Stop Scrolling

I need to stop scrolling as much as I do.  I see so many people glued to their phones, scrolling through who knows what.  Most of my scrolling time is spent on my computer, researching something or looking for jokes, cute kitties, or cool horses and horse related stuff.  While seeking information about something, I get distracted and go off on a scrolling tangent. 

I also spend a lot of time scrolling through my old photos looking for a certain one. 

Researching the scrolling 'addiction,' I learned that when we scroll through our feeds, switching between content so quickly, the brain gets a hit of dopamine each time, creating a sort of neurological 'high.'  It's that rush that keeps you scrolling through the content.  It's the same as any addiction, be it drugs, alcohol, or slot machines.  Who knew?
I have also discovered that computers will scroll by themselves. 




Ways to Overcome Your Mindless Scrolling Habit:
-Understand your habits and recognize and remove triggers.
-Delete social media apps. and turn off notifications.
-Set daily limits and keep track of your scrolling time.
-Keep your phone out of sight - take time out - find other hobbies.

Saturday 6/17 - Well, I must admit, after posting last week's blog, I did some scrolling when starting this new blog post.  By 7:30, I drug myself away from my computer and started getting the house ready for company.  Courtney and Dan (and family) were coming for Father's Day weekend.  Patty posted this photo to up date us on Wanda's tail.  It is getting much hairier finally. 

Shortly after I got back from a quick trip to Food City the kids pulled into the drive, one right after the other.  As they were unpacking the cars, Courtney presented this gift to Joe and Dan. 

Dan and Vale brought sandwiches from Buc-ees which we enjoyed for lunch.  Vale was also testing and offering up a taste of the many flavors of beef jerky she bought. 

It didn't take us long to get started on this fun puzzle. 

And we actually spent much of the afternoon working on it while Ava was napping. 

Once she was up, Ava really wanted to help us out.

There were plenty of other toys to distract Ava with, and one of her favorites was the keys, (canisters of old keys that Jean had used when teaching).


Dan and I made a quick trip to The Grove to set up chairs (for our group of ten) for the night's concert.

As you can see from the name on the drum and the back of this little girl's shirt, the night's band was The WannaBeatles. 







We six Villhauer's took two cars and met Patty, Shirley, Mary, Jack, and Denise at the Grove.  There was a BIG crowd. 







We had dinner (from the food vendors) and enjoyed a night of music, dancing, and hanging out with family and friends. 


We couldn't ask for better weather... it was perfect.



I had a wonderful time and it was fun dancing with and showing off my granddaughter to everyone. 



















Courtney, Valencia, and Patty took most of these photos.

Several of us had planned to dress up in our hippy attire.  Most rocked it so much better than I, but what fun we all had reliving the good ole days. 











The dance floor was hopping most of the evening. 

And even Joe was up dancing some of the time. 

Courtney actually spent the most time dancing with Ava, and had a blister to show for it later.
   

Daddy Daniel came to relieve Courtney a few times. 















And Ava was having as much fun as any of us. 


"One is the loneliest number that you'll ever do."




Ava loves her daddy. 












Mama came out to share in the fun and love also.

Just look at the crowd up on the hillside, and this isn't all of them. 

Sunday 6/18 - Happy Father's Day!  I hadn't slept well, with too much on my mind.  My brain kept scrolling through all my concerns, ideas, and recent memories.  I was up at 4am, deciding to start my day with less than six hours of sleep.  There was hope and plans for a nap later. 


The dogs were up with me for a pre-dawn walk, breakfast, and gazing out the sun room windows as I up-loaded and edited a ton of photos from the day before. 

 
What are you two looking at that has you so excited?  And no barking, so the dads can sleep in. 

Ava was up at 6:30 and came down stairs with Vale a little after 7am.  We hung out on the porch swing for a bit, and Stevie actually got brave enough to come visit Ava.  

We ladies finished the 1,000 piece puzzle, and Ava admired our work and loved the photos of her and her family. 
 








Ava gave the rocking horse a try, with much more success than last time she was here.

But it was still a little scary getting off and on. 

Courtney showed Ava the mounting and dismounting techniques.  LOL 

Shortly after 10am, all us Villhauers and Shirley were out on a pontoon boat on Lake St. George.  It was perfect weather and a beautiful day for boating.   

Captain Joe enjoying popcorn...











...and a beer. 

After motoring around part of the lake, we anchored out from shore, and the dads and Ava went in for a swim. 

The water temperature was 76°, so all us ladies declined going in. 

Ava did not seem to mind the cold at all and enjoyed the water like she always does. 











Once Ava got out, she had fun sitting in the captain's chair, since he was napping out on deck in the front of the boat. 




She found the horn and the radio, and gave them both a try.  But mostly she just liked turning the steering wheel. 

And Dan got his Father's Day wish, to float in the lake and enjoy a beer. 

We did more touring of the lake once Dan was back on board. 

The fun continued. 






