This 2020 election has brought out the worst in so many people, on both sides of the issues, supporting either candidate or neither of them. As emotions flare, anger is ignited, and people become outraged, we all need to be careful about what we say. Your words can never be taken back and they reveal your inner character. I need to watch my mouth as much as anybody. Sometimes my words embarrass and mortify me, so I really try to control what I say. But I am so spontaneous, my mouth often runs away without me, before I can stop it.
I like this image and the thought of riding a fast horse.
Sometimes when I have said something I should not have said, I try to talk myself out of trouble, and usually just keep digging a bigger hole. We can apologize for hurtful things we have said, but the words and thoughts can never be fully erased. Kind of like working with our horse, if we have done something wrong, even accidentally, they remember it forever. I need to read the book by Karen Ehman, "Keep It Shut," which explores how to better control your tongue, knowing what to say and how to say it, and realizing when it is best to say nothing at all.
Saturday 11/7 - I was being extremely lazy, even while knowing I needed to get moving and prepare for Courtney who was coming later in the day.
Like my four cats, I wanted to just lay around.
Actually, I sat here at my computer for a long time. I finished and posted last week's blog and got this one started.
I was also scrolling Facebook some of the time, checking up on family and friends. I was seeing links and pop-up stuff concerning the election. I was feeling a little discouraged and sad by how hateful and mean many comments about one side, or the other, or one person or another, were.
"Come on people now, Smile on your brother, Everybody get together, Try to love one another right now."
I got word that Courtney was on her way. This was earlier than expected, so I had to immediately jump into action. I cleaned bathrooms, neatened up in the kitchen, and got the guest quarters upstairs the rest of the way ready. Dusting didn't happen. And I was at the grocery getting food for the weekend when Courtney arrived.
Here is Stevie investigating Courtney's bag and claiming it as her own by rubbing her scent all over it.
As always, Maggie is thrilled to have house guests. She loves the added attention she gets.
We hung out, caught up on life, and Courtney took a little nap. While she was resting, I sauteed onions, cooked beans and heated up the brats for the evening meal.
I had gotten a box (Baby Bedding) out of storage and went through it with Courtney to see if she recognized any of the blankets.
Stevie of course claimed one for her bed.
Later, when Patty came over, I asked her about the various blankets. None of us were sure who made what, except one blanket Mom had crocheted. I was also sure the box of infant souvenirs (what was in Mom's hand writing on it) were connected with her. But again, I wondered who had worn these now antiques.
Joe got the fire started, Karen arrived just before dark, and finally Shirley, who had the wrong time, showed up. Everyone had brought food, and we shared in a nice meal around the fire.
Seen in the photo from left to right: Patty, Shirley, me, Karen, and Courtney. Stories were told, laughter occurred, and there was some celebrating the news that Biden had (unofficially) won the election. I remained neutral on this but enjoyed the wine we toasted with.
By 8:30 our three guests had headed home, we had cleaned everything up, and we came in to watch a movie (the new Secretariat) together.
In pajamas, with popcorn, it was a cozy evening in front of the TV. Monita was being her usual annoying, bratty self. In this photo she is trying to get Courtney's knitting.
It was a late 11:15 bedtime.
Sunday 11/8 - I slept in but was still finished with all my computerizing before Courtney got up, so started this puzzle I thought we could later work on together.
Courtney came downstairs just after Patty arrived around 10:30. After some chatting and puzzle working, we all had a little breakfast together (I had whipped up some scrambled eggs with ham and cheese). We ate out on the porch because it was already 70° outside.
We arrived at the barn by noon and chatted with Judy and some others for a bit, before getting Amiga and Zorro. Patty helped Courtney with tacking Zorro up.
We were all a little hot and sweaty by the time we were ready to ride.
Patty had decided not to ride so took photos of Courtney and I.
Here we are heading out the back of the barn. Chester was just returning, well ahead of a trail ride that was on its way back.
