Cut To The Chase

     It has been my intentions to start condensing my subsequent blog posts, hopefully starting with this one.  As you know, I like to chatter.  I am not a person of few words.  However, due to the interest of time (mine writing and yours reading),  I want to cut to the chase each week...  and keep my ramblings shorter and hopefully more interesting. 





     Well, upon looking up "cut to the chase," I discovered its origins date back to the 1920's.  It was a phrase used in action movies meaning, to skip the boring plot and shift the scene to the most exciting part, the chase scene.  It can also mean, to focus on the main point and not waste time with the unimportant things.  Exactly how I am going to do this, I do not
                                      know.  I am not a writer.  And many weeks,
there simply is little or no excitement to tell you about.  This blog is as much a journal for me, as it is a way to keep you posted and stay in touch every week, but I want to try to make it less mundane.  Compressing it may initially take me more time, but I am going to give it a try. 

     I walked every day this week, for a sum total of 19 miles.  The Replex was my usual stomping grounds, but I did take Kaysha to town and hit the Constitution trail Thursday while I was in for my Dr. appointment to get my stitches out. 

     My wrist has been doing great, although it looks kind of gnarly right now.  There is some bruising and lumps of scar
tissue under the skin, but that should go away
as I continue to massage it.  The main tendon is pretty sore because they had to pull it aside to get the metal out.  I am doing flexing exercises to improve that and my range of motion. The Dr. said the scar (which didn't matter to me) should look better than before.  What I am happy about, is that I can tell already, how much better my wrist is going to feel and be.  In fact, it is difficult to heed the Dr.'s restrictions (no lifting or strong twisting, bending and turning) because it is feeling so much better than before.  I still have my work cut out for me.  I just want to get on with my normal routine as soon as possible.  I know I should error on the side of caution and follow the Dr.'s orders because I sure don't want to mess up everything and have to start all over again.  Not being able to use my wrist much has really thrown me back into a slump though. 

Joe on the Elliptical.                               Me walking the track.

     I forgot to mention about Joe's hip last week.  He went to the Orthopedics place, where I go for my wrist, and had his hip problem evaluated.  He has arthritis and a bone spur and was given medicine for pain.  He goes to therapy once a week and has stretching exercises to do.  Thankfully, it is not bad enough to require surgery or even a cortisone shot.

     It was cloudy Saturday, so the sun was only slightly successful at melting the icy-glaze covered snow.  The chickens did find a patch of grass they could scratch and peck around in.  




     Charlie continued getting into mischief as usual.  Here he has knocked over my St. Patrick's Holiday tree.  Joe and I watched a rented movie and he went to bed early to be back up for work from 11:30pm to 9am.

     I worked in the nursery Sunday, which was more crowded than usual.  I was minimally helpful since I couldn't lift, hold, carry, or rock any babies.  I enjoyed sitting and playing  on the floor with a few.  I had to get extra water at Courtney's... with Joe home (brewing coffee, etc.) we are using more these days.  He baked chocolate chip cookies after a long morning nap.

     I had a mild cold, so took it easy all day.  I wanted to cut to the chase on battling this virus.  I drank plenty of fluids and took extra vitamin C.  Dan and Valencia joined us for dinner, taking Charlie with them when they left.  I didn't watch the Oscars, I only saw about 4 movies last year, so didn't really care.  I ended up reading in bed until the NyQuil kicked in.  

      Brother was in the barn when I went out to feed first thing Monday morning.  It was a lazy day for me.  Fighting this cold left me without much get-up and go.  At least it was a pretty day with the sunshine.  Kaysha fell asleep in the sun, but it had moved, so her head was no longer in it. 



     I did go out on the deck and sit with Brother, Kaysha and Abbey for a few minutes.  It was starting to feel a little bit like spring with the warm sun and birds chirping.  



     I adore this series of photos with
     Brother and Kaysha.




He is such an affectionate cat,
he loves on everybody.




     Kaysha is just not so sure of
     Brother's intentions.





     He has been known to grab her with his sharp claws when he gets
over zealous.

     Tuesday I was up at 3am with indigestion.  I had eaten too much rich food at Growth Group the night before.  The start of a winter storm, with strong winds beating freezing rain against the windows, and a nervous dog,
                                                      also contributed to my waking.

     I watched the sleet and freezing rain all morning, as the water way filled back up.







     Abbey was bird watching as I played Words With Friends.  I left the chicken coop closed all day so the sparrows flocked at the feeder.




     After a 2 hour nap, I hung this painting of a golden retriever that Carol created back in 1980, the year Joe and I got married.  I won it in this year's white elephant gift exchange.  It reminds me of Kaysha.



