Last Day of August

The glory of morning.

 

Good Sunday Morning.

Turkey Day Every Day

Gobble Gobble

For several years now the turkeys have been raising their turklets on the property. Sometimes there is an entire village of them. I got this photo from a distance so not the best quality. They move calmly, mama looking around while babies check things out.

I've been busy playing catch-up outside. There is so much to do and I know it won't all get done, but I'm making a dent. 

And Yet Another

Back to My Regularly Scheduled Program

Which seems to be cats.

Frieda is a strange one. She enjoys sitting in the Wassily chair. Not soft, slanting backward, yet she sits in it a lot.

Give Gatto a box and he turns it into his castle.

Our weather is perfect this week. I spent two afternoons trimming the honeysuckle on the east end of the house. The end with all the window. Windows with no view other than leaves. They grew so fast this year they towered. I knew when I put them there what they are and how tall they get. I'd put several different shrubs in this place and they all died. I have honeysuckle growing everywhere so I dug them up and waited. They did not die. It's been me against the bushes for decades. They are close to winning.

I'll spend this afternoon doing more much needed maintenance. I'll use the weed whacker for as long as the battery lasts, which isn't very long with this one. The forecast has me hopeful, I may be able to get a lot of deferred maintenance done. If my body holds up. I limit myself to a couple of hours a day if it's physical. My definition of physical, that is. How is it the last week of August?

Trees. Guys.

Dude!

Don't tell me he isn't a gentleman of fashion. 

He got me, so I got him back. It's the story of my people. Xcel Energy tree trimmers have been here for several days removing branches from proximity to the power line. The boss lady laid down the rules the first day, saw different guys the next day and did it all over again. Do not mutilate my trees. Do not mess with the ancient pines, just make the channel through the middle as you see has been done before. Every few years I need to repeat myself. They are told to be aggressive. I have to tell them better not. The second group mutilated a cedar tree for no apparent reason before I got to them. I told those guys I didn't want to see that again. Long ago I had a guy call me a ball busting bitch. I thanked him.

The original guys are back at it. They are pleasant, friendly men. I asked the one who was walking around with me as I pointed out what I wanted and I asked him if he would like to see a horse. Yes! I showed him Mr. Big Stuff, Zing, who put on a fancy strutting show. He was a show horse and never lost the flair. The young man asked me my name. When I told him he smiled large and said 'Spanish'. I said yes, it is a Latin name. He took photos of the big guy and it felt like I made his day. He asked if it was expensive to keep horses. Yes, it is. It's worse now than it used to be. The average joe is being priced out. It's a common story. 

Other than bossing a bunch of men around I have been doing little to nothing. Tomorrow is supposed to be the start of a week long break in the heat and humidity. The yard and gardens are calling my name. They will be bossing me around for quite a while.

Progress

Me playing coy when Mark held his phone up and said 'smile'. I created a monster when I showed him how to use it. I had PT yesterday. We discussed my progress and where we go from here. I told her I felt I'd come a long way, that I knew I'm never going to be completely erect ever again, but it's better and I am able to walk more. She seemed satisfied with this. We decided I'd come back in a month to check if I'm progressing or at least holding steady. I am coming to the end of a nearly year long journey with her. She is the only person who took the time to know the issue and do something about it.

The PT did suggest walking sticks, she gave me a pair to try. Wow, where have they been all my life! I came home and ordered a set. They are so much better than a cane and with them I have two weapons to wave in the air. It's a win-win.

The heat and humidity is supposed to lessen on Saturday. Saturday cannot come soon enough for me. Just making this simple pasta dish had me soaked with sweat. I think cooking may be off the menu until Saturday. Whatever is done will be done in the airfryer.  

Okay, time for some toast and another cuppa joe.

Rainy Days and Monday

We had a day without rain on Sunday, but not without stifling humidity. Then rain came along in the early evening and it's still raining this morning. If the extended forecast is correct we will need this moisture later on.

I decided I would make bread. This is a whole wheat rosemary loaf. It's good with sandwiches and soup. Being Monday, it's laundry. The horses are staying in the barn today. I know it may seem odd to many that I keep these beasts in sometimes, but we have black clay soil. It's awful when wet. Well, when dry, too. When it's soaked it sucks people in and won't let go. I have found myself face planted more than once as my foot has been held in place while the body is in forward motion. Lovely. For the horses safety, especially geriatric horses, they stay in because this stuff is tendon popping and also the landscape is rolling. I'm cautious.

Gatto sandwiched between bread. I'm a regular comedian! I am too like my father, which is preferable to the other option. I have PT tomorrow, it's down to every three weeks. I stopped my exercises last week because I was in so much pain I just couldn't. For some reason I'm moving better than I was. It's not a reach to believe I may have been overdoing. I tend to be this way, all or nothing. Go figure.

On that, I think I'll toast some rosemary bread and drink coffee while the washer washes.

Happy Sunday

I came across this while scrolling my phone. Yes, I will admit to doing this. It made me smile. A well-known, wonderful song with a slight difference. 

https://www.threads.com/@music.lei/post/DNayUuHMZcz?xmt=AQF0AI0Sn--lmCHzaBQFI2idmjktP3vE5UtAf--hXJYNJQ

I loved to dance. I still do. I'm not the queen, but I still dance.

Having a Caturday

Get that thing out of my face, human.

We've had lots of rain with more coming. We can use it. For a short time it was coming down at 1" per thirty minutes. That didn't continue, thankfully. Being at the top of a hill means flooding is unlikely. Still....

It feels like life is on pause. That's how I can describe where I'm at. I have a feeling I'm not alone. Going through the motions, as the song says. The motions today will be making bread, straightening up, scraping the cats with a shedding blade and once again the %@#*? moment of wondering how this became a cat house. I guess because I let them in.

 

Forty-Four Years

One this date I made a second attempt at marriage. There were certainly rough patches, but here we are.

My mother, father, brother I haven't heard from in over thirty years and seven year old Matthew. We are squinting into the sun.

Our friends and witnesses, Dan and Terri.

 I feel I shouldn't be forty-four, much less married that long.