Counting Down

T-minus and counting.  I wish, that as the number of days until company comes gets shorter, that my to-do list would also shrink.  However, it seems like I keep thinking of more things I want to accomplish, or of other chores that need doing, or often one job will escalate into several other tasks.





This week I was definitely counting the days until we meet Britney's boyfriend and gather with different family members at different times and in different locations.  We had made a spread sheet of who is going to be where/when.  Soon the family fun (and chaos) will begin.

Saturday 12/14 - I pushed myself to get to the gym earlier than usual so I could be at the ranch by 12:30.  Karen, Patty and I got our horses, saddled up, and hit the trail. 








Karen was on Dorado, Patty on Zorro, and I on Amiga.  It was overcast, but fairly warm, so was quite pleasant for riding.  And all three horses did very well.

Returning by way of our woodland trail, I took this (video).  Dorado - untacked and posing for Betty. 










I tended to chores which was easier than usual because we already had Cowboy and Banner closed in the paddock, and Amiga and Zorro in their stalls. 

Rico had worked up a sweat running the fence line while his buddy Dorado was gone, but he had cooled down by the time I got up there to feed them.









In this photo, he had spotted a large, Great Blue heron down at the pond's edge.  He watched it for quite awhile, and then returned to grazing.

I snapped a photo of Gloria to show how much she has filled out.  I wonder if the red hen that was killed by the stray dog, was the main one picking on Gloria. 








I had ample time to get home, shower and dress to go to the Jason Lewis employee Christmas party. 







Joe work's for Jason (one of his poker buddies) delivering cars to and from his four different stores here in middle TN.

The party was in this beautiful old barn called Bilbrey's Crossing.

We walked around 'touring' the old barn and reading up on the history of the railroad that used to stop there.










As a driver, Joe does not know most of the employees, but we mingled with a few people and I met Jason.

It was a BYOB occasion, so we didn't expect the fancy hors d'oeuvres that were served, buffet style.  We also enjoyed a very tasty meal and afterwards I thought there might be some dancing because the music was cranked up and many were getting rowdy and festive.  It was a fairly young crowd. 
But then, gift cards and next money envelopes (surprise amounts in each) were given out as each employees' name was picked out of a hat... once for the card and a second time through for the envelope.  After Joe got both his card and envelope, we decided it was getting too late to wait for the party to pick back up and we slipped out, driving the hour to get home. 


A cool display wall in the old barn.


Climbing into bed at 11:30, you'd think I would fall right to sleep, but no, my mind was racing.  When I started counting down how many days until our Christmas holiday celebration begins, I started to panic, realizing there were too many things I wanted to get done. 

Sunday 12/15 - It was actually fairly warm outside, but it rained/drizzled all day long and was quite dark and gloomy.  I never got out of my pajamas; never, not once, all day long.  Shirley and I had planned to go to an evening Christmas concert at the Baptist Church, so chose to not go to church this morning.  Well, as things turned out, I ended up staying home from the church program also.  I just didn’t feel like going out and needed a day at home.

However, I have no idea where the time went and why I didn't really accomplish much all day. 

I was quite sleep deprived and tried to nap mid morning, but only got about 30 minutes of shut eye.  I did text with Jean and talk with both girls (daughters Courtney and Britney) on the phone to establish food and sleeping arrangements.  But my plan to finish up all the decorating didn't come to fruition. 
Mama Styx resting under the tree after I got all the ornaments on it. 

   

Joe came home early from poker so we could watch last week's two hour episode of Survivor.  We are counting down the days and number of competitors remaining.  In this episode, the last two tribal councils occurred and got the number of contestants down to four remaining.

Monday 12/16 - Although it is ten days till Christmas, today marks the number of days until we start the party, vacation, holiday, celebration mode; = five days.

I had started my day way to early, so had time to decorate the china hutch before going to the gym from 9:15 - 11:30.

Karen and I were going to ride (it was 55°) but decided to postpone to another day because it was very damp, overcast, and windy; and there was a chance of rain.
So I headed into town and shopped for almost four hours.  I got all my Christmas shopping done, which wasn't much, but always gives me problems... What to get the few people I wanted to have a gift for, when they get up Christmas morning.  I got a Covid shot while out and about, hoping it would not take me down too bad or for too long.  I took a Tylenol pm at bedtime because I was starting to feel bad.

