Two's The Limit

I have always said I am a 'cheap date' because two beers is my limit.  And without fail, I am sorry if I ever go over that. 

I also think owning two pieces of property and two houses is my limit.  As we prepare to have possession of our ranch house, there are a ton of things going through my head as we consider making it into a family/friend 'Air B&B'.  This is in addition to considering moving Amiga and Zorro out there, and having a small boarding barn.

Along these same restrictions, I think two cats, (and dogs and horses for that matter) should be the limit to the number of pets for any one person.  It is just too difficult to give more pets all the attention, affection, and care they need or want.




With the Covid pandemic ramping up again, I can see there will probably be another run on TP, paper towels, handi-wipes, cleaners, and other products.  Stores should prepare to limit what people can buy before shelves are emptied by the hoarders.

I have found this summer, that two activities in a day is the limit to what my energy level will allow for, especially if the activity involves hard work on hot days.  Not only is my energy limited, or maybe it's my motivation, but so is my time.  I just don't seem to be able to do as much.

Saturday 8/7 - All four cats, as customary, just hanging out here in the cattery while I sat at my computer.  I tried not to stay here too long and got busy with some chores around the house and then went to the gym.  I was not in the mood to work out, but as usual, once I got going, I became more energized and motivated. 






A closer look at Stevie napping on Maggie's bed. 

It was a very slow afternoon shift at the pool.  A 3:00 rain shower had chased away the only three ladies I had, so I got busy doing all my closing chores, hoping to get off work early.  I even did extra stuff, like mopping the office and washing all the surfaces in there.

This is Babe and Monita on the cat tree.

Shortly after 4:00, the sun came out and so did people, to get in a little pool time.  I was quite disappointed that I was unable to scoot out of work early.

Mama Styx trying to get some lovin' from Maggie. 

I still had ample time to get home, shower and change, take care of our cats and dog, and get to Reds by 7:30.  Ann met me there and later Micki joined us.  The karaoke was pretty bad, with lots of sad ballads by mediocre singers.  But we did get in a few dances to some songs and also had a fun time hanging out with each other, some friends from the pool, and talking with some silly (although obnoxious) golf guys.  And I kept my limit to two beers.

Sunday 8/8 - I had troubles falling asleep after getting home about 10:30 the night before, so I took a sleeping pill just before midnight.  Anyway, I then had troubles clearing my head when I got up at 6:30am.  I think two late nights out in a row is my limit.

This deer at Brian's house was not very worried about us as I was walking Maggie.  But I did have to tell the dog to not bark and 'leave it' meaning don't try to go after it.

I was at the barn by 8:30 to get Amiga out of the pasture and be ready to ride before 9:30.  Mary was also getting Chipolte ready to go.  Look how much taller he is than Amiga. 



Since two new horses John bought have finally been moved out of the pasture across the street, we rode through it, down the gully, across the creek, and up into the winter pastures which have all been planted with beans.

After riding the perimeter of several fields, we then went down the muddy hill of the long trail to Daddy's Creek.  It is always so pretty on this trail once down by the creek.

 
Amiga likes her new riding buddy. 


They both do very well together.

Taking the long trail back towards the barn, we detoured into the small bean field and rode through the ghost town to the large bean field.  Both are now about 80% clover.  Like a big candy store for the horses.

After I took a few photos of Mary, she got some of Amiga and I.  But I was having troubles getting Amiga to stand still in the position I wanted her.

We had been on the trail for almost three hours.  It was a great ride.  But we were both pretty tired by the time we got untacked and our horses back out to pasture. 

I was going to do yard work once home, but the day was heating up and I was feeling too tired. 

 
Mama Styx. 
I love her little white paws. 






I ended up taking almost a three hour nap (probably just one hour should be the limit) out on the porch swing.  Once awake enough to accomplish anything, I realized the day was nearly over.  I did get a load of laundry done along with some other domestic tasks.  I was not sleepy by bedtime, but needed to be up early, so took a sleep aid, which did the trick.

