Holding Pattern

     This has been a week of  waiting.  We have been in a holding pattern, a static state due to delays because all the buying and selling paper work takes time.  We have been waiting on people to make decisions, and for certain things to happen so we can move forward with our move.  

     Saturday morning I let Brother in the office with Abbey and I.  Here they are having a silent discussion, body language only.  Abbey finally walked over and bit Brother on the head.  So I removed him from her space.

     We had serious buyers come mid-morning. (Their house sold and the closing is before the end of October.)  This was their second time to look at our house and property.  We gave the place a good cleaning before they got here.  Then we worked outside on getting everything removable out of the chicken coop while the couple, with their two kids and parents looked inside.  We also picked the rest of the peaches and trimmed back the poor peach tree.  We waited (worked) almost two hours while the buyers had a thorough look at the house. 

     In the afternoon I met Karen and the Country View Stable's "crew" at Moraine View.  I went early and took Roni out by himself first.  To the right, we are going down the lane towards the camp ground and that is the trailer in the clearing.


They had three trailers with six riders.





     I started out with Roni in back, hoping that would slow him down, which it did.  But we ended up leading the group because Roni was the bravest and most willing to go first.


       Roni was also the fastest, so we would double back or turn and stop and wait.  We walked the whole time so he did great.  I did work on gaiting once back at the camp ground.  He really wants to rush this and move up to a canter.

     Joe and I went out to dinner because we were both too tired (or lazy) to fix anything ourselves.

     After working in the nursery and then meeting Joe at Church Sunday, I worked in the yard removing all the fencing that was used to keep the chickens out of all my flowers.  Then Joe, Kaysha, Roni and I went to Moraine View.












     We did one loop together and then Roni and I did another one while Joe read in the sun and Kaysha napped in the shade.

     The lamb that had been in the crock pot all afternoon smelled pretty good when we got home, and by dinner time, it tasted yummy.



     Monday morning's sunrise... seemed so late, as the sun did not break the horizon until 6:41.  In a way, our Earth is in a holding pattern, going around and around the sun.

     I worked here at my computer after Water Lilies, but then headed out to do chores.  The crops had been in a holding pattern, waiting for rain.  What little we recently got came too late, so farmers, including Becks, have started on an early harvest.

      We finally got some good news.  The appraisal for our farm and house came back.  It was 18K over our selling price, so the buyers bank will surely give them the loan for this property.  We also got the appraisal for the TN house.  It was barely over our buying price, but means we will be able to close on time, 10/4.  Now we wait for our buyers to sell their house.
 
     This is a hummingbird moth that was hovering around my flowers, in a holding pattern while feeding.  If you click on the photo to enlarge it, you can see its proboscis, or tongue, down in the flower, sucking the nectar.

     While taking water out to the willow tree in the back pasture, I discovered a hole in the water way where the old drain tile had been.  So I used the tractor to grade some of the dirt mounded up where the new tile was put in, and moved it to the hole and other low places. 

     Zorro caught pestering Roni. 

     I had been waiting on Lexi to get back with me about going riding, and finally got an e-mail from her Monday afternoon.  I am holding my breath, hoping and praying she will buy Roni.  She would be so good for him, and I think he for her.  I do not want to rush her on this decision though. 



    Tuesday morning Lexi and her Mom were here by 8:30.  Lexi and I went for over an hour ride, she on Roni and I on Amga.  Roni was quite revved up but had simmered down some by the time we finally quit.  I had Lexi ride him around without Amiga and I, to see how he would do.  To the left she is going down Beck's lane and Zorro is trotting to catch up with them.





     Roni gaited nicely for Lexi coming back up our drive.  Her Mom really liked him, which I take as another positive to getting him sold to Lexi.



     I think Lexi is going to buy Roni... but before they can take him home, they need to build fence around the new pasture they just bought.  So taking him to his new home is still on hold.



     Some yard work and a nap on the lawn chair filled my afternoon.  Then I loaded Roni and went to Moraine View to ride with Lisa.  This photo is not great because it was already getting dark, which comes quite early these days.  The light in the back of the trailer was so handy when unloading Roni in the dark at home.


     Water Lilies Wednesday and then I finished watching a movie (Britney sent me) on my computer.  I had started it at 6am.  A continued dry spell required me to water all outdoor potted plants and flowers.  The mums the chickens had attacked a few weeks ago have started sprouting new flowers.  Brother drinking out of the freshly filled bird bath looks spotted because he had been rolling in dust.

