Sunday, October 9
Oct. 10th, 2022 03:45 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gottawonderToday I am grateful for:
That although we aren't attending a family gathering or even making an elaborate meal, that there is for sure a sense of being thankful today.
We didn't have to go anywhere in a hurry, so we slept.
It was wonderful to wake up with all the beloved kitties, and Roxy. Good to wake up to sunshine and a nice home that is getting more finished, and look out the window and see our nice yard and outdoor animals.
I spoke with Trainwreck sister, and the family gathering went well yesterday. My family rented a community space, the kind you see a lot in small towns. It has a kitchen area, and tables and chairs and such. It serves as a drop in center other days.
They were able to get Mom there using the Handi-Van, so that she could be lifted in with her wheelchair, and lowered down in it, and not have to try to get herself in and out of a normal vehicle. She stayed for about two hours, and everyone got to see her. She apparently really enjoyed the food.
Though I wasn't there, it gives me comfort to know that my family gathered together, and that the younger generation are making the effort.
We got a few things done before heading to the barn. My Sweetie dug up the carrots and brought them up to the house. We got several big pails, about 12 gallons of carrots. They are a good size, and not too many little ones over all. Some years we have plenty, but all small. They are more work to clean.
While he dug carrots, I hauled away a pile of thistles I had pulled a while ago, as well as pulled some MORE weeds today, and I pulled up the onions and some weeds out of the garden.
We also rolled up the garden hose and put that away, and drained the big tank of stored rainwater that we no longer need to water the garden.
Then we went to barn. River was a bit more lively today, and was kind of distracted by the cows across the road. He is often kind of concerned/interested in them, likely because he never gets to actually see what they are up close, so he can get used to them.
Anyhow, we worked on the obstacles a bit, and if he did something well, I rewarded him and moved on. He was still slow and a bit sloppy on the turn on his haunches, but I didn't over work him on that. I rewarded his decent effort.
We worked on the Liberty pattern, and he did well enough on the first try that I left it there. No need to drill on it, or break it down into elements.
Then I rode him in the outdoor, and at first he was still looking for the cows, but relaxed after a few minutes. Once he was able to focus, I rode with just the neck rope, did the pattern once, and he did well enough that I left it there.
I am really trying to reward good responses by moving on, so that I am not getting too repetitive.
I tried on the blanket that I put that huge patch on it, to see if it still hung okay. It looks fine. It's a bit funny, that it is so patched, but there is really no point in buying new blankets all the time if they are likely going to get torn up by the other horses every year.
Then the other rider that I often see on Sundays showed up, and we all had a good conversation. It was more personal than usual. I guess Thanksgiving makes a lot of people think about family, and the changes in our older members, and so on. It was nice.
We came home, and started cleaning off the mountain of carrots. We did most of the washing outside with pails, so that we weren't putting all that dirt into the septic tank. We did the final wash inside in the kitchen.
Any that had any chewing on them, or broken, we cooked and froze, or cut off those bits and we'll use them up first. The rest can be stored for quite a while in the fridge. I will likely still cook more for freezing later.
It still took my husband and I around two hours to clean them all.
Then we watched an okay movie called "The Adam Project". It was kind of a kid's movie, and fun and sweet, with action, but also it borrowed everything from other movies that were far better. It was pretty much just stealing everything that ever worked in other movies, trying to just make a pleasant product, heavy on 80's nostalgia, with little or no zing.
Today I learned that Norway sends the United Kingdom a tree every Christmas, for supporting Norway during WWII. It is known as the Trafalgar Square tree, as that is where it is displayed each year.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trafalgar_Square_Christmas_tree
That although we aren't attending a family gathering or even making an elaborate meal, that there is for sure a sense of being thankful today.
We didn't have to go anywhere in a hurry, so we slept.
It was wonderful to wake up with all the beloved kitties, and Roxy. Good to wake up to sunshine and a nice home that is getting more finished, and look out the window and see our nice yard and outdoor animals.
I spoke with Trainwreck sister, and the family gathering went well yesterday. My family rented a community space, the kind you see a lot in small towns. It has a kitchen area, and tables and chairs and such. It serves as a drop in center other days.
They were able to get Mom there using the Handi-Van, so that she could be lifted in with her wheelchair, and lowered down in it, and not have to try to get herself in and out of a normal vehicle. She stayed for about two hours, and everyone got to see her. She apparently really enjoyed the food.
Though I wasn't there, it gives me comfort to know that my family gathered together, and that the younger generation are making the effort.
