Day 11 and what a challenge

Today the skys are cloudless and blue, but this picture better signifies how I feel.



Yesterday and today are even warmer than Saturday was. Temperatures are supposed to reach 76 degrees today. Absolutely beautiful weather! But, I spent a good portion of my day yesterday in urgent care. Yeah, my dumb old toe. Turns out I'm not as tough as I thought I was. I spent a miserable night Saturday and ended up eating 4 Advils and a couple of sleeping aid pills just to catch some zzz's. Then, I slept until 11:00 on Sunday. I haven't slept that late in years and years. I couldn't believe it. When I did wake up, I could hardly walk. My toe had swollen to about double its' normal size and was very purple and tight. Throbbing to beat the band. So, off to urgent care I went. When I got in to see the doctor, he said he would be removing the toenail because he thought it would relieve some pressure and facilitate healing. Gulp. Oh boy, that didn't sound like anything I wanted to partake in...but before that I needed to head on over to the hospital and have an x-ray taken to make sure the toe wasn't broken. I was pretty sure it wasn't broken, but he's the doctor...so off I go. I was informed that ER was extremely busy and it would be at least an hour before I'd get in. I thought, forget this and headed back to urgent care. I waited well over 2 hours before I got in. Sheesh, what a way to spend a beautiful Sunday afternoon. Talk about being crabby...and in pain. The longer I sat, the more painful my toe became. I found myself actually anticipating the removal of the nail, if you can believe that.

Long story short, the toenail was removed, the toe was bandaged and I was sent home with nothing for the pain. I am one of those people who never gets pain meds offered by the doctor. So, I head for home and sit and wait for my toe to stop hurting. What a pain! I'm not a very patient patient. Ha!! A little play on words there. Anyway, so my day 10 of the 37 Day Challenge consisted of walking around in the barn filling waters, putting out hay and whatever just to keep moving for a minimum of 30 minutes. I'll be danged if this stupid old toe is going to wreck my committment! It is going to prove to be somewhat of a challenge though trying to find physical activity to do instead of my normal hiking. I may have to resort to inserting my Richard Simmons tapes and doing whatever I can for exercise. Oh brother...I really must be desperate to be considering Richard Simmons. Oh well, an injured gal cannot be a picky gal!

My toe is somewhat better today, but dogs is it ever sore!! I cannot believe what a puss baby I'm being...but it is amazing how much it hurts. I am not looking forward to changing the bandage tomorrow because I know my toe looks like a raw piece of meat. Just lovely.

Okay, I'm finished snivelling now. Just needed to air my complaints to the universe.

Harley seems to be doing much better today. A couple of magic foot baths and he's good as new!!

Hopefully in a couple of days, I'll be better too.

Until next time,

cingspots

The Color Purple

Oh my!! This is by far the nicest day we've had in a long, long time. The sky is an amazing shade of blue and there's only an occasional puffy, white cloud. A gentle breeze stirs the blossom-heavy tree branches, and it's nearly 70 degrees. Wow!! Just a heavenly day for sure.

And...I managed to get my toe stepped on by Kadie this morning.

I'll start at the beginning. For the last week, I've been watching Harley closely. He's been showing signs of "offness" and favoring his left front. Each night I carefully pick his feet, and I've noticed some heat the last couple of evenings. Hmmhhuu, abscess brewing. So, this morning hubby retains Harley and Kadie and feeds them their breakfast in the roundpen, and lets the other horses go out to pasture. Harley's pissed - big time!! Sometimes he can act just like a spoiled brat throwing his little temper tantrum. He reportedly goes charging all around bucking and snorting and farting and generally pitching a hissy fit. It gets him nowhere and eventually he and Kadie settle in and grudgingly eat their breakfast.

Couple of hours later, Hubby and I head on out to the barn with the soaking supplies with intentions of beginning the foot soakings. Grudgingly, Harley acquiesses and stands quietly for his torture. Must be rough getting your foot massaged in a tub of warm water huh? Poor little guy! So, anyway we finish up, towel dry his foot and put some salts in his medicine boot and prepare to let him and Kadie out into the pasture with their buddies. No problems right?

