Half Time

Half time is the point at which half of a game or contest is completed. 
Life isn't exactly a game or contest, as I've been inferring this past month, although many are competitive at it.  Life is an experience that includes rules, challenges, and opportunities for learning and growth.  I know my 'game' or experience of life is well past half over.  As far as this summer goes, it is almost half time.  Also, soon I'll be taking an intermission from my usual activities and leaving for Costa Rica to attend Britney and Juan Carlos' wedding.

Friday 6/27 - Carole and Allen's house next door has just been put on the market.  It feels rather empty with them gone (Carole now in assisted living), but since moving horses to the ranch, I have been so busy there, I haven't been around here nearly as much.  I have let our yard and house digress, but am trying to get both spruced back up before all our company comes for the August 16th reception here in Fairfield Glade.  

After my usual morning chores at the ranch, I took Amiga for a very short, slow ride.  It has been more than five weeks since I've been on her.  She was very willing out on the trail, in spite of being stiff and sore (arthritic).  I didn't realize she was favoring her front leg so much, until I watched this (video).



And then, Amiga was rushing a 
tad as we neared the barn and she tripped stepping over a log.  Now she was really sore, only it was on her other front leg.  Shoot.  It had been two hours since the Osteo-Max by the time I was ready to leave, so I gave her a Previcox.

Dan sent this photo of Luna (or Paco) lounging near Layla.  I would like to stop for half time, and crawl in right between them.

On my way home from the ranch, I got gas and a few groceries and swapped my paperback at the library, for a new one.

I sat on the deck for lunch but had to scramble inside when a severe thunderstorm passed through.  We got an inch of rain in less than a half hour.  More was coming so I gave up on yard work.  And then during my two hours at the gym we had several more little pop-up storms.

It had stopped by bedtime and we'd gotten another inch of rain.

Saturday 6/28 - My three kitties (from top to bottom) Mama Styx, Monita, and Babe.  

Monita is always the trouble maker.  And then the other two (who have front claws) will sometimes hurt her in self-defense.  In fact, she has a sore eye at the moment.  

  

I left for work at 9am.  Thankfully I only work 14 to 15 hours a week at the pool, less than a half time job.  

Courtney had had a very fun and busy day with Ava.  Here they are mid-day (during 'half time') taking a nap.  




It was another hot, busy day at the pool and then I went to the ranch to give Amiga a Previcox.  

I was sent photos of the Sidensticks (my brother, his wife, and three of their adult children) of their arrival in Costa Rica.  Let the pre-wedding fun begin.  

Here they are later in the evening, enjoying a beautiful view during dinner.

I had over an hour to shower, rest, and do dinner time chores before going to The Grove, at Mirror Lake.  Micki and Cleet got there before I did because it looked like it was going to storm and I was waiting to see what the weather was going to do.

The dance floor was full when I arrived.  I put my chair with the others, took this photo, and joined the girls down in front. 








We girls always have a good time.  






Ya never know what any of us is going to do.  We do get a little silly/crazy sometimes, but it's all fun.  

It had really cooled off, and never rained so was a perfect night for a concert and dancing.  And the Beach Boy tribute band was really enjoyable.  







The band did quit a little early, so I was home by 8:30.  I always enjoy my before bed communications (text & Facebook messages) with family.  I was getting excited about our trip to Costa Rica.
  

Sunday 6/29 - My morning started much too early, after jumping out of bed hearing a cat fight.  It was Mama Styx howling, through the porch screen door, at Shadow, who was right outside.  After sunrise I watched these two deer groom each other for awhile, and took this (video) as I sat here leisurely. 

I skipped church so that I could finish getting the pile of wood chips off our drive before our Costa Rica trip.  This truckload full was dumped here on April 22nd.  Below, the very last wheelbarrow load to be hauled off.  

Finally, over three months later, we finished moving the huge pile.  Joe did almost all of the loading of wood chips into the cart we borrowed from Brian / while I did all the weeding, leaf removal and spreading of the loads Joe dumped in the beds down back for me.  





This morning's work was actually in the side yard.  All these leaves were removed from around and between the three Leland Cypress trees... and hauled off.  

And the remainder of the mulch was spread over the rest of this bed.  Why not just mulch with leaves you might wonder?  Well they blow away, rot quicker - so weeds grow sooner, and the wood chips look better.  

I was feeling itchy from bugs in the leaves and biting gnats, so took a quick shower.

