If anyone reading this isn’t struggling in some way, I’m glad for you, but a bit surprised. These seem to be hard times for most folks I know. And it doesn’t look like things are getting any easier. I vote that we all do the right thing and support each other. Let’s cut each other some slack. Some of us could really use kindness and empathy right now.
Share what’s good in the world. This is a Phoebe.
We got more sad dog news today and are trying to figure out what to do about Goldie’s bone cancer. I needed support and to just talk about it. Thank goodness I have a friend who I can talk to, who’s going through similar canine concerns.
Hint. She trains horses.
The horse trailer is back, and I was glad to go to lessons again. Yes, I wanted to learn horse stuff, but I also wanted to talk to Tarrin and engage in mutual support about our dogs and other family issues. Talking really helped me think things through, and I hope I was a good listener for her. And of course I loved on her sick dog.
I also loved on Christmas. He’s love-a-bull.
The lessons were good, too. Apache amazes me. He is doing so well and keeps making progress even with time off. He improved on the dreaded side pass (hooray) and was very patient when I worked on posting at the trot. He’s become a real treasure. We have both calmed down so we can learn.
I’m good.
Drew is doing much better with me, too, though he had some challenges today. That lovely filly of Tarrin’s gets him all rattled. At least this time, Tarrin was on him. But he settled down after ground work and was fine afterwards. He just has to grow out of losing focus on his human leaders. it ain’t easy.
He needs to breathe deeply, just like I do.
The horse lessons are so helpful to me, as is the support I get from Tarrin. We have so much in common yet challenge each other. That is what we need right now, to see past our superficial differences to our common humanity.
We know we love our dogs!
Find yourself someone to support or to be supportive to. It’s a great counterweight to the struggles and challenges we are going through as humans.
Whew. Today I exhibited more patience than I knew I had, and finally triumphed over the maze of confusion known as AT&T/Direct TV customer support. I win.
I also deserve a certificate
My actual reward is a glass of lemonade. I deserve it, too.
Refreshing, though everything makes me choke since I was sick.
You see, last week our DirectTV stopped working. I called to get repairs scheduled, because Lee is easily annoyed with service providers. I believed I had it scheduled for today.
I was as relaxed as Penney in her cool, freshly dug hole, guarded by the Giant Shedding Machine.
In the meantime, we joined the modern world, and hooked the Apple TV up so we could watch television on it. Well, except that DirectTV and Disney are quarreling again, so we had to watch ABC on the antenna.
Aaron Rogers, shown in antenna TV, expresses my frustration.
Over the weekend we used streaming, which we’d been avoiding due to our rural bandwidth issues. It feels so modern to watch football on Peacock and Tulsa King on Paramount +. Kathleen will be very proud of us.
Then came today. No repair person showed. So, I dialed the number someone had left in a text. It was a magic number. It let me actually get help and service. In a mere 2.5 hours I got all my telecommunications needs met. It was a LONG 2.5 hours.
I should have napped like Goldie.
First I talked to a nice woman who determined that no repair person came because there is ONE technician in our area (Waco) and they got injured last week. Apparently they tried calling me but it came up as Spam Risk so I didn’t answer, and they didn’t leave messages. Grr. DirectTV is looking for a substitute, but as of now, I have no prospect of getting the dish realigned.
What a load of bull. Wait, that’s a cow.
Next, I talked to a billing guy. He was hard to understand, but tried to figure out my bill and my two different accounts. What he accomplished was to get money taken off our bill since we have no satellite. He was also able to tell me what phone numbers were associated with our account. Holy cow, there were eight. Four phones, a hotspot, two watches, and a “device” of some kind. That was unsatisfactory. I now understood why Lee said the phone bill was so high. That had to change. But billing guy couldn’t do that.
Beautiful Mabel approves. She grew a mane!