Tuesday 12/17 - I took a second pain/sleep aid at 1:30 when I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep.  I computerized for awhile and finally went back to bed and slept three more hours, waking at 6:30 and taking Ibuprofen this time.  My arm was sore, head hurt, and I ached all over.  This is better than the real deal though. 





I had realized this might not be a very productive day so just did what I could, writing four more Christmas cards, organizing gifts to wrap, stowing yesterday's goods away, and cleaning up some of the Christmas decorating 'fall-out.'  I was feeling chilled much of the time and ended up taking a nap in front of the fire.  Of course the warmth attracted all our fur babies. 





Even after the fire was turned off and I was back 'up and at um,' the hearth stays warm for quite awhile.
Babe is so cute with her little paws tucked under her.






I had chores at the ranch, so was out there for almost three hours.  I did some decorating in the house part of the time.  A list was also made of things I needed to take out there to have ready for Jean and Brianna and to finish my decorating.

It was a warm, but dreary day again and a fog had set in while I was doing chores.  

I had been counting down the time from getting the Covid vaccine injection, and hoping I wouldn't feel bad too much longer.  Finally, about dinner time, I started feeling better.

Joe had played in a poker tournament at a new casino opened in SC, and got home just as I was drifting off to sleep, with the aid of Tylenol pm.
  

Wednesday 12/18- I woke rather early, but feeling nearly normal.  I ended up spending a little too much time playing the Memory game (like the card game Concentration) on the Jacquie Lawson advent calendar that just became available today. 
I had decided to add the top of our old artificial tree to the porch and put on it the flashing green and red lights I always took to Florida.  It's good to have a little of Snoopy's enthusiasm sometimes.  So I took this photo before sun-up. 





I continued finishing up with all the decorating.  I decided on this alternative for 'hanging' the stockings this year.

After a productive workout at the gym, I got back to work here at the house.  Karen and I had cancelled our ride because the 'possible' rain did come while I was at the gym.  And it really poured some of the time. 







I had brought the sleeping bag down from off a guest bed, to take to Courtney's when we go this coming weekend.  Cats will always explore any changes in their domain. 





Monita and Mama Styx have a shaky relationship.  I think Stevie had helped 'keep the peace' between them.  The two tend to have little spats much of the time now.  They just can't seem to get along. 







And what may look like cute kitty fun and games, soon gets ugly.  Here's Monita just before the attack on Styx. 






I met Patty (who had chores today) out at the ranch.  I needed her help at the house to complete a little project for Jean.  But it's a surprise so I can't reveal anymore. 





While Patty went out in the rain to complete chores, I vacuumed the whole house and switched sheets on the master bed, from silk to cotton = warmer for Jean.  Joe dropped in on his way to poker, to be sure the internet was working.

Once home, I had planned to wrap gifts, but it was dinner time.  After I finished the routine of showering and feeding myself (and the critters) I had no motivation left. 

Thursday 12/19 - My whole day was spent here at home doing projects, fixing things, some deep cleaning, three loads of laundry, adding lights to the tree outside the garage, organizing gifts into boxes for wrapping, and making three guest beds and our bed.

In this photo, I had just finished cutting this foam pad to make a shorter bed for Ava.  Monita had been playing with the electric knife cord and Babe came over to check out the action.  The smaller pad was then made into a dog bed.

I had used the hot glue gun to fix a few things, one of which was this bird feeder that Jean had brought from Mom's and sits outside the front door.  Again, Monita was playing with the cord. 



Back when Stevie was still around, and had had an accident (coffee like poop) on the couch armrest, I had tried to clean the mess up, but without much luck.  Today I used a different cleaner and scrubbed with a tooth brush all the spots, and had success!  






Rose was begging for food while I was outside messing with lights, so I fed her and put out corn for the deer who came by a little later. 

 

I had never made it to the gym, but was on my feet most of the day, so was quite tired by the time I sat down with Joe to watch the ending of Survivor.  Dan dropped off Tango, who we will watch while his people go to Florida.  And Rachel was voted sole survivor, winning the million dollars. 

Britney and Juan Carlos had left for the airport at 3:45, giving themselves plenty of time to make their late night flight.  As I was turning out my bed-side light for the night, Juanca sent this photo of them 'still waiting' at the airport.  I fell asleep, praying for these two, knowing it was going to be a long night of travel.