     Around 3:00 I let the horses out of the barn once the sleet stopped and the snow started. It is easier to brush the snow off of them, rather than ice, when I bring them back in for the night.



     Below is a close up of the paddock puddles, mud, ice, and snow.  In some areas your boot sinks several inches in, and about gets sucked off when you take your next step.



     The cows were smart to stay in the corn crib out of the paddock mess... although they have made quite a different mess in there.





     Old Man Winter's next "go at it" is beautiful, but I would like to cut to the chase and jump right into late spring.



     I am getting tired of the strong,
cold winter winds and the snow, sleet and rain that won't soak into the frozen ground.




     The freezing rain has bent and broken several tree branches and the wind has blown many down.



     The horses were waiting patiently to go back into the barn, I think more for the food than to get out of the snow.

     It was not as nasty Wednesday morning so I let the chickens out of the coop.  They had been closed in all day Tuesday. 

     Here they are making their way to the barn.  Reminds me of March Of The Penguins.








     It started to sleet mid-morning.  Abbey laid low as Joe and I worked at our computers here in the office.  Well, you can't really call what I do work. :-)







     I went out after lunch Wednesday to get all the chickens into the coop before the wind and snow were to pick up.  Well, it had already gotten too windy and the chickens did not want to leave the barn.  Cut to the chase scene.  Needless to say, I got my aerobics exercise for the day.  First I chased Hercules out of the barn and into the chicken coop.  Then, by the time I had gone back and caught two chickens in the barn, Hercules had returned,
                                         and he was yelling at me for chasing his girls.
This time he and Buck Tooth Betty followed me back to the coop as I carried the two hens.  I closed the four of them in before going back to the barn for more.  I was chasing chickens all over inside the barn for like 20 minutes.  I'd catch 1 or 2 each time and take them to the coop.  Then I'd go back to the barn for more.

     From the kitchen window, I thought the way the water was dripping from the roof to the side of the grain bin, made it look like the shadow of a horse, kind of.

     The past three days I have been organizing.  I completely cleaned off the roll top desk, putting away 2 piles and a box of stuff (mostly from my former desk at school).  Then I started in on the stack of papers that has been collecting in the office.  I made folders and sorted
everything into a total of 16 categories.
Some stuff required reading to figure out it's purpose and merit. Most stuff I will file rather than pitch.  I ended up with one large stack that is my "to read" pile... which may take awhile to get through.  It does include several magazines.  I also need to further divide the stack of horse info into several more specific sub-categories.


     I mentioned earlier that I took Kaysha to town with me Thursday to walk on the Constitution Trail.






     It was still gloomy and a bit windy at 1pm, but we had a nice walk.  It was a great change in pace.


     The actual trail had been cleared of snow, but the sidewalks to get there were slushy and slippery in spots.







     Kaysha was as excited to get out and see nature, as I was.


Isn't she a pretty girl?


     Our retirement planning class was cancelled Tuesday because of weather and moved to Thursday night.  Joe wanted to go early to practice his golf at the indoor place, but because I didn't get much out of the first class, I decided to stay home.

     Friday started out with snow flurries which continued off and on most of the day with overcast skies never revealing the sun's light.  I continued organizing; this time going through several note cards and pads with notes.  I have jotted down names with addresses and phone numbers, prayer requests, ideas, things to do, and other reminders as they have come to me.  So I sorted, organized, copied and pitched several pages of notes. 





  






     As the day was drawing to an end, the snow and wind started to pick up.  I took a few more snow photos through the windows as the sun set.  I don't think I have seen a sunrise or sunset all week.  Above you can see how full the water way is.



     I smile at the things Britney and I have in common.  This photo is of her in Cuba.  In an e-mail she sent weeks ago, she started out with, "I was having a whole conversation with you in my head the whole walk home. But I'm sure I won't remember everything I "told" you."  I do the same thing while walking... thinking of things I want to say/write.  This may be why I often ramble on and on.  I have tried to be more concise this week.  Maybe my photos can be like cliff notes for you, summarizing my somewhat boring yet happy existence. 

     Last, but not least, I have not yet mentioned God, which I intentionally do each week.  It is He whom I thank for all my blessings.  So, I'll cut to the chase...  please listen to the words of this song as you watch this music
                                                      video: What Do I Know Of Holy, from

the group, Addison Road.  I can sing these words as if my own heart wrote them.  What do I know of God?  Have I really taken the time to get to know God, or am I too distracted?  God already knows me; every single detail; my thoughts, my hopes, my fears.  There's so much I don't know about God that I can find out by just opening my Bible.  And to get to know God, I need to have a relationship with Him... give Him time to speak to my heart.