Counting The Days

                                                          I believe Dan left Afghanistan today,
so I am counting the days till he gets home.   (I don't know... maybe 3 to 5)  The catch is, well... what he said in an e-mail, is that he won't really know until he gets on a plane headed to the US.  It's been random really, some people got home in 2-3 days, others it took a whole week.  But once he gets a flight from Germany/ Ireland he will call from there... if not, then for sure when he arrives in Atlanta.

     Dan was being silly dressed in his cold weather gear.  He may or may not need it when he gets home.  Our weather has been so sporadic, with temps going from mid 50s to low 20s in a little over a day's time.  We have had mild, warm sunny days with no wind, followed by 30 mile an hour gusts with blowing snow and the temperatures well below freezing.  I don't know what Dan should be, want to be, or will be wearing.

     I ended up staying up till 1 am to re-do half my blog I had lost last Friday... and was back up at 5 am Saturday.  I finished up the Blog and posted it.  While catching up on Facebook and e-mail, I did some grading.  The wind had finally died down so I opened the coop during morning chores.  The ducks were really put off by the snow, and not real sure what to do.  They kept lying down in it, I think to warm up their feet.  I snapped these pictures near the end of the day.  By now they didn't seem to mind the white stuff which was starting to melt.




   
     The horses were so busy searching for grass to nibble on, that they didn't seem to chase each other around as much.








     By mid day, the ground was soft enough to be fairly muddy.  This photo shows Zorro lying down to roll in it.  All three horses were caked in mud when they came in to the barn at the end of the day.

     I spent the bulk of the day taking down Christmas decorations, getting out the former knick knacks, pictures etc, and cleaning as I got the house
                                                     back to its usual order.  It took a
while to get all the Christmas stuff packed up.  I was trying to be more organized, putting a different room in each bin.  Things did not fit as well as I would have liked and I had to mix container contents a bit for the best fit.

     Boy was I glad to get it all out of the house, into the garage and ready to be put back up in the garage shed for another 10 months of storage.


     Church went to three services on Sunday, so we went to the 8:00 and were home by 10:00.  I slipped and fell on compacted snow just inside the barn during morning chores.  I went all the way down, partially breaking my fall with the first two fingers on my right hand.  It wasn't a hard fall, didn't hurt too bad, but the wrist was more swollen by the time we got back from Church, so I iced it. 

     One of our afternoon chores involved putting in a cat entrance to the tack room.  We had been leaving one of the doors wedged open but had been getting lots of dust or humidity in there.  And in this cold, the room has problems retaining heat with the door part way open. 

 





     Believe it or not, both cats can fit through the 31/2 inch wide hole.  And it is thin enough to keep out the chickens.















     Kaysha finds it handy for peering in at me and looking for the cats.  I plan to hang a cloth over it, but wanted to get the cats used to using it first.


     Joe had mixed up a batter of cookie dough and had the oven pre-heating, when we got the call that the manure spreader was on the way.  So I took over in the warm kitchen getting the sweet job while Joe went out into the cold to help
                                                          Richard with the poopy job.

     First the three cows were "locked" in the corn crib.  Then Joe and Richard filled the manure spreader, each using their own tractor.  Our little Kabota is so handy, but was dwarfed by Richards, and out scooped by a ton.  Once the spreader was full, they hooked it back to the large tractor.












     Then off Richard went, around the grain bins, through the gates, and past the chicken coop.  Notice the steam coming off the manure.









Down Beck's Lane, through another gate and into our front pasture he went.










Around the field he drove, flinging rich, fertile, stuff for next spring's growth.

      It was a bit cold for an outdoor job, but worked out well because the ground was frozen, so no deep tire treads or getting stuck in the mud... and with the snow, Richard could tell were he had covered.  Joe thinks they spread at least ten loads.


     Monday I did it again... This time it was more a trip than a fall.  I was carrying the three feed buckets to the cows.  The best way to get around the big drift in front of the barn is through the garden.  Stepping over the two foot high fence, I caught my toe, and down I went.  I kind of turned and landed on my right shoulder in a foot of snow.  The buckets in my left hand did not spill, but the one in my right hand did.  I just lay in the snow laughing at myself.  But when I got up and
headed back for more feed I got mad.
What a waste and I hate it when I am a klutz.  At least the chickens had a good time cleaning up the feed.  Nothing got hurt this time... except my pride and confidence.
     To the right you can see a drift that covers the rock garden.  Below is a path I made through the drift in front of the barn so I wouldn't have to step over the fence anymore.

     We had the day off from school in memory and honor of Martin Luther King Jr.  I had intended to get all my lesson plans (for two weeks) done first thing in the morning, but ended up dragging it out most of the day by interspersing desk work with other jobs. I did three loads of laundry, including washing the shower curtain in Britney's bath and adding a second more water proof one to it.  I also decorated for Valentine's Day adding little heart lights to the
Christmas tree.