Friday 12/20 - One day left till Christmas celebrations, holiday hoopla, family fun, gatherings, and vacation mode start for me.
Tango would not go to sleep in his crate in the Mancave.  He whined for awhile and then got quiet, but would start up again and even kind of bark a little.  So I let him out of his crate but kept him shut in the Mancave.  Still he fussed.  I had very interrupted sleep and finally got up at 2am and Tango hung out with me while I wrapped all five presents, did my blog, and then hit the advent calendar for some fun and games.

I finally got some sleep from 4:30-7am, but not near enough.  And then to stress me worse, I got news from Britney.  Their first flight out of Costa Rica had been delayed a few hours.  And when they got to Ft. Lauderdale, Juan Carlos got held up in immigration because the long lines couldn't handle all the flights coming in at once.  So, they missed their connecting flight.  SHOOT!  I got Joe out of bed and he started looking for alternative flights.  Once something was booked and Juanca was through immigration, they went back through security and then Britney and he enjoyed breakfast (photo) while they now had to do more waiting.

The day's high (reached at 9am) was 38°and it got colder from then on.  We really needed more gravel up between the sheds in the upper paddock, which had become a muddy mess after all of the rain.  So Joe and I were out getting it done at 10am.  With the wind, it felt really cold. 







After four small tractor bucket loads were dumped and raked level, Joe drove over it with the tractor to pack it down. 


Much better and hopefully ready for the rain, sleet, and snow along with the winter's freezing and thawing.

Rico and Dorado enjoying some fresh hay I threw them, to keep them busy and out of our way while we worked. 



Our next job was to move the round bale feeder from 'storage' by the shop; out to the front pasture and then put a round bale in it.

The next photo was taken later, once the horses had access to the front pasture.

It shows where the round bale was placed, near the upper paddock, so Jean and Brianna will be able to see all of the horses from the house. 

Bonnie was here removing ice from the water trough and checking on Cowboy.  Since all four horses were in the lower paddock, I had her close the gate to the back pasture for us, containing the herd in the paddock.  Once Joe and I were done in the field, Bonnie opened the gate at the paddock and I took this (video) of our horses making a run for it.

They were sure feeling frisky on this fine cool morning.  I am sure they were glad the rain had stopped.  The two herds are also very interested in each other.

I had feeding chores so did them once I was finished doing a few more things up at the ranch house.  The temperature kept dropping and the wind did not let up, so it was a cold job today.


And, the herd of four was so happy to be on the front pasture, that I had to make two trips out there to get them all in.  Cowboy and Zorro followed me when I led Amiga in, but not Banner.

I got news from Britney and Juanca, they had made it to Tampa and were boarding their last flight to Nashville.  Yay!

And then 30 minutes later this was followed by more bad news.  There were mechanical problems with the plane and they had to get back off.  That's when Juan took this photo.  Another, later flight was arranged by the airlines and more waiting occurred by these two weary travelers.  UGH!






I came home to walk the two dogs and then went to Food City to pick up items for our dinners, the main two being a spiral ham and a turkey.


I stowed the groceries, had a quick bite after feeding the critters, and then got to work on more cleaning.  A big job I have put off for so long is cleaning the dried liquid poo, left from Stevie, off of this little cat cubby tower.

Around 7pm we got news that Dan, Vale, and Ava arrived safely to their destination in Florida.  And Britney and Juan were in the air, flying to Nashville, the final leg of their trip. 




Britney and Juan landed at Nashville airport and sent this photo at 8pm.




Courtney had them home before 9:00 and sent this photo as I was turning out the lights.  I could sleep well tonight knowing all my 'children' were safe and secure for the evening. 

Saturday 12/21 - This will be the shortest day of the year here in the Northern Hemisphere.  I'd gotten a much better night of sleep, finding it best just to let Tango sleep in our room.


Courtney had sent this last night after I was asleep.  She had fed the weary travelers before they too hit the hay. 






I worked at this blog post, actually much longer than intended or I should have, but I wanted to post it before leaving for Nashville.

Juan sent this photo of he and Britney enjoying breakfast at Courtney's and said they had slept great and were much better rested. 

More cleaning and neatening up occurred, including getting the bird feeders cleaned and filled so they would be here for us to watch and enjoy over the holidays. 










Courtney took the Costa Ricans on a little sight seeing of downtown and then they met up with Kent to see an ice hockey game.  Go Predators!




We got the dogs packed and ready to go to Patty's and Joe dropped them off and ran a few errands.  I packed an overnight bag, some snacks and drinks, and did other last minute things. 

Then Joe and I were out the door, headed to Nashville.  We were now counting down the hours (2) until we meet Juan Carlos in person and see our daughters.