Fuddy Duddy Homebody

In an attempt to be more careful about my social distancing, I feel like I have become a Fuddy Duddy Homebody, and am totally bored with life. 







Not only have I not been taking many photos, I haven't done much worth writing about.  The depression is becoming more and more real.


Saturday 8/15 - It was to be yet another rainy day, and didn't look like I would be going anywhere.  I was up at 4 am, walked the dog when there was a break in the rain, and hung out here at my computer well past sunrise. 

Much time was then spent on the screened porch, reading and working puzzles from the news paper.  This is Mama Styx, sleeping nearby on a lounge chair pad.


After a big salad for lunch, I napped for 90 minutes, sleeping quite hard.







We never did get all the rain predicted so I went on a lovely afternoon ride with Jan and Karen.  Thank goodness I can get out to do this.  In this photo, we are up at the rock quarry, which is part of the long trail ride.



We had taken our newly cleared trail through the woods to the winter pasture.  It was quite muddy, so we stuck to the perimeter where grass and weeds kept it drier.  Amiga did well, except she liked to tailgate Levi.







I declined going to dinner with Joann and Brian because it was an indoor venue.  Instead, I was a Fuddy Duddy Homebody, had popcorn, and watched Outlander for three hours.



Sunday 8/16 - I got to Patty's by 7:30 am to feed her two cats.  Then Maggie and I went on a long walk around part of St. George Lake. 










I sat out on Patty's deck so her cats could come out and enjoy the sun and fresh air.


Her black cat Gilly especially likes napping out there.  I read for over an hour, getting back into my crime mystery novel I hadn't picked up for over a week. 

Back home, I was woken from a 90 minute nap at noon, by Brian, and while talking to him (on my phone) I was looking for my phone to check on the weather.  Needless to say, I had woken in a fog.


The afternoon (12:30 - 5:00) was spent at the barn.

I was slow to saddle up, and then took Amiga for a 2½ hour ride into the Glade.  We went on some dirt roads we hadn't ridden for over a year.  There was a huge tree still down across the road so we went around it, with me leading Amiga through the woods. 

You can imagine how big the tree was that was blocking the road, by seeing the size of the root ball we went past.

Amiga did very well navigating around, over, and under branches in the woodland.

We had a wonderful ride in the Glade, although as we were heading home I could tell Amiga was tired.  She was rushing, yet getting a little tripsy. 

Unfortunately, when nearing the Holly Trail, we got to another downed tree in the road that I always walk her around.  But she decided to proceed forward as I was getting off her.  I got hung up in the overhead branches and she got hung up in the ground branches, and ended up injuring her front left leg.  Her right one had been the sore one a few weeks ago.  I walked her down the hill and up the other side of the Holly Trail to keep weight off her sore leg.  She wasn't bad lame, but I could tell she was hurting.

Once back at the barn, I gave Amiga Prevocox, hosed her down, and massaged liniment oil into her sore muscles.  I checked for ticks, treated her scratches on her back left leg, and put fly wipe on her belly and udder area.  She also got a good tail washing, working on the dock which was quite scaly.

Joe was sending photos of the fun he and Greg were having down in the Keys, snorkeling, kayaking, etc.  So I decided the heck with staying home, and I join Brian and Joan at Stonehenge, out on the deck (where they sat so I could stay outside).  We chatted for quite some time while enjoying a couple of beers.




Monday 8/17 - I was at Patty's by 7am, the dentist before 8:00, and shopping an hour after that.  My teeth got a clean bill of health.  👍  After five stores and several purchases, I was home with everything unloaded and stored away in time for a group chat at 1pm.









Late afternoon I went to the barn to check on Amiga.  I hopped on her bareback to see how she felt, and practiced the parade route.  If I didn’t know better, I would think Amiga was a different horse.  I did not see or feel any lameness issues, when I rode the parade route she did it picture perfect, and when I checked her tail and combed it all out there was no scaly skin in it anywhere.  She still has scratches kind of bad on her back left leg, which I treated again.  Otherwise I was just thrilled with how the afternoon went with her.

