Milestones

This week marked some important milestones, some good and some not so good.  About a year ago we had no idea of how COVID-19 would soon descend upon us, and that our lives would be changed forever.  Unfortunately, 2/29 was the one year anniversary of the first death being reported in the U.S. from coronavirus.  😢  2/24 I got my first Covid vaccine.  😷  2/20 marked just two months left until our granddaughter (Ava Mae) is due to arrive.  👶😍  And 2/23 Joe and I signed the purchase agreement to buy Terry and Billy's farm.  😁😲🤠

This map from the NOAA NWS Weather Prediction Center shows all of the states that were below freezing all last week.  Capital Weather Gang reported this milestone historic Arctic outbreak which brought "a bone-chilling deep freeze to the central United States, as the coldest air in generations plunged south and was accompanied by snow and ice all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. Some cities saw their lowest temperatures in more than a century."

Saturday 2/20 - I did not sleep well because I knew I had a lot to do before hitting the road for Nashville at 9:00.  I ended up getting up at 3am to start the process.  After finishing and posting last week's blog, I did some food prep, cleaned the kitchen, got the dog packed up to go with us, and readied the cats to be home alone for the weekend.  Once Joe was up, I packed my travel bag, new laptop, a tool box, and a few other things.  Much later in the day, I realized I had forgotten the air mattress for Patty.  We picked her up and were on the road before 9am.

Maggie was her usual self in the car, panting the whole way and never lying down, even after the dog calming treats.  Since Courtney was driving eight hours on her way home from Will's up in Michigan, we went to Dan and Val's for the day. 


We had bought Subways once to Murfreesboro, and after hanging out awhile, enjoyed lunch.  Maggie took awhile to calm down for some reason.  Tango was his usual very mellow self. 


What is Valencia getting out of the pantry? 

Today Val hit the seven months pregnant milestone.  However, baby Ava is quite large and may be farther along than seven months gestation.  The doctor believes she will come before the April 20 due date.  Val is thinking maybe as early as the end of March.  We will see.  

Tango and Maggie chill-axing while we had lunch.  Then all of us (including the dogs) went up into the game room and watched a movie (I Care A Lot) on Dan and Val's ginormous TV. 

Val made a very tasty goulash for dinner, accompanied by a toss salad I had made.  Dessert a little later was cupcakes Patty made and Apple Crisp neighbor Carole had made for us.

Courtney had arrived at her condo about 6pm and we got there almost two hours later. 

Maggie put herself to bed in her crate once we had unloaded everything and gotten settled in.  You can see Patty's blow-up bed (Dan and Val had lent us) in this photo.  Squeaky is on the end table and Wash getting some lovin' from Courtney. 

Joe in his favorite spot, Courtney's recliner, while Wash checks out Patty's bed. 


We all visited for awhile and then were off to bed. 

Sunday 2/21 -  I was first up and computerized quietly, so as not to wake Patty, who was sleeping in the living room.  Once Patty was up, I started working on Courtney's recycling.  The usual pick up time had been changed, which Courtney hadn't figure out until a week ago.  This resulted in her pantry becoming full and many boxes were stacked in her dinning area. 

Patty made us bacon and eggs for breakfast.  Then she started in on cleaning as I continued condensing recyclables.  Joe and Patty then helped me finish breaking down boxes and popping giant bubble wrap. 

The above photo is of most of the compacted recyclables, piled by the front door.  Joe loaded it all up and hauled it to the recycle center. 

Courtney had slept through all our noise making work and finally woke up after Joe had gotten back and was napping. 


I love this selfie she took of her and Maggie and of this photo she took when playing with Maggie, who had rolled over on her back.

After Patty fixed Courtney's wobbling ceiling fan, we three girls started hanging photos.  We did move this one from above Courtney's couch, to over her TV.  Now she can see it while sitting on her couch.  It was kind of small, and seemed lost on the big wall above Courtney's couch.  Plus, it clashed with one we hung on the corner wall next to the couch.
 

After getting most of the little pictures hung, we started on the posters I had unpacked from a big box that was still in Courtney's pantry.

They were mostly Beatles, all of which we hung in Courtney's office.  We needed the level Dan was bringing to hang a couple more that need two nails.

Once Dan, Val, and Tango arrived, we hung the last two things above Courtney's desk.  Then she posed for me to take a photo.  There are two more Beatles's posters not seen in this photo.

We had carryout for lunch and enjoyed a relaxing afternoon.  And yes, we each were doing our own text messaging while sitting and chatting, seen below.  As Joe said - 'Modern Family.'