Monday 8/9 - I was at the barn by 7:30 to meet the farrier when he got there.  Amiga did great except while KP hammered a shoe on her right front hoof.  I do think that leg bothers her.  This photo was taken while I was holding her for the farrier.

Patty came and held Zorro.  This is Sharon with her horse Merlin, who was waiting for her farrier.

After getting done with the farrier, Patty and I both practiced loading and off loading Amiga and Zorro from the trailer.

I met Joe out at the ranch and we worked about three hours taking down barbwire fencing.  Yvonne (who would like to board her young horse at our ranch) came out to look over the property some more, ask questions, and discuss ideas.  It was a productive meeting, but I wasn't much help to Joe while with Yvonne (for about 45 minutes).

Joe and I are removing the fence line from this side of the side pasture and incorporating the aisle way between the two pastures as part of the side pasture because we lost some of the pasture when we re-did the property boundary line.  Also, the aisle way is now a dead end because it takes you to what is now the neighbor's field. 

The rain came early and we both got wet while finishing up what we were doing. 

I didn't have enough motivation (or is it energy?) to do anything else the rest of the day.  Light house work included a load of our wet, dirty laundry. 

Because of the impending weather, Mirror Lake Blast was cancelled.  Since I wouldn't be dancing, I thought I should go for a walk, and then the storms hit.  A wave of several thunderstorms and heavy rain passed through all evening and into the night.

Tuesday 8/10 - This doe and fawn lingered quite awhile while passing through down back.  The photos were taken through a rain streaked window.  The little one was tasting everything growing back there.

Peak-a-boo.

 

Joe and I were pretty quick to get going back out to the ranch.  More rain was predicted, and we wanted to beat it and the heat. 

The morning's task was to pull out all the T-posts and finish removing barb wire bits and staples from the wooden posts still remaining in the fence line we had taken down.  We used the tractor with a chain wrapped around the post to pull each out (video).  It was very quick and smooth.










Joe ran the tractor and I did all the wrapping and then unwrapping of the chain around each post. 

When it came time to collect all the posts, I insisted that I get to drive the tractor while Joe do more of the manual work, putting the T-posts in the tractor bucket.

I had Joe try cutting one of the large wood posts at the far end of the fence line with his chain saw, but it was more than his saw could handle.  (It didn't help that he had dulled the blade earlier when hitting a nail.)  Anyway, we will have to re-think what to do with three of the huge posts I want removed.

One set of wood posts that has a cross log and is right by the loafing shed, we left as a hitching post.  Joe took down the gate attached to one side of it and we pulled out one small wooden gate post (the tall one you see in this photo) that the gate latched to.

While Joe worked on the gate, I worked at removing more barbwire pieces and staples from two log posts in the perpendicular fence line.

This is the same photo, showing much of the fence line we have removed.  Also, notice the clouds.

We were packed up and getting in the SUV when the rain started.  It ended up raining off and on most of the afternoon.  After lunch, Joe and I ran into town together... to Kubota for a part for the bush hog, Rural King for cement mix and a mini sledge hammer, Tractor Supply for horse feed and cracked corn, the golf cart store to see if we can get ours fixed, and we ended at Walmart.    
There was a late afternoon and then evening storms, which worked out for me because I was ready to call it a day anyway.  Before bed, we watched the first two episodes of the third season of Virgin River.

Wednesday 8/11 - Two should be the limit to the number of consecutive days working out at the ranch, but we wanted to get two fence posts in so we could finish enclosing the side pasture.  We arrived shortly after 8am and then it took way too long to figure out how to attach the auger or PTO-driven post hole digger to the back of the tractor.  Finally, we were about to start digging when the electrician arrived.  Joe met him down at the barn while I worked at removing (using a large wood file) the big splinters off from around the hitching post logs (seen right).

This is the post I had dug around and we had tried to saw off at the bottom, that we will have our tree trimmer crew get (with two others) when they come.

