Recovering

Recovering can refer to too many things; such as gaining back your health, finding a lost item, returning something to its original state, or extracting something of value.  

Primarily this week, I was recovering from the bad head and chest cold that afflicted me.  After the holidays, we all need to recover from disrupted routines, lack of sleep, overindulgence, stress from hosting or visiting, and exhaustion from travel, parties, socializing, holiday decorating, shopping, gift wrapping, baking, etc.  

Monday 12/29 -  The weather and my cold had taken a turn for the worse.  Even though I was feeling pretty sickly, I did go out to fill bird feeders and put out corn for the deer.  Shadow came running over from behind Allen's house, so I fed him too.  

He was not in good shape.  I tried to get photos to show, he was missing hair from both front legs, was tore up around his neck, and had irritation of the skin on his face over his right eye.  

He also stunk so I suspected infection somewhere.  I wished I had the resources, but the best I could offer was food and water.  But then I couldn't help wonder if I was prolonging the inevitable.  He had recovered from his last scuff when he looked all beat up with mange possibly, so maybe there is hope.  

While finishing up the unpacking of bags and suitcase, I stowed away some things and put to use others.  Maggie loves the edible fishy chew treat that Kent's dogs (Dolly & Pekka) gave her.  

 

Our three cats loved the catnip log Cathy gave them (video) although it did lead to a few spats.  Eventually during the day, as each cat grew tired of it (or got too 'high') they left it and another cat savored it for awhile.  

Monita ended up with the catnip log, taking a nap while holding on to her possession.  



I basically laid low most of the day.  I did a lot of work on last week's second blog and had it ready to post by bedtime, but it needed one more editing in the morning.

Not only did my head cold cause me discomfort, my legs were still really sore from the walk and workout I did at the hotel Saturday.  Every time I got up from my desk my legs and hips were very stiff and sore. 

Joe left for poker and I wet to bed very early.

Tuesday 12/30 - A New Years party in July at the pool.  
I woke up feeling like I wasn't recovering from this cold at all.  And Joe had either had a relapse or caught a new cold.  He was coughing as much as I was.  Plus, I could not get rid of an atrocious headache.  
I did get last weeks blog re-read and posted, and then messed around here on my computer.  

Just before 10:30, I got horrible news from Malissa.  Marie's Larry (seen in the middle of this photo) died from a blood clot.  He'd had surgery 12/22 and was recovering fairly well.  So it was a shock to get this news.  I had just been texting with Marie earlier this morning.

Larry and Marie grilling at the pool several years ago.  I felt horrible, 1- because I was sick, but 2- because this was so devastating.  What a huge loss we would all feel at the pool, but even a bigger loss for Marie. 😭   Crying did not help my runny nose situation, and my head and heart hurt / were pounding.  


Britney got her haircut over the weekend and sent some photos. 
Before...


And after...


She had also cut her hair this short in December of 2022.  So wow, does it grow fast.  


Joe helped me do chores.  With two of us working together, we were able to get ice broken and removed from water troughs, hay delivered, and poop scooped relatively quickly.  All horses also got fed. 
Just doing the minimal was a struggle, but my aches and pains actually felt better when I got home.  The fresh air, sunshine, and exercise might have done me good.  



I took a hot shower when we got home from the ranch and had soup, hot tea and a nap.  

I was four days behind on my advent jigsaw puzzle, so finished it.  Throughout the day I had also computerized and read.  

I was in bed by 8pm.

Wednesday 12/31 - My cold had my sinuses and chest so congested, with a bad headache, and joint stiffness in my neck and back, that I stayed home in my jammies all day.  I never had a fever or upset stomach, so I continued to eat lots of everything (especially carbs).  I love Christmas cookies and candies with the extra mugs of tea I was drinking.  




Britney and Juan Carlos were still enjoying their stay in Columbia, and reporting in daily.  They celebrated the New Year partying at home with his sisters. 

I started feeling a little better by late afternoon. 







I worked on this puzzle while watching Iowa beat Vanderbilt in the ReliaQuest Bowl.  Joe headed off to poker before the exciting, high scoring game was over.
My New Year's Eve was spent in bed reading, with the lights out shortly after 8pm.

Thursday 1/1 - Happy New Year everybody!

I mentally entered the new year at 2am, getting woken up by my bedfellow who was coughing and hacking.  After three hours here at my computer, I went back to bed for awhile.  