     I read my Bible and graded papers.  Later I went for a walk with the dog, taking several photos.

     I had to check out what was left of the manure pile out back... it was mostly gone.  I think the cows miss it.

     Once they spotted me, they had to follow me around to see what I was up to.    







The three moosketeers!



     These are the three amigos, only one of them is Amiga and the other two (Zorro + Roni) are not very friendly towards each other.






While in the paddock, I spotted the cats by the tracks, on the look out   (for prey and predators).

 















     The day was much warmer than Sunday and we were thankful we had gotten the manure spread when we did.  It was warm enough to melt a considerable amount of snow... and to also make it quite muddy.  The horses thought it was great for rolling in.  Look at the mud on these two.

      Tuesday was an institute day so I was at school earlier and left later than usual.  I did some snow removal from the drive from 6:30 to 6:50 am... because it was going to get much colder and I feared the drift would become a permanent ice pack until a thaw.  We wanted to be ale to get the little trailer in and out of the barn to haul and disperse wood chips.  I ran out of time so had Joe finish up what I had started. 
                                                     
      It was considerably colder coming home from school mid afternoon.  I cleaned and filled lots of water buckets and tubs before it got any colder... which it did by evening.

     Does trouble come in threes?   Well, I tripped again... this time it was over a hungry barn cat at feeding time.  They get underfoot.  I caught myself (with the right hand) on a wall inside the barn, kind of bouncing off instead of falling... so no harm done... but maybe I need to bubble wrap my wrist. Ha ha ha.
    It is hard to stop from counting the days of wrist rehabilitation. But because the time frame is unknown, I can only count how long it has been, not how long till it is over.  I am so ready to be back to normal... but think I am going to have to adjust to a new normal... ugh.  I am now seeing my OT every other week.  Last week I told her I have been dropping things while holding them with my right hand... and it is more the light stuff like ear rings, a spoon or my pen.  Although my cup of tea has almost gotten away from me several times.  The therapist thought possibly carpal tunnel and said I might need to go back to the surgeon if my grip continues to be a problem.  She had me do a grip test.  The right is definitely weaker... but she said I was stronger than she expected.  I wonder if there might not be some arthritis contributing to the dysfunction as it also tends to be weather related.  I guess time will tell.
     This is as far as it will bend, an improvement,
but not yet close to the 90 degree angle my left can accomplish.  You can see though that the scar itself looks really good.
    It doesn't help that I have been so hard on my wrist.  But I really am trying.  There has been lots of swelling, some days more than others, so I have been taking 200mg of Ibuprofen each evening.  There is also plenty of scar tissue... I keep messaging, as instructed, to break it up.  It aches so I had been putting heat on it, but because of the swelling, I followed sister Carol's advice and was icing it three times a day.  The first 3 to 4 minutes are complete torture until it goes numb.  The ice really seems to be helping with the swelling... which prohibits full range of motion.  My therapist said I don't need to splint it any more... but I wonder if the more I protect it the better.  However, I want to keep it moving for flexibility and strength.  What to do, what to do?

     It was much colder Wednesday.  I worked with a student during their 8th hour study hall and then stayed at school until the Incoming Freshman Orientation program at 6:30.  Got home at 8:30 pm, being gone for over twelve hours... a long day for a part timer.

     I have set up a bed for the dog behind the couch between the dinning room and family room.  She can see into the kitchen and office from here as well.  This more central location lets her be "part of the family" more, when we are home.  While gone, it is back out into the dog room (back porch).


     To best honor the return home of Daniel, I had Joe replace this old tattered flag with this new one.  I am not sure why having a son in the military makes me feel more patriotic than usual... but it does.  I am proud of him and his service to our country.

     Thursday started out with flurries and was colder than any other day this week.  The wind really contributes to a chilly feeling.  The snow came in bursts, off and on, throughout the day.  It was coming down again when I got home, so out I went to feed hay to the horses and cows. 

 They all headed towards the barn when they saw me go out that way.


Amiga and then Roni follow Zorro into the back paddock area.







Babe heads over also.


Zorro warns the cows to back off.  I throw their flakes over the electric rope to right where they are standing here.






Zorro was giving everybody "the eye", even me.




 Roni waits patiently at the gate,
knowing not to push too close to Zorro.
He really is a very sweet horse.
And I am counting the days until
I can start riding him again.
I will start with ground work
as soon as it warms up.



     I went to bed early Thursday night feeling chilled and worried about getting sick. 

     Today was cold and windy and I felt chilled all day.  An afternoon nap only made me crave more sleep and want to stay snugly warm beneath the blankets.  I was thankful that Joe did the evening chores so I did not need to venture outside.

     After I post this, I am going to go sit in front of the fire with a hot bowel of Cream of Wheat, a blanket, and watch a show with Joe.  Then it is off to bed early and hope I wake tomorrow feeling great.