Three people  invited me to join them at Mirror Lake Blast, but I turned them each down.  I have been trying to do a better job of social distancing, not going into bars or restaurants and staying away from crowds, because family have been on my case.  The problem is, when the music starts playing, I forget myself and this STUPID COVID CRAP, start dancing, and get a little too close to people.  But when I got this photo from Joe and Greg, I felt a tad jealous and a little mad.  I plopped down on the couch and fell asleep.  Waking 90 minutes later, I crawled into bed, no teeth brushing or dog walking (screw it I thought).  I proceeded to sleep ten more hours.  Because of depression, I have become a Fuddy Duddy Homebody.

Tuesday 8/18 - I was at Patty's by 8am.  Ellie just loves Maggie.  I did cat chores and then took Maggie on a long walk, going around the other side of the lake.










I read, out on her deck again, with Gillie enjoying the time outside.  Both she and Maggie took a nap.



Bible study at the barn was sweet, with a few ladies sharing their difficult stories.  So many of us have been through tremendous trials.

Jan, Polly, and I had planned to ride after our study.  This is Scout, an old horse who gets to wander around the barnyard part of the day.  I was joking about him helping Emily with the white board 'to do' list.  2pm - feed Scout  3pm - feed Scout  4pm - feed Scout, etc.  LOL



We gave our horses part of their evening feed before tacking up.  Poly took these two photos of Scout looking in the grain room while she was getting Rio's feed. 





Meanwhile, I took this photo of him looking into the grain room from the barn isle way.








He is such a silly boy.

Once tacked up, we headed across the road, down the newly cleared trail and into the winter pasture that is full of beans right now.




In an effort to ride in the shade, we did have to ride between the rows of beans, but we did a pretty good job of keeping the horses off the plants (video).


Once across the field, we went into the woods and caught the long trail up on the ridge.






After we turned around to head back to the winter pastures, I was in the lead on Amiga, and could finally get a photo of Jan and Polly from the front.  I told them I had too many butt shots.  LOL







Once back to the bean fields (winter pastures) we rode around, or on the road, through all four of them.  The footing was perfect, not too hard, too soft, or too rocky.

Jan got a (video) and photo of Amiga and I.

Our two hour ride had been thoroughly enjoyable.  It wasn't too hot, there was a gentle breeze, and there were no flies.  Amiga did not feel 'off' at all and she only got a little wound up a couple of times.


Mama Styx's favorite spot.  I had planned on a quiet evening at home.  After pet care and a shower, I settled in on the couch with popcorn and a beer, and watched two episodes of Outlander.  I am starting to get hooked on this show.

Wednesday 8/19 - I was at Patty’s before 8 AM to get her trash out on the curb.  I didn’t take Maggie with me because I wasn’t ready for a long walk.  As it turns out my plans for some exercise and yard work were curtailed by rain coming earlier than predicted.  The weather was bad enough that Maggie hid in the closet, but it didn't last long.  However, it was iffy looking and forecasted for more rain all afternoon.





There were quite a few deer down back at one point during the morning.  This one is eating some watermelon from the half I set out there because it was starting to go bad.

The pool was kept open because people complain when there is a break in the weather and we are closed.  Nancy had only had three people the first shift and no one came the second shift, which I arrive during to replace Nancy.  I had on sweat pants because it was a tad cold.  I did get four swimmers right at the 4:00 start of the third shift, but that was it, because it was so cold and gloomy out.


I had gotten news from the barn that Zorro did not eat his grain.  This is very unusual, and was the first sign of illness Rocky presented before he got really sick.  Jan and Pat stayed in contact with me and I was waiting to hear from the vet who I had texted.

