Daunting Tasks

Tasks that intimidate, frighten and overwhelm me, tend to discourage me from tackling them.  If I worry about my ability to achieve something,  I tend to procrastinate, but then the job somehow seems to get bigger or worse.

My first hurdle this week, in starting this blog, was that my computer screen had changed.  It happened when I was using my mouse to scroll over a photo to enlarge it so I could see more detail.  And then suddenly everything on my screen became  'microscopic' and I have no clue how to fix it.  With Joe out of town until Monday evening, I was just going to have to cope with it as is.

It is beneficial to break large jobs into smaller tasks.  As soon as you identify a task; begin it and then focus on it for at least five minutes.  It’s scientifically proven that once we start on something, we're much more likely to finish it up.  However, time is my issue.  I start an endeavor, don't have time to finish it, and then it sometimes has to wait a long time before (if ever) I get back to it.  The larger (longer lasting) tasks are the most daunting to me.

My current and most daunting task is buying a horse.  There is just so much to consider and do to complete the process.  I also have the ongoing burden of  getting my body back into shape... as in strengthening, endurance, balance, and flexibility training.  And then there's filling out the genetic risk assessment paperwork and family history questionnaire, both on my computer.

Some tasks are daunting, not because they’re so big or even difficult, but because they’re just no fun to tackle or not that rewarding to do.  Cleaning house before the kids get here at the end of the week, and planning, shopping for and preparing meals, all fall into the unpleasant category for me.

Saturday 9/14 - I was up before the sun, finished and posted last week's blog, and was trying to organize my week when Mama Styx decided to 'camp out' on my calendar.  Yep, I still use a hard copy rather than digital one. 

I was at the ranch by 7:30 to let horses out and muck in the paddock.  My project supervisor watched while being snuggled by Wanda. 
 

I love this series of photos. 

Wanda is always so happy to see Maggie out at the ranch.  And surprisingly, as I was finishing up mucking, Maggie ran off a neighboring dog from the front field.

After doing chores, I decided to go with a garden rake and check out and neaten up the trail in the woods.  Joe had used a product to kill the undergrowth in one section where I never did get it cleared, so I worked at raking and pulling dead undergrowth there, for quite a while.  Later I discovered I'd gotten some poison ivy around my wrists, where my gloves ended.

My project supervisor waited patiently and found a big (vulture or crow)  feather to entertain herself for awhile.


I was going to start this blog because the weather forecast had not been good, but on my way home, driving past the pool, it looked quite inviting with the sun shining and lots of people there.  So I packed a lunch and turned back around and went to the pool.  I spent nearly three hours there, because it was to be the last day of the season.  What can I say, who wouldn’t rather go to the pool and lounge in the sun and water, or sit on the porch swing and read a book, or just veg-out in front of my computer screen, rather than starting on a daunting task?

I got home, showered, dressed, took care of animals, had a quick supper and headed off to the Grove for 70s and 80s music.  Mickey and I dressed for the occasion
and noticed many people in really great costumes.



Photo opts before the band started.  I make myself laugh looking at some of these.  Don't ask, because I don't know why the face.  LOL.







In this photo on the left, we are showing off our tattoos.
 

Micki and I posing in the Love Bug.




The rotary club had gone all out, setting up and decorating for this fund-raising event. 









Here you can see some examples of the better costumes.  Ah the good ole Hippy Days.  The things we wore back then.  What a riot. 

The band did an excellent job of playing all the great hits from back in the 70s and 80s.  The crowd had an amazing time dancing the night away.  In the photo to the left can be seen Vicki and Linda, and then Mary behind them. 
















I love Vicki's hair in the action shot above.

Many of us refer to Linda as the energizer bunny.  She can really 'kill it' on the dance floor and is just so much fun to party with. 

I drove Micki home because we deemed it unsafe for her to operate a vehicle in her condition.  LOL.  She did have a good time.  She took all the dancing photos and these last two as we were walking to my car.

The moon peaking through the clouds was beautiful as were the lights on Mirror Lake.