Well, Harley follows me to the gate - all antsed up and rearing to go. Note to self: when he acts like this again, do not remove the halter until after you and the horse have safely maneuvered through the gate. Hindsight always 20/20. Meanwhile, the little chargette, aka Kadie is revving her motor behind and slightly inside of Harley. I am against the barn wall near the hinge side of the gate. I open the gate and give it a shove. Harley hunkers down and prepares to fly...problem is, so does Kadie. The little female beast tries to pass through the gate at the same time as Harley and manages to (for a moment in time) pin me against the wall and herself between me and Harley and the roundpen wall on the other side...this is definitely not gonna work. Extreme pressure for a few, brief seconds - no big deal, but then Kadie has to go and grind her hoof on top of my freaking big toe!!! Ouch!!! Now, it's been at least 10 years since I've been stepped on by a horse. And you know what!? It freaking hurts!!!!!

You can bet your butt that I would have kicked Kadie's if I hadn't been so preoccupied with the intense throbbing sensation in my toe. So, instead I hobble inside and soak my toe in cold water and then sit on the deck for a half hour or so with the frozen bag of peas on my toe. Well just great!! My fortune last night after our chinese dinner said that the color purple would bring me good luck today...yeah right.

However, my left big toe is a lovely shade of purple, and it has this swollen, tight appearance, and the nail itself looks totally gross. It already looks yellowed and icky - like it's going to fall off and die. Just ducky!! Well, there's always the silver lining right?? I guess I should be counting my blessings that my toe wasn't broken or something...guess it will help me remember and be a little more cautious about just where I am placing my feet when around the horses.

Another one of life's little lessons. Gee - thanks life.

At least I was wearing shoes with covered toes. I am notorious for wearing my flip-flops around the horses in the summer. I don't think I'll be doing that anytime soon.

I will live to be hurt yet again another time.

Day 9 (I think) of the 37 Day Challenge and we're still hanging in there. Annie and I had our 30-40 minute walk today in the glorious sunshine around the perimeter of the next door neighbor's grass field. Just a little bit slower than usual...and I took my cane - I mean walking stick along.

Hope you are enjoying the weekend, and hoping it's sunny wherever you call home.

Happy Sabbath!!

Blessings from cingspots...

We are family

Well, Happy Fried Eggs everybody!! Hot diggity, we've done mastered another week...almost anyway. Tomorrow is Sabbath and boy am I ready for a little rest and relaxation. It's been one of those weeks - not a bad week persay, but a busy one...and a mentally stressing one. And, I realize that it doesn't take a whole lot these days to stress me mentally, but whatever. I'm just sayin'. A little time is needed...and I'm mighty thankful for that 7th day.

Today is Day 8 of the 37 Day Challenge. We're still hangin' tough!! Annie and I did our 45 minute walk in the big park yesterday and today a 30 minute walk in a different park and a couple of blocks through a neighborhood. I am just amazed at the incredible beauty of the spring flowers that are abundant in some people's yards. Just amazing!! Spring has sprung in all its' glory and I proclaim a hearty Thank you to the Father above for the blessing!! Thank God that winter is gone...and good riddance.

So, I've decided that since I really don't have much of a topic for today, I would instead display some more of my spring has sprung pictures. Beauty and the animals always puts my mind on the important things in life...and allows me to not think about my upcoming meeting with the tax accountant later today. I guess there's so sense in worrying - it is what it is.

The only reference to my title of todays' post is that these animals are indeed my family. I love them and count them among some of my life's greatest blessings.

The Great and all powerful, "Affermative Shadow" aka "Shad"

Daffodils from our yard


LLama Bin Laden - Merlin and the Grand Dames
"Kadie" and "Siri"



Daphne Odora - a heavenly scent

"Ahkoonkeneku"
My precious "Harley"

And of course you all know who this guy is by now,

"Wagtail Ladde"

my Laddmonster

Hey ma!! You want I should knocka this cat offa here?
(I watched a little of The Godfather the other night)

And finally...Annie's nemesis (arch enemy)

"Peacock"

(otherwise referred to as that *&#@** catfood thief!!!)

Have a fantastic weekend everyone. May the blessings abound...

Cingspots

Day 6 of the challenge and more signs of spring

I just love this picture! It took me a while to get this shot, because the little buggar just would not hold still. Busy as a bee...see the pollen on his little back legs. I just love honey bees! Someday, I'd love to have a hive and have my very own honey...yummy!

