Celebrations

This week started with the beginning of a new month.
July 4th was on a Tuesday, so there was sure to be some celebrations going on through the weekend and into the early part of the week.
It seems like there is a day for everything (and anything) to be celebrated.  And why not?  Life is short, so everyday should be a celebration.

Here is an example of the designated days of celebration this month.








Whatever the celebration, I say let's live life to the fullest.  I don't really need a reason (or thing) to celebrate, other than life itself; family and friends.

Saturday 7/1 - Getting out of bed this morning I was rather achy all over.  I seem to be slower and slower to get moving these days.  This morning my right elbow had a deeper and more intense pain (which has started happening recently) and I am becoming convinced that it is just old age arthritis.  I had not stressed my elbow at all the day before, so why the pain?

Before going to the gym, I decided to do my 'warm up' walking Maggie, rather than indoors on the elliptical.  I only did arms and abs at the gym because my legs were still tired from Thursday's workout.  It seems that days at the gym actually make my elbow feel better, if I don't over do it.  It sort of helped today.




I had lunch on the deck in the sun, but didn't last long.  It was just too hot.  So I moved to the porch swing, where I read for at least an hour. 

Stevie was on the corner shelf and here is where my other three fur babies were.  Monita is the only one up to no good.  Rain was in the forecast and that was all it took to cause Maggie to retreat to the master closet. 

I needed to get the horses in off the front pasture and do chores and was hoping to get in a short ride, so headed to the ranch at 3:30.  It was threatening to rain (thunderstorm in the forecast) so I was prepared to get wet. 







When driving past Wildwood Stables, it looked like Felipe Viana, hauling a herd of 13 polo ponies, had stopped there for the night.  They were going to stay at our ranch, but we turned him down because of the logistics of pasture proximity to Mary and Jack's horses.  

According to 2023 USPA National Polo Center, "Felipe Viana, a legend in arena polo with three U.S. Open Arena Polo Championships (2013, 2014, 2015) under his belt, has also shown his prowess in international outdoor competition.  A two-time FIP World Polo Championship competitor, Viana helped guide the USA to a silver medal finish back in 2015."

When I got to the ranch, the wind had really picked up, the air had cooled down, and thunder was rumbling in the not too distant skies to the north.  I had decided it would be best not to ride.  Our horses were already closed into the paddock.  I removed fly masks and started mucking, but there wasn't that much manure to clean up.  Water was running through the spill-way and I could see that some of the gravel had been washed down it from the top part of the dam.  The torrential rains really are washing our dirt and gravel away in the paddock area. 




It was too early to feed, so I worked at raking leaves, dirt and manure that was blocking water drainage from the paddock. When I got to this huge tree stump, the front ⅓ fell forward onto the fence.  So I picked it up to move it and got stung by a wasp.  I was quick to get out of there in case I had disturbed a nest.  I went back a little later and there was no bug commotion, so it must have been just a lone wasp I had bothered. 




These two photos show where I had raked drainage ditches through the piles of leaves, manure, and dirt, to allow water to flow into the woods and not pool in the paddock. 






It continued to rain lightly, off and on, but didn't get me very wet because I was in the woods much of the time.  The distant thunder, that was persistent, made me wonder when the skies were going to 'let loose' and pour on me, but it never did. 



I had looked in the shop for the long handled pruners, but with no luck.  So after I was done with all my feeding chores at the barn, when I went up to feed Mary and Jack's horses, I checked in the chicken coop for the pruners.  I immediately discovered this little bird, caught in a sticky fly trap, on the pavers outside the doorway.  Thinking it was dead, it surprised me when it moved it's legs when I picked it up to dispose of it.  I freed the bird and was quite surprised it was able to fly away, cause it had left many feathers behind on the trap.  Ugh.  I guess I could celebrate it's freedom, but I was worried about it being able to survive in it's compromised state. 

I removed fly masks and fed Billy, Mesa, and Chipolte.  Below is Mesa getting a drink once finished with her grain. 

I did get rained on when driving home.  Our pet crew (and myself) got a late 7:00 dinner.     





The rain didn't last long, giving me a chance to walk the dog without getting wet.  But she was worried from the earlier storm and then when distant fireworks started, she was not going to do her business tonight. 
I took a pain/sleep aid because I actually felt feverish, I think from the bee sting.  I put an anti-itch/analgesic medication on it also. 

Sunday 7/2 - The bee sting in my arm, no longer burned or stung, but now it felt more like I’d gotten a shot in my arm.  Part of the muscle was actually sore.

I took Maggie on a long walk so she could take care of last night's and this morning's business. 






I saw this while crossing the cart path bridge at Snead's Canyon.  It is a Northern Watersnake.  I walked down to the edge of the creek to get the second photo.  Maggie had run through the water farther up stream, but drew my eye to it.  At first I thought it might be a long turd of some animal because I couldn't see a head, but then I noticed the tail. 