 

Sunday 9/15 - I slept in and my throat was a little sore when I did roll out of bed, but otherwise I was feeling pretty good.  I think it was from talking over loud music and singing 70's and 80's music at the top of my lungs for almost three hours while dancing, that did it.  







I like to think of Sundays as a day of rest.  I don't have chores at the ranch and the gym isn't open (I haven't been there in ten days anyways, because of my cold) so those two activities are off the docket for every Sunday.  Actually, since surgery, it seems like every day has been a day of rest.  I have become a professional bum.

After enjoying the Church service with Shirley, I came home planning to get this blog started.  But I decided reading out on the deck in the partial sunlight was more appealing.  The swimming pool wasn’t as inviting because of the cool air.  I hadn’t quite finished my James Patterson paperback, so that was my goal, not at all a daunting task.

After a few hours, having finished my book and taken a nap, I got myself up and moving.  Because I had been such a bum all day, I decided to do another hike for the marathon, going 3 miles to complete the red loop.  I took the only three photos for the day and this (video).  Maggie ended up a little sore on her front left 'wrist' part of her foot/leg.  😒

Monday 9/16 - I needed to get this blog started, but put it off again because I had to get to the ranch to do chores.  Sometimes writing this blog, when I’m trying to come up with a theme, or if I get so far behind on my daily entries, or when I try to keep it short or to be creative in my wording... seems like a rather daunting task.

As I was finishing mucking, Betty arrived and we walked the property, especially where Dorado will be kept, and discussed care options, and how we would co-op.  It was cool enough at 8:30 that the paper wasps on this nest were barely moving. 

The three 'Amigos' seen from the ranch house yard.  Betty was there till 11:00.  We did a lot of chit/chating, talking horses etc. and Bonnie stopped on her way out the drive and joined us in conversation for awhile.  I finished up with a few little jobs, and while getting a rake out of the upper feed room, was 'attacked' by some of the wasps and stung by one, twice on my belly, right through my shirt.  I read that these are very territorial and aggressive wasps.
 

The sunshine (or cloud coverage) was spotty, but it was a pretty day, so I chose to skip the gym and lay out at the pool.  A decision had been made to keep it open until Friday. 

When I got home, I finally got this blog started.  I had planned to have dinner at Patty's when Joe arrived with the three Iowans from the airport, but their flight was four hours late so I was just getting into bed when they rolled into the Glade.

Tuesday 9/17 - It was overcast and misty much of the day with the temperature barely getting into the 70s.  It was a good day to sit here and catch up on this blog.  But then, 30 minutes before our handyman Scotty got here, Joe told me he was coming.  I had to hustle to get dressed and cover our closet shelves and hanging clothes so that drywall and dust did not get on our stuff.  Scotty replaced the light in our closet, one in the workroom and a dimmer switch in the living room.  Joe had to leave for the dentist so I needed to remain at the house until Scotty was finished.

I headed to the gym at 10:30, two hours later met Joe, Patty, Mary, Tracy and Teresa for lunch at Skillets, and was back here by 2pm, sipping hot tea and working at my computer while it drizzled outside.

I did clean up where electrical work had been done and spoke with the vet about Stevie.  She has shown improvement so I am willing to treat her Lymphoma and inflammatory bowel disease (for awhile anyway).  The palliative treatment in both (no cure for either) is similar, with a hydrolyzed protein diet and steroids.  It will be costing me almost $100.00 a month,  but I’m gonna give it a try. 

Three cats at bedtime - missing Stevie.  I feel bad that Stevie is still banished to the back screened in porch, especially with it getting colder, but she still has some accidents (leaves little chocolate chip looking poop where she has been sleeping).  I hope her condition improves even more because I plan to bring her into my office/cattery/sun room next week.

Wednesday 9/18 - I did my usual morning routine here at my computer.  Betty sent this photo while she was out at the ranch trying to get rid of the paper wasps before they 'woke up' this morning.  That is a LOT of nests.


Joe and I picked up Tracy and Teresa and drove to Meadow Creek Park to hike the three mile 'Marathon' trail. 









