July 2023

Okay gals. Here's one to keep us motivated.

https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/80-year-old-maine-equestrian-makes-a-remarkable-comeback/97-4f32a5c9-3857-4039-aa52-0807fdf42279

Morning everyone,

I'm home in Yarmouth, arrived yesterday afternoon. Fergie sure was happy to see me. Stopped in Lunenburg to see me plastics doc for my last recheck of my thumb and little finger. All is good so now on to getting used to new joints in the left hand, I feel like I am a baby just getting used to a new hand, rofl.

Drizzly and raining this am but supposed to get better. I hope so as I have lots of wash to do. OT this a.m. at nine for my last checkin for my fingers and Physio at 1:15 for my shoulder. I'm telling you that when I turned 81 last Sept. I fell right apart. BTW, my birthday is September 13, don't know where everyone got the message that I just had it. I'm not rushing any birthdays this year, Lordy knows what will happen when I have this one

I have to run, time if going by fast and I need to get menace together.

Later

Donna

That video ELLEN is definitely inspirational...

Glad to see you made it home safely DONNA. It's amazing how much laundry accumulates when we travel.

I guess I'm officially elderly. People have been calling like mad to check on me during this heat
wave. Actually, it's very nice of them to care and call. It's just like any other summer heat........
out early in the AM then in til dark.............horses are out from about 6A to 10A..........it all works
I'm still tired from irrigating. Glad that's done.

So far, at my house the hottest it's been is 110 at 4P.........then gets cooler as the evening
goes on and by morning temps is about 85.

Donna, glad you're doing well with your new fingers. That has to be very inconvenient and
painful. Hope the healing goes smoothly from here on out.

Ellen, good video.........I only get on and walk around.....it feels good enough for me..........
I can't stress my arthritis or my heart in the heat.

Hi Indy........hope you are doing OK.

Everyone have a good day.

ELLEN:
 That was a good video.  I hope I am still riding at 80....but without the big accident!

DONNA:
 I am not sure where I heard it was your birthday, FaceBook or AMMI newsletter.  Happy BEFORE your Birthday!     You get to celebrate twice!  I hope all your surgeries leave you painfree and frisky...

GRAYMARE:
 The only time I was ever in Phoenix it was 110 degrees in the shade in 1970.    I was impressed at the time, but don't think I could stand many days in a row like that!     I was also impressed by the gazillion lizards that were all dashing around.   Stay cool!!

INDYAPP:
 What are you up to?

TRUDY:
 I am glad you are posting again.   Your house has to be wonderful by this time!  We are still s-l-o-w-l-y finishing up our original building just in time to need to do renovations.     I don't think we'll ever get things finished.  


I rode Areion 2 miles today in the arena.  She was much better today than she has been in several days.  No spooks,  pretty good attitude,  no trying to kill the hand that feeds her.  All much appreciated!  Donnie has been trimming back the bushes at the end of the arena area and I think that helps.  He says there are deer nests in there where they sleep.  They will have to sleep somewhere else!   Anyway,  Areion was good and we had a nice ride.  85 degrees, but we  rode after the shade came over the arena until sunset.    We have a bit over 16 miles left to get our 100 miles in 100 days Virtual Tevis Cup ride finished.

I have a few hours left before the troops start arriving for the next week. They have three different places rented. It will be a hectic but fun week.

ARK, every mile is one mile closer to the finish line.................you go............

GRAYMARE:
 Thanks!  I rode Areion this evening for 2.1 miles in the arena.  We walked every step at mostly a loose rein.  No rushing, no spooking, good attitude!  The heat probably made her less inclined to rush, but I will take it!  She needs her feet trimmed, which is why I really didn't want to go faster.  Donnie is going to trim her feet tomorrow.  We are now at 85.3 miles on the Virtual Tevis trail.  




Our dog, Shadow, had his teeth cleaned and one large molar removed on Wednesday.  Poor doggy's tooth was broken and dead.   He is on pain meds now and only this evening has acted a bit more normal.    I suspect Shadow got kicked by a horse a few months ago.  He had a bad habit of barking and harassing the horses when they rolled in the grass.  One caught him at it, which stopped that little bit of fun.  He avoids the horses now when they roll and barks at a distance from them.   Anyway,  he should be feeling better in a few days.  His appetite returned this evening.

Good for you ARK, you'll get to the end of that ride.

Me? I'm just rushing from one project to the next. This mornings project is going to check out a handicap accessible minivan. I was browsing through FaceBook last night and one popped up on a local garage sale sight I follow. So I'm going to go check it out. Right now I'm dependent on the rehab facility for transportation for my brother to Dr appointments and I haven't been real pleased with what they provide. This should be interesting.

The troops have all arrived. Whew! Lots of moving in, grocery shopping, tired kids crying, chaos in general. Things will settle down a little bit tomorrow.

Hey INDY, was the van doable for you or not? Hope so..............

I haven't made up my mind on the van. The body is REALLY rough. The mechanics seem to be sound and I can do the price. I'm not sure that I would want to risk driving it to Chicago, but I think it will probably be safe to get him to local doctors.