I started out leading but soon Courtney and Zorro took over. Amiga is always happy to follow, especially if the horse in front is moving at a good pace, which Zorro was most of the time.
We had to 'pull over' to let the returning trail ride safely pass us. I was surprised Amiga and Zorro didn't try to turn around and follow the group back to the barn.
We rode the trail past the little field and to the power lines and water hole, where we turned around before getting into the gooey mud.
Below, with Courtney now behind Amiga and I, I took some photos of her front side. What a pretty smile. She was really enjoying her horse.
Once we got back to the little field, we rode through it, past the ghost town and out into the big field.
Returning to the little field, Courtney let Zorro do some gaiting. This first (video) is sideways for some reason, but shows Courtney riding Zorro at a nice smooth gait.
In this second (video) Zorro got a little strong and can actually be seen cantering some. I think he was worried about catching up with Amiga and I.
I never get highly concerned about other riders I am out with, but when riding with Courtney, I am always nervous. She is my daughter and I don't want her to get hurt. She did great with Zorro and he was a pretty good boy. Here we are heading back to the barn.
Back home, Courtney cleaned up and took a nap while I fixed an early dinner. We enjoyed lasagna, garlic rolls and salad. Courtney was on the road for home right at 5pm. I always hate to see my children go but am SO thankful for any time we have together.
Stevie was missing again at bedtime so I searched the house before going outside to look for her. She was asleep in this tire in the sun room, and stuck her head up when she heard me calling for her. I can't get to sleep if I haven't got all four cats accounted for.
Monday 11/9 - After being awake from 1:30 - 4:30am, I took a 45 minute nap but was up again as the sun was coming up. Ugh, I do not like trying to get through a day, short on sleep.
I had planned to move the larger, fatter tire out into the garage but had set it aside in the sun room. (I really didn't want to part with it after all the work I had done 'fixing it up') Well, when Stevie had taken a liking to it the night before, I decided to incorporate it into the cat tower. As usual, when you first move something around, the cats take an immediate interest.
This is Monita, and then Babe joining her.
Stevie had me 'trapped,' sleeping in my lap. So I played some computer games once done with my usual e-mail, Facebook, and blogging.
Actually, Babe was entertaining me also, while she was playing on / exploring the wall jungle gym for cats. She always has kind of a goofy expression. I think it is still kind of her baby face.
I took this series of photos and also this (video).
This is the bulletin board at our gym.
Lack of sleep leaves me feeling so tired and unmotivated it was a real struggle to get going. I know once I get to the gym and start working out, I usually feel energized. I did the bare minimum, having no desire to push myself, and at least trained to maintain.
Look at Babe's goofy face.
I ate lunch on the back deck, in the sun and then moved out front to lay in the sun and read. I also ended up napping.
I concluded the daylight portion of my day at the barn. After a pleasant ride on Amiga, I practiced trailer loading with her. The very first time I loaded her she took one bite of grain and then bolted back off the trailer. I was completely unready. But then the remainder of our practice went well. At the end I even had Jan at the back of the trailer, to the side on the ramp, and we were just chatting away while I was getting Amiga to calmly step forward and backward, going all the way off and back on the trailer. Talking with Jan kept Amiga and I calm.
Tuesday 11/10 - I was in town (at Walmart) by 9:20, after dropping Joe off to pick up his scooter that was done with repairs.
By 11:30 I was out in the yard helping Joe, after I had gotten everything unloaded and stashed away and had eaten an early lunch. I did a little leaf sucking up with the riding mower, but mostly blew leaves with the backpack gas blower.
Joe and I both worked until almost 2:00, getting the whole yard, including all of the beds, (mostly) cleared of leaves.
I tried doing a panoramic photo (below), but didn't have much success.
Joe left for Alabama, where he was meeting Jim for four days of golf. And I headed to the barn.
Here is Amiga, out in the pasture grazing alongside her best mare friend Chaco, when I went to get her.
