MAY 2022

Trudy, I do not envy you the job of clearing out "stuff" for Dee.
When I moved here almost 16 years ago, I got rid of a LOT of stuff. It was at that point that I decided we spend the first 50 years of our lives acquiring stuff and the next 50 getting rid of it. I do have a few extra things around here, but not too much. Most of what I have left has a purpose.
Like you, I don't intend to leave here until they carry me out.

Yesterday, Angie and Matt and the boys came up to put in the dock and jet ski lift. They got that done and then started cleaning up some of the mess left from Saturday's storm. We had half-inch hail for nearly 20 minutes. That left leaves and crud all over the place. It's all clean now.

I missed the lunar eclipse...............I went out to sit too early and then missed it night before last.  Drat.

ELLEN, I misstated what I meant.  Spend $ in the summer on your jet ski.............save in the winter
on other things. Glad your yard is taken care of.

TRUDY, prayers for you up coming week.

My house needs a bus to clean it out.  I/we keep it clean but it has gotten cluttered...............we just keep the bedrooms off
limits...........

I'm for Skippylongstocking in the Preakness.............I just LOVE that name.

I'm out of info............everyone have a great evening.

TRUDY:
 You are a good woman.  No way could I clear out someone else's house,  I can't even get mine de-cluttered.  So good for you for being such a good friend!!

ELLEN:
  Jetski time!  We haven't had your hot weather, yet, but it is coming in a couple of days.  We've been in the 70s mostly.  I wish it would stay there for a few weeks, it's my favorite temp.

GRAYMARE:
 That is a cute name for a horse!  I haven't looked yet to see the names...or if there are any gray ones to vote for.  


Well I am now at 38 miles in my Virtual Tevis challenge.  I chipped away two more miles yesterday and today.  Ivan has been pretty good doing this, he did spook once yesterday when a ferocious robin came zooming out of the hay building just as we passed it.  I think Ivan was a bit embarrassed by that.     We are now past virtual Robinson Flats on the Tevis Trail!  We passed over Cougar Rock a few days ago.  I really want that t-shirt that comes with completion!    

 

They email these virtual medals as you get to the places on the map.   Fun!

Those signs are so cool, ARK................

The only gray in the Preakness is Creative Minister...............he's your horse for the day.

We here in AZ have had 4 drownings. in 4 weeks at one of our larger lakes...........none had life jackets
on. We just don't have any protection for stupidity. I'm amazed. I guess in the world we live in I shouldn't
be.

Everyone have a safe and good evening.

I guess there are fewer people who can swim if they live in the desert. In all the years we have been here at the lake, I only know of 2 drownings and those were years and years ago.
Indiana law says that if a kid is under 13 and in a boat, they HAVE to wear a lifejacket.
I am feeling a bit easier about the three little girls. Scarlett is getting to be a fairly good swimmer. Lilah can swim enough to get to safety. Nora isn't afraid and I'm hoping she will be "waterproof" by the end of the summer.

ELLEN, we have a much larger populace and some drink............and you're right, they don't know
what they are doing.

$4.60 per gallon and no end in sight.

That's what ours. is too at certain stations..............some higher up at some.

I hope your jet ski is in t he water waiting for you ELLEN.

I'm going to watch horse racing tomorrow at Pimlico......................GO GO GO!!!

Don't forget the filly races today. The Black-Eyed Susan.

RICK, RICK, RICK!
You have got to stop running your tractors over the cliff when a bird swoops down in front of you!! Or playing chicken with other guys driving their tractors on your road, or living quite so close to the edge! I am very glad you weren't hurt, other than those scrapes.

And in other news, I got kicked by a wheelbarrow today. Got me right in the center of my breastbone. I will have a bruise tomorrow. I flipped an old wheelbarrow over that had collected rain water in it. It flipped back and kicked me with the handle. We were both surprised. It will be moving to the dump soon.


Donnie spent the day replacing oil and filters on his tractor. Hay season is upon us. He dreads it, I dread it, the tractor dreads it.

I have 45 miles in on my Virtual Tevis ride now. Ivan and I rode 5 times this week. I think it is Number 28 ride since January 1. So far I am doing better with Ivan than with the wheelbarrow. He hasn't kicked me yet. I would have ridden today, but the 90 degree heat and the kick from the wheelbarrow sort of discouraged me.

GRAYMARE:
I will cheer on that gray horse tomorrow at the race!

Good grief RICKSTER you scared CAROL to death. You were so fortunate to not have been
injured or the mower ruined. I hope you're back to living on the sunny side of life. You realize you
owe CAROL, right? LOL

Everyone have a smooth sailing evening.

