Chain Effect

A chain effect (often called a chain reaction or domino effect) is a sequence of events where one initial action triggers the next, which in turn triggers another, creating a cascading progression.

A property "chain effect" happens when multiple home buyers and sellers are connected, making each transaction dependent on the one before and after it.  Because most people need to sell their current home to fund their next purchase, these connected deals form a sequential link, called a property chain.  

Dan and Vale have an offer on their house, but their buyers need to sell their house first.  The house Dan and Vale are trying to buy is being built to their specifications, so they don't have to wait for someone to buy another house and move out.  However, it is no longer being 'held' for them.  Will it sell before theirs sells?  It's a little nerve racking.

Saturday 7/18 - I was up at 3am, starting my day way too early. I did get to the gym much earlier than usual and had a good arm and ab. workout.  I came to a stop for this fox that was crossing the street right at the Druid clubhouse project.  While stopped, with no cars around, I got a better photo of this guy/gal.  

Today was a busy moving day for Debra, out of the ranch house.  And our new ranch neighbors (Mike and Quanie) just moved into Jem's main house.  While Debra was preparing to move out last week, she had run the dishwasher, done a few loads of laundry, and took a shower, all one afternoon.  She ended up with water backing up in the shower.  We’ve had so much rain and after she put more than the usual amount of water down the gray water system, it was unable to percolate out through the leach field.  Just the chain effect of too much water with nowhere to go.

My day also included two long naps and plenty of time on the porch swing reading my book.  Cookie and Mama Styx were having a 'stand off' while I ate lunch, and then Cookie kind of gave up.  
I should have gone to ride Rico, but the heat and humidity is just too much for me to handle lately.  It is also hard on the horses.  Plus, we got more rain. 








I ended my day dancing at the Grove, which was a good leg and aerobic workout.  The band, Four On The Floor, was very enjoyable, entertaining, and played lots of great dancing music.

Sunday 7/19 - This is a photo of George that Patty took.  He is the feral cat who has taken a liking to Wanda and her free handouts of kibble.  He has also become braver and hangs out around the barn even when we are there.


Wanda does not necessarily like George, but she does tolerate him.  




My car outside temperature read 90° as I left the Church parking lot, and that didn't even account for the humidity.  



I have given up trying to accomplish anything outside with the high heat index, so settled on the porch and read.  Babe actually napped on my lap while Cookie surveyed the backyard for deer, squirrel, and Shadow, another feral cat who has adopted me.  It poured for twenty minutes around lunch time and with forecasted storms I was hoping the pool would close before I had to go in, but no such luck.  





I had another aggravating pool shift because of thunderstorms in the distance and needing to clear the pool two different times.  Then a big storm hit and I was able to close down at 4:30.  But I got drenched in the process and the very close lightening was scary.  

Debra managed to fill up a few car loads of her totes, stored in the garage, between the rain storms.  

I was able to accomplish some extra household tasks once home from the pool.

Monday 7/20 - Today's main event was Ava's tonsillectomy.  Here she is, on her way into the clinic before 7am, to have her tonsils removed.  


She was all set, and ready to go, looking very brave.  They wheeled her back into the surgery room at 7:30. 



I was at work by 9:00 and soon, Ava was in the recovery room.  Dan and Vale kept us posted throughout the morning.

The day was overcast and threatened of rain, but we had nothing other than a little five minute sprinkle during my pool shift.  

Ava was home before 11am, and conked out right away.  I did just about the same thing when I got home from the pool at 2:30.

As I had told Ava on the phone last night, she got to eat popsicles once she was feeling up to it.  

 

We had a big torrential downpour (video) ending right before the band was to start playing at Mirror Lake blast.  Thankfully, this storm did not have lightening.  

The photo below is from a Facebook post of the lightening in Crossville during a recent storm.

This reminds me of the storm we had yesterday afternoon while I was trying to clean up and close at the pool.  

While I was driving to the Grove for tonight's concert, steam was rising off the road.  




I read that rain directly increases dew point, humidity, and the likelihood of fog through evaporation.  This provides the fuel and atmospheric conditions necessary for storms to form.  It's a chain effect that keeps cycling. 

It was a very hot, humid evening.  We all had a great time dancing, but were drenched in sweat.

Tuesday 7/21 - Fawn tasting different vegetation.  
I had a busy morning, but didn't get any photos, missing some cute moments.  Terri, a lady who used to help out some boarders with their horses at Wildwood Stables, came (meeting Patty) to groom Amiga while Patty did Zorro.  I was getting Rico ready to ride.  Terri and Amiga had a mutual like for each other.
I had my hands full riding Rico, so I didn't go too far (2½ miles).  I hadn't ridden him out alone in 13 days. 
I did the mucking, some organizing in the chicken coop, and stopped into our ranch house to meet Quanie.  She works from home, but they can't get their internet installed till the end of the week, so we offered ours (and the ranch house) as long as needed.  

This photo was taken after dinner actually.

On the way home from the ranch, I stopped in at Ellie's.  Cookie had a great time with her dog Finn and I got some more training tips, but missed some cute photo moments.  