That fellow successfully transferred me to a very nice young woman who works for the mobility department, which is extra separate from the television department, the billing department, and the internet department. This woman and I spent at least an hour straightening things out. The bill is now halved, with fewer gigs on the RV hotspot, only phones for me and my children (yes, even the uncommunicative one), and no watches. We determined they don’t need to have their own numbers. I’d been trying to get these things cancelled for months, but the “helpful” app wouldn’t let me get to my phone info.
Modern life is hard.
But I’m stubborn and persistent as a Fiona.
I did enjoy talking to the agent about camping, Native American history, and the weird weather lately. That’s what happens when you’re kind to the people on the phone. She worked hard to fix my account, too.
However, she could not help with my final issue, which was to get the wifi setup cancelled on the Red House, since we aren’t renting it out anymore. That was a different department. So she transferred me and because the system only wanted to give me a call back on my landline from when I lived in Round Rock, I had to wait on hold.
Waiting, like all these Scissortails are.
That’s okay, I spent 15 minutes weeding nut grass in the pool flower bed. This made the next customer support lady laugh when I told her I had to crawl out of the flower bed to find my account number. But by gosh, she was able to cancel that account! All I have to do is return the equipment. Ugh.
I’m #1
Still, I did it! I finally got the right people to help me, didn’t get disconnected, and didn’t lose my cool. This is a true sign of modern competency.
Here’s an admission, one we probably can all relate to in our own ways. I can embrace two conflicting beliefs and feel fine about it.
I hope Carlton isn’t judging me for this.
I’ve always been quick to smugly point out cognitive dissonance in others when I spot it. It does make you feel like you’re intellectually superior, like you’d never do such a thing. But I bet you do.
I’m pretty sure Goldie IS judging me there from her recuperation spot.
Here’s my example. I’m not at all comfortable with violence. War disturbs me deeply, as does killing of other humans in other situations. I can’t fathom why my friends and neighbors want to arm themselves so they can be ready to kill at a moment’s notice. I’ve no tolerance for domestic violence. Yeah, quite the pacifist wimp, I know.
They smell something suspicious. Me.
But today I watched three professional American football games enthusiastically, especially when the Dallas Cowboys were playing. I enjoy the strategy and athleticism of the game. But there’s a lot of hitting, pushing, falling, and hurting involved. Hmm. How on earth can I love football and hate violence?
Ow. Photo from Pexels.
There’s no good answer. Part of it is the culture I was raised in, which is a subset of American culture that lacks the gun worship, but has the sports enjoyment feature. It’s just how I ended up.
I’m a mix of values and beliefs I got from my parents, schools, mentors, and books. Photo from Pexels.
I could work on being more consistent. Alternatively, I could just live with it, just like all those Christians who hate people who look or talk differently, or the law and order folks who are fine with electing a lying criminal as their leader. Our minds work in mysterious ways. Asking humans to be logical and consistent is probably asking too much.
I’m positive that my favorite time of day is the hour before o go to sleep, when I read and blog. I love the transition from one day to the next.
This is what I did just before bedtime – showing off the temperature blanket
Before bedtime, I had quite a fun day with my high school friend Kathy, who drove up to see me today. After getting my antibiotic, which I hope make me feel better, we went on a little hike to the lovely Rainbow Lake.
Miners CreekHappy Kathy
There were some interesting challenges, like a log crossing over a creek, but we made the trek and found the lake.
Caref crossing Scary logsI lived Lake time
Thanks to Kathy’s excellent rain prediction skills we got back to the car just in time for the rain to start. it rained off and on the rest of the day, but not badly.
We had a great lunch at Blue Stag, a place with much game meat on the menu. It was great, especially the green salsa, and we met a nice baby. Fun shopping followed. It’s always better to shop with someone!
After going back to the condo and knitting a bunch, we walked in the rain to the Mexican restaurant close to the condo and ate and talked and talked. I just love catching up with old friends!
Two drinks, trying to wait out the rain.
More talking and knitting ensued back at the condo, and by the time I went to bed I was wiped out. I fell asleep blogging. I did re-read the first part, in case it wasn’t coherent.
