SO smoky, air quality 10+ to the bad

Usual coffee start but earlier around 8. The wind has let up and the thick smoke remains; no shift to blow it back north. Once up and at it I got to work on my chair drilling out the wedge, removing the back and spindles then hauled it out to sand all smooth. S got water going on trees and sprayed roundup around the gravel. I tried a different technique for the equine probiotic putting it in food. I tested it on KD which went well and supplemented Bird and Pepper (who was not pleased he did not get a tub of food).

For lunch I whipped us up a healthy smoothie. Skipping his nap today he took the sprayer down to the pit and sprayed dandelions while I painted the chair base and spindles, tung oiled the seat and back then scrubbed all the bathrooms up and down.

Prince had come back for the skid steer to move the hay we took off the pasture level in the pit bottom then cleaned out the “erupted” water tank of its algae requiring my help to haul up the full 5 gallon buckets. He took them to the pit to dump and I took Bird and Switch their tubs of probiotic laced food.

she likes this much better then via syringe

He headed over to Matt’s for a load of water at 5:30 as I got supper prepped and once back it was time to start the barbecue, shower quick and cook the steak. Yes this is the steak I have been drooling over since Wednesday. I staged the valet and the customer messaged she wanted the white bread box as well, yeah!

Sadly the steak was not as amazing as we hoped but it was still good. S hustled to pack a bag and load up and off to Medicine Hat. He will stay at Ma and Pa's then head to the Valley tomorrow to check on bison and take in Dale Peers's memorial