It was an easy hike with little change in elevation, and not too rocky.  Although there were little stumps and roots you had to watch out for to avoid tripping.

At one spot we walked through this cute gnome village. 










I liked the more natural looking curios than the painted figurines. 






Life is good!







We enjoyed the smell of the woods and taking in the more natural sights.  The walk was also invigorating.

We ended up at AJ's diner for lunch.  It was a dive of a place, but the food was good.  I had fried corn beef and cabbage that really hit the spot. 

Another photo from Betty, who had enjoyed hanging out at the ranch for quite some time.  Notice that our weather was a little 'iffy' in spots.  But we never got any rain to speak of.

Once home with a full belly, I enjoyed hot tea on the porch, reading and then napping, with my sickly cat by my side.  Stevie sure enjoys the company. 








I was a little late getting to the ranch for chores.  Betty came to watch the process and start learning the procedure for feeding.  This is how Amiga was wearing her fly mask when she came in.  LOL.

I needed to do more communications concerning horse shopping, but was already 'getting into' my new James Patterson book and chose to read instead of doing the daunting task of texting sellers with questions I had.  It was a nice quiet evening with Poker Joe gone, and I had the lights out earlier than usual.

Thursday 9/19 - Well, I had to stoop to using an on-line picture because I only took one all day. 

After computerizing, I worked out at the gym (Wellness Complex) from 10:00 - 1:00.  I left feeling great, got gas and groceries and then came home and took a nap.  I had not gotten enough sleep the night before.

I did start on the daunting task of house cleaning, including trimming cat nails and flea combing all.  I did not get a single flea off the cats or dog.  Hooray!  I also scrubbed and hosed off the cushions from the screened porch that Stevie had soiled.  And I finished one load and started a second, of laundry.

I had to quit cleaning before getting very much done to make a salad, and then head with Joe to Patty's house.  Karen and Shirley also joined us in dinning with the Iowans.  Tracy and Joe →

Friday 9/20 -  Britney had made it to Courtney's last night, after a long day of travel (three flights) to come from Costa Rica.  I did my blogging and then started in on more house cleaning.  Part of the process of cleaning was to get all the guest beds made, the table leaf out, and to also get set up for Ava and Tango. 






I was getting Ava’s fort out for the weekend and saw these rules written on the inside.  Rule number two would probably ban many of us entering the fort.  That’s Mama Styx’s foot you see in the photo, so she has apparently agreed to follow the rules and enter.  One of my daunting tasks for later this fall is to clean out the bunk room, seen in photo below, when I went in there to get Ava's fort. 

I put on hold my 'to do' list of daunting tasks (horse shopping/buying/and hauling home, and getting ready for our new boarder- organizing, coordinating and implementing new boarding/co-op procedures).  They would have to wait until after the weekend.  The on-going daunting tasks of cleaning leaves out of the yard, and getting the creek down back to flow into our side of the pond, will be 'on-going' forever, or until we move. 

Okay, I'm posting this early because company is coming and I'll be busy all weekend!

Under Control

I am a little bit OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) so have a strong need to control everything in an attempt to reduce anxiety and fears.  I have troubles coping when things don’t go to plan, change unexpectedly, or aren't just as I envision they should be.  I continue to work on 'letting things go' and try not to worry about what I perceive as imperfections. 

According to PsychCentral, "Feeling the need to be in control is natural. It's when we try to control everything that we create unnecessary stress and anxiety that can hold us back. It's important to realize that we can never control everything.  Being in control of your life sounds like a positive thing, and in most cases, it can be.  But for some people, the need to control everything can become all-consuming.  Like most aspects of mental health, controlling behaviors exist on a spectrum — most people experience them to some degree." 

Slowly things in my life are getting back under control.  We’ve just about gotten rid of every flea in the house, with just an occasional one popping up here or there on a cat.  My cold is improving and my body is nearly back to normal from surgery.  Plans and arrangements for a new boarder (Betty) are solidifying.  Stevie seems to be improving.  The only thing that’s not totally in control, is the horse buying endeavor.

