Brain Training

I was going to name this week's blog puzzling, because with the week's forecast, I knew I would be spending a lot of time here in the house, so why not work puzzles?  But as I was researching and gathering my thoughts, many things rang a bell.  So I went back to look and discovered that I had done a blog with the same title on January 19 last year.  I read that (blog) and can’t help but chuckle, that some things have not changed at all.  I was working jigsaw and other puzzles, the temperatures were frigid, the dog and cats sought heat sources (like sunlight, space heater and gas fireplace) and I dread driving in the sleet/ice/and snow plus the task of breaking ice on water tanks was a problem in and of itself. 

However, that week last year, the gym had closed for several days, so that wasn't even an option.  Luckily, this past week I was able to get out of the house and exercise my body at the gym, not just do mind training (games and all the puzzle working) here at home. 

GT - Get Thinking (or Get Training)!

We all know, but need reminding, that just as our bodies require care and exercise, so do our brains.  Our body and mind need to be worked.  Like our body, if our mind is left dormant, it will take a while to get it cranked up again.  Also, as is true of exercise, variety is important; and like with exercise, if a mind game gets to be too easy, it's time to change it up.

Saturday 1/18 - I did not take any photos today.  And I don't remember how I spent my morning, other than the usual emails, Facebook, blogging, and then brain training (Wordle, Connections, Mini Crossword, and Strands).  Oh, and sometimes Facebook has mind games like this matchstick one.  Give it a try (answer at end of blog).

Rose showed up when I walked Maggie Friday night and again this morning while walking in a misty rain.  She’d been gone for a little over a week.  I know she has another 'home' because she has not lost any weight, and maybe gained some actually. 

This quote is so true about anything, whether it's doing a big project, de-cluttering a closet, training a horse, cleaning house, or conditioning your body and mind... a little everyday will get you closer to your goal.

It had been dark, dreary and rainy all day, a de-motivator for me.  By mid afternoon I forced myself to go to the gym, not having any desire to workout.  I ended up only doing aerobic and ab work.  I just didn't have it in me to 'lift' any weights.  But at least I did a little.

Sunday 1/19 - It rained into the night and was actually kind of stormy at times.  Heavy rain woke me up at 2am and I couldn't get back to sleep.  I walked Maggie at 5am and nearly slipped and fell on the side deck that was icy because of the rain that was now freezing.  I napped from 5:30 to 7:00 and it was snowing lightly when I got back up.  Shirley and I decided to skip church. 







Driving in the snow with Joe at the wheel, going by the Church at 10:30, I was surprised to see how many cars were there.  I guess Shirley and I could/should have gone. 

I had Joe help me with a few things out at the ranch to prepare for the coming cold.  We got this heat lamp set up in the chicken coop, on a timer to come on at 4am for several hours, and moved the water dispenser under it.


Down in the tack room, we checked the water heater (under the sink) and thankfully a suspected leak wasn't happening.  We turned the heater up another notch for warmer water.  Joe helped me fill some feed/supplement bins and then we put a bucket in the sink to catch water at a very slow drip.  If left to drip into the sink, we have experienced the pipe (that just drains the water to the outside of the barn) has froze up and the sink then filled with water.  



I had a lengthy phone conversation with Charles (he's a talker like I am) to clarify a few things about moving in and living at the ranch house.  I also answered several questions. 

Then I started a puzzle while watching the snow continue to fall.  It was a light snow fall so not much accumulated, but the sky remained white until 6pm, when it quit and had also gotten dark. 





I stopped puzzle working at 4:30 and did my Sunday chores which includes trash collection and watering house plants in addition to my nightly chores of feeding cats and dog and cleaning litter boxes. 








I was tired of computer games and puzzles so after dinner, turned on the fire and read with my fur babies keeping me company.  I started nodding off so got in bed just before 8pm.  And very little more reading occurred.

Monday 1/20 - I didn't get up until 7am and it was 5° out when I walked Maggie.  Rose followed us, begging for food and I felt bad for her little paws in the snow.  She, the deer, the birds, and then the dog got fed.

Again I didn't take any photos today, and the question of what did I do was baffling.  I did get a call from the geneticist.  She reported that I do not have Lynch Syndrome and that the whole panel (of 39 genes tested) came back negative for inherited gene mutations that increase the risk of developing certain cancers.  Yippeee.  Praise God.


Extra computer games had been played.


Now until late February tends to be the part of winter we all just want to get through.  One positive thought is that the days ARE getting longer.  I have noticed that it's light earlier in the morning and past 5pm, when a month ago it would have been dark already.

I was cold dressing, getting to, and starting out at the gym.  But soon, not only was I warmed up, I had become energized.  I increased my time on the rowing and elliptical and did a complete weight workout.  Boy was it invigorating and I felt much better after Saturday's poor go at it.  I was there for over three hours.

Tuesday 1/21 - It was 7° out when I got up at 7am.  My only plans for the day were ranch chores, which I went to do at 1:00, when the temperature was up to 21°.  All morning I had the fireplace on because the heat pump couldn't keep up and I sat at the puzzle table quite awhile, until it was time to suit-up and got to the ranch.

Joe also came out and was given the task of making a hole in the ice on the water tank, and picking up manure (which was frozen to the ground).  I was in the process of hauling hot water out to the upper tank when Joe called asking for help.  Banner had gotten out, (Joe's oops) and Joe couldn't catch him.
 