By 1:30 I was headed to work at the pool.  It was hot in the sun and the pool was packed.  But by mid-shift it had clouded up.  An afternoon thunderstorm, with more thunder than rain, cleared the pool and people soon packed up to go when it was apparent it was going to pour.  We got more wind than heavy rain, but it continued to sprinkle so the last few remaining customers gave up and left.

Patty sent this photo of an intruder in the chicken coop, camped out in one of the nest boxes.  Betty tried to remove the snake with a stick, but it quickly slithered behind the row of boxes and couldn't be reached.  Ugh!  

I got home a half hour early, but by the time I got all my weekly household chores done, I didn't have the energy to work on the packing process.  I started my new James Patterson book.      
 

Monday 6/30 - Wow, the last day of June!  My pre-travel jitters have increased, so when I wake too early I can't get back to sleep.  Before sunrise, I discovered that a cat had peed on my change of clothes that was sitting on my pool bag.  WTH?  So I started a load of laundry.  
During chores when I opened the chicken coop, Gloria was laying an egg in the nest box, next to where the snake had been.  But I could not see the snake anywhere.

Work at the pool was actually slower than usual, so not near as hectic, even though it was still rather hot out.

Monday's are Mirror Lake Blast nights.  Can you see Joe and I on the dance floor in this photo posted on The Grove Facebook page back in May?  LOL

At the pool I changed into clean clothes (no cat pee) and headed to town to pick up Joe's shirt at the cleaners.  I hit Walmart for some needed travel supplies in addition to looking for ear rings to go with the necklace I was going to wear with my dress.  I ended up also hitting three thrift stores before finding anything close to the color I was looking for.    

I got home with an hour to spare before the concert.  I managed to shower, do all pet chores, take a ten minute power nap, and pack my cooler before going to The Grove.  'Dreams' (a Fleetwood Mac tribute band) was our entertainment tonight.

Here's Micki and Cleet, two of my much loved fellow dancing ladies.  

Joe came for a bit, but didn't stay long.  The music started rather slow but after intermission got much more up-beat and fun to dance to.  











It was a good sized crowd and we all had a fun evening.  By the time I took the panoramic photo below, it had already thinned out a lot.  Many old folks don't like being out after dark.  I'm not there yet, but I do go to bed around 9:00 usually.

Tuesday 7/1 - And just like that, it is now July.  

Shadow down back hunting.  I got a good look at his back end and he is definitely a tom cat, but I haven't noticed any spraying in a long time.  


Maggie lounging by the couch.



I canceled a planned ride with Betty because I just had way too much to do.  And I was soon scurrying about, doing this and that, to get ready to be out of town for over a week.  Cutting cat claws and applying their flea and tick meds. is always one monthly job I hate to tackle.  Laundry, filling pet food containers, and cleaning house were also worked on.  

I did finally dig up the dead tree by the front of the garage and get this one planted.  It had been sitting in a pot for over two months.

Neighbor Sue, who is going to help with Maggie, came by to see what to do.  And then I went to the gym for a vigorous workout, since I may not get another one in for over a week.

Britney sent this photo of her at one of (out of three) her bachelorette parties.  This is with her co-workers.  They were playing a game where they had to guess what her answers were, to a list of questions.

I had an interesting dinner, eating some different leftovers, to clean food out of the refrigerator.  Being short on sleep, I was too tired to figure out the rest of my wardrobe to pack, and went to bed early. 

Wednesday 7/2 - I had taken a pain sleep aid so didn't wake until 4:30, feeling refreshed after seven hours of uninterrupted sleep.  

After blogging I made some final wardrobe decisions, got a load of laundry started, and headed to the ranch to do chores.  

I ran a few errands on the way home and then finished two loads of laundry.  Joanne sent this photo of the three Pasos after she and Betty had finished going for a morning ride.  I am so glad she is exercising Rico, training him in the process, and giving him some extra care. 

I did numerous things prepping to leave, got my suitcase packed and to the kitchen to go out to the car.  Then during my shower, I realized I hadn't packed my toilet kit.  Phew, glad I though of that. 
 
Half time is officially starting now as we (Joe, Patty and I) head to Nashville for the night, to catch a very early flight tomorrow morning. 

In The Game

In spite of being crazy busy and not having the energy level I used to (I tend to want to rest more often), I'm still trying to stay in the game rather than sit on the sideline.  My life, or game of life has been very fulfilling and blessed.  For me it does not concern winning; but is about being a good sport, learning and growing from experiences, and having fun while in the game.  

These two are ready to play, and  who wouldn't want to be in the game with them?