Yippee!! It's Day 6 of the 37 Day Challenge and so far, so good. It's supposed to rain most of today and tomorrow and then the weatherman says things will be looking up. Gotta love the guy for being so dadgummed hopeful! Spring in Oregon is a plethoria (love that word!) of weather-related surprises and you just never know what might take place. So...walking in the rain might be slightly less enjoyable, but we will prevail - hear that you blasted weather gods - we will prevail...and walk - walk on friends, walk on!!!

This is my ever-present and most loyal of friends, Annie. My walking buddy.

And her ball...she loves that ball.

I'm okay, really I am...it's just that I'm feeling a little excited today, not quite sure why, but nevertheless, I shall go with it!

I've been finalizing plans for our Hawaii get-away adventure rental, and the possibilities are enormous...and ever so exciting!!! I've found this one cottage just a stone's throw away from Kailua beach on a little no-name beach lane that's called Treetop studio cottage. Oh my!!! It's adorable and has a queen-sized bed in a loft, and from up there you have views of both the ocean and the nearby mountains. The whole place is surrounded by lush, tropical foliage and has - get this!!! ... a mango tree and a banana tree - be still my heart!! I have no idea just when the season for either of these fruits is to be ripe for the picking, but I am hopeful. I can't even imagine how cool it would be to pluck a tree-ripened mango and eat it - or a banana...I have no idea what it would taste like; but I'm willing to sample, oh yes indeedy I am. And, there's an outside shower at this little cottage - I envision showering under the starlit sky and listening to the nearby ocean surf - oh my gosh I just cannot wait!! I'm getting so excited!!

But in the meantime, there's work to be done - so once again, I'll say it - walk on friends, walk on. I have miles to go before I sleep...read that in a book somewhere, or was it a movie?? hmmm, not sure, but it has a nice ring to it huh? Actually, it sounds kinda spooky.

I am going to display some more of my medley of pictures here for your viewing pleasure and they are completely random and non-sensical...just like me!!

This is my hubby's cat, One-Eyed Patch. Like most of our other cats, he just showed up one day, all bedraggled with his one eye and a broken hind leg...hubby felt sorry for him and started leaving food out for him. Now he lives with us. He's showing off his good eye.

My little birdy feeder in our flowering Japanese Plum tree in the back yard.

Here's a thought I've just had that is enough to bring anybody back down to earth. My appointment with the tax accountant is day after tomorrow...eeeuuu, and I haven't even begun to organize my reciepts and get my numbers documented. *sigh* Well, crap. The horseshoer comes on that day too, do I hear...cha-ching!!! Well that does it. I'm feeling much more grounded and not nearly so excited now. Guess I'd better get back to work and earn my pay.

Until next time my friends, may spring prevail!

Blessings all around...

Cingspots over and out.

Signs of Spring

Well, so it's been a mixed bag of happenings lately it seems. I've finally managed (with hubby's help) and the use of a borrowed external cd read/write been able to produce a copy of the pictures that I've been taking over the last several weeks. So, be prepared for a medley of subjects to be on display here for a while! It seems that the cd drive in our laptop has officially gone belly-up.

These beauties here are but a sampling of what's going on in my yard right now. The daffodils are blooming like crazy!

This is a shot of Mt. Hood taken from a country road on our way back from the horse expo in Albany weekend before last.

A familiar snout...seems like this particular snout follows me wherever I go.

Aahh...I tot I saw a puddy tat. This little girl and a whole host of others is available for adoption in case anyone's interested. They are as cute as a button, come in a variety of colors, sizes and sexes. Takers will be handsomely rewarded...

This was a Friday evening sky as I drove home from work. I love those sunrays coming through the clouds. God's art is something to always be appreciated.

Well, that's it for today. Business here at work has begun to pick up and I am way late in starting for home to do the chores and prepare dinner.

In case anyone's wondering, this is day 5 of the 37 Day Challenge and things are going splendidly!! Annie Banannie and I completed our 45 minute walk today at lunch time. We've done the same walk two days in a row, we just reversed our direction today...you know, look at things from a different perspective. We are feeling good!!

Blessings to all from cingspots...

Signs of Spring

Spring in Oregon can be a whole basketfull of goodies - or like Forrest Gump says..."like a box of chocolates; you never know what you're gonna get".

Last week was pretty nice: temperatures were mild, sun peaked out some, and we had a shower or two, along with a few days of overcast and cloud-filled skies. Nothing extreme. Heavenly compared to what some of the country's having right now.

