also out practicing for the parade, so Amiga and I joined them.



Patty and Zorro make a good team and look good together.  She has to remind him to not be movin' too fast.

I definitely have the same issues with Amiga, only she is hyped up even more (video).





Polly was practicing her rope moves, with her young horse Rio doing excellent.












We all had fun doing our own thing, watching each other, and working together on ideas and suggestions.

Once I put Amiga back in the stall, I did some tree trimming.  Jan's flag had caught in branches of this tree, so I removed the offending limbs.  Patty helped by holding the ladder and grabbing the largest branch as it started to come down.

I got home after 8pm, took a quick shower, and ate a snack dinner here at my computer, before bed time.

Courtney napping with her two kitties while watching Bob Ross.

I read Courtney's message about her doctor appointment she had earlier.  The appointment went well and she was told that she does not have pancreatitis (thank goodness) and that the pseudocyst is a very simple, low risk fluid pocket from her 'broken, leaky, pancreas.'  Originally they'd hoped her first stent (done a year ago) would have helped her body form a natural passageway from her pancreas to her stomach, but it didn't and that's where this fluid is now coming from.  They are going to do another stent once the rind on this cyst is thick enough.  It will be a different type this time, as they try again to get Courtney's body to form a permanent natural passageway.  Follow-up in four weeks will determine when this surgery will take place.  For now she is managing pain and on a somewhat restricted diet.

Tuesday - 5/21  I got hot during my 6am walk, as the day was already heating up.  I saw Mr. Groundhog down back and went to see if he was damaging my new seeded area.  He ran off, across the creek and into the woods.









I worked on pool stuff, including e-mails after my regular time (routine) here at my computer.  Some lawn and household chores (including watering the grass seed, new grass and all potted plants) was done before I left early for work, to take care of some business at the CC.


It was a great day at the pool, air temperature  was in the 80s and the water was up to 78 degrees.

During my evening walk, I decided to try jogging some (supposed to be good for my lumbar vertebrae bone strength and I hadn't gotten any exercise).  Well, lets just say, I am glad it was dark out.  I did see some improvement with each attempt and might have done a full mile, in four different intervals.  Going up hill is much harder than on the level or down hill.

Wednesday 5/22 - Sunny skies and warm weather continued.  I was almost up to the bird feeder with seed when I noticed this chipmunk, took its photo, and then it scurried off.

I did three loads of laundry, then Dance (Jazz) Aerobics followed by Zumba.  I decided not to take time for weights, I had lawn projects.







The main job was to plant these two shrubs.  Allen had discarded them in the woods next to his lot, because the deer had just about killed them.  They had been sitting in the woods several days and were pretty dried out, so I had put them in this tub to soak in water for a full day.


Maggie was keeping me company and enjoying being outside.  She likes to watch bugs and snap at flying insects in the air.

I trimmed the roots and stems and planted the two shrubs right next to each other to make one single, larger shrub, hopefully.





Joe left on his moped for a drive in the country and I headed for the shower before going into town to shop.

This is a photo of the blue skirt (with tan gauze kind of material) and the two shirts I bought.  I spent (donated) all of $14.00 for these three items.  The skirt is fuller and fancier than the table cloth I wore last year, but I can't get it hooked in back.  I am too big around (skirt is a size 6) and the hook is broken.

And this photo is from last year's parade, July, 2018.  I needd to decide on which shirt and if I will do a hat and if I want to add the white, dangly curtain pieces I used last year.

I got home just before 9:00, too late to water grass seed.  And by the time I got everything unloaded and stashed away, it was 10:00.

Thursday 5/23 - Joe left before 6am, for two poker tournaments and some golf in Indiana.  Since I didn't water the grass seed the night before, I watered from 6-7, before my first morning cup of tea.

I lifted weights and did a Zumba class before going to work at 1:45.


















These two non-paying guests came as I was closing up for the night.  I asked them to get out of the pool and had to shoo them out of the area.  In the above photo, it looks like both ducks flying right next to each other.  But if you enlarge it, you will see it is just the female.  The male is further back, and kind of blended in with the trees.

I got home in time to walk the dog and water the grass before dark, but just barely.

Friday 5/24 - I had much to do and was trying to move faster than my body was ready, so it felt like a slow start to my day.  Watering the grass seed morning and night has really been time consuming.

I was at Shirley's before 10am so she could help me with costume ideas and to fixt the skirt so it could be tied in back.  Then I went to the barn to give it a try.  In this first photo, I was thinking about something, I guess.

Cheryl meet me at the barn, and before parade practice, we first went on a little trail ride.  Emily also joined us.

I had put Amiga's costume on and she did fine having it around her chest.  Then I put on the new, larger (fuller) skirt, and she also did great with it.  She performed one loop of the parade route almost flawlessly, so I got off and quit while I was ahead.

Today's yard project was to plant the bushes I had just bought.  I put an Azalea here, next to the white flower pot.


Then I removed what was left of this dead bush, and planted a Japanese Holly that will grow to about six feet tall and dress up this corner and hide the down spout.  I did not have time to plant the last bush, because I needed to first transplant a juniper to the other back corner, so I could then put the third bush where the juniper had been.  Patty had invited me for dinner (with her, sister Mary, cousin Shirley, and our friend Shirley).  So a quick dog walk and I was off and running again.

We all enjoyed a tasty, yet greasy pizza and a yummy cake that Shirley had baked.  It was nice to catch up with the two Iowan's.

I hit Food City and the gas station on the way home.  Maggie and the cats got a late 8:30 dinner and I watered grass seed in the dark.  I got word from Joe at 10:30, that he had just gotten knocked out of the second poker tournament, but placed 7th in Thursday's tournament.