Saturday 9/7 - I did not sleep well at all.  I had been riddled with coughing attacks, off and on, all night.  I got up at 5am but my headache was so bad, I had a glass of milk and a Tylenol, and went back to bed.  I got up again at 7am.  The headache was a little better but I was still coughing my lungs out.

Joe went with me to help with chores because I did not feel up to the task.  He mucked, while I brought Amiga in and gave her a Previcox. 

I took these photos after I had turned Amiga back out and was walking, with Zorro and Cowboy's fly masks, to put them on.  The horse crew and project supervisor were keeping an eye on Joe. 



We got home at 9am and I went back to bed for another hour.  I figured this was just a terrible cold because many folks have the same affliction.  Although I was now considering the possibility of Covid, but I didn't have a test kit to find out.  Last week I thought at first it was just allergies, but it has moved to my chest, with a horrible cough, and unbearable headache.

Oh, I forgot to mention, last Friday I got a call from the vet to give me the results of the Stevie's blood test.  


He didn’t mention thyroid or kidney problems, but said her liver enzymes are really off.  He said it could be caused by feline hepatitis or possibly liver cancer.  I chose not to do anymore costly diagnostics, but we did decide to try the steroids to treat possible irritable bowel disease.  I gave her the first dose Friday afternoon.  When I gave her the second dose this afternoon, she spit all or most of it out.  If only I could control my pets (including Amiga) to get them to take their oral medicines. 



Joe had helped me put flea medicine (it was time for their monthly dose) on the cats before he left for golf.

Then after a big salad for an early dinner, I took Maggie on the Seven Bridges Marathon hike.  I actually was feeling pretty good and the 2½ miles were quick and easy to cover.  I swear by fresh air and exercise to help you feel better. 








The first photo of a giant rock as part of the path, shows why the Plateau is called Rocky Top.

Joe and I started the mini series 'The Perfect Couple.'

Sunday 9/8 - I woke up feeling a tad bit better but still not well enough to go to church.  I didn’t want to expose anyone to my germs anyway.  I had a little better luck getting the steroid down Stevie.  It was really cold out, low 50s so Stevie was following the sun spots to nap in.  I was freezing cold, so sat outside, reading my James Patterson book.  In the throes of the action, I was turning pages and not worrying about time.  I did end up getting a bit too warm, but thought baking out this cold might be the solution.







I had a late lunch and then took a Covid test that Patty had.  Thankfully it was negative.
Maggie and I went out front and I started raking up all the leaves that had already fallen.  My project supervisor was sleeping on the job.  She sure enjoys being out in the sun.
 

Our driveway was really covered in leaves.  I hauled away five king-size sheets full.  Actually, they weren't big loads, because I didn't want to strain my gut.

It was the perfect temperature for outdoor work.  And with no breeze, wrangling leaves was easy.  I even raked some off the grass.



Next I worked at weeding and finally putting mulch down on the beds along our front entrance sidewalk. 



I have had six bags of mulch sitting outside, at the corner of our garage, since the middle of April.  I am not sure why it has taken me so long to get to this job.  As I recall, it was too rainy, and then it was too hot, and I was also dealing with health issues. 






It felt good to finally get this bed completed, and it looks so much better. 

I thought about taking a walk after dinner but had lots of chores to do because it was Sunday night.  Plus, I was feeling pretty tired.

Monday 9/9 - These are the only two photos I took all day.  My fur babies following the sunbeams inside.  Fall and cooler temperatures are in the air.

I had morning chores at the Ranch, doing all the mucking and giving Amiga a Previcox before putting the horses out in the pasture.  Then I headed for town.  I had a blood draw at Dr. Davidson‘s office to check my iron.  It and everything else was in the normal range so I’m glad to announce that I am now normal.  LOL  Everything is under control.
 

Mama Styx moving into a warm spot.

While in town, I went to Tractor Supply, getting help loading the horse feed bag into my car.  I ran into Patty at Lowe’s and then we both ran into each other again at Walmart.