I was able to close the pool 30 minutes early, run home to feed cats and dog and walk Maggie.  I grabbed a sandwich and ate it on the way back to the barn, not knowing how late I might be there.  Jan was waiting there to help me when I arrived at almost 7pm.  I had no idea she was waiting for me, and felt guilty for taking time to make a sandwich and she hadn't even had dinner yet.

Zorro in his stall overnight, as seen the next morning. 

Jan took Zorro's temperature for me (100.2 - the high side of normal range), reminding me how to do it.  And then I checked Zorro for any other symptoms.  He had drank, urinated, had a good poop, good gut sounds, and was nibbling at hay.  He walked fine, although a little lazily, but was quite interested in grass.  He just would not touch his feed.  The vet suggested leaving him in overnight and checking vitals first thing in the morning.
I got home after 8pm but didn't get to bed until 10:00.  Joe arrived home from Florida around 11pm.

Thursday 8/20 - I was at Patty's at 6am, and the barn just after 6:30.  I drove the 'country' route from Patty's to the barn.  This is the view going down St. George Drive, heading east.

Zorro had his head out the stall window and was neighing when I got out of the car.




Zorro's temperature was now 99.3 and he was quite perky.  I emptied the un-eaten grain out of his bin, cleaned it well, and gave him a little fresh grain.  He ate it with gusto.  He also was very interested in grass when I took him out on the lawn.  Once the cowgirls arrived for their work day, we decided Zorro was fine and I turned him out with all the geldings.  I contacted the vet and then headed home. 




Satchsquatch - This is probably seven feet tall.  Some people have the strangest yard decorations.

I got to the pool at 9:15 and had a lovely work day.  I hadn't worn my suit because it was supposed to be rainy and gloomy, but it was actually quite nice.  It was hot enough I wanted to go into the pool to cool off.



I went back to Patty's at 2:30 because I had just run in and out earlier.  I like to walk her neighborhood (this is when I saw Satchsquatch) and give the cats deck time.  

Next, after feeding the dog and cats back home, I went back to the barn at the 5:30 feeding time to check on Zorro.  He ate all his grain and was acting like his usual self, so we deemed him okay.

Dead dog in the drive?

After riding Amiga around the parade route, and because she did it perfectly, I got off, did some skin treatment on her and put her back in her stall.








On the way out the drive from the barn, Boz was too lazy to move, so I just steered around him.

I had a big (not so healthy) snack at 5:00, so skipped dinner.  I am disgusted with the new COVID non-workout, snacking all the time body I have developed.

Joe and I watched Virgin River for a few hours.

Friday 8/21 - I took my time getting over to Patty's since I had had so many early mornings there this week.  I enjoyed being lazy and lingering here until 9am.  First we had some play time (video) and then I took Maggie for a long walk hitting a different section of Patty's neighborhood.







Then it was 'deck time' with her cats (and Maggie also).  I  tried accomplishing some of my Bible study homework, but Gillie was making it difficult. 








I had soup for lunch because it was cold out and I felt the need to warm up.  Then, because it looked like the rain was going to hold off, I started on some yard work, first doing a lot of trimming.

While trimming dead branches out of the Mountain Laurel by the bench on the rock, I got side tracked by the rock steps.  Mulch has been washing or getting knocked over the short step and onto the moss, so I have been wanting to put a large rock step in to contain the mulch.  It rained for several minutes at one point while I was working, making the dirt muddy.  But I couldn't stop because I didn't want to leave a mess.





I dug, wrangled a few large rocks, and kept trying different positions to get them to best fit together.  I only got the three largest rocks into position before running out of time.  I just haphazardly stacked the remaining rocks until I can continue work here. 




After a quick shower and pet care duties, Joe and I went out to dinner.  We tried The Cottage, a new restaurant on Peavine.  I had a delicious Shepherd's pie with very tender, tasty lamb.  Joe and I finished the evening watching two more episodes of Virgin River.

I realize as much as it feels like I am a homebody, I really do get out a lot more than many others are able.  I am very lucky and thankful for this.