Another little rainbow
Today I’m getting throat lozenges and a new toothbrush (so as not to reinfect myself, and laying low. I sound like I’ve been a smoker for 50 years.
I’m at an age where getting prestige at work or fame or fortune. My drive to achieve doesn’t motivate me. If it ever did, that probably wasn’t a good idea, in hindsight.
Enjoying a moment is better than striving for glory.
External achievements don’t motivate me, but internal ones do. As you’ve probably noticed by reading earlier blog entries, my drive is to learn more and more and improve my skill set. Doing this will help me become a better spouse, parent, relative, and friend. That’s what I want to be, the best me I can be.
Today I was at my most colorful.
I don’t know, but that’s probably the motivation of many of us, at least in some part. I don’t think I’m special or unique, just realistic about my internal drives.
Also I’m realistic about my limits. Like heights. Not my favorite.
How did I use my motivation today, you ask, hoping for photos of pretty scenery? Why I admit that I mostly worked today, but I did rest my brain a bit by just enjoying the beauty of a ski town in summer. Wow, flowers hold up well in this climate! Everywhere you look here you see flowers, dogs, water, and beautiful buildings.
Breckenridge when it isn’t snowing
I did stretch myself to improve my skills, though, with the encouragement of my local friend Cathy. She invited me to go on a bike ride, a long bike ride. Now, I used to ride a lot…over 20 years ago. But it’s hard/dangerous to ride a bicycle where I live now. So a long ride was a challenge for me.
Don’t I look confident?
Cathy convinced me that the whole ride from Vail to Frisco was downhill and I could do it. So, her husband Ken drove us to the trail head, and off we went.
Still alive.
Once I got my bike legs back, it was so much fun to zoom along the beautiful trail, which wound along Tenmile Creek, mostly in between lanes of Interstate 70. There were flowers, ponds, rocks, and forests to whiz by and enjoy. We only stopped a couple of times, so I couldn’t obsessively photograph everything.
Photos from when we stopped. I
We never hit any of the cute ground squirrels or tiny chipmunks we passed, and the moose I saw (yay) was far enough away that she posed no threat. But there she was! I saw beaver dams and some mallards in the ponds.
We stopped at an area where people make images in stones.
The best part was that I wasn’t hot and tired when we were done. I felt great! I highly recommend downhill cycling for the out of shape.
End of the trail.
We had a nice dinner afterwards, too, even though I was dressed in exercise clothing (glad I brought some). Cathy said that’s how everyone in Summit County dresses, so it was fine. With a belly full of sushi, I enjoyed what was on television and can now crash again!
Cool cloud over Frisco
I’m all motivated for bright and early work again tomorrow.
Yeah, it’s sappy, and awe came in a close second, but I am positive that the positive emotion I feel most often is love. I’m always feeling love for something or someone. Not romantic hormonal love, but more the enduring emotional attachment kind of love.
Apache feels great love for his food dish, most days.
Today was farrier day, so I spent a long time with the horses again. I feel so much love for each of them (and Fifi), and it’s different for each, like a mother’s love for her children. Tarrin said she liked how I speak kindly to my horses…and I do get sorta blubbery around them. They may not understand my words, but they can discern my feelings.
Fiona wants you to know I laughed at her for stepping in her food bucket. She’d been picking it up and banging it against the gate like a prisoner asking out of jail.
Mabel got lots of love today, because she was the calmest she’s ever been getting her feet done, and she was able to stretch her legs out and put them on the stand, which means she looked pretty darned good for her by the time he was finished!
Brava!This is her bad hoof! Almost normal!A calm lady horse.
Of course, I don’t spend all my love on horses. I get all gooey over my favorite plants and birds, and of course, the dogs. They each hear how much I love them ALL the time. It just comes out. I even love Alfred at his most shedding time, which is now.
Clouded Skipper on a clump of Alfred hair that wafted across the lawn.
There’s just so much joy that the dogs bring! And they love us back, too.