Saturday 6/21 - Getting up at 3am, I finished and posted last week's blog, but later endured a dull headache associated with lack of sleep.  But I had to stay in the game... go to work at the pool.  I did take a very short nap, but was then running late so had to really hustle to get opening chores done by 10am.






The regulars came before opening time and very soon many others showed up.  By 11:30, almost all the chairs and lounges were taken and it became a 'juggling act' to find spots for new arrivals to sit.
 

My pool shift flew by because I was so busy.  I hit Food City on the way home and then, rather than sit down (and loose all ambition) I changed and got right to work in the back yard.  

Joe had dumped several more loads of wood chips for me, so I continued with weeding and spreading the piles out.  These two photos show my continued progress.  



It was 6pm by the time I got to a good stopping point, while also running out of steam.  Household/pet chores and a quick dinner and shower and then I was ready to 'face time' with Britney and Juan Carlos.  Joe and I had lots of travel/wedding plans to discuss and share with them, as did they with us.

I got a kick out of these photos Britney sent.  Juan Carlos has never had a cat, but is doing a great job figuring out how to live with one.  Cats are always in the game.

Britney's cat (Lupe), like most cats, is always 'in the game,' especially when it comes to food.  Look at her sitting across the table from Juanca.




She was definitely workin' it, and her efforts paid off.  Juan Carlos has become a great cat dad!  

Joanne, who was doing chores for Betty, sent these photos.  

Rico was enjoying the broom head Patty put up for them, as a scratching post.  
 

Sunday 6/15 - Holy Moly!  June is already half over.  
I was sitting here at my desk getting this blog started, and watched two very young squirrels; exploring, playing, and practicing evasive moves, jumping, twisting, turning and running up and down trees. Very cute and captivating.  

While Shirley and I sat at church, we had numerous insect sightings.  I was fascinated by them, but Shirley was not so thrilled with their presence.   

I always come out of church like a player from the locker room after half time; refreshed, stoked, fired up, excited and ready to successfully resume the game.










After church I went to Patty's to get several wedding photos scanned.  We will be using a few at Britney's wedding receptions.  This sample shows my family and Joe's family along with the bride's maids and groomsmen.  I wore Mom's wedding dress and Britney will be wearing it too (77 year old dress).

I went to the pool an hour early for my shift, to help set up for the pool party.  We had live music, which everyone enjoyed and the regulars had a big pot-luck.  It was very hot so lots of people stood or floated around in the water.  We actually weren't as crowded as we had been Saturday (video).  

I didn't get things cleaned up and put away at the pool until 6:45.  Maggie got a quick walk once I was home and she and the cats had a late dinner.  

Monday 6/23 - It was going to be a scorcher today and was already heating up before 6am.  I took this (video) of the deer splashing in the creek, a good way to beat the heat.


I left for the ranch at 7:30 and had just finished feeding and mucking out sheds for the three Pasos, when Patty and Joanne arrived to go for a ride.  


Joanne pointed out that at the ranch, I am POO Staff.  Bah, ha, ha. 




When I arrived at the pool at 9:00, I discovered that the trash I had set by the office wall had been gotten into.  There is no trash pick-up on the weekends, so with the party and three busy days (Fri-Sun) our huge can on the curb was full.  I had decided to keep these two bags inside the pool area, but not in the building because they were leaky and smelly.  Well, I won't do that again.

Today's temperature got into the mid 90s with a heat index over 105°, so it was another busy shift at the pool.  I was in the water before opening, scrubbing tile, and later got in one other time, just to cool off.  
Once home, I saw this posted on Facebook.  The 9th green of Dorchester is literally right behind our pool.  

After a shower, short nap, and a little reading time, I went to Mirror Lake Blast, finding a spot - center stage and in the shade.  Joe soon joined me.





The band 'Double Shots' was a little slow at first.








Micki and Linda came a little late and we joined the few dancers out trying to make the best of it.  In the second set the band really picked up the pace and were fun to dance to.   Vicki, Cleet, and Karen joined us on the dance floor, and are three other fun ladies to boogie with.

Tuesday 6/24 - It was a Rosie day.  Here Rose is napping on the lounge chair first thing this morning, about 5:30.  

Around 6:30 the sun was coming up over the house and heating things up outside and on the deck, so Rose already sought out the shade.
 

By the time I got done at my computer and went out to work in the backyard, Rose had moved to the cold concrete where there wasn't heat radiating off the deck.

Maggie, my project supervisor joined me part of the time, but also went into the air-conditioned house to nap with Joe.  It was the dog days of summer. 

