The real 'bur' months here on the plateau are actually January and February.
Sometime near the end of September we had had a little cold weather (for a couple of days), which had caused me to start dreading the coming of winter. But then we were actually very lucky to have so many weeks of beautiful early fall (t-shirt type) weather.
I had the space heater on here in the sun (no sun today) room. Maggie and Babe enjoyed napping in front of it.
After playing too many games on the computer I finally
got myself to the gym. Well I discovered that the flu shot had done
more than just made my arm sore. I literally had very little energy and
felt rather achy all over. So I only did half my usual workout and
with the weights set 10 pounds lighter than usual. And I didn’t even
make it to my full set of reps on some of them. Ugh! 
These two are so cute.
I decided to finish my
workout on the elliptical just to make it worth my time driving to and
from the gym. I had a leisurely pace while watching HGTV Flip or Flop.
Cream of Wheat, my go to comfort food, was enjoyed for a late lunch. I was so cold, I then read (and took a 90 minute nap) in front of the fire.
Joe and I met Mary and Jack at the Grinder House for dinner and the live music by Mother Legacy.
It was a good meal and a great show.
We had to leave early (at 8:15) to get home to walk Tango. I was feeling cold, run down, and tired, so hit the hay right away.
It was even colder today, and there was a very thin layer of ice on the garage side door deck and stairs. The dogs and I had to be careful going down them.
I had a very leisurely, lazy morning and kind of felt like I was still recovering from my flu shot. But then I got going with laundry and a little house cleaning before Dan et al arrived at noon.
I thought they were just picking up Tango and heading home, but their need to get back to Murfreesboro right away was no longer necessary.
So, they were able to come in to visit for awhile.
It was wonderful to get to see and hangout with Ava for a bit. She just keeps getting bigger and more grown up each time I see her (which I really need to be more intentional about).
I didn't really have any toys for Ava to play with, but she did a great job of entertaining herself. First it was the tootsie-pop jar, and then a set of blocks from a puzzle I pulled out. And finally dog toys, especially the balls. Maggie thought Ava was great fun, until she got bonked in the face with a toy. Then she kind of kept her distance.
Once Dan and family hit the road for home, I had a late lunch, finished up laundry and headed to the ranch. The temperature never got above freezing today, so frozen water was a problem. Jean had broken up and removed ice from buckets and tubs in the morning, and came back out to help with that.
There was a lot of horse antics at feeding time, and I realized just how pushy and aggressive Robbie can get. We have been trying to come up with the best solution for who gets fed where, and have moved Robbie back out to the fence at the corner.
Joe had taken Patty with him to the Titan's game and got home from Nashville after dinner. We watched Survivor, which really hasn't been all that exciting this season, but it's entertaining.
Monday 11/14 - This big buck came through the yard, not looking for food but seeming to be on a mission. A little later he was chasing a young doe back through the yard and up into the woods and across the golf course. Also, notice the leaves in the flower bed. I still have ten (out of my fourteen) beds to clean out.
The sun came out (after none for the last two days) so my sun room was warm and sunny. This photo of Babe enjoying the sun up on the cat tower and Monita down below was taken later in the day.
I was off to the eye doctor at 7:20. Turns out both my near (reading) and far (distance) vision have changed. I knew my driving glasses weren't helping as much as they used to. And my reading glasses had broken, no fault of mine, the hinge of one ear piece snapped. Turns out my left eye astigmatism is much worse but my right eye (with no astigmatism) distance vision has improved. But as farsighted vision improves, nearsighted gets worse. So I needed new correction for both my reading glasses and driving glasses.
I had planned to get bifocals for driving (looking at map and then road signs), shopping (reading isle signs and then the fine print on food labels), and here at my desk (looking at computer and then watching wildlife outside). So, that's what I did.
Monita being cute and wanting to engage in play.
While in town, I did some shopping, primarily to get some kind of heaters for our frozen water problems. Early morning shopping goes so much easier than dealing with the later crowds.
Once home with everything unloaded, I had lunch and then did this and that until my food was mostly digested. 
Even though Tango was gone, I left his bed out because the dog and cats (this is Stevie) have been enjoying it.
I went to the gym at 3:30. After the rowing machine I started in on weights as usual, but was really dragging. Then I greeted my friend who talked me into joining the 4pm Zumba class. Anything to get out of my weight workout. The music got me going, but not knowing the routines, I felt like I wasn't accomplishing much of a workout. So back out into the weight room I went, leaving class after fifteen minutes.
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I proceeded to have a great (very productive) workout then. I could have kept going, but had done more than usual, and wanted to have time to shower before they closed at 6pm.
I got home just after 6:00; sweet, clean, and hungry. First I fed the fur babies, then I made a big salad.
The evening was spent setting up my Jacquie Lawson Advent Calendar (with Joe's help) and starting in on some of the fun games.
The rain started Monday night, and persisted all day long and into Tuesday night.
We never saw sunshine, ALL day long. It seems fall is over and winter has arrived. I had no where to go and nothing that had to be done, so lingered here extra long, playing advent calendar games.
I worked on Christmas cards, just addressing envelopes, but that was the extent of my day's productivity. Although, I also went to the gym and did the rowing machine for 20 minutes and the elliptical for 45 minutes.