We got a few things done before heading to the barn. My Sweetie dug up the carrots and brought them up to the house. We got several big pails, about 12 gallons of carrots. They are a good size, and not too many little ones over all. Some years we have plenty, but all small. They are more work to clean.
While he dug carrots, I hauled away a pile of thistles I had pulled a while ago, as well as pulled some MORE weeds today, and I pulled up the onions and some weeds out of the garden.
We also rolled up the garden hose and put that away, and drained the big tank of stored rainwater that we no longer need to water the garden.
Then we went to barn. River was a bit more lively today, and was kind of distracted by the cows across the road. He is often kind of concerned/interested in them, likely because he never gets to actually see what they are up close, so he can get used to them.
Anyhow, we worked on the obstacles a bit, and if he did something well, I rewarded him and moved on. He was still slow and a bit sloppy on the turn on his haunches, but I didn't over work him on that. I rewarded his decent effort.
We worked on the Liberty pattern, and he did well enough on the first try that I left it there. No need to drill on it, or break it down into elements.
Then I rode him in the outdoor, and at first he was still looking for the cows, but relaxed after a few minutes. Once he was able to focus, I rode with just the neck rope, did the pattern once, and he did well enough that I left it there.
I am really trying to reward good responses by moving on, so that I am not getting too repetitive.
I tried on the blanket that I put that huge patch on it, to see if it still hung okay. It looks fine. It's a bit funny, that it is so patched, but there is really no point in buying new blankets all the time if they are likely going to get torn up by the other horses every year.
Then the other rider that I often see on Sundays showed up, and we all had a good conversation. It was more personal than usual. I guess Thanksgiving makes a lot of people think about family, and the changes in our older members, and so on. It was nice.
We came home, and started cleaning off the mountain of carrots. We did most of the washing outside with pails, so that we weren't putting all that dirt into the septic tank. We did the final wash inside in the kitchen.
Any that had any chewing on them, or broken, we cooked and froze, or cut off those bits and we'll use them up first. The rest can be stored for quite a while in the fridge. I will likely still cook more for freezing later.
It still took my husband and I around two hours to clean them all.
Then we watched an okay movie called "The Adam Project". It was kind of a kid's movie, and fun and sweet, with action, but also it borrowed everything from other movies that were far better. It was pretty much just stealing everything that ever worked in other movies, trying to just make a pleasant product, heavy on 80's nostalgia, with little or no zing.
Today I learned that Norway sends the United Kingdom a tree every Christmas, for supporting Norway during WWII. It is known as the Trafalgar Square tree, as that is where it is displayed each year.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trafalgar_Square_Christmas_tree
no subject
Date: 2022-10-11 05:35 am (UTC)https://www.imaginepeacetower.com
which I remembered to watch, as it was also Lois's birthday.
I can't remember... why did you not join your family for Thanksgiving? Is it the distance?
So many carrots - my friend gave me a carrot recipe that involves spices like za'atar and harissa. I wonder if it's good.
no subject
Date: 2022-10-11 05:58 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-10-12 07:06 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-10-12 09:07 pm (UTC)For several years from our current home, my husband and I tried to go home for Christmas, but it was horrible. It meant one of us staying here alone, looking after the animals. We would sort of take turns where one would go for Christmas, and then the other would go for New Year's, and next year reverse it. It just always meant one of US being alone for the holidays.
For a long time, I drove home twice in the warmer months. Usually May and October. I think I'm just going to go home in May now that Mom is in the care home.
It is a brutal drive. I used to go on the bus, which was just as brutal in it's own way, and meant a ton of inconvenience for people having to come get me and not having a vehicle while I was there.
Flying, though faster, is weirdly expensive unless you get a seat sale, and would still mean either renting a car or getting family to come get me and not having a car while I'm home.
For all that we have done our best to get home regularly, we have had very few visits from my family. Most have never come to visit. My husband's family visited more, but I have decided I won't put up with his parents anymore.
I don't know exactly what it is, but having his parents here for a week leaves me absolutely drained, usually in tears.
no subject
Date: 2022-10-13 03:10 am (UTC)We live outside the rural cluster of them and it is harder for all of them to come here. There may be a smaller turnout, particularly if there are small children who are travelling two and a half to three hours each way. I am perfectly fine if those with small children do not attend.
There are many extended family members now. I am looking forward to the annual 13 Desserts party (attended by friends, not family), but am ever so slightly less eager about feeling swooped-upon by people who live differently than I do and are enthusiastically proud of it.
no subject
Date: 2022-10-13 06:55 am (UTC)I am not generally the hostess to events, thankfully. I get very tired very quickly of having guests, usually.
I was pleasantly surprised at how easy a guest my husband's nephew was for us.