When Maggie and I got to the 14th green, she got a drink out of the pool that spills over as a waterfall down to the pond.

This is such a picturesque hole. 

Actually the whole course is quite scenic.  And really, all our golf courses here in Fairfield Glade are lovely.  

The dog and I walked just over two miles, in a little under an hour.  We were lollygagging in some spots, but at other times had to jog to get out of golfers' way. 

I had a big lunch, sat on a lounge chair under a cloudy sky, and read Kite Runner.  It has been an intriguing and captivating story that I have had troubles putting down, except when I read at night and get too sleepy.

It got quite cloudy and kind of stormy feeling, so I came in to read on the porch swing and ended up napping.



I wanted to try and get a ride in today, and even though thunderstorms were in the forecast, I went out to the ranch at 3:00.  I mucked the paddock and shed while thunder rumbled in the distance.  And then when it seemed less 'stormy,' I tacked up Amiga and went for a nice, short little ride (video).  Her head was bobbing slightly, and the rhythm of her step wasn't perfectly even, so she is still favoring one of her legs.  But she didn't let it slow her down, as she kept wanting to gait.


I really love and appreciate this horse for all she is and tries to do for me. 

A few attempts at a selfie with my sweet mare.  In the second photo I am giving her a kiss behind her ear. 










I did a little spa treatment on Amiga after the ride and then fed our crew before heading home. 







As I dumped a little more manure behind the dam, I took this photo of the three horses peacefully eating some hay I had given them.  I like the reflection in the pond.

I stayed up past my bedtime, reading.  The story, and the nap earlier, had helped me not get sleepy right away.

Monday 7/3 - I woke up feeling achy and old (muscle, join and arthritis pain), along with fatigue and lethargy.  The energizer bunny needs new batteries.  I can't help but wonder, with my recent increase in general pain and fatigue, if it isn't long term side effects of the Reclast infusion I got last September.  Or maybe as it gets closer to my next annual infusion, my symptoms have started up?




Anyway, I ended up skipping the gym, just couldn't get motivated.  And then in my feeling of guilt for being so lazy, I ended up snacking on junk food... all morning long! 

Notice, these two photos of the deer were taken looking towards the house, which I took much later in the day.

I figured riding Amiga was better than doing nothing all day, so after lunch I put on my riding clothes (even boots).

I took Maggie for a quick walk before intending to go to the ranch.  Well, it was so hot and humid out, I decided I didn’t want to push Amiga in this heat.  She had gotten pretty sweaty yesterday when it was cooler, and there was a nice breeze.  Now I was really feeling pathetic (lazy and unmotivated).

To redeem myself, I decided to do some long overdue yard work, cleaning the front entrance beds of weeds and leaves.  When I went across the creek to dump them in the woods, these deer had come into the backyard.  That's when I took these first three photos.

Getting some work done motivated me to do more work, and I spent almost six hours (with little breaks) neatening things up in the flower beds.  I forgot to take a before photo, but in this spot next to the sidewalk, I dug up a yew that has gotten too large for here. 

I took it down back to the bed along Brian's yard, where I had dug up a holly that had died from the flash frost in December.  I had to dig the hole larger and deeper and then the yew went right in. 

Ta da!  It looks good here along with the other two yew already in this bed.  

Below, my 'project supervisor' was napping on the job in the shade of the garage.





In the bare spot left by the yew, I planted these two (dead looking) perennial dianthus.  I had bought them in early May and never got around to doing this project.  The two months they sat in the garage has left them looking dead.  Well, they might actually really be dead.  I hope they spring back to life.  I guess I'll have to wait and see. 

I skipped going to the weekly 'celebration' at Mirror Lake Blast, it wasn't that great of a singer and I wasn't in the mood.  But I could hear the band as I worked and was having second thoughts.  I removed the burnt out rope lights, added a string of new ones, and got them hooked to an extension cord and plugged in. 


While I was taking these photos of my finished work, my project supervisor came around the corner, wondering why dinner hadn't been served, since it was already almost 7pm. 









Joe arrived home at 8:30, having been gone the past ten days.  He was coughing and hacking and said he caught a cold, because of being in and out of air conditioning so much during his travels.  I did not sleep well, with his coughing/hacking through the night. 

Tuesday 7/4 - Happy July 4th!  Let it be a day of celebration for all. 

Joe got up as I was preparing to head out the door for work.  It dawned on me while listening to him cough, that he could have Covid, not just a cold.  So I suggested he take a home test to see.  He texted me later with the results, he has Covid! 





Well crap, and Joe has exposed Courtney and I and many others!  Ugh.

This photo depicts my mood for the rest of the day, and the way my shift went.  Starting at 11:45, we had four pop-up showers, two where it really poured.  People waited it out under umbrellas and then returned to their lounge chairs when it had passed.  Many had given up by this third downpour and the pool had cleared out quite a bit.

