Moderation

Awhhh, the old familiar saying, all things in moderation.
This is a good rule of thumb with eating, drinking alcohol, spending, screen time, hours of work, and even exercise.  Overindulging in any of these can lead to negative consequences for your health and well-being.  I need to watch myself in all these areas, but for blogging purposes, I am trying to moderate (shorten) the content in my blogs.  Except maybe with regards to photos, I want to back off on text; too much talk.  I'm just trying to be more concise in my writings.  



I do also try to keep my content appropriate.  According to Wikipedia, content moderation (not the same as censorship) is the process of reviewing and removing content that is unfit, illegal, or harmful (like posts, comments, or videos on social media) to ensure it complies with established community guidelines, terms of service, and legal requirements.  The goal is usually to create a safer, more respectful online environment.

Well, now that I have already gone on too long about moderation, this quote is also applicable, and I need to give moderation a rest. 😜  
This quote has been credited to Oscar Wilde, Benjamin Franklin, Socrates, Proverbs, Myay Angelou, Julia Child, Petonius, Gautaama Buddha, and Ralph Waldo Emerson to name several.  So there ya go.

I had thought about putting a weekly calendar with my usual activities on it, like a planner, but decided that too was more than I wanted to manage.  

Friday 7/18 - After morning chores, I rode 4½ miles with Betty.  We were back to the barn by 10am and it was already hot and muggy.

Home for a snack and nap, I was then able to get in a good weight workout,  while it poured rain outside. 

It was Ladies night out at Rumors.  Richard 'ubered' Micki and I there at 5:45.  With many spouses also along, we were a group of 18.  

A selfie photo bomb with Elaine and Micki.  


Terry does karaoke there, and I always love hearing him sing.  There were some great performances and others who, well, made a not so joyful noise.  We girls would have liked less slow, sad ballads, and something a little more upbeat and happy that we could dance to.
 

Saturday 7/19 - Shadow becoming quite comfortable hanging out in the front of our house.  Rose is still missing and I am missing her.  I have been debating continuing feeding Shadow.  Maybe it should be moderation with feral cat care.
 
While I worked at the pool, we got hit with rain and then a storm early afternoon.  So, I was told to close the pool and tell Mary not to come in for the second shift.  Well, by the time I did all the cleaning and closing procedure, it was already 2pm (the usual end of my shift).
If you enlarge the next photo, you can see it is raining, as people gathered under the shelter.

I ran to the ranch to do hoof care and give Amiga Previcox.  While mucking, I got rained on again.  

I ate an early, big dinner and then felt bad (so much for moderation).  I'd had too much and maybe the taco meat from Food City or the old cabbage I had frozen, didn't agree with me.  I laid down, napped some, and woke up feeling sick... very bloated and nauseous.  I took a gas pill, did some abdominal massage and rolls, and was soon relieved somewhat.  After another storm, I walked Maggie, which helped me with further gas relief.

Sunday 7/20 - With less time spent blogging, I have time for some puzzles in the morning.  I took a (video) of these two, grooming each other.

After church I spent an hour picking up yard debris that Karen had raked into piles.








I went to work a little early to help with set up for the live music we were having from 2-4.  

The pool was already quite crowded, and it got even busier.  At the end, it was twenty minutes later than usual when I finally locked up and left.  It had been very busy with the party and live music, added to the fact that it was so blasted hot.  We'd had the second largest crowd for this summer.  But it was fun.
I got home exhausted and ate dinner since I hadn't had time at the pool.  Then I had weekly household chores to attend to.
 

Monday 7/21 - We had overnighters arrive after 1am and they decide to stay all day and a second night to recuperate and rest their horses before another long day of travel.  They had been delayed by traffic and then had to stop to cool their horses off at one point.  

After work at the pool, I went to the ranch and did hoof care for Amiga and also mucked to help Karen out since it looked like it was about to rain.  Rico usually runs down (video) to the lower paddock when let out on the front pasture for the night.  


I also did some cleaning (of dishes and iced up ice-maker) that had been left in the ranch kitchen sink.  Normally we have 24 hour notice before we have guests, and have the house all ready for them.  The other problem, was the mice had not been completely eradicated from a few weeks ago, so I helped Patty, who did the bulk of the cleaning and then set traps. 



Some rain did come as I got home, and more was on the way.  I was exhausted and hungry so after my shower, I decided to skip Mirror Lake Blast because it was drizzling.  I had veggies and dip and a fruit salad along with my frozen dinner of spaghetti.   

Britney and Juan Carlos at the Colombian Embassy, celebrating Colombia Independence day yesterday.

Tuesday 7/22 - I had another disrupted night of sleep, and was awake from 1:45 - 4:30.  I went back to sleep until 6:30.  This has become the norm recently.

I did 90 minutes of yard work, pulling weeds, and hauling piles of yard debris across the creek.  

 


Maggie usually hangs out with me, but at one point I couldn't see her.  I called several times before noticing her here, 30 yards away from where I was working.  She was in a trance (video).  

Shadow was sleeping in the front flower bed when I left for the gym.  He reminded me of the Bible story of Jacob's stone for a pillow.