The drive home, arriving at dusk, was uneventful.

Monday 2/22 - Today marked the milestone that the United States passed the 500,000 Covid-19 deaths threshold and flags were to be flown at half staff all week in remembering those lost to this pandemic.  Not a celebration, but a time of mourning. 


It started raining in the middle of the night and was still coming down when I walked Maggie at 5am and went to the barn at 7:15 for the farrier visit.

Amiga getting new shoes on the front and trimmed all around.  She does not like it when K.P. drives the nails in.  The loud noise and banging on her hoof still bothers her. 

The rain had stopped by the time I left the barn at 9am, but boy was it soggy everywhere.
 

I had a second cup of tea and another breakfast once home from the barn.  After the rain had left the area, the sun came out, and it was a pretty day.  Mama Styx was enjoying the warmth of the sun.

At the end of last week we had sent Terry and Billy a purchase agreement our lawyer had drawn up.  They pointed out where it needed some tweaking, which I am glad they caught, otherwise it could have caused a delay in the closing.  Joe called and spoke with our lawyer.  A revision to the purchase agreement would be made.

The ground was too wet to mess in the yard.  I got this blog started, did some laundry, worked on some mail, and went to the gym for two hours.

I had a very late lunch of leftover Mexican food I had brought home from Nashville.  It did not sit well with me.  It wasn't spicy, just too much cheese which is just too 'heavy' for me.  I tried a few remedies.

I skipped dinner, watched one episode of Blue Bloods with Joe, and was in bed before 8:30.

Tuesday 2/23 - It was a beautiful sunshine day with not one cloud in the sky all day.  Sitting here at my desk facing southwest, I watched the rays of the sun hitting more and more of my view as it rose around the east side of our house.

I kind of whittled away the morning waiting for the lawyer to return the corrected purchase agreement so we could hopefully get it signed.

Finally, while I was out running an errand, I got a message from Joe that the purchase agreement was ready to sign.  I rushed home and we went to the bank where we met Terry and Billy to have a notarized signing of the purchase agreement.  Yippeee!!!

We had actually been working on this purchase agreement much of last week.  There were lots of details (not just price) to concur on.  I am so excited to be buying 15 acres of Terry and Billy's property, including the older farm house, detached garage, barn, machine shed, and two loafing sheds.  We were also buying the tractor and some other farm equipment, horse (or livestock) equipment, and other things that Terry and Billy would not be needing, and that we could definitely use.  We felt we had given them a good deal and it was at a reasonable price for us as well. 

Now that we have all signed the purchase agreement, there is still a lot that needs to occur, including a survey.  We hope to close on or before April 30th, and realize it is never a done deal until closing.  But today was still a big milestone in our lives.

It was 60° out, so I went to the barn for some much needed horsey time.  Amiga was filthy so I started in on the brushing process.  I took a break to help with bringing in horses. 

I soon realized I was just not going to get Amiga clean enough to where I wanted to put my saddle pad on her, so I decided to ride bareback.  I was also kind of in a hurry because Jan was already out on Cash.

We rode in the field by Westchester.  It was still quite wet in places.  At one point when we had split up, Amiga became a handful.  She really wanted to join back up with Cash or go back to the barn.

I didn't get home until 5:30, and it was still fairly light out.  I love these longer days! 

Joe and I had a toast (chocolate wine) after dinner, to celebrate the forthcoming acquisition of a farm (second time around for us).  I guess we missed it so much, we wanted to have at it again.  We do not plan to move there or even put Amiga and Zorro there, in the foreseeable future.  We have started to entertain many ideas; like a weekend getaway, Air B&B, extra place to put family when they visit, party place, self-boarding for horses, renting the house and pasture, horse hotel for transporters, etc. 

Wednesday 2/24 - Another milestone was hit today.  I got my first Covid vaccination.  We dropped off the signed purchase agreement at the lawyers at 8:30 and then headed to Sparta, where I was able to get an appointment.  During the two hours in the car together, much of our conversation was about plans for the farm.  Before yesterday, most of our conversations had revolved around terms of the purchase of this farm.

I had planned to workout and then go ride, but time got away from me, so I just went to the barn.  Again, I had to do quite a bit of brushing to get the caked on dirt off of Amiga.  I joined Karen who was on Levi out on the front pasture and then when Jan joined us we rode out back to the bean fields and top of the Holly Trail.

