Make Ready

We continued to attend to many tasks as we worked to make ready everything for the coming wedding celebration event.  We wanted to ensure both houses were neat and clean and in a usable state.  This also included getting the yards, pastures, buildings, fences, etc. into presentable shape.  We kept busy with cleaning, organizing, assembling, fixing, and completing any tasks needed to be done so we could entertain a lot of guests while also participating in the fun and activities, not being bogged down with work during the time of their visits.

Saturday 8/2 - I had a slow, easy, actually kind of boring shift at the pool because the temperature never got much above 80° and it was very overcast, even threatening to rain all day.   

From the pool I went straight to the ranch where Joe was already working.  Together we trimmed all the low tree branches along the fence line between the side pasture and Jem's back field.  




While Joe hauled the branches off, I did some wound care on Rico's legs.  Bonnie help me with that process.  We think he is scrapping the insides of his legs against each other while kicking at flies on his belly, and the nails from his shoes is scratching himself.  

Next Joe took down the three window boxes I had previously removed all the dirt from.  You can see how rotten they were in this photo.  






I don't think the house looks too awful bare without the two boxes under these windows.  And now I don't need to worry about planting them, keeping them watered, and weeding them.  So much less work involved.  The third box came off the shed by the barn.  

While Joe struggled with unscrewing the boxes, I cleaned behind and inside the chicken coop.  Although I needed his help hauling out the tarp, which collects a lot of poop, under the roost.  









I got a quick photo of Zorro and Amiga before I left.  They were up by the yard, and always look so happy together.

It had kind of misted on Joe and I a few times, and looked like rain at any moment, so we weren't sure music at The Grove was going to happen.




Joe had seen on Facebook that somebody posted that tonight's concert was postponed until tomorrow night.  I showered and dressed to make ready for dinner at Stonehenge.  








We drove right by The Grove on the way to the restaurant, saw that the concert was in progress, so turned in and parked.  Dinner was beer, pizza, and ice cream from food trucks, while listening to the Neal Diamond tribute, two person band.
 

This is Micky with Nancy, who we have fondly nicknamed the Crazy Church Lady.  She is a hoot, and one of the fun, people loving persons I know.  

Most of Neal Diamond's music is not great for fast dancing, but Joe and I did enjoyed several slow dances.  

These last two photos Vernon Martin posted on Facebook.  The second set always brings out more dancers because folks have had enough 'liquid courage' by then. 









We got home at 8:20 and I was quick to make ready for bed and soon hit the hay.

Sunday 8/3 - This photo of Ava pretty much sums up the day.  
Shirley and I skipped church because it was raining fairly hard.  I was hoping the pool would be closed for the day because I had a ton of clerical work and house cleaning to attend to, but that wasn't the case.  I did however work at my computer all morning.  

One sizable task I made a big dent in was to make ready for our new veterinary visit for the horses this fall.  I had collected all the past records (from our former vet) for five of the six horses, and started typing the important, needed information into an e-mail to send in.  


As luck would have it, or not, I did have to go into work.  Four of the six total customers we had today, were still there when I arrived.  But by 3:30, the rain had become so hard and steady, they gave up and left.  I did get to close the pool early.  
This is one of the only two photos I took today.  It is the empty soap bottle from the dispenser in the men's restroom.  The new bag replacements we had would not fit in the now empty dispenser.  So I sent this to Josh, our pool maintenance man, requesting help.  


During my almost three hours at the pool, I remained in the office most the time, because of the rain.  I called and spoke with Courtney and Cathy as I continued to make ready and finalize plans for the party and whole four day weekend.  Joe and I had also Face-timed with Britney and Juanca to settle a few other arrangements.

My second photo of the day was this selfie of me, in my hoodie, drinking hot chocolate because I was so cold.  I had gotten wet closing up at the pool and it was only 70° out and not much warmer in the house.  I did get more work done here at my computer, working on a song play list.  I was listening to many of them.  I also took some time to play a few games.
 

Monday 8/4 - Patty had informed Joe and I about a hornet's nest being constructed on the ranch garage.  I took a look (and photo) when out there to do morning chores.

Work at the pool was unbelievably slow even though it was a nicer day than Sunday.  It was very overcast and threatened to rain, but never did.  







I contemplated going back to the ranch after work, but was anxious to get home.  Joe had gotten the shop ready for a new crop of hay by moving the remaining 40 bales over to this spot.  Now we just need to get our hay cut, baled, and in.