OH my goodness Rick...Thanking God nothing serious happened other than your man pride being hurt...you are never going to live that one down with Carol.

Good morning...Thanks for all the prayers and well wishes for the sale. Today starts the big sale, and it's big furniture moving day.  Luckily a few guys from church are coming to do the heavy lifting and moving.  It's been a real experience.  Dee needs a shopaholic intervention, she has brand new stuff she never even took out of the box.  Thank God her new place is a lot smaller and she won't be able (I pray) to accumulate so much stuff.  She has 4 air fryers.  WHAT????  Who needs 4 Air Fryers????  I tried to get her to throw away old pillows and blankets or donate the blankets to the SPCA.  NOPE...someone will buy them for a dollar...WHATEVER  

While she was at her doctor appointment, I sold her mower yesterday and while Rick was there I sold him a couple other things.  I pray people show up and buy stuff during the week or the trash guys are going to have a huge pile of stuff to haul away.

Keep me in your prayers so I don't murder her.  LOL  I'm trying extra hard to have patience with her but she is wearing me down...and patience is something I have very little of..

GOOD MORNING,

RICK, you are a lucky man, we could be reading of a much worse tragedy with you as the subject. Stay on the road, not over the side, man! Good to see you here never the less.

I'm just here reading the posts and getting ready for my day. It is going to be a LONG one, I am working in the kitchen at a fundraiser for the daughter of my friend Helen (my dog sitter and good friend). Carmen had a double mastectomy two months ago and is undergoing treatments and her partner, Rob, has liver cancer. They have a ten year old daughter! Double tragedy in that house makes money tight as Rob hasn't worked for a long time and Carmen worked right until her surgery. My back and right knee are not in favour of all the standing but I will do what I can for as long as I can. Bake table, rappie pie (local Acadian dish) sale, silent auction and music filled from 1-6. Tomorrow I will be good for not much, lol.

Not much new here. Had my Son and his GF last weekend, went out on Saturday for supper which was part of my Mothers Day gift. I have to tell you that Priscilla is a far different person than the DIL I had for those twenty odd years. She was self centred and a bi*ch, Priscilla is the direct opposite, generous with her money, time and help. Cooks meals, cleans the house and does the wash, ALL chores that John had to do all their married life. She is a very successful real-estate person and is like a daughter to me. They brought their THREE dogs as they couldn't leave them home so four dogs here was chaos. It only happens once in a while so I can handle that.

I don't envy all you horse people when it comes to hay. It was always a struggle trying to find good quality which would have to be brought in from the valley as our local stuff is cow hay. Don't miss those days but I do miss the horse barn and the smell and touch of a horse.

All have a good day.

Yesterdays fiasco...putting up yard sale signs...we tried to get out of that job but no one stepped up, so off we go. Me, Sharon, George & JimBob...first the signs weren't even made up, so the guys built the signs and sent me & Sharon off to put up the signs that were done...The ground was so hard we couldn't even get the stick in the ground and then.....red ants attacked Sharon...her legs were covered. Knock off the ants and back home we go in a rush. Off the 4 of us go...the guys bring a big hammer and they get the signs in the ground....then George has a low blood sugar attack and we rush home again to get him under control. Make some lunch and try to relax. We did not go back to the sale. Last night around 1 AM. HUGE thunderstorm. Lightening hit somewhere close and shook the house, woke us up from a dead sleep. That's the end of all our hard work putting up the signs.

Today's job....taking down the ruined signs after church...fun fun fun all around...

The weekend here was rather blah. Not too much happening. The boat traffic is picking up, but we've had some cooler weather that discouraged any swimming.
My jet ski is sitting front and center to get "summerized" to be water ready. Cousins are coming on Sunday and Monday so it needs to be ready to fly. I'll wait until after the weekend to ride so I don't have to compete with the weekend warriors.

Smart thinking ELLEN. We had another addicent on our lake......A woman, 32, on a waterski had her leg severed
by the boat motor prop............she was flown to a hospital ER where she died. No alcohol or fowl play was
involved..............

We're irrigating over the week end and slowly continuing with spring chores. Horses are happy, dogs are happy,
We are happily awaiting heat..............

TRUDY, I hope you have recovered from sale stress and over doing........You & George need some rest.
Don't feel one bit guilty over it.

Hey ARK, your horse ran 3rd in the Preakness.............My horse was a real loser but I just love his name.
Sacred Oath got boxed in and didn't do well. BUT, all horses were safe, that's what counts.