So, all in all absolutely nothing to complain about...again.

This morning, the showers showed up in earnest and we fed the horses breakfast in their stalls instead of outside in the pasture. The rain falling on the metal barn roof lulls them into a peaceful mood while they munch their hay. Nice.

Last night I shot a few pictures while there was still some good light and I've finally managed to download all my pictures from the last couple of weeks onto a CD. Now, I can post some pictures today and show you some signs of spring around my home and familiar territory.

Or not...plugged the CD in and none of my pictures would open. Aagh!! So, no pics today...will try again later.

So, the 37 Day Challenge is going well. Saturday, I spent over 2 hours out in the barn with the horses. I groomed all 5 of them, picked all their feet, cleaned Ladde's stall and cleaned the aisleway. I had enough shedded horse hair to weave a rather large and colorful blanket, I'm pretty sure. Found each pony's special itchy spot and gave them their one-on-one personal massage too.

Sunday, hubby and I slept in and then turned the horses out and fed them their breakfast in the pasture. No rain today - only glorious sunshine, and it is warm too!! Nice, very nice.

So, we went out for breakfast and then afterwards headed to the wooded park on the far side of town and went for a nice, long walk. It was just beautiful! We even encountered a little pair of ducks swimming on a beaver pond. They were so cute!! And, no I didn't have my camera with me, so no pictures - sorry.

Soon...if the fates are kind and the computer gods comply, I'll be posting some of my pictures of the signs of spring. *sigh*

37 Day Challenge (2 posts in 1 day - oh my!!)

Okay, so this morning in my meanderings through some of my favorite haunts, I happened to find myself over at Carolyn's blog "A Glowing Ember" and she had a link to someone else's blog (who I've forgotten the name of, sorry), but this gal has the most brilliant idea!! She has posted this 37 Day Challenge. It can be absolutely anything of your choosing and varies greatly within her readers. It's an interesting read of everyone's ideas, if nothing else...but anyway, I've decided to give it a go! As some of you may or may not know, we are scheduled to go to Hawaii this coming September. And the fact of the matter is this - I am absolutely terrified at the prospect of donning a swimsuit. I would frighten the small children and probably everyone else for that matter. So, my challenge is this, and has been for quite some time if I'm honest, I need and want to lose some weight and get myself into better physical shape. I realize that I'll never be a long-legged, willowy beauty, but what God has given me can sure use some improving. So, without further adieu...

37 Day Challenge

37days challenge March 27 – May 3, 2009
I, ____Lorie aka Cingspots________________, being of kinda sound mind and body, have willingly decided to try to do one thing consistently every single day for the next 37 days. C’mon, self, it’s just 37 days. The one thing I will try to do every day is this: any physical activity for no less than 30 minutes straight, hopefully longer.
I’m not going to pick two things or nine things because that will dilute my focus –- just one thing. One. One simple action. An action, not a goal. An action, not a value. An action, not a wish. Something I can DO.
I’m doing this challenge at this time because: I want to lose some weight and get in better shape.
I’ve chosen this particular daily action because I believe if I do it consistently for 37 days with no (NONE, ZERO, ZIP) exceptions, I will: look and feel better - maybe even in a swim suit!
If I should fail, I won’t blame anyone but myself (not even my partner, that idiot with 29 items in the express lane at the Piggly Wiggly, the IRS (so needy!), the people who make frosted Pop Tarts and Lofthouse Cookies, or Fate).
I also realize that this contract is solely with myself and carries no rewards, penalties or punishments other than those associated with the reflection of the strength of my character.
New things will happen for me.
I’m ready.
TODAY IS DAY ONE.

Cool huh? This gal who thought this up, is similar to me in several ways it seems. Big dreamers, procrastinators, great ideas people, fantastic starters...poor finishers, no follow through, great at keeping promises to others, not so great at keeping promises to ourselves...hmmm I see a familiar pattern here. This is just one of the reasons she came up with this idea; if she could make a promise or a committment to herself for a mere, say 37 days...and actually keep it - why, who knows just what might happen. Serious things could take place. Very interesting.

So...there you have it! I'm making a promise to myself to commit to this for 37 days, and hopefully it will lead to some very positive changes in my life...or at least, my body. :-)

Couldn't hurt, right?

Feel free to harrass me if you find out that I've even thought of faltering...

Have a great weekend everyone!!