It was close to 1:30 by the time I got home.  I got everything unloaded, had a big salad for a very late lunch, and then needed a nap, which I took on the screened porch with Stevie.

Joe and I watched two more episodes of 'The Perfect Couple.'  I enjoy murder mysteries.

Tuesday 9/10 - Today marked six weeks since surgery.  I'm allowed to resume full activity.  However, I am not in the shape I was in six weeks ago... to lift 50 pound feed bags, sling a heavy saddle, push/pull heavy objects, etc.  So I am working on getting back into shape.  Externally, my incision is all healed, but I sometimes feel pinching/tugging sensations internally.  It is probably scar tissue being stretched or squished as I bend and twist.

Notice the fawn is losing its spots and the doe is getting her darker winter coat. 

I spent the morning catching up on my blog, doing a little horse shopping, sending emails and organizing my medical file.

Scotty came and installed new lights in our kitchen, laundry room, and guest bathroom.  We are removing the old fluorescent fixtures and putting in LED lights.  One of the light switches was also bad so he replaced that. 


Today's big 'event' was going to be catching Wanda and getting her to the vet.  I left for the ranch before Scotty got finished, so I could meet Patty to help me with barn cat wrangling.  Wanda came right into the tack room to eat.  After she was finished with her canned cat food I easily caught her, but when I tried to put her in the crate, the struggle began.  Patty, who had been mowing, arrived to help me with my efforts. 


 


It was 90 minutes before I needed to take Wanda, so I went up to the ranch house to water the plantings.  It is still so dry out, and hot during the day.  Up at the coop, the 'girls' were all sun bathing, but two stood up before I could get their picture. 

While the soaker hose was running, I pulled weeds and then did a little more trimming along our drive entrance to neaten it up a tad more.

When it was 'go time,' I grabbed the crate Wanda was in (from the cool, dark tack room) and headed to the vet (video).  She was pretty noisy at the start but slowly settled down, until I parked the car at the vets.  Then she got loud again.  The vet clinic has you park and give them your name, appointment time and parking space number, and when they’re ready for you, they come and bring you into an exam room.  That way you don’t have a bunch of animals in the small waiting room at the front desk.  It is a good method.  We were way early so I chose to sit and wait under a shade tree until they came out to get us.

Wanda (the Wondercat) did great at the vets.  She was actually under control, held very still, choosing not to fight or escape, and basically just kind of 'shut down' for the whole procedure.  She was quite glad to get 'home' to her barn, when I took her back to the ranch.  Bonnie was there and gave her the rest of the canned cat food. 

I continued with watering, spotting this cool spider web in the process.  I needed to get home for feeding time so quit, again before finishing.  






After dinner, I picked up sticks in the yard, and it was actually pretty dark by the time I finished.  Apparently, I hadn't latched the laundry room door to the garage (which I really thought I had done because it is a constant problem popping open otherwise).  Rose had come down near the creek, where I was crossing with the branches to put in the woods.  When I had finished and was on the way back to the house, Rose was running ahead of me, but stopped suddenly and started acting worried.  Well, there was a cat near the deck.  So I made a noise to scare it off, and it ran into our garage.  It was Mama Styx returning home.


When I went inside and did a head count of cats, I was missing Monita.  So I got the treat jar and went room to room shaking it, which she always comes running for.  Nope.  So out I went, with the treat jar, shaking it and calling for Monita.  No luck after 30 minutes of searching.  I figured she was probably hiding under a bush or something because she is usually a big chicken.  I finally gave up, feeling frustrated and devastated.  Well, while putting on my PJ's, Monita came out from under the bed, looking frightened.  These photos were not her under the bed but of another hiding spot she goes to.  Anyway, I'm guessing she had gone outside and was scared by Rose, and ran into the house and into hiding.  Ugh, but at least I felt the cat situation was now under control and knew I would now be able to sleep.

Wednesday 9/11 - It’s not just the tragedy of September 11, 2001 that we must remember, but the feeling of unity that we experienced on September 12, 2001.