Vlassic loves horse hoof trimmings.
And of course, I feel love for so many people, most of whom may not realize it. I feel all warm and fuzzy at friends’ Facebook posts and Instagrams. I just beam inside when listening to friends talk. They are all so special to me! What a sap.
Then there’s my spouse, who loves to take photos of me chewing. I love him anyway.
I know Lee loves me, because he drove me to the Austin airport today and dealt with the dreaded “Austin traffic.” But we got a cool upgraded room with a couch in it, so he’s happy (he sleeps better in couches or recliners than beds). The Hilton at the airport used to be the HQ building at Bergstrom Air Force Base, and is circular. I always enjoy staying here.
A nice place to stay before flying.
Bonus: I felt more love when I looked over at the bar after dinner and saw my former Austin hairdresser and his husband! That was such a happy moment. We got all caught up on each other’s lives and travels. It makes me feel like a native when I run into people like that!
Off to sleep so I can zip back to another time zone tomorrow! I’ll make sure to check for typos in the post title before publishing, unlike yesterday.
As my husband and goal-fixated friends know, I’ve never been one of those people who have goals for every day, week, month, quarter, year, and decade. These folks derive much benefit from analyzing their progress and figuring out their strategies. I used to really admire my friend Russell and his goal-setting (and achieving) prowess. Goals really motivate most people.
Lee had a goal to rid the pasture of giant bur plants. Much progress was made.
I just can’t do it. I’m too much of a “live in the moment” person who changes focus according to my needs. Goals just seem like tedious looming deadlines. I don’t know what I plan to do in the next decade. Not die?
Green Heron’s goal was to be a high wire acrobat. Win! I’d never seen one on an electric wire before!
Oh of course there are things I’d like to do, like visit natural wonders, become a better naturalist, finish my temperature blanket for this year, etc. I’m just not into exact dates and step-by-step plans. Life is not a race with some prize at the end if we make our goals. We don’t all have to set goals in the same way. That’s fine.
See more sunsets! A good goal.
I do admit to having short-term goals. One is to not fall off my horse. I succeeded today!
You haven’t fallen off me in years! But that one time was enough. Photo by Lee.
Poor Drew got spooked big time during my lesson (when he was already a little antsy). Tarrin’s golden baby horse got the zoomies when Drew was fixated on her lovely mother. I thought Drew was going to jump out of his skin as he bolted backwards. But I stayed on, and Tarrin grabbed him to help him calm down. He was hugging her with his neck and started licking her! Poor guy was scared. But I win! I held on. I’m glad I had on my sticky riding pants!
Only Drew photo I got today. He’s a little pudgy. (That’s my helmet on Apache’s saddle—he’s my beast of burden.)
This was another piece of evidence for something that had been on my mind. I’m wondering if he can hear well. We did a few informal tests this afternoon and…hmm. That could explain why he never looks up when I call him, and some of his reactions. We will have to investigate further. Did his mystery injury cause it? The big ole donkey hoof to the head he got?
It’s your fault, Fifi.
Luckily, Apache seems just fine. We are making lots of straightness progress, we are re-learning the side pass, and I’m getting better at riding with one hand on the reins. He is so much happier these days. But he does seem to have to pee every time we head back to the RV after our lessons! He’s working his back muscles, apparently, and that makes you have to go.
It’s a natural bodily function. I sit up to relieve pressure.
My goal for Apache was to be able to ride him calmly and enjoy it. We are getting there! See I had a goal!
Are you wondering if my answer to this question will surprise you? Ha, the answer will be in the negative, because I’ve been harping on this topic since this blog began! Being outside in nature brings me peace, and if I’m unable to be surrounded by trees, flowers, insects, and birds, I start feeling anxious and uncomfortable.
Some nature is rather vibrant, but still good for the soul (Milam Wildscape scene)
I can easily meditate outside (unless there are flies, mosquitoes, or fire ants), which keeps me centered and able to enjoy fleeting moments of joy.