     They were hard at work over at Becks all day long.  While sitting outside soaking up some sunshine and reading, Joe called to tell me that the house shoppers who have been here twice before, were coming again.  That got me motivated to get going on house and yard clean up.  My desk was the biggest mess inside, other than my wet suit and towels from my morning swim.  With the chicken coop "spotless", the corn crib was our next outbuilding to really get cleaned up.  There were also sticks, rotten pears and apples, and dog messes littering the yard.  Clean up was difficult because of all the fallen leaves which will be next to contend with.

     Most days when I move the horses to the barn from the front pasture, I practice loading Zorro on the trailer, where I feed him his grain.  So now Zorro gets right on the trailer without even hesitating.  Wednesday night I had Joe very slowly shut the door.  Zorro kept eating.  Once the door was completely shut, he lifted his head to look around (below).  I pet him and told him how good he was and he went back to eating.




     Then when Joe opened the trailer door, Zorro started to back off right away.  I told him whoa, and held his lead rope tight, and he stepped forward and started eating again.  What a good boy... I really loved on him.  Once he finished his "dinner," I asked him to back off the trailer, which he did very slowly.

     After dinner, Joe and I walked around at Becks to see their harvesting progress.  I was amazed with how much corn they have brought in. 






     I tried looking for leftover ears of corn but couldn't find any.  Beck's combine must be a lot better than Carol's neighbor's, because there was a lot left on the ground over at her place.

     The cows have been enjoying the grass and alfalfa on the front pasture and the shade provided by the pine trees.  We are leaving them out there 24/7 now.

     Unfortunately, with the interest the second buyers expressed early Wednesday evening, and the fact they needed to move out of their house by October 14th, my active mind did not allow me to go back to sleep when I woke up at midnight.  We could actually be out of here by then, but it would be a crazy ten days between the 4th and 13th.  The paper work would never get done that fast, but we could rent to
the buyers and give them early possession of
the house before closing on it.  All the ideas and dilemmas kept circulating through my brain.  I got up, read Facebook messages, made notes of things that crossed my mind, prayed and finally went back to bed at 3am. 

     I didn't rise and shine Thursday until 6:30.  The day went quickly with time spent on the computer, reading for my Growth Group lesson that I would be leading, finishing cleaning out the corn crib (seen right) and gathering up lawn items that would be going to TN with us.  


     At one point during the day, I decided to try out the bike Joe had gotten fixed and brought home.  I rode it in the front pasture where the horses were grazing.  It made them quite nervous, especially when I was going towards them.




     But I noticed if I turned and went away from them, they would come towards me, as if to chase me.  I always like to give them new experiences, to desensitize them.

     Joe had to help me load Amiga so I could take her to Moraine View to ride with Lisa.  Getting her unloaded there by myself was a real challenge.  Lisa and I had a great ride.  I was very pleased with how well Amiga did, until it was time to get her loaded.  She will get on the trailer, but then very quickly run back off it before I can get her tied.  She gets so nervous.

     Unloading Amiga at home, in the dark at 7:45 pm, left me feeling frazzled.  A beer and popcorn were just what was needed for dinner, before heading to bed.  I was not able to read long, until getting too sleepy to continue.

     After Friday morning's Water Lilies, I worked on this blog, then put together a long grocery list and headed for town.

     Abbey is trying to sneak up on the two black barn kitties.  I keep telling her she is no match for them (half their weight and no front claws) but she seems to think she can take them on.

     I have not re-filled the deck fountain since the chickens are gone and because I will be packing it up soon.  But it is a favorite spot of Abbey's, so I have left it for now.

     Three hours after going to B/N, I returned home with a car full of shopping bags and $200 less in my account.  I had not been grocery shopping in town for three weeks, so had to re-stock-pile.  I also picked up two pair of shoes on sale.  I will throw away both pairs they are replacing.


     Dan came and mowed and Valencia and I caught up on life while I puttered around in the kitchen.  Then we all went into LeRoy to move everything from the storage unit to the horse trailer.



     Joe and Dan unloaded everything into the garage and Dan went through all our "sell" or "throw away" stuff while Valencia and I finished getting dinner ready.

     We ate a quick supper.  The "boys" are not very cooperative when I bring out the camera.  At least I can catch a pretty young lady on film... and this doesn't even show the beauty of her spirit.

     Abbey will sometimes sleep in the empty fountain by the back door, waiting to be let in.  Cats have a great solution to waiting... they nap... unless they are waiting for morning breakfast.
                                                               Blogger has made me label my
new header photo.  I can't find a way around it, and I don't like how it looks.  I will be changing my Blog title when we move, and also the blog publisher and address.  Life has been good, the week productive, and I have little to complain about.  For now, we continue to sit and wait (in a holding pattern) on our buyers to sell their house, or for a better offer on this place to come along.  I'll keep you posted.