Some alfalfa pellets in Banner's feed dish and he was easily caught and returned to the paddock.  I went ahead with feeding chores since I was down at the barn. 
I glanced back at Amiga and Zorro contently sharing a pile of hay as I headed to the upper paddock to feed and water Rico and Dorado.  I could not get the jug of salt water freed from its icy encasement in their stock tank, so gave up.  I refilled their heated tub after they drank from it.  I also had to take the chicken water-er into the house and run hot water over it to thaw out the frozen tray (the main tub hadn't completely frozen). 
All of this frozen water was getting old.
 

Arriving home at 4:45, it was nice to walk into a warm house.  I immediately turned the fireplace back on and fed Maggie.  I had to return to the outside cold though, to feed Rose and give her a bowl of warm water.  I filled my hanging bird feeders, which requires a ladder and put corn out for the deer.  Then I walked Maggie to complete my outside chores for the day before removing all my layers. 

I was too cold to want to go through the process of showering, and settled for warm PJ's and a hot meal.  I ended the evening reading by the fire, wrapped in a blanket, and was nodding off before 8pm. 

Wednesday 1/22 - Do you see what I saw?  It only caught my eye as it glided in and landed along the bank.  Most of the pond is frozen, but this end and the creek remain unfrozen because it is a 'spring fed' pond.  Water up stream comes out from under ground and it must be warm enough and flowing fast enough to not freeze. 






I have enlarged the previous photo and circled the great gray heron, who is still difficult to see.

After working my brain here at my computer, I showered, had an early lunch, and was out the door at 11:30. 

I was on a mission to buy several things, including cat and dog food, new hooks for gates that will be less likely to freeze, and an end table and a storage/shelving unit for towels at the ranch.  So I hit five thrift stores, Rural King and Tractor Supply, a closing sale at Big Lots, and Walmart.  I got everything, and a lot more than I had set out to buy.  Pictured is a $6.00 rolling suitcase/duffel combo I wasn't shopping for, but grabbed at a thrift store so I won't have to borrow Patty's medium size suitcase for the cruise. 


Patty had chores and sent me these last two photos while I was still out shopping.  My Amiga was enjoying the sun on a still cold (below freezing) afternoon.  And the second one, as Patty joked, Rico and Dorado were having a slumber party.  It is heart warming that these two boys get along so well. 









It was getting late, but on the way home, I had decided to turn around and go back to the thrift store which had 50% off for seniors today... and bought a stacking end table for $14.00 that I had earlier talked myself out of.

Thursday 1/23 - It was just another, of many, cold winter days, although the temperature was improving.  It actually got above freezing for a few hours.  I didn't really amount to anything, all day long.  I did all my computer games and sat at the jig saw puzzle for a few hours.  I also finished stowing away much of what I had bought the day before.  

I finally got to the gym, quite late, and was already feeling hungry and thinking about dinner.  I muddled through an arm/ab workout, and didn't even finish it.  But I did row for 20 min and did elliptical for 45.
 

The brain is an energy-intensive organ that needs a lot of good fuel to function.  So eating foods that provide nutrients that support brain health is important.  The #1 brain supplement is Fish Oils - a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids.  These fatty acids are beneficial for brain health because they are a key component of brain cell membranes, supporting their function and fluidity, which is crucial for optimal cognitive processes like learning, memory, and information processing.  Research suggests that adequate omega-3 intake can help maintain cognitive health, potentially reducing the risk of age-related cognitive decline.  I can't stomach any kind of fish (other than tuna with lots of mayonnaise) so take omega-3 fish oil capsules, partially to reduce triglycerides and improve cholesterol levels but also hopefully to help my brain too.

Joe and I started season 6 of Virgin River.    

Friday 1/24 - Doing Wordle this morning, I got off to a rough start, but quickly made a good comeback.  Oh, and here is an answer to the 5O8 brain teaser from Saturday morning... the highest number achieved was 81151.  To get this, take two sticks from 0 (top and bottom) and put them in front of 5 to make a 1 = 15118.  I had thought of that, but then another answer said turn the image up-side-down to get 81151. 

Rose came out from her tight little cubbie hole bed/sleeping spot, where she has been staying most of the time except when eating.  But today she walked around the yard and sat and watched for critters.



I got a lot of work on the jigsaw puzzle done today. 



Lately, I feel like my memory is much worse than usual.  It kind of concerns me.  This is why brain training is important.  So I try to exercise my mind daily with word games - like crossword puzzles, Connections, Strands and word scrambles.  I do Sudoku, a little math game called Go Figure, and my favorite is working jigsaw puzzles.  All of this can help improve memory and processing speed... which I need. 


I went out to the ranch at 11:30, allowing me time to clean and set up the stacking end tables, one on each end of the futon.  I also got the towel shelf set up in the guest bedroom closet, and did some more (deeper) cleaning.  I had set up the new toaster oven at home and swapped out our identical one-year old one for the very old persnickety one that has been at the ranch. 





Betty had come out to help me with chores and keep me company.  She already had the upper stock tank 'working' with a hole in the ice where the floating water jug is.  Rico had been supervising her. 

When we went down to the barn, two of the neighboring black horses were there.  This one appears to be guarding the port-a-potty.  LOL

I was surprised to see a halter on the second one, and it concerned me that he might get snagged on a number of things in their woodland, briar ridden, barb-wire fenced lot. 

I hung the heat lamp lower in the chicken coop and did a little more 'work' in the ranch house.  I loaded up my car, leaving the sunroom ready for move-in day, and headed home.




I had brought home the glass end table that had been by the futon, and put it on the balcony between the wicker chairs it matches.  I had moved them from the sunroom at the ranch.  This now gives Charles room for his table and maybe recliner and china hutch.  He moves in a week from today.

Joe and I watched two more episodes of Virgin River and then I read (also good brain training) in bed before lights out.