After I'd gotten off work, Mary and Jack came to enjoy some sun and pool.  Well in less than an hour's time, another rain shower chased us and many others away. 

I went to the ranch to ride Amiga, hoping the rain was done until evening.  None of it had been in the forecast this morning.

It started sprinkling while I was mucking.  I brought Amiga into the barn before she got too wet and brushed her.  The rain stopped while I was getting her saddled up and then about the time I was ready to ride, another downpour occurred (video).  I decided I'd rather ride and get wet than give up on the whole idea.  I just didn't want to be out during thunder and lightening.  The storm passed quickly and we hit the trail.

Once in the saddle, Amiga hesitated a couple of times, as if to ask, was I sure I wanted to do this.  I convinced her I did.  The air felt damp, but it wasn't raining, until about halfway into the ride.  We got poured on for at least five minutes.  I took Amiga down Hathaway to Marmaduke, and then cut in at Eli Ford and rode her home, coming up the drive.   

Zorro was glad to see his sister back. 



We had gotten quite wet, and a little dirty, so I rinsed the girth, leg wraps, fly mask, and fly wisp off and hung them at the wash rack to dry.

By the time I got home at 6:00, I was done for the day!  So much for celebrating Independence Day.  I was reading in bed (up in the guest bedroom away from Covid Joe) as fireworks boomed outside.  I had the lights out before the noise ended.

Wednesday 7/5 - was our 43rd wedding anniversary.  It was a very unceremonious day.  I met Katy the horse chiropractor at the ranch, who was working on Cowboy when I got there.  She had actually already finished with Amiga.  The good news is that Amiga didn't need much adjusting and should be good to go for the summer.  When we put the horses back out, Amiga and Cowboy cantered off together.  They looked to be feeling quite well. 

I decided not to go to the gym, since I would have had to wear a mask.  We had some more rain showers through the day, so I just sat home and read (finishing Kite Runner) and then started a jigsaw puzzle.  Often times we associate celebrations with all sorts of festive activities (decorating, dressing, and preparing for the celebration).  But celebrations can be much more subtle.  A quiet prayer, meditating, and just giving thanks while relaxing at home.

Celebrate good times, come on!  An Indiana University study shows that parties can benefit health and well-being.  But they don't always need to be wild parties - it would be disrespectful to throw a bender during a wake, after all.  There are so many things to celebrate and so many ways to celebrate: religious or spiritual services, cultural experiences, candlelight vigil, potluck dinner, bonfire, game night, pub gatherings, park picnic, athletic event, beach day, backyard barbecue, tailgating, some kind of drive (book, blood, food, etc.), group hike, or any other kind of gathering.  But gathering is the key word here.  Joe and I couldn't even eat our two frozen dinners together.  What a pathetic anniversary.  I started a new book (I may not stick with) at bedtime and turned out the lights feeling depressed but restless. 

Thursday 7/6 -  I woke up in the middle of the night with sniffles and couldn't get back to sleep, worried I was getting Covid.  But this morning I woke up feeling fine, except for the old age aching (arthritis) symptoms I have been experiencing for over a week now. 

They were paving our street when I left for work at 9am.  It has been tar and gravel since we've lived here.  So having asphalt now is worthy of a celebration.
 

I made a fast change once home from the pool and then went into town for a quick shopping trip.  I had everything unloaded and put away by 4:30.  Then I proceeded to do this whole 750 piece jigsaw puzzle in four hours  (I had turned most of the pieces over Wednesday).  The time included taking a break to feed the cats and dog and grab a quick bite for myself.  I was in bed at 9:00, after another uneventful and fairly non-productive day.  But it had been nice to sit mindlessly and work this puzzle, which made me feel accomplished. 
 

Friday 7/7 - I had last seen Rose before dark (and fireworks) on July 4th, so I was relieved to see her this morning, waiting to be fed when I walked Maggie at 5am.  These two photos were taken later in the day.

I was at the ranch before seven to do morning chores, including Mary and Jack’s horses and mucking because they were out of town.  I had forgotten to take my phone so didn’t get any photos.  In addition to the routine chores I did a few other things before heading home.

Once home, I learned that Joe had taken another Covid test and he tested negative.  I guess that's something to celebrate.  Joe no longer has to quarantine, but because I have been exposed, I still needed to.

I put in another shift at the pool, this time from 1:30 to 6:30.  We were very busy because it was hot and there was no rain (in the forecast or otherwise).  Once home, I walked Maggie, checking out the new asphalt road (above photo) and Rose came along with us.

Now that Joe is out of quarantine, he chose to play poker tonight, so it was another evening home alone.  I decided to splurge a little, and had Tostitos with cheese and an ice cold beer in a frosty mug.  This celebration was more like a pity party.  Oh well.  I need to get out with the girls, cause any day, or night is a good time to (have a good day).