These ladies had not been drinking alcohol, so maybe the sun had gotten to them.  LOL 
We were all just enjoying ourselves, the day, and life. 






Oh, and we did see some wildlife, besides the 'boys' and Ava. 

The dogs were glad to have us home, but soon went back to bird (and chipmunk) watching. 

Ava fairly quickly went down for a nap.





We all had a light lunch, since I was serving lasagna for dinner at 4:30.  These three weren't actually scrolling...  Vale was reading, Dan watching motor racing, and Courtney editing and sending me pontooning photos. 

Susan sent a horse up-date during the afternoon chore of bringing the horses in off the pasture.  She also reported that Amiga was limping on her front leg again.  Shoot!   We were debating going to the ranch, but it was clouding up, Amiga was sore, and everybody was too tired. 

Before long, everybody ended up conking out for a nap (except me).  Even the dogs fell asleep.  But I had started a new puzzle and was working it.  I also got the lasagna started, since it needed nearly two hours to bake. 


People slowly woke up and continued conversing, watching TV, and just hangin' out. 



Courtney worked at be-friending Rose, and then a little storm blew in. 






Ava was waking from her nap, and sat out on the porch with Papaw Joe to watch the rain.  Vale said Ava loves watching the rain. 




Patty came over to join us for dinner.  In this photo, I had taken a break from the kitchen and puzzle working, and sat with Patty and Ava on the porch.  Ava was trying to coax Babe to get up on the swing. 






My selfie with Ava.  The rain stopped, we had dinner, and soon the kids packed up and headed home to Nashville and Murfreesboro.

I cleaned up the kitchen and a little bit of the house, and went to bed early. 

Monday 6/19 - We had gotten a ½ inch of rain in the last 12 hours but it poured while I was at the gym, and we got another ½ inch in probably less than 30 minutes. 








Joe and Jack had rented a log splitter and got to work on all these logs they had moved out from the back of the chicken coop. 

Now they are split, stacked and ready for the fireplace or firepit.  So much easier to handle. 

After a good work out, I ate a high protein lunch, and continued working on the three loads of laundry (mostly guest sheets and towels). 


Selfie with Amiga I took Tuesday. 


I went out mid afternoon to check on Amiga, and she did look 'more off' than she has in the past five days.  Her boots are also tighter cause she needs a trim, but I got them on her and went for a little ride (bareback) just in the round pen.  She felt really off.  Ugh!  I am beside myself trying to get this girl ride-able. 



Karen came to do chores while I was horsing around.  I started Amiga on her seven day regimen of 'Sand Clear' to clean out her gut encase she's eaten too much dust trying to get the little stubbles of grass in their paddock.  She would not eat it after taking a few bites.  Oh this girl!  I tried adding other good stuff, like alfalfa pellets, which helped for a few more bites but she was being very stubborn.  Then I mixed in her regular feed and that helped a little more.







I went up with Karen to our former paddock to help her with feeding Mary and Jack's three horses.  Karen took these photos of me with their big boy Chipolte.   


I returned to the barn where I had left Amiga in her stall with nothing to eat but what was in the food bucket.  She had consumed more, but still not all of the 'Sand Clear.'  I gave up and Zorro got what was left of her feed.

I finished the third load of laundry before bedtime. 

Tuesday 6/20 - A few different doe have been by with their fawn with them this week.  This second photo taken Wednesday am. 









Notice how much the water level had risen in the pond after a day of rain. 

Mama heading back into the woods with her little one, after partaking of some of the cracked corn. 

I was scheduled to work Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings.  Tuesday (and Wednesday) were much the same for me, working while it was raining, drizzling, pouring, cloudy, and/or the sun peeked out for a few minutes.  I had zero customers both days.





I went straight to the ranch from the pool Tuesday, and brought all three horses in from the pasture.  Then I put Amiga in her stall and tried again to give her Sand Clear.  It was with less luck than the day before. 

I kept Amiga stalled and went up to the ranch yard to clean leaves out from behind the back of the chicken coop.  The before photo, showing the leaves, but all the logs gone, was taken Saturday.
 

Mary and Jack came out and we decided to take the walls down on each end since they would be in the way when the painters start work on the wall and chicken coop.  We put up a temporary fence at the far end to give the chickens access to this whole area. 


This photo was taken from the chicken yard, looking towards the side pasture.  The chickens had a 'hay day' back here, digging through this rich dirt and eating grubs, worms, and bugs. 

I took away the load of leaves in the wagon, along with this wooden wall.  The leaves were disposed of in the woods and the wall put in the barnyard to be used as a mini bridge/step up block. 

I checked on Amiga while down at the barn.  She had eaten a little more, but still had plenty left.  I enticed her with more alfalfa pellets to finish getting the Sand Clear down her, but without much luck.
We were finishing work behind the chicken coop when it started to sprinkle.  Jack took a load of cinder block down to the barnyard and I drove down to do feeding chores.  It started to pour and we both got a little wet.  I fed the boys and gave Amiga her Enrich, which she prefers over the supplement.  She ate a little more, but Zorro ended up getting a much larger portion of her feed (and Sand Clear) tonight.