I was watering transplants in the back yard at home, and then decided to fill in with a little more, so I moved a few additional tiny Lenten Rose around the concrete lantern.  







Noticing moss growing on this rock ↑, I chose to clean it off because I like the look of the bare rock better →.  





← And this is the bare spot I moved the moss to.  










So it is now green by the rock at the top of this photo.

I did a touch of weeding and then it was time to get ready for Mirror Lake Blast.  

Joe had grilled sausage, eggs, and pancakes for dinner, so I had a little, and then scurried off to The Grove.  Soul Fish played and other than seeming to be a bit slow (the beat just wasn't as fast as the original songs) they were a lot of fun to dance to.  I got some aerobic exercise.

Tuesday 8/5 - I’d had a horrible night of sleep.  I had turned the lights off at 10:00, then tossed and turned for over an hour (I remember seeing it was 11:00 when Joe came to bed). And then he coughed a bunch.
Joe proceeded to have some coughing fits during the night, which woke me back up and I just could not turn off my brain and settle into a good sleep.  I got up at 3am thinking I might go back to bed, but that never happened.  



I met Joanne and Betty at the barn at 8:30 and we proceeded to enjoy a very nice ride.  I rode Zorro since he can’t go as far and I didn’t have as much time.  He was a little bit full of himself throwing some little cow hops and also rushing much of the time but otherwise did very well.  When we left Betty and Joanne and headed back to the ranch, he settled right into a smooth little racking gate (video).  We probably went 3 miles, while Betty and Joanne ended up going 7.2 miles.  

After my ride, I had some chores to do, including dumping the debris from the chicken coop and cleaning up some branches from a tree Joe had cut up in the spring, after it had fallen down.  When I went down to dump the second wagon load, Joanne and  Betty were in the barn, caring for the horses.  We tried fly leggings to see if that would help his legs heal from all the scratches.   I appreciate Joanne doing extra loving and care on Rico.




I drove home at noon, fighting sleep all the way.  Lunch was eaten on the deck with my book and I took over an hour nap.  It was not sunny, so I didn’t get too hot.

Before dinner time, I decided I had so much to do I needed to get going.

I trimmed shrubs and weeded right out front, seen above.  Shadow was brave enough to watch from a safe distance.  He is getting tamer, but still quite feral.  I can sort of pet him, just before feeding him, because he is super affectionate (rubs against my legs), but otherwise he won't let me near him.  






Feeding time for other wild ones, who also are getting tamed, but not my intention - really shouldn't be.  





It is counterintuitive to attract the deer to the yard with a little bit of corn and then get frustrated when they eat some of my  plants.  But I love them and this was their home before it was ours, so I feel like I need to do whatever I can to share this space with them.

By bedtime, which was earlier than usual, I had sent a long play list (including several songs in Spanish) to Terry.  I was glad to have that done.

Wednesday 8/6 - Joe accompanied me to the ranch for morning chores, having things he needed to do out there.  It was an overcast morning, but cleared off later.  









The horses, except Banner, who tends to stick to himself, were having a 'pow-wow' up at the fence between the side and front pastures.  




I cleaned the bowl of chicken grit/calcium.  They get egg shells (seen at the top) and going clockwise - chick grit, oyster shells, and granite adult grit.  All of this will be totally mixed up by tomorrow.  







I was weeding the garden when Joe zipped into the yard to show off his new mower.  It is a zero-turn, but easier to operate with the steering wheel rather than the two levers that use differential steering (video).  

We were home by 10:00 and then I put Joe to work helping me with yard work.  He did weed whacking, ran the chain saw, and cleaned the deck and deck furniture.  You can't see much difference in these two photos, but the yew and bottom branches of the hemlock tree had been trimmed in the second photo.  






I ran the electric hedgers and trimmed bushes around the house.  This also involved raking up all the branches and hauling them away.  

This holly really needed trimming and required me to stand on the top rung of the ladder and I still couldn't reach high enough.  I got out the long handle (extending) trimmer to reach the top, but then had to cut each branch individually.  


I quit out in the yard at 5pm, feeling good about what I had gotten done, but overwhelmed with what is left to do.


This is Shadow, rubbing up against my legs.  I can barely walk when he does this because he is literally 'under foot.' 

Joe dropped in out at the ranch for a second time, after dark, to spray the hornet's nest.   