Continue praying for Ukraine..............

Took a break from the yard and went to the dreaded Dentist...3 fillings, pulled off the old crown that was giving me trouble, put on a temporary. 2 hours in the dentist chair. OUCH OUCH OUCH More fun than being at the stupid yard sale. LOL If I ever have to move to a nursing home I'll be one of the little old ladies who still know where their teeth are. Knowing that is worth the pain. LOL

Stopped over at the sale for a few minutes, to check out how we are going to move her china closet. Got outta there quickly. Drama all around. Five guys from church did all the heavy lifting and moved all the furniture, except the china closet and her big lift chair. Her house is empty. Praise God for those guys.

Resting today...

TRUDY:
For someone retired, you work really hard! Glad the job got done, despite the rain. Sorry about the dentist visit. That's funny about knowing where your teeth are, .

GRAYMARE:
Well darn. My horse finished third and I missed the race. I will try to find it on YouTube.

ELLEN:
Hope the cousin visit goes well and the weather cooperates!!


We had 2.35 inches of rain yesterday. Horses stayed in the barn and ate hay. Today is cloudy and cool, kind of nice. I usually ride Ivan in the evening after the sun is out of the arena, but might try earlier today with the clouds. I am at 46 miles in my Tevis challenge.

Hello All,

Just got caught up reading what all has been happening here. I spent the last two weeks unplugged from the computer. Not really intentionally, more like no time. I was suppose to be on "vacation" but in reality I just exchanged one location of havoc for another. While not at work, I ended up spending most of my time at my brother's trying to help him out. I did get a lot of my flower bends cleaned and the flowers are all in bloom right now. Unfortunately, we're suppose to get a lot of rain so my flowers will get beat to death.

I have a mechanical question if anyone knows this. I have a small brush hog for mowing the pasture. I bought it used in 2020 and have no trouble with it other than a flat tire. Last year towards the end of the season I started have trouble with my tractor overheating after using it for a short time. I disconnected it and stored it for the winter. I think I have narrowed down what was causing my trouble. The blades turn freely when I turn them by hand, but the spindle thingy that the PTO attaches to is very hard to turn. Shouldn't I be able to turn this spindle fairly easily by hand? Any insights would be greatly appreciated.

Indy, I know nothing about tractors, but is the belt too short? The PTO on my little lawn tractor has been slipping the belt off because it is slightly too long. Travis is going to get a different belt for it.
And yeah. It's raining here too. Probably all day.

I would try oiling it with a needle nose oil can................

Thanks for the suggestions. I know it's not the belts, no problems there. Lubrication is always a good possibility. I just don't know if I should be able to turn the spindle thingy that the PTO attaches to by hand fairly easily or not. Will try a little oil and see if that changes anything.

I've been letting Monster, Tiberius and Lilly in the grass field for a couple of hours in the evenings lately. Last night when it was time to bring them in it was raining. No thunder and lightning, just rain. I called them and Tiberius and Lilly came up from the back with no problem. Monster decided he was happy were he was so I had to traipse back and get him. He came up, but then Tiberius and Lilly decided they'd rather be in the field too and tried to rush past me at the gate as I tried to get Monster to come in from the other side. Ended up having to grab halters to keep Tiberius and Lilly in the front pen and to get Monster out of the field. Usually it's call them, they all come and I close the gate to the field. Sophie was then let out of the round pen as she has to stay on dry lot and all was as it should be. By the time everyone was in the front pen, I was a wet mess.

INDYAPP:
 Sorry, I don't know anything about PTOs.  Hope you figure it out!  I would probably oil the heck out of it, then oil would get on the belts and start slipping.  Don't hire me to keep machines running!  
 I know your pain about herding cats and horses.  Slippery devils, all.  I am sure they were laughing the entire time!  


Rainy, rainy afternoon and all night tonight, maybe tomorrow.  Our grass is growing like crazy.  My horses just give up these days and stick their noses in their grazing muzzles, they know they won't go out in the grass without them.   After trying about every brand and style,  I think the Green Guard grazing muzzles are the best for keeping the horses relatively happy.  Areion hasn't broken a grazing muzzle in almost a year now.  She's the expert on that here.  

I am up to mile 47 in my virtual Tevis ride.  chug, chug, chug.....


You all might enjoy the following blog written by a woman whose childhood home was across the road from several movie horse trainers back in the fifties and sixties.

https://ponymansdaughter.wordpress.com/2013/02/15/mr-ed-my-childhood-neighbor/

Ark, that is a really neat article. Thanks for posting it.