Wednesday 6/21 - A doe with two fawn came through, checking on the corn supply, which was already gone. 

During my four hours at the pool with no customers, I started a new book (Kite Runner) because I had finished my other one the day before. 



Photo of Wanda trying to stay out of the drizzle. 
I came home from the pool, changed and then headed into town, mostly to decide on paint color for the wall and chicken coop.  Going straight to the ranch, Mary and I discussed paint color choices with the swatches I had, after I had brought Amiga into her stall to feed her the Sand Clear again.  Amiga had been in the paddock for awhile, so was wanting food, and I better disguised the Sand Clear, so she eventually ate it all up!  Yippee.

I had ridden Amiga bareback in the round pen and she didn't seem as sore, but I decided to start her back up on Previcox. 

It poured while I was driving home and there was Rose, on our front porch, staying out of the rain, watching for me.  I fed her, the four house cats and the dog. 

Thursday 6/22 - By 8:30, the decision had been made to keep the pool closed for the day.  It had rained much of the night and was to continue all day (which it did).  Since I now had the day off, I went to the gym and accomplished a good workout.  I have slowly (and carefully) been strengthening my forearms along with biceps and triceps without (usually) putting too much strain on my elbows.  Also while trying to work my upper body back into shape, I realized it is going to be a long process. 






Midafternoon I had fallen asleep on the couch (napping hard for almost two hours).   Unable to get moving, Joe left without me to meet Maria (the over-nighter who had been here last week) at the ranch.  He helped her get backed up to the shop (in front of Mary and Jack's trailer) so she could reach the electrical. 
 

I grabbed a cup of tea (needing caffeine to wake up) and arrived 15 minutes after Joe.  I did my current routine of trying to get Amiga to eat her Sand Clear and gave her a Previcox and then dinner. 

Then we all (Jack, Mary, Maria, Joe and I) went to dinner at Vegas. 







Vegas was packed, loud, busy, and service was slow.  We started with a drink in the bar area, and were better able to chat once in the restaurant 40 minutes later.  Maria was a very interesting lady with lots of good stories to share.  She won the Mounted Shooting Championship after this (article) about her came out. 

Friday 6/23 - Finally, a hour after my morning walk with the dog, the rain stopped!  Mrs. Doe and the twins came by while there was still a deer from another herd eating at the corn rock.  She chased it off.

The sun soon appeared and it was to be a beautiful day.  Now we could work outside. 

Joe was leaving town for ten days, so there were several things I had wanted him to do before going.  Unfortunately, the rain the past five days put us way behind on the list.  So we were out at the ranch by 9am to get things done. 

We continued digging this trench, but still didn't finish it.  It is closer to the woods now.  We removed three bucket loads of sod (like the one seen above). 


This is a view of the trench looking back towards the wash rack.  The black ball is Wanda.

I had Joe take the sod to the paddock where I used it on the dam.  He also mowed the new grass (seen here) which we will give a few more weeks to really get established before taking down the temporary fence. 
  

I placed the sod on both sides of the spillway, which hasn't been wet for almost two months now.  Even with the 2½ inches of rain we got over the last four days, the pond is still almost a foot lower than the spillway. 








Joe brought two loads of gravel we put at this end of the wash rack.  I shoveled and raked to get it all in place. 



I think (hope) we are all done with this now.  It wont be near as muddy by the concrete. 









We emptied the rest of the shavings from the trailer into the shed.  They were a little damp down at the bottom, but dried out fairly quickly. 

Joe brought a load of crush-run that we put here in a low spot that becomes a puddle when it rains.  After raking it out, he drove back and forth over it to pack it down. 

We returned home shortly after noon, and the internet was still down.  At 8am we were told the whole Glade was 'out' but would be back up by noon.  Now they were estimating 5pm for it to be fixed.  Ugh!  I had three tasks I needed Joe to help me with on the internet. 







This is Babe sleeping in the wall hammock.  You can't tell from the first photo that her booty was hanging over the edge in the back.

I ended up taking a nap, but this time for only about twenty minutes. 





Joe headed to Nashville to catch a flight to Denver and Maggie and I headed to the ranch to bring the horses in off the pasture.  I did some reorganizing in the tack room and several other little jobs. 






While using a water can to dip water from the pond (to water the sod), Maggie thought we were fishing.  She had drops of water splashed on her nose that were so cute, but I couldn't get a photo of. 






I had evening chores, and did the same routine with Amiga to get her to eat the Sand Clear.  Susan was by to check on Cowboy and helped me with feeding and mucking.  When taking barn lime up to the top paddock, these three were checking out the empty bin, thinking it was feed.     

I was late getting to the Grove for music.  It was Mother Legacy performing on the small stage.  I sat with Cindy and her friend and enjoyed beer and popcorn for a late dinner. 









Road To The Horse had this post on Facebook a few days ago.  Not scrolling was their advice too.