Thursday 8/7 - I was up at 2am, napped from 7:00 to 9am, and drug through the rest of the day.  UGH


Britney sent this very cool photo of the view from their apartment - watching it rain downtown, in San Jose. 

This photo was shared by Vale on Facebook.  Precious little Layla napping during her weekend visit to Chicago.

I made some phone calls while computerizing and 'finalized' my shopping lists that I continued to add to as I thought of more needs for our five day party weekend.
 
My gym visits have been greatly reduced, once last week, once this week, and I probably won't get there next week.  The same has been true of my riding time.  

I did get to the gym today, from 10:30 - 12:30.  I hit Food City to make my order for the wedding party food trays and also picked up some needed groceries.  
My planned time in the yard did not happen because we had a 'surprise' thunderstorm that dumped ¾" rainfall on us just after I got home. 


I went early to do afternoon ranch chores because I had some tasks at the house and with the horses.  
I noticed these eggs left in the manure pile after Joe had removed several tractor bucket loads.  I'm thinking snapping turtle probably.  I covered them back up.  
  
 





I put swat on Rico's lower legs since he did not keep on the fly leggings.  I also gave Amiga Previcox and treated her hooves. 

Being short on sleep, I went to bed early.

Friday 8/8 - After morning chores, I hit the trail with Betty and Joanne again (like we had Tuesday) with Joanne on Rico and I on Zorro. 









At one point , after Joanne had gotten Rico to gait nicely, I tried to get a (video) of them.  But of course, he wouldn't do it for the camera.

Zorro did very well today, much better than Tuesday.  We went about the same route as Tuesday and covered a little over three miles.

Side note: Yesterday we were told by our hay guy that he wasn't going to cut our hay this year because he didn't have time.  He has been stringing us along the last two months.  Why didn't he just say something to begin with?  We are extremely frustrated.  After spending time and money to fertilize and spray weed killer, to get a good hay crop, we are left with nothing.  And now we have to bush hog the tall, stemmy grass we have, so we can at least put the horses on the field.  


Zorro and I headed back on our own and I had him go to the ranch through the woods on the trail along the two back fields.  Jem was using our tractor to bush hog his field so I had Zorro stop up at Jem's back gate to watch for a minute.

Once untacked, I got to work in the ranch yard again.  I picked up some weeds, transplanted some flowers into the two pots by the fire place chimney, and cleaned up more brush behind the cinder block wall.

Then I was off to town to get $356.00 worth of stuff at Walmart, several flowering plants at Lowe's to spruce up our landscape, and pick up the wedding dress and JC's pants and shirt.

Much time was spent getting everything unloaded, but I still need to sort through things.  We have Thursday open house here, Friday potluck/bonfire at the ranch, and Saturday's main event - the wedding party; all to make ready for.

My day ended with 3hrs of much needed frustration release, having a few drinks and dancing at the Light & Lively 'Back To School' party.  Linda and Micki made the night extra fun.

Preparations

I wasn't sure how to spell 'preperations' so looked it up.  In practice, both spellings are used interchangeably.  But preparations tends to imply a bigger effort involving more people.  As I planned for our big gathering August 16th, I realized I wasn't just making a list; I was orchestrating an experience for the whole weekend people would be here from out of town.   

Saturday 7/26 - On my Saturday and Monday morning shifts at the pool, part of the preperations for it opening, is to scrub the tile.  This involves getting in the water, which today was delightful. 

It was a busy five hour shift in the hot sun, with occasional clouds and breeze for relief.  

Right after work I met Joe at the ranch to show him where to bush hog in the back pasture.


We need to knock out the creeping, thorny vines that we found a bunch of in some of last year's square hay bales.  They made the flakes difficult (and painful) to handle and the horses would not eat it, so a bunch was wasted and then needed to be cleaned up.  Joe could not see the low growing vines under the tall grass, from up on the tractor, so I pointed out where he should mow.  We did this in preparation for haying the field.  I believe it is Greenbrier - a thorny, woody vine that can climb or creep along the ground and is aggressive and difficult to control.  

Bonnie and Dave were in the lower paddock cleaning out the water tank and helped when needed with gate management.  

After turning out the Pasos, I helped Joe muck in the upper paddock.  

A much needed shower occurred as soon as I got home at 4:00.  Patty joined us for dinner and then we girls did some ordering on Amazon, for party supplies.  Many more preparations need to take place before Aug 16th.