I woke with much pain in my left sinus cavity and lots of nasty drainage that was actually streaked with some blood.  Ugh. 

 
One can never fully get a cat under control.  They just do what they want, when and where they want.  Monita is one of the most uncontrollable cats when she wants attention.  She is persistent, annoying, assertive, and exasperating.  She will knock things off my desk, bite me, walk on my keyboard, grab my pen, paper, computer screen, book or what ever I am holding (even bopping another cat on the head, that is in my lap) etc.  But I love her. 

I had a ton to do here at my desk, but when I checked the weather, decided to go to the pool for what looked to be the last nice day until it closes Saturday.  I was there from 11:30 - 3:30, and I have become quite good at being a pool bum.  Patty and I talked while walking laps together, but then I indulged in a beer and flatbread (pizza) from the club house.  I also took a little nap. 

I went straight to the ranch from the pool to do evening (feeding) chores.  I was so glad that Wanda did not hold a grudge (after the vet) and trusted me enough to let me pet her and give her some lovin'. 


Okay, as I type this, I can't get Blogger under control.  It won't let me move the chicken photo up after 'nap' and it automatically is indenting this paragraph.  I have 'fought' with it too long and am moving on, not worrying about how it looks. 

When I got up to the ranch house, I finished watering, took a (video) of Gloria, and shut the outer door of the coop before heading home.

Joe and I watched the debate together... don't believe it was very 'under control' either.
 

Thursday 9/12 - My cold was noticeably better but I was still a long ways from feeling good.  I planned to spend the morning at my computer doing this blog, organizing photos, responding to emails, sending text messages, horse shopping, and doing some ranch boarding plans and management. 



I always enjoy having Rose join us on our walks.



Joe finally pulled me away from my desk, wanting to go to town to pick out a few more lights and hike another marathon trail.  The rain that was supposed to come at noon had been knocked back till later in the day, so I figured it was a good idea to get out and do some of that outside stuff.

After lunch, I decided I had time to plant the mums into the new pot, all of which I had bought at Lowe’s a few days earlier.  The old, cheap Family Dollar plastic pot was breaking into little pieces and I was ready to do away with it's mostly dead plants.

Much better!

I was intending to go to the gym (it had been a week since I was last there), but my cold was still bad enough that I didn’t want to share it with anybody.  And I didn’t know if I’d start coughing or get the dizzy headaches I get when I bend over because of my sinuses. 





So, I decided to sit here on the porch swing with Stevie, sip my hot tea, read my book, and take a nap.  It was a good rainy afternoon activity, although it never did rained.  But there were dark clouds, it got very windy and cooled off a lot.

Instead of accomplishing anything productive after dinner, I continued reading because my book was nearing its end and getting even more exciting. 

Friday 9/13 - I am not superstitious, but I do believe in good and evil spirits, and pray for protection.  I woke up feeling even better than the day before, barely a cough, no headache and not much of a sore throat, but still some drainage.

I sat here too long, getting nothing done.  My indecision and uncertainty with certain things caused me to mull over several things including boarding plans at the ranch, horse shopping, filling out genetic family tree on computer, vetting my cats, and whether to go to the gym.  A little apathetic torpor and just not feeling 100%, also caused me to sit idly. 




There was a little bit of housecleaning, quite a bit of snacking, some playtime with the cats and several conversations on the phone.

I had a meeting with Brooke about boarding options, now that we are taking on a new boarder.  But I went early to care for Amiga, who had come in with a sore eye on Wednesday evening.  I did a warm compress and cleaned it, followed by a cold compress.  Susan took some photos of me and my horse, the only ones taken on my phone all day.

We still hadn't gotten any rain, other than a few drops here and there.  Oh if only we could control the weather. 




Once home, I decided to quickly move some sand down at the creek to get the water to flow on our side of the creek and into the pond versus the opposite side.  That way it will look more like waterfront from our yard, at least that was my thought, to 'control' the creek.

It’s sprinkled for about three minutes and that was the end of the rainfall for today.

It was a quiet evening with Joe in Nashville for the weekend.