I decided to give trailer loading practice a break, and just rode for 90 minutes. As you can see from this (video) there is not much color left in the woods.
I did quite a bit of gating and some cantering, having fun on Amiga, who was handling well.
Once back to the barn, there were Jan and Deana. Somehow I had missed them. Jan and I rode across the street around the gardens and then in the arena. This is John and Henry, Jason's two draft horses, and you can see the cloudy sky.
I had gotten rained on when I first left the barn, and it came down quite hard just after Jan and I got back to the barn. I was home for a quiet evening as it got dark.
Wednesday 11/11 - Thank you to all veterans who served our country to protect our freedoms.
Rain started up overnight, and continued all day long, coming down quite hard at times and just misting at other times. But there was never any sunshine.
It was a very lazy, mostly unproductive morning. After my usual computer time and doings, I spent much of the morning finishing up this jigsaw puzzle, and watching it rain.
I did stick my head outside to check our new gutters, which appeared to be collecting all the water hitting the roof, rather than letting it stream down the outside wall and windows of the living room.
I also got two loads of laundry done.
Monita has been knocking off all my cards and photos I have had sitting or resting on the back horizontal slats of the climbing ladder. So I wanted to make them more permanent. I had bought at the Dollar Store (for a dollar) a canvas frame to 'fix' the problem. The wall behind the bottom shelf shows how I did it, with cards and photos stapled onto the frame which is securely attached to the wall. Above the middle shelf I just used thumbtacks to put these on the wall. I plan to get another canvas to display them on. The top frame contains a favorite card and is hanging on a nail.
A dense fog descended on Fairfield Glade just after I left the house to got to the post office (forgetting it was closed for Veterans Day) and then gym, pictured below.
After rowing for 15 minutes with the hopes to become energized, I decided I did not have the gumption to lift weights. I was pretty sore from all the leaf blowing the previous day, so I did 50 minutes on the elliptical, while watching an episode of Fixer Upper.
After dinner I started another jigsaw puzzle, only getting the 1000 pieces turned over. These four photos I took (within a minute's time) when all four cats were napping in separate spots earlier in the day.
The sun did peek out some, but it was still mostly cloudy. As usual, there were different components of loving and fighting between various cats, dog, and myself. I am probably more aware of these interactions because I am spending more time indoors.
I did get my card to Britney mailed, and went to the gym for two hours. My workout included the usual rowing, weights, stretching and balance exercises. Once home, I did some carbohydrate loading with leftover lasagna.
I was at the barn from 3-5pm. I gave both Zorro and Amiga Prevocox before the farrier visit the following morning. Then I rode Amiga bareback for a short ride. She did wonderful, relaxed and listening the whole time.
As the sun goes down and it becomes dark, so does my energy and motivation. I worked on the puzzle for almost two hours. Here Styx was passing through. She walked along the windowsill and stepped carefully on the corner of the table without disturbing a single puzzle piece.
Mama Styx and Monita having a "stand off." Who was going to strike first? I didn't wait for it to escalate, picked up Styx, and moved her to a chair she really likes. Monita followed us, so once I put Styx down, I picked up Monita and moved her back into the sun room with me. Its tough being a referee, but someone's got to do it.
I basically did nothing all day but work on the jigsaw puzzle. I was addicted to it. Here was my progress by mid-afternoon.
I stopped puzzle working and made a quick trip to Food City and then took Maggie for a long walk. We went on the Library Trail and saw that the new trail was open, so walked it, which swung us around behind mini-golf and to the Art Guild Trail. Once to the Library, we picked up that trail and took it back down the hill towards home.
I read for awhile, until I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer. With the lights out, I laid there thinking. Judy from the barn had tested positive for Covid the day before. Who might have caught it from her? And also, Joe and I had decided to cancel our flight to Iowa for Thanksgiving because Teresa had warned us how bad its cases have skyrocketed. I have several expletives in mind about this virus, but will watch my mouth.
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