Sunday 7/27 - Our new assistant minister preached a great first sermon for our church, but went 15 minutes overtime, so I had to scramble once service was over.  I ran to Food City and then off to the pool, 2½ hours before my shift was to start.  It was the Christmas in July pot-luck pool party.  If you look closely at Melisa and Barry's matching suits, you can see Santa hats on the flamingos and holly.  

I ate, swam, and lounged with the locals until I had to report for 'duty' at 1:45.

We had a record breaking crowd for the summer so I was very busy.  With more people comes more work, but I enjoy my customers and love my pool job.  Mopping the restrooms was a continuous task.  

It was 7:00 by the time I got home, having had food tables to clean up and stow away, and a lot more trash than usual to bag and cart to the parking lot.

Monday 7/28 - A chicken was on the outside of the chicken yard when I got to the ranch at 6:30am, so I had to corral it back in.  This is a poor quality photo because I got it from a video.  








After Amiga and Zorro ate, she proceeded to lay down for a bit, as Zorro sort of 'stood guard' while eating his hay.  I was mucking the sheds at the time.  




I had decided to move Rico down to the lower paddock with the three boys, full time for awhile, so moved his bucket, feed, halter, and fly mask down to the barn.  I took a few photos and sent them and the new instructions to all the boarders and others who help with chores.

Before going to my pool job, I spent 45 minutes watering all our young trees and shrub and had to chase the chicken back into the chicken yard two more times.  

 
My 9-2 pool shift was much quieter/slower than it has been this month because it threatened to rain and we did have a few pop-up showers.  

Dan sent these cute photos of Ava playing on her tractor in their back yard.  





Karen had afternoon chores and sent this photo, saying that two chickens were on the wrong side of the fence.  











Soul Soup played at Mirror lake Blast (until 9:00), and were so much fun to dance to.  I got my aerobic exercise for the day.  This photo is from a video posted on Facebook.  I was rounding up the ladies to join me on the dance floor.

Tuesday 7/29 - Neither Joe nor I had a good night of sleep, because he was coughing and hacking and I think actually sick/feverish.  He went to the doctor later in the day and was put on antibiotics, a steroid, and a before bed decongestant.   

I managed to stay in my loungers all morning.  After the usual scrolling, blogging and computer games; I made phone calls, texted ranch veterinary business to get necessary start up info for our new vet, and worked on possible ways to assemble table decorations for the party, since supplies had arrived in the mail.  This photo is all I'm going to reveal, a little sneak preview.  




Later in the day I was using my shirt to dry off this little bunny I had drenched while watering plants.

During my gym time, the window cleaning company I had left a voice mail with, had called and came to the house to do an estimate.  Once home, I slipped out of my exercise leggings and into jeans and went to the ranch.  




I met Patty, to wrangle the hens, to trim their wings so they couldn't fly out of the chicken yard anymore.  It was a hot, chaotic affair.  Six of the young hens kept evading capture no matter what technique we tried.  We did eventually get them all clipped except one that had actually flown over the cinder block wall (twice) into Jem's yard.  The second time I could not find her. 

I searched for the missing hen for quite awhile, and at one point thought I saw her at the pond (red arrow pointing to a bird), but it was one of Jem's ducks.

I decided to give her time to come out of hiding and hopefully find her way back to our flock, so I tended to other tasks, like filling A&Z's water tank and finish watering the plants around the house.  That's when I flushed the baby bunny.  

It was getting late (nearly 7pm) by the time I was finishing up and took these photos.  

All was well with the six horses.  It was the missing hen I was worried about.







I check one last time, and when I came around the house, she was running the fence line, back and forth, trying to figure out how to get back in.  The little devil (videos).

Wednesday 7/30 - Thankfully, Joe (and therefore I) had slept much better.  I was at the ranch at 6:30 to feed Amiga and Zorro.  (Now that Rico is with the three geldings in the lower paddock full time, he gets fed at night with them.)  It was quite foggy, so the moisture on this spider web made it very visible.  






Betty was not far behind me getting to the ranch, and soon we were tacked up and on the trail.  The fog had just lifted but the air was still dense with moisture.  We had an enjoyable 5½ mile ride, even with the deer fly being worse than usual.  Our horses were great (video).