Joe showed Simon, the electrician where we wanted to put outlets in each of the stalls and the neighboring run-in shed.  Well,  Simon had bad news.  He said all of the electricity is not up to code.  It all needs to be redone except in the tack room.  He said none of the lights (six total) are outdoor lights and need to be replaced.  And also the wiring from the barn to the shed is dangerous and must be replaced and buried.

Here is a look at the same big post and the two in the fence line I had pulled remaining staples out of.

Once Simon left we got back to the original task of digging a gate post and a fence post hole.  While digging (drilling) the first hole, we couldn't get the auger far enough down into the hole because of a locked setting on the control throttle we couldn't get to move.  We again set this job aside for another day.  In this enlarged photo below, you can see the gate post leaning against the wood fence.  It is near where we started the first hole.    
 

Two was the limit to the number of set backs for one day, and I had to get to my paying job, so we headed home.

It was a hot, humid day with no air flow, so I jumped in the pool before my shift started.  With a thunderstorm stalled out over the pool from 2:30-3:30, the crowd dispersed except for fifteen die-hards who waited it out.  Many then stuck around till near the end of my shift.

Joe was at poker, so I had a quiet evening at home with the dog and cats. 

Thursday 8/12 - The only photos I took today were of my pets, with me, while out on the porch swing after work.  In this photo, Babe's eyes look like I felt.  I had been up since 1am, with only a 15 minute nap shortly before going to work. 

I left for work at 8:05 and returned at 2:00.  It had been a very hot and busy shift.

After changing out of swimwear, I went straight to the porch swing to nap.  My five girls joined me: Babe, Mama Styx, Monita, Maggie, and...

...Stevie who was on the table right next to the swing where I was lounging.

I napped for over an hour. 

We were waiting on the tree guy to call, who was going to meet us out at the ranch after finishing an afternoon job he was doing.  He never called.  I guessed in the nearly 90° heat he was behind schedule and too exhausted to give us an estimate out at the ranch.  It would have been nice if he had called to cancel.

I ended my day watching two episodes of Virgin River with Joe.

Friday the 13th.  No worries.
 
Here is an Ava update from yesterday, her four month birthday.  She is such a cutie pie and getting so big.  We need to go see her soon!

 

Joe and I were back out at the ranch by 8:30.  We got our two holes dug in no time and then went back to the barnyard area for me to make the cement.  Joe mowed some with our little riding mower while I got a big batch (two 80 lb bags) of concrete made.

Getting it back up the hill to the post holes was discussed.  We ended up carefully balancing the wheelbarrow in the front end loader of the tractor. 

Joe used his phone app. level to be sure our poles were straight.  The larger gate post got the bulk of the concrete around it, down in the hole.  (I forgot to take a photo.)

Joe did more mowing while I cleaned up my tools and wheelbarrow.  Then I picked some veggies out of his garden.  The cherry tomato plant had more than I needed to bring home. 

I don't know what this yellow squash is, and most of the zucchini had gotten too big again.  I ate part of the small one for dinner and chopped up part of the larger one for the deer.  They loved the leftover one (raw) I gave them a few days ago.

Joe and I had driven separately so I could go to the barn to ride.  As you will hear me say in this (video), I went bareback because I was in shorts.  Amiga did great and was tons of fun.  I even cantered her through the big (bean) now clover field.  I can not limit myself to how often I say 'I love my horse'.   

I have seen this cat around in the back woods and front of our house for quite awhile now.  I have been leaving food under the back porch for it and some nights it gets eaten, others it doesn't.  The cat has always been very skittish, but this evening it decided it was desperate for some lovin' so I was able to get close and pet (I think a female) her some.  It helped that I had some food.





Joe was off playing poker so I did some extra dog walking.  While working here at my computer, this flying squirrel came to have dinner at the bird feeder right outside my window.

There does not need to be any limit to the number of Ava photos I see or post on my blog.