An Althea flower is perfect to fix your gaze on!
We experienced one of those moments this afternoon, by the way, which explains the title of this post. Lee and I were sitting by the pool as I recovered from overheating with the horses, yet again. He said, “Look over there!” Pointing to the pool house. Sure enough, a make and female bluebird were sitting on the porch posts.
This is from last week, but they do all look alike.
As we watched, the male flew right over to us and landed on a yucca flower stalk. He sang a few notes, showed us his beautiful feathers, then flew over to the garage, singing away.
Approximation. I don’t take my phone in the pool. Photo from Pexels.
Then the female came and stood at the other end of the pool. Then slowly and carefully she hopped closer and closer, then got a nice, long drink (we don’t have many chemicals in our pool). She was so graceful! At last, the rest of the gang flew up and they all left.
Our bird hopped all the way in, too (from Pexels)
Bluebirds have always been the dream bird for me, I guess because they didn’t live near me for most of my life. I envied people who got to see them. I remember where I was in Illinois when I saw one at last. I was thrilled.
I see them squabbling at Tarrin’s. Maybe someday here! (from Pexels).
They’ve been near the ranch since I’ve lived here, and I get to see lots of them at Tarrin’s, but this is the first year I’ve heard and seen them near our house. To have them coming near us was a great joy.
Adore me, Suna.
With all the woodpecker holes we’ve been getting built in the past few years, I’m not surprised that Eastern Bluebirds and Purple Martins have begun hanging around here. We have cavities for them to nest in. Thanks, woodpeckers!
You’re welcome!
And knowing that we’re supporting endangered birds on our property makes me so happy and peaceful. It’s like we’re contributing to the planet.
I truly admire teachers, and not just because I’ve taught adults most of my life. Teachers can be so important in the lives of their students. It’s not what they teach, necessarily, because public school teachers have so many weird-ass restrictions placed on them and so many useless tests to teach to.
I have more opinions, but I’ll just share a picture of our house from the road.
It’s the relationships teachers can build with students, the mentoring, and the important role they can play in helping students learn critical thinking skills (if allowed)—that’s why I admire teachers, especially high school teachers. Mine meant a lot to me.
I was admiring the moon when I saw a pretty Blue Grosbeak. No photos.
I’m proud my estranged son is a high school teacher. I know he’s making a difference in many lives, and is a good example of how not all Texans fit the stereotype. Students often don’t see adults unlike their own families outside of school.
Silver bluestem. My favorite.
I’d say more, but it would be my usual blather. You can just imagine it.
What is the most important thing to carry with you all the time?
Duh! I’m a modern human! I must have my phone with me all the time! Sometimes I do t have it, but my watch is my backup phone. (My new watch tells me everything I cae about at a glance: time, date, weather, exercise, and heartbeat!) I’m sure the phone is a popular answer to this question.
What a smart watch.
The main reason I want the phone with me is because I’m always taking photos of plants, bugs, and birds. Or dogs, horses, and sunsets.
The other reason is that if I have a question, I can get it answered. Monopoly or not, I get a lot out of Google! When you’re curious, a search engine is a miracle product, as long as you maintain healthy skepticism.
So much knowledge, right there. But so far I haven’t needed AI to write anything.
I use the phone to text, message, and visit friends on social media, in addition to the occasional calls. I did a little of calling today when I found out the air conditioning was out on the Airbnb and I had to refund a guest and arrange for repairs.
I made AI draw this technician. Um. Great?
As for my day, it mostly involved vaccine side effects and feeling woozy. None of my intended errands got run, so tomorrow will be busy. But you have to listen to your body!
It clouded up and cooled off slightly by late afternoon so I was able to sit outside and enjoy the birds and dragonflies. To my delight, many hummingbirds and the bluebird family came to visit! The swimming pool is an important bird and insect watering hole.
My bird buddies.
Tomorrow I’m doing all the chores, whether I feel better or not! Horses gotta eat, you know!
The Hermits' Rest 