I spent almost two hours doing 20 minutes of rowing to warm up and then a full weight workout.  




Shadow still napping when I got home.  You can see an area on his neck missing hair.  He has several 'scratches' around his neck but I can't get close enough to see what is going on. 

Joe reported that the overnigters had troubles getting their two horses to load and didn't leave until 2pm.

 
Also, we thought we were going to get the fields cut today, but our hay guy's two tractors are broken down and he is waiting for a part.  Ughh!  

These photos of Layla were sent a few days ago.  What a cutie.  Courtney commented, 'So much hair she needs a sleep bonnet.'  Dan is silly putting those sunglasses on her.




I spent three hours going to and from town to shop.  It was after 6pm when I got home so I juggled feeding pets and my dinner with stowing my goods away.

Wednesday 7/23 - Happy Birthday Britney!

I did chores and then rode with Betty.   

 


It was actually quite pleasant out, riding in the shade and with the slight breeze some of the time.  We ended up going longer/farther than planned (six miles) since it wasn't so hot.  And we hit a few obstacles on a road we haven't ridden in a long time.  

There are six horses in this photo, but Dorado is the little spot, farthest right, on his way up to join the others, after Betty turned him back out.  





The three Pasos, in the upper paddock during the day.  
I worked in the ranch house getting beds, sheets and towels ready, in preparation for when our next overnighter books to stay.  






Patty had cleaned the house and then caught a mouse yesterday, but there were no mice today when I checked all of the traps.  

It ended up being an afternoon of rest and relaxation for me because I couldn't get motivated or energized.  I did quite a bit of reading and took a short little nap.  

Joe grilled hamburgers for dinner.

Thursday 7/24 - Today was mermaid and pirate day.  
Even though we have had two days without rain and slightly cooler temperatures, we need more moderation to this heat and humidity.

Shadow went charging after a squirrel that ran up the tree.  

Which put mama doe on high alert.  See the fawn right behind her?  

So next she walked towards Shadow until he sauntered off, and the fawn followed.

Although I had nothing scheduled, it proved to be a rather busy day.  I worked in the yard from 9 to 11, pulling weeds and hauling piles of yard debris across the creek.  This bed is completely finished, other than needing some fresh mulch/wood chips.  







I re-stacked the top three rocks of the cairn, which keep toppling since the base rock is at a larger angle because of tree root growth and due to the deer knocking them off when they rub on the stack.  

I took a lunch break and read my book, and then worked in the yard another hour before going to the Wellness Center.  
It takes me two hours at the gym to do my warm-up, complete weight workout, and stretch and balance exercises at the end.  

I ran to The Center to pick up keys to the library building, but had to postpone meeting Patty there because they mistakenly forgot there was a ballroom dance class going on.  Amiga getting a drink. → 







← Amiga and Zorro hanging out in the smaller shed. 
So I ran to the ranch to do evening chores: feeding Wanda and horses in lower paddock, mucking upper paddock, hoof care on Amiga, chicken care, etc.  

I left the Ranch at 5:30 and met Patty at the library building at 5:45.  We proceeded to count and measure all the tables, discuss decorations and room layout, and finalized a food and drink list.  Our 'shopping' list was also completed.  This is the only photo I took, to see if this would work for Cathy as a podium/altar... and if we wanted to try and dress it up some.  

The dog, cats and myself all had a late dinner.  I was able to read a little more of my Patterson thriller before turning the lights out at 9:30.

Friday 7/25 - During ranch chores, I came across this snapper in the front pasture.  Lately I have had to walk down to the lower paddock to get Rico and bring him up for breakfast and then to be shut into the paddock with Amiga and Zorro during the day.  

I have gotten him to join up with me and follow me up through the pasture to the paddock.  But this morning he got distracted by the snapper.

Betty and I went for another six mile ride, covering more dirt roads we haven't been down in quite awhile.  It was quite pleasant and our horses did very well. 

Once untacked, with Rico back with the Pasos in the upper paddock, I filled feed bins and then cleaned in the barn.  The overnighters had left a lot of loose hay and there was large gravel/small rocks everywhere, that apparently their horses had 'stirred up' while there.  



Up at the chicken coop I changed out water and filled food containers.  I caught this young hen trying to eat a big bug and took a (video) of her also trying to keep it away from the other hens.

I had a snack of nuts while driving home, arriving after 1:00.  
I immediately laid down and took a nap.  Ugh.
 

I had been so sweaty, I was chilled from the air conditioning when I woke up 90 minutes later, so I changed into loungers.

I made a big salad for a late lunch/early dinner.  I still did not have the energy or desire to work in the yard or go to the gym for some aerobic exercise, so I read on the porch.  





It was a tad too warm so I didn't stay out long.  And I could have fallen back to sleep, like Babe here on the arm of the glider, conked out.  I hope it is the heat (and maybe age) making me so tired, and not a health issue.  

For me, at my age and physical conditioning, what is the right amount of sleep, exercise, and food?  I don't want to overdo or have a lack in any; keep things in moderation.