Amiga and I in the woods on the Holly trail with the sunlight filtering in on us. 

I ended up riding for a little over two hours.  Amiga did get ramped up a few times, but with a saddle on, she is much easier to control and ride.

The barn was hopping with activity when we got back.  I just love conversing with all of the ladies there.

Jan and Patty with Zorro.

I had started getting a headache while riding (assumed it was from the vaccine) but I still hung around the barn chitchatting.  I had told many of the gals the good news about buying part of Terry and Billy's farm.  There was a lot of excited talk about what prospects for the property laid ahead for Joe and I. 

A later sunset means longer days so I didn't get home until 5:30.  Joe and I had a video chat with Carol to work out some details of a possible visit to her farm. 

I was feeling pretty drained so went to bed early.

Thursday 2/25 - I woke in the middle of the night, finished my crime novel, and then took a nap on the couch, waking again at 5:30.  I didn't realize how fatigued (from the vaccine) I was until I started getting active.  It was all I could do to complete my two hour workout at the gym.

I got to the barn by 12:45, and all the barn staff was there getting ready to bring the 18 livery horses over from the winter pasture.  Amiga and I stopped to watch while I was walking her in from her pasture.  I put her in her stall while the staff was getting all of their horses put in stalls.  Amiga was so dirty again, it took me a long time to brush off all the mud that was caked on her.  It was also quite tiring for me. 

Finally by 2:00 my horse was saddled and ready to go.  As we headed towards the Holly Trail, we met up with Patty on Zorro, riding across the small bean field.

Not knowing how the footing was, I got off and walked Amiga down the Holly Trail hill.  Once to the creek, I got on her to ride across the eight inch deep water because I didn't want to get my boots wet.  Then I hand walked her up the big hill on the other side.  We were both out of breath by the time we got to the top. 


I sent a selfie telling Joe and Patty we had made it safely into the Glade.  Then I checked with Terry to see if it was okay for us to ride in to her property.  Joe had also decided to drive over to check on some things with Billy.  Shoot, I hope we aren't getting too pesky.

I proceeded to ride to Marmaduke, down it a half mile, and then into Terry and Billy's.  This map gives you an idea of the proximity of their property to Fairfield Glade.  Billy and Terry own both parcels, but his dad lives in the house they built on #2.

This is Amiga and I on Marmaduke, where Hathaway comes in from the left. 

I had a nice little chat up near the house with Terry who is always so welcoming.  I think Joe and I better be careful though, that we don't wear out our welcome. 

I took several photos of the farm while riding around.  This first one is of the house off the 2015 real estate listing.

Joe is wanting to put a garden in, maybe getting started before closing, so we were looking around for the best spot to do this.

Before long, I headed back for Wildwood, taking the trail under the power lines to Beachwood.  When I got to this end of Stratford Drive, to get back to the Holly Trail, I had to dismount three times to get under and around downed trees.  By the third time, I decided just to walk Amiga all the way down to the creek. 

I rode Amiga across the creek and up the hill on the other side.  I stopped to let her rest at the landing by the tee box, and we could see big, cut tree trunks, down partway on the cart path.
   
This last photo is of our view as we came out from the Holly Trail.  Jan had texted that she was heading into the big bean field, so we were looking for her.  As it turned out, she had turned Cash around and come partway down the livery trail to meet up with us.  Amiga is always happy to see Cash.

I ended up being out with Amiga for three hours.  It wasn't all riding time because I walked her on the Holly Trail and was off of her letting her graze while chatting with Terry.

It was close to 6pm by the time I got home, and Joe had dinner waiting (grilled pork chops, potatoes, and corn).  He is such a nice guy.


I could only last for one episode of Blue Bloods and then went to bed early.  I was exhausted from a normal day of activity.

Friday 2/26 - The night before with Monita in front of the fire while we watched TV.  Rain started up overnight and kept it up all-day-long! 

Monita on the dog bed in the sunroom, which never saw sun shine today.

I worked on this blog, did research on different things concerning future farm life, (such as the Greenbelt Program and Four Wheelers vs ATVs) and 'chatted' on Facebook most of the morning.

90 minutes at the gym included rowing and elliptical, both done at a reduced energy level.

I went outside for a short stint when it was not raining.  Signs of spring are popping up all over.  I switched out Valentine decorations for Easter and cleaned and filled all my bird feeders. 

In the evening, Joe and I started the series Heartland, which I thought I had tried before, but was mistaken.  I think I enjoyed it more than Joe, because it is centered around horses, training, and showing.