I realized that today is the one year anniversary of my colon cancer surgery.  I am humbled and amazed by the ease and success at which that health battle went.  Never in my wildest dreams did I see myself where I am now, and with a married daughter, a second granddaughter and another horse. 
Early afternoon I lounged on the couch and finished my James Patterson book.  A little nap also occurred.  

I went to the gym and did 30 minutes on the rowing machine and an hour on the elliptical.  That had me 'spent' energy wise.  I got gas on my way home and also bought more supplies for the table decorations in addition to hitting Food City for milk and salad fix-ens.  I also spoke with the dry cleaners who had a concern about the wedding dress, and I talked to the window cleaner to line him up.  

The cats joined me in bed as I started the next Patterson book in the 'Alex Cross' series.  I was just too tired to absorb much (it takes me more effort to start a book, with the development of a new plot and characters), so I called it a day.
 

Thursday 7/31 - And just like that, July is over, but still our hay has not been baled.    

I watched a whole rangale (herd) of deer during my morning tea and computerizing.  Notice the buck laying down to the far right, while the three doe and two fawn were nibbling corn and licking the salt block.

I worked in the yard for almost five hours, starting at 8:45.  I got all the rest of the piles of leaves picked up from the back beds with some weeding and then moved this rock and three piece concrete lantern.  I had swapped them around because the Lenten Rose were starting to conceal the rock.  

This before photo (with the deer) shows where the lantern and rock had been, and below, their new placement.  

The rock and two of the three pieces of concrete were all quite heavy, so I got a good leg and arm workout while trying not to use my back too much.  

I mowed a section (Joe doesn't want to mess with) of golf course property actually, to clean it up and make it look better plus improve the view of (and from) our backyard. 









I started in with the weed eater, but the battery, that I had just taken off the charger, didn't last long.

   

While transplanting some of the smaller volunteer Lenten Rose around the concrete lantern, it rained some, which was fine because everything needed watering.  But then as I was in the middle of transplanting two of the three variegated euonymus in this photo (because the low growing juniper was crowding them out), it started raining harder.      My Amiga ↓  

I was quite wet and a bit muddy by the time I finished.  I got right in the shower, then had a late lunch and read for a bit.

On my way to the ranch, I stopped and moved a box turtle right in my lane on Chestnut Hill.  Then on the way home after chores, a bear crossed the road about 20 yards in front of me, near where the turtle had been crossing.  It just walked across, stopped and looked at me, and continued on it's way.  I wasn't driving very fast, but if I hadn't braked, I would have hit it.

Patty came over just as I was finishing up pet chores at home.  We made a Sam's Club shopping list and then using her glue gun and both our hands to hold stuff, we spent an hour making the twelve table 'center pieces.'  They aren't refined works of art, but a fun surprise we hope.

Friday 8/1 - Is this the mama of the baby I had accidentally hosed down while watering on Tuesday?  It remained frozen while I walked by, not more than 15 feet away.  

Amiga and Zorro sharing some hay after their morning breakfast.




I met Betty at the barn at 8am and we were soon off for an 8½ mile ride.  My riding app reads higher than Betty's so we kind of round to the middle of the two readings.  



The weather was much cooler and it was overcast most of the time, so we were able to go farther than usual without the horses getting too hot.  The photo of Betty was taken at the 13th Tee of Dorchester.  I'm not sure why the color is off.  

Rico has scratches on all four feet so I washed, dried, and medicated them once we got back.  




I worked at the ranch from 11 to 2:30.  First I mowed all of the lower paddock because the weeds were getting so high and so thick.  In this photo and (video) the horses were racing in for some reason, going straight into the shed.  

I mucked in the upper paddock and finished cleaning all the dirt out of the very rotten window boxes.  While outside at the ranch house, I heard the electric fence shorting out, a loud ticking sound, and went to see where the problem was.  Who'd have thought this (video) would do it?

Then I got word from Joe that he had won the local Bad Beat Jackpot, bringing home 36K.  This was very exciting news, but I was in a funk about his boasting to others, although who am I to judge.    

  
Patty and Karen arrived at the house before I got home and dropped off this load of drinks they had gotten at Sam's club.  It's about half of what we plan to buy.  

Wedding party preparations continue as does work at the ranch and here at home as we get ready for all of the company coming. 

Before Joe left to play more poker with a different group, we started an on-going discussion of what to invest, share with the kids, and spend, of his most recent winnings.