I didn't make any resolutions for 2026; but I like this meme as a suggestion for navigating through life this year.  Of course these things can best be obtained through God's help, and it is He who I really need to get better in touch with, as I have drifted away recently.  

Sister Carol had given me a thistle seed feeder for my birthday and I hung it right outside my office window.  It is approximately nine feet off the ground so only birds can get to it.  But they aren't coming.  




I wonder if this other 'on-looker' is scaring them off.

The second time I woke up today, I could feel a big difference in my cold.  The headache was nearly gone, as was the cough and congestion.  My nose still needed frequent blowing.  

I needed to clean and fill Amiga and Zorro's big water tank and Joe had planned to set the new gate post and would need help.  First we put out a new round bale in the back pasture.

The other round bale was almost entirely gone, so the three boys came running when they saw the new bale, and they dug right in before we could get the baling twine off.

I helped Joe get the augar attached to the back of the tractor, and then went to the upper paddock.  





I worked at emptying, cleaning, and refilling the big stock tank while stopping to help Joe when needed.  Together we figured out pole placement, and I guided the augar (to be sure to get a straight hole) while Joe ran the tractor to do the drilling.  I took this photo while filling the water tank.  Joe was digging out the loose dirt from the hole.  

Amiga drinking from the 16 gallon heated tub I had just topped off.  I moved the hose from the paddock to where we needed water for the concrete.  After helping Joe get the post set on a straight vertical, and pouring in the Quikrete (fast setting concrete), we added water.  
I still needed to water my newly planted bushes, fill chicken waterers, and do a few things in the house.  




Cattle at the stables seen when heading home just before 3pm.  I was feeling much better by now; recovering well.  It was a 51° day so the fresh air and sunshine, along with some physical work, had done me good.  






I ended my day with an enjoyable evening out with Shirley and Patty.  We went to Grandy's Bar & Grill at the Deer Creek Golf Club.  It was very empty so we had great service.  The food was tasty and we sat talking for nearly two hours.  Then we headed out on a Christmas light drive.  There was a particular display in the neighborhood that you watch while listening to music on your device, and the light show is in sync with the music.  Well, we never found it, so assumed it had been taken down during the day, since it was now January.  Once back to the Glade, we drove in some neighborhoods known for their lights, and did see quite a few places that were still very lit up.  

Friday 1/2 - Juan Carlos bought this hat for Britney.  I got a kick out of it, and then got to thinking, it would make a good new year resolution also.

I was a little perturbed that my cough with chest and sinus drainage were back when I got up... but not near as bad and the headache hadn't returned.  

My ranch trip today was all play and no work.  Jan, Karen and I met to go for a ride.  We rode to check out a trail that riders have recently been using to go from the end of Eli Ford into the Glade.  It hits the dirt road (seen in the distance) that leads to Marmaduke (the gravel road in front of us in this photo).  




Last week when leaving the ranch, I had seen two women on horseback, with two men in a 4-wheeler following them, riding down Eli Ford.  Yesterday, Jackie (co-worker at the pool) had called about our horses.  She and her daughter, while out walking on Malvern Rd in the Lake Kirkstone area, had seen three riders and a 4 wheeler with a lady and a man holding a baby following the riders.  About three hours later, while Patty was doing chores, she heard and then saw the same group riding on Hathaway back behind the barnyard.  So Patty went out to talk with them.  The mom lives on Chestnut Hill at the corner of Eli Ford and her son lives nearby and owns the six horses we see in the field on Eli Ford.  



I love Zorro and Rico nuzzling each other in these photos.

Well today, when Karen was driving down Eli Ford to the ranch, she saw four people on horseback, heading down the road towards the end where FFG lots are located all along Marmaduke.  There was no 4-wheeler this time.  But we knew these horses were out on the trails somewhere.  We kept and eye and an ear out for them but never saw or heard them.  





We did however, see evidence of the 4-wheeler and horses on some of the trails we had made.  We all had mixed feelings about them being out here.
Our 4½ mile ride was enjoyable, especially since it was uneventful and there was no near-by gun shots.  Thankfully hunting season is winding down.

I finally felt well enough to go to the gym and made it there by 3:00.  I had a great 90 minute workout on all the leg, arm, and ab weight machines.  I could only do three pull ups, but feel confident I can re-build that strength.  Recovering from sickness, overeating, and under-exercising takes time.