September 2023

One of my neighbors had a birthday today, so 8 of us went to a favorite restaurant for dinner. I am so grateful for my neighbors. We can get together and really enjoy one another. And a good meal.

ELLEN:
You really do have nice neighbors. Happy birthday to one of them!


INDYAPP:
At 13 Ivan was still not a solid citizen. It really has only been the past couple or three years that he has settled down and realized he may as well do his job as well as he can. We still have our moments, but thankfully, they aren't as often or as extreme as they used to be.


I rode Ivan this evening for about 20 minutes. He was good. It was his 24th ride of the year. With Areion's 71, it won't be long until we reach 100 for the year.

Donnie has the hay looking pretty good again. He has fluffed it repeatedly since the Sunday rain. It will be baled tomorrow.

It's good to know that there is still hope for Tiberius to become a good citizen.

This month has been super hectic. Dan was transferred from one rehab center to a different one on August 28 due to insurance coverage. He ended up becoming dehydrated (long story, not the facility's fault) and admitted to South Bend Memorial hospital on Labor Day. While in SB Memorial had a MRI under general anesthesia (couldn't be done at Elkhart General Hospital) and determined that he needed to be transferred directly to Northwestern Memorial hospital is Chicago. So he was transferred to Chicago by ambulance and I didn't have to drive him in the van. Hallelujah! He had surgery on Wednesday to release the pressure on the spinal chord and is scheduled for a second surgery on Monday to replace the old hardware in his neck with new that will encompass many more vertebrae.
So far recovery has gone well. I've managed to drive to downtown Chicago and back twice without incident. I do, however, have trouble finding my way around the inside of the hospital. It's HUGE.

Wow, Indy. He's having a rough time. Be careful when you're in Chicago. It isn't the safest place in the world.

INDYAPP:
Hopefully all that means Dan will get better. You are such a good sister! Congrats on making thru Chicago:wavy: , I would be lost. We went thru Chicago on our train trip, twice, and the city is so big. Interesting, but too big for me.


We finally got our hay put up today. 80 bales from the upper field. We usually get much more, but I guess the dry weather early on in the summer must have slowed its growth. Donnie twisted his last real knee yesterday, so I ended up moving the hay down to the barn while he stacked it...painfully. I suspect he is getting more interested in getting that knee replaced sooner than later.

At least we are done with our hayfields for the year. Now we are waiting on the 300 bales we are buying. I hope it gets delivered soon.

We didn't get any snow last year, but the local weather gurus are saying that may not be the case this year. I don't really like snow.....

Hello everyone. Yes, we are still alive here in PA. It's been a crazy summer and can't believe it is almost October. September has been a extra crazy month getting ready for grandson Aaron's wedding in Pittsburgh. Not sure what is worse packing or unpacking. It took forever to pack everything but the kitchen sink. Or so George says. Hey, gotta have certain things especially for a dress up wedding. The wedding was great..George was the guest of honor. Aaron was so excited that we got him there. He loves his Pap Pap. The day was great, all sunshine, NO rain until on our way from Pittsburgh. What a drive in the non stop rain but our driver, neighbor Bev did a great job getting us there and home again.

Sorry to hear about Graymares surgery. WOW we never know...Glad she is OK.

I'll try to check in more often now that things have settled down.
Love & prayers to everyone..

Trudy! I'm so glad you're back! I'm glad the wedding was a big success and that you got there and back safely.

I talked to Graymare on Thursday. She seems to be doing well and hopes to be home soon, but doesn't know when.

We are having some pretty nice early fall weather now. The lake was fairly busy yesterday, although swimming is done for the year. Not much else going on.

Had a six-month visit with the doc. It was so fast that I was on the way out the door at the time I was supposed to arrive. All is well and I get to drop one of my two meds.

ELLEN:
Congrats on great check-up!! That's always such a relief! I bet the lake is quiet now. What happens if you don't pull your dock out, does it float away or break up in ice or what?

TRUDY:
Congrats on the wedding! It's good to hear from you. Any garden this year? Were you near where that guy escaped from prison not long ago? That must have been a bit scary for folks there.

GRAYMARE:
How are you doing? Home yet? Is your daughter taking care of your animals for you? They will be glad to see you home.

INDYAPP:
So do you like the van as an everyday type of vehicle? My dad was big on vans. He had one to go about 200,000 miles, took it everywhere from Canada to AZ.

DONNA:
How is life after the hurricane? Did you have any damage?

NANCY LEE:
Okay, so where are you and what are you doing these days??


Donnie is off having lunch with a former work friend today, so I am home with the cats and dog. We just watched the new Little Mermaid, something Donnie would rather not be roped into watching. It was cute enough, very pretty, but WAY too long and not as good as the original. Donnie was probably smart.

64 degrees and cloudy here today, down right chilly.

Ark, when the ice goes out in the late winter or early spring sometimes it stays wrapped around anything there and pulls it with amazing force. It can damage and bend the steel pier posts. If the water level comes up, which it often does in the spring, the sections of dock will float away. There are some mild winters where it probably wouldn't be necessary to pull them out.
The professional dock and lift companies provide their guys with wet suits or dry suits so they can get in the water without freezing. Any time before June 1st or after September 10th, the water temperature is rather uncomfortable without a wet suit. Since Matt doesn't have a wet suit, he wants to get the dock out before it gets too cold.
Last evening, Travis winterized and shrink wrapped the jet ski for the winter. Oil change, Stabil in the gas, antifreeze in the lines. I'm so lucky to have Travis to do that for me. If I had to take it to a marina it would cost about $250-300. I do pay him, but it is considerably less than that.

The only thing left to do before winter is the leaves. More of them are turning color and a few are falling. It's going to be at least a month or more before we can clean those up.

I don't use the van for an every day driver. It' been modified for a wheelchair and evidently the original owner was really short. The driver's seat has some sort of a booster seat lift on it that even at it's lowest my head practically touches the roof. There is an additional shelf where my feet go too. It's weird. The front passenger seat has been removed so the wheelchair can sit there so there is no place to throw stuff other than on the floor. But it allows me to transport Dan and that is all it needs to be able to do. It's not bad to drive just not something I want to use everyday.

Farrier is coming today to trim all the horse's feet. They all had to stay in their stalls this morning. When he is done Jerry will put Sophie back in the round pen and let the others out in pen. It's a gray overcast day again today, but at least it's not raining.

After 15 years since I did the major remodel, I have decided to get rid of the jetted bathtub that I just HAD to HAVE. It's been used about 6 times. The tub will go away and the shower will get bigger. Since I've noticed that people my age don't get any younger, I figured I'd better have a shower that will be very easy to get into. SO FAR, I can get into any shower, but I'm anticipating that won't always be the case.
Today, I went to pick out the tile. I must be a very boring person because the tile I chose is sooo much like the old tile. Just a bigger and glossier tile that will be installed in a brick pattern. The floor will be small hexagon tiles in a slightly darker shade of beige. See? I told you it was boring.
It will at least be new and clean and have a seat with the availability of a handheld shower head. Again, planning ahead, we'll add a couple of grab bars.
The contractor will start in a couple of weeks. He thinks it will take about a week.
Wish me luck.

Time to change the calendar!

https://horsefriends.forumotion.com/t148-october-2023#15307


Fall has arrived....