I check in regularly to see how all are weathering the heat and storms. We've been very lucky here. Some prolonged periods of rain and some road washouts, but nothing very local for me, and nothing at all like Vermont's. The dogs and I stay in and keep company with the heat pump, aka AC. Today, though, I shut that off and opened windows. Wow! About 85 and with a breeze. No garden at all this year. Last week, in between rains, I managed to climb up onto my ancient sit-down mower and mow both the front and back lawns. This afternoon I plan to strap the oxygen back on and get out to the barn, where I'm close to completing one of those kneeling benches for garden weeding -- the kind with raised sides that old people can push on to get up. When that's done, maybe I'll start a garden!!
GM, I worry about you.
And you. too, ARK, horsing around in the heat.
And all of you, in fact.  Do take care.
ELLEN - That 80-year-old rider's ring is not far from me. If I knew when she'd be there, I'd trot over and neigh a little.  Enjoy your company!

BEECH:
We are doing okay. I don't ride until the sun is behind the trees in the arena and then don't ride very far. I don't think we've done more than 2.5 miles at any one time. I'd love to crank out more miles on a tree covered trail ride, but that hasn't happened with Areion this summer. We've inched our way up to 90.8 miles on the Virtual Tevis Cup trail. I would love a cool front for a few days to finish this thing.

Your gardening bench sounds like a great idea! I find getting up harder every year. We are down to 2 hens now and they are living in a 24 foot geodesic dome. We are considering turning that dome into a greenhouse when the girls go to chicken heaven.


INDYAPP:
I really hate looking for new vehicles! I hope this van turns out well for you.

GRAYMARE:
Yikes, Phoenix keeps setting heat records. I hope you and your animals are staying cool!

ELLEN:
Have fun this week with the cousins!!

We currently have a HUGE raging fire in Phoenix right near the airport..........No people have been
injured so far.  The tarmac dnd parking were not affected.  It's remarkable the no humann have
been injured.  The smoke was horrendous but blew in the opposite direction No report as to cause
yet...............temp was 119.................



The propane fire continues................It's slowing but continues............the animal welfare league
is right next. door.................

Another addendum.........ther is now one [parking lot with all the cars burned...........jiust black burned cars........

Good Morning All.....

I'm sitting up at my dining room table and having my tea, all screened areas are open and I'm in my nightie!!!! It is so warm and humid this summer that everything is soaked and growing overnight. I'll soon have mold growing on me, lol. I'm not complaining as it means that there is not a dry well reported at all, this is a record. Just heard this a.m. on the news that this is the hottest summer on record. It's the humidity that gets everyone. I don't have a heat pump, hate air conditioning either in homes or cars, have a fan going at all times and will close my bedroom window and door. If I don't do that my sheets feel damp when I crawl in at night. Oh, well, it will be fall before we know it and temps will change.

Greymare, there are so many wildfires everywhere. We had ours in the spring and the result was total destruction of many areas. Lord knows when these poop people will have a place that they can call their own again. Alberts is in the middle of one now and so is Quebec. Most of these are man made!!!! Hopefully they get a handle on the ones near you.

My good friend Judy is turning 80 today. She had a bad stroke last June (a year ago) and is in a wheelchair and paralyzed on right side. We went to the gym together every morning and then for tea at Tim's before we did our errands in town. Always the one to volunteer for everything and every organization. Never took a pill for anything and she is the one with the stroke! My doc told me its because I take all the meds I do that would keep me from having one, hope she is right. There are four of us close friends that are going to visit her this afternoon and that is always a good time. Her speech is affected but we fill in the blanks and that is fine with her. She can get out a few sentences and then will turn to garble but then Oh shit will come after that, rofl. We know what is coming so she doesn't get embarrassed and is at ease with us. I always have tried to get in to visit her at least once a week or two but this summer so far she hasn't been feeling great and I have been busy with doc and physio appointments. I do call on a regular basis though and talk to her partner and he passes on the messages.

My cleaner is coming at nine so I must get my rear in gear. I'm looking at my lawn out the patio door and it is so long, it needs to be mowed every week but yesterday was the first time this week that it was dry enough to mow and I can't do it, my mower didn't message me so guess it will grow till he gets here. I have a sweeper so there is no grass cleanup which is great.

All have a good day. ARK you are getting the miles in. Soon at the finish line. Good for you.

Donna

So far, there has been a lot of jet ski play, tube riding, swimming, fishing, sitting on the porch, and eating. A good time has been had by all. One group will leave tomorrow, the rest on Sunday. One rental house goes from Saturday to Saturday. The other is Sunday to Sunday.
It will be a lot quieter around here, but I'll get to sleep in. LOL

The troops have gone after a busy fun week.  It's back to their normal routines, and mine.  The weather was really good this week, good for sitting on the porch and playing in the water.  All the boats and jet skis got exercise, as did the dogs.  Two of the dogs were thinner at the end of the week than they were at the start.  The third dog is really old and he stayed the same.  
The troops are really good about cleaning up after their dogs, so no one would even know they were there.  The houses were cleaned the same way.  
Tomorrow, I'll sleep in.  