Patty sent this photo at feeding time.
And Courtney sent this photo at feeding time. She is fostering the two little black kittens.
We took Patty to dinner at La Costa, and then watched the last two hours of Joe Pickett. It was suspenseful until the last 20 minutes and then had a fairly happy ending. Which was good, because otherwise I would have had troubles unwinding and it was after my bedtime by the time we had finished the show.
Wednesday 11/16 - The day started cold and gloomy and I was dreading a morning at the ranch with the vet.
In case you didn't see the hawk in the first photo, here is a close up. It had caught my eye swooping up to the tree from the pond, so may have been munching on a fish or frog, or maybe even a chipmunk that had been down by the water's edge.
Bonnie and Susan were at the ranch mucking their paddock when I got there, and mentioned that the gate latch had broken. Rio helped supervise me while I fixed it.
The sun came out about the time Patty arrived to help with Zorro, who was next to see the vet after Cowboy.
The sedation before dental work helped Zorro relax, tongue and all.
Jean got off work in time to come watch the 'floating' (which means to file the teeth to reduce the sharp edges and make the surface smoother) of Zorro's teeth.
Jean took this photo of the electric rasp in Zorro's mouth that is clamped open. Zorro was in a very relaxed state.
Dr. Perry saw Robbie next and patiently (and thoroughly) answered all our questions about her. She only needed a West Nile vaccine, so got that and was good to go.
I had been walking Zorro to get him to come out of his 'drunken stupor' from the sedation. It still was not safe to turn him out to pasture, so Jean took over while I held Amiga for Dr. Perry.
With Amiga, we decided to just do the rabies and West Nile vaccine (same as Zorro) but wait on the teeth floating until spring when we would do a blood panel for metabolic functioning along with the usual coggins test blood draw.
I walked Amiga around for a few minutes (helps get the blood flowing and alleviate a bad reaction to the vaccines) and then turned her out with the others. She and Zorro buddied up immediately (probably comparing notes about what they had just been through LOL).
Meanwhile, Cowboy and Robbie were also hangin' out together. It seems like a herd of four works better than a herd of three. Like with kids playing, three tends to leave 'the odd man out.'
I cleaned up down in the barn and tack room and then headed up with Amiga's bridle to ride bareback and get her exercising some more.
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Jean came out to work with Robbie, which was also good to get her blood flowing. In this photo, Robbie is looking back at Amiga and I. I had lost (and did much searching before riding) the chin chain, so rode without it. Well, Amiga took off with me at a gallop. A fun ride, but I don't like having no control (especially brakes). Later, Jean found the chin chain, thank goodness.
Arriving home at 4pm, I had a late big lunch, or early dinner. I struggled to stay awake until bed time.
That is Styx napping on my shoulders and Stevie on my mouse pad; usually she is right on my forearm as I am trying to maneuver the mouse.
I was debating skipping the gym, but I had yesterday, so I got myself there mid-morning. I struggled with the upper left back pain throughout my whole workout, but got it done, sort of.
It was a cold, brisk day, (37° high) but at least the sun was shinning. This is Maslo enjoying a 'snack in bed.' Jean and I rode nearly four miles in a little over an hour. She had to take Zorro because Robbie was acting very grouchy; kicking out, trying to bite, and switching her tail when Jean tried to saddle her. We hope it is just soreness from the vaccine the day before, and gave her a Previcox for pain and inflammation.
Zorro and Amiga were both very peppy. The cold weather will do this. 
Jean and I both felt cold by the time we had finished, so warmed up with tea, chatting and working on a jigsaw puzzle.
I cooked a hot meal for dinner once home and sat in front of my space heater in the office afterwards. Then it was in front of the fire to watch Survivor with Joe.
Friday 11/18 - The only photos I took today were when I was out at the ranch horsing around. These are the three neighboring black horses that hangout along the fence, usually down near the barn. That is the sun setting behind them.
I have been spending too much time at the computer, doing Advent Calendar activities and games. I did shut it down early to finish addressing the rest of my Christmas Cards (there are 50 total).
After a big, hot lunch (of leftovers) I made it out to the ranch around 1:00. Jean and I rode Robbie and Amiga in the back pasture, mostly to see how Robbie was doing. She was acting better, but still seemed a little 'grouchy' about being saddled.
Behind Jean in this photo you can see the boarder's paddock, pond, and loafing shed. We ended up going a mile, riding the perimeter in each direction and doing a cross figure eight where Joe has mowed through the middle.
Then I wanted to practice backing Amiga slowly off the trailer. I encountered my first problem (and great frustration) when she wouldn't even load for me. It was a big surprise because she has been so willing all fall with all our trailer loading. She has fallen back into her old ways... so, I was back to square one... trying to just get her to put all four feet up in the trailer.
Next, Jean worked with Zorro (seen in these last two photos). He is more difficult to load than Amiga, so we settled for two feet on the trailer and the other two on the ramp. It was a big accomplishment for him.
He is rarely asked to get on the trailer, so did quite well I thought. Jean is also very patient and calm working with horses, and does a great job.
I didn't get home until almost 6pm. The dog and cats were happy to see me. We all ate and then chill-axed (actually I sat in front of the space heater at my computer, trying to warm up) the rest of the evening.
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