Joe brought me several loads of wood chips, some seen here piled on the big rock because I needed to first weed the area where I was going to put them.  






Next are several views of the finished product.  It was again a mid 90s day with heat index near 110° so I worked at a slower pace, sat and drank plenty of  water (refilling my 16oz glass quite often), and luckily was in the shade most of the time.  



I wish I could get the grass to grow thicker in back, around my beds.  And why is it that it grows where I don't want it but I can't get it to grow where I do want it?






The wood chips really help hold down the weeds, but the beds need re-mulching every two or three years.  I tell Joe (who does all the mowing) that it is easier to maintain grass areas than all the beds we have.  He thinks (and has a good point) that it would be easiest to just let most of the back be wild woodland rather than yard.  

Joe left for poker and once I got all of the largest bed 'completed' (weeded and mulched) I called it quits.  

A cool shower was really enjoyed and I had to do a little more poison ivy control.  I've gotten it around my wrists, I think from my gloves when I take them off and on.

Rose's little black friend, whom I've decided to name Shadow, because he/she follows Rose around.

Wednesday 6/25 - Monita not ready to face the day or get in the game.  Exactly a year ago today my doctor told me I had colon cancer.  If I knew then what I know now, it would have been much less stressful, reducing my anxiety and worrying.  I continue to thank God for His grace and healing and for all the prayers, as my battle was so much easier than what most people go through.  

 

 

 

Joanne rode with Betty early this morning and offered to do chores for me, so I took her up on it.  Unfortunately she had to deal with a dead chicken.  This is Arnie who I've had to clean the back end of a few times this summer, but not recently.  The unshelled egg indicates she was probably egg bound, but Patty said she was running around eating watermelon last night.

Patty and I had an early appointment for a pedicure, something I have never done before.  It took a long time, but it all (foot and leg massage, exfoliation, trim and nail polish) was well worth it.  And the chair massaged my back while sitting there.  All so nice.







Letting the polish get good and dry took awhile too.  But the salon lady, Patty, and I did a lot of talking, so the time went quickly.  During Patty's manicure, I read.  

We hit Taco Bell on the way home because it was 12:25 when we left the nail place.  




My book had gotten really good and it was just too blasted hot to work outside, so I laid on the couch with Mama Styx.  Notice Babe high up on the cat tower.

About 3:00 a big storm blew in, with thunder and lightening, but very little rain.  Apparently it hailed in Crossville.  I had actually fallen asleep for a bit, and then finished my book.  








At 4:30 Joe and I went out to the ranch to muck the upper sheds, put fresh shavings in them, and bury Arnie, the dead chicken.  We didn't work that long (just over an hour) or hard but were both drenched in sweat.  Home for a late dinner for all, and I played games on my computer since I'd finished my book. 

Thursday 6/26 - Monita bird watching with me this morning, or spotting other critters like squirrels and chipmunks, or Rose and Shadow, or deer.  I often have one large buck that eats all the corn in the morning, but today these four deer were first to come. 

  




I haven't seen any fawns this year, but still get plenty of adults.  I wonder if these four are young bucks.  With the heat, they come to drink and lick the salt block, even if the corn is gone.

I wanted to be quick to get outside, to try and beat the heat, but got a late start and worked until 3:30 anyways.

I finished up at the large lower bed; weeding, moving some sparse patches of moss, and then mulching with wood chips.  Before photo first.

I watered all the moss, which is the dark green and brown dirt areas you see.

Next I moved to the bed along the east side of our yard, that runs along Brian's yard.  







This section of bed, seen with leaves and weeds, is what I didn't get to.  





To the right of that area I had weeded, raked up leaves, and mulched with wood chips.  Joe brought me several loads from the pile in the driveway.  






This is farther down towards the pond, near the end of the bed.  The lighter green shrub is a cedar tree, planted right on top of Stevie (her grave).  





I was hoping we could finish off this pile of wood chips, but we still had this much left by the time I quit.  It used to be as large as Joe's SUV, when we first got it.  






I was beat by 3:30, ready to come in and shower and finish laundry.  But then I remembered I had chores at the ranch.  So off I went, with more water in hand.  





We now have two old hens (Black Betty - aka Babe, and Gloria) seen on the ground at the bottom of the photos.  Seven of the eight young hens can be seen perched in the fallen dogwood, that is still alive.

Once home, I still wasn't done.  I remained in the game even though I was ready to sit on the  bench.  I fed the masses, finished laundry, gathered more items to be packed, and added things to my to do list as fast as I was crossing others off.