Well, I made the mistake of sitting down and having a big, late lunch.  The chain effect of the morning's heat, activity, and big meal, resulted in lethargy and a long nap.  Then I didn't have time to get to the gym.

While waking up, I tried my skill at games on my computer.  Having been a spring-board diver in high school and college, you'd think I would have done better at this Wordle.

I scooted back to the ranch to do evening feeding chores.  It took a little more effort than usual to get the horses into their 'feeding' positions.  






I was so disgusted with myself for wimping out from the gym, and I was again hot and sweaty, from the ranch.  So I decided to do more work on the branches of the big tree blocking our drainage ditch.  Most of the leaves have died and are falling off, into the ditch and washing into the creek.  

Cookie (in the earlier photo) played while I worked.  It was nearly dark by the time I quit, so I took these photos the next morning.  You can see the improvement, however there are still lots of wet, dead leaves for me to clean up.  







Wednesday 7/22 - I had taken these two photos down back after my second morning dog walk.  I had morning chores at the ranch.  Because rain was in the forecast most of the day, I gave up on the plan to ride, and got to the ranch by 7am before the rain was to hit.  I did get sprinkled on, and then it poured as I headed home a little after 8am.  







I spent two hours at the gym, working hard and doing my whole body workout.  After a late protein lunch, I headed into town to get a hair cut and do my Walmart shopping.  

Joe and I had a tasty dinner at Stonehenge Grill.

Thursday 7/23 - Happy Birthday to Britney!   
Hard to believe our middle child is already 38 years of age.  May she have many, many more years of blessings and to bless others.

The temperature finally dropped and it was in the upper 60s when I walked the dogs at 6am.








Joanne and I gathered the horses at 9:30.  This shows Amiga following Joanne and Zorro, with Rico, who I was leading, was bringing up the rear.  

We had a nice little ride, taking the horses around Stratford Circle, which we haven't done in a while.  Both boys did start to act a little tired, and because the air was starting to warm and the humidity rise, we only went three miles, the farthest they have gone in two weeks.  Both boys then got extra grooming care.  

Before we got back from our ride, Patty had been mowing, but stopped to show neighbor Mike and his two grandchildren (Easton -3 and Autumn -1) Amiga, who was in the barn.  Mike's son (Noah) picked up his wife (Alyssa) and their two children at the airport late last night.  Now all are move in, and they also bought this mama goat with her two kids.  Quanie (who hadn't seen them yet) and I went to take a peak.  The babies are still nursing and then mama will be used as a milk goat.

Anyway, Patty couldn't get the mower started.  Joe came out and couldn't either.  Then when Joe and I were cleaning out the chicken coop, pulling the 'waste' wagon with the other mower, several different times it wouldn't start either.  

I had 90 minutes at home before going back out to the ranch to feed.  Patty (with Karen) picked me up and we proceeded to the Stagecoach restaurant for a meet and greet and information about the Crossville chapter of 40 Something Cowgirls.  Our usual ranch group of women, plus Polly, met five other lovely cowgirls.

Friday 7/24 - This photo series is from our evening walk, but also occurs most mornings.  The pool was closed for maintenance, so I didn't have to work and had the day for me time.  

Shadow, who got his name from following Rose, Maggie, and I around; follows Maggie, Cookie and I.  In this photo, Shadow is even 'taking a dump' which I was waiting for Cookie to do.

Shadow follows us, while meowing loudly, in hopes of getting fed when we get back to the house, which usually occurs.  Oh, and if you are wondering, we haven't seen Rose since Christmas.  

Here we are on the final stretch down Flossmoor, towards home, as we're finishing the full loop around the church.

Karen picked me up (I had to leave my car for the window guy) and we went to the ranch to go for a ride.  We did the usual three mile (back woods, green mile, inside trail) loop.  Rico and Zorro did very well.  












When showing Karen the goats, I noticed they now have things to climb on, and they did just that.

The window guy was just finishing up when Karen dropped me off.  I don't know if he replaced the window or buffed the scratch out of it.  But it now, does look brand new, the seal is good, and it goes up and down without rubbing/getting scratched.  
I had an audience as I ate my corn beef sandwich for a late lunch, out on the porch swing.





Mama Styx enjoying the porch also.
I read and napped out there.  







I had troubles pulling myself out of slumber.  The afternoon was nearly over, so I needed to scurry to get to the gym.  I had enough time for a full arm workout before they closed at 6:00.



Joe had fed the dogs before leaving for poker, so I took them for a long walk.  First we went down to check out the work that has been going on at the dam the past three days.  







They are re-setting the rocks, but using sand around them.  I'm skeptical about this working.  It seems one strong rain will wash all the sand down into the pond.  




While putting corn out for the deer, I heard a crashing sound upstream.  I went to investigate.  This big tree partially fell over, catching on the tree you see that is bent.  What had fallen to the ground was a large dead limb you see circled in yellow.  Why are these trees loosing their tops, I wondered.
The trees falling can be like a chain effect, or dominoes, one knocking the next one down.