Our heat is dissipating by Thursday to 108............I've been inside in AC so I don't
have it rough........the heat is all over the news and then I see the kids playing
football. I don't believe my eyes. I further don't understand those in charge.

I would talk about something else but can't think of anything.

Oh. Horses go out at 6A and back in by. 10........they're just fine. Nell E and Louis are fine.

I talked on the phone quite a bit today..............My tongue isn't tired tho.........LOL

They still have not reported on the propane fire start other than the heat.......and I'm sure
no expertBut must have been.................

Sitting here in my sweats............

Nothing much to report from here. We are supposed to have some heat today and tomorrow, but nothing like the rest of the country. 90° is not noteworthy. Most of the time, I can just turn on a fan and be comfortable without using the AC, which will get some use the next two days. Thunderstorms are likely this afternoon.
I'm going to go out and use the leaf blower to blow a few million little round seeds off my deck. I don't know what tree they come from, but it is a prolific producer.

It's 4H Fair week so of course it is HOT, HOT, HOT! Nothing like you're experiencing GRAYMARE but still. And because it is Hot and Fair Week we will get a couple of pop up thunderstorms to go along with the heat to add humidity to the mix too. I'm sure there have been nice fair weeks, but this is the typical weather I remember having at fair.

I ended up buying the first handicap accessible van I looked at. I thought the first one was rough until I looked at the second one. The second one made the first one look pretty darn good and they were both asking the same price. I made arrangements to pick up the van on Saturday morning. My plan was to call the insurance company to get it added to my policy and then zip over to the BMV and get plates. Wrong. I called the national 800# since it was Saturday and my agent's office was closed only to find out that I must speak to licensed agent to add a car to the policy and no agents at the 800#. Monday I called the agent and got the insurance all taken care of only to remember the BMV is closed on Mondays. Since they are open on Saturdays, they close on Mondays. Tuesday I was able to get the temporary plates and apply the for the registration etc. Real plates should show up in about 2 weeks.

Bill had cataract surgery done on Tuesday. They gave him some really good meds because he was loopy when it was over. He was making all kinds of comments that had the technician laughing while we were loading him up in the car. It will be a week and he will get the other eye done.

I have found some Youtube videos called the Chit Show.  A guy sets up a camera across from a boat launching area in Miami.  The ramps are steep and the rising and falling tide causes a current.  It completely amazes me how many people driving big expensive boats don't know how to bring them to the dock.  It's also interesting to see how many don't know how to back a trailer.  Their boats range in price from a few thousand with one outboard, to many thousands, hundreds of thousands with up to 4 outboards - and they still don't know how to handle them.  They just don't know how to deal with the current.  
There are some who are quite efficient and get the boats landed and loaded very easily.  
Once in a while, they drown a truck or jeep - requiring a tow truck to pull them out.
The guy doing the videos knows about boats and restores some of them.

Ark, is Donnie still thinking about building a boat?
How many miles do you have left to go with Aerion?

INDYAPP:
 Hurray for Bill getting his eyes fixed!!   If he is like me, he will be amazed at what he can see afterward.  Congrats on the new van, too!

ELLEN:
 Yes, he doesn't want to start building the boat until he finishes up several projects here.  But he still wants to build it.  I will try to find that youtube show.


Today Areion and I FINISHED the Virtual Tevis Cup ride!!   It was a much harder challenge than last year's with Ivan, but was well worth doing.  I would never have ridden or worked with Areion that much otherwise and we are getting along much better now while riding.  It took a lot of figuring out with tack changes and getting our signals crossed, but I think we are doing pretty well now.   She is doing very nicely in the little s-hook hackamore, much better than she ever did in a bit.   The new saddle seems to fit and suit her, and it is comfortable for me.  We still need to get her some boots since the ones I ordered a few years ago don't fit her (but do fit Ivan.).   I have discovered she is basically lazy, LOL, but can be persuaded to do most things.  This evening, she didn't want to cross the finish line Donnie spray painted on the ground for us.  So after several refusals, I decided I didn't want to die in the last 6 inches of the 100 mile ride and dismounted and led her across the line....again and again.  She didn't have a problem with it after that.     Overall it was a good experience.  

 

HOORAY!!!! You did it!!! Nice going, Ark!

Congratulations ARK on finishing the ride

I am so impressed with how Donnie encourages your horsie adventures.

We had two huge storms last night about 6 mi from here,,,,,,,,one in Mesa, one in Apache Junction.  A micro burst.
Roofs torn off, trees overturned, windows smashed, overturned cars, etc.  I had no damage here.
This morning was cool & comfortable until late in the morning......Whew, nice break.  I did hear
some chain saws today cutting branches but don't know where it was in the hood.

Big congrats ARK...............another champion in our group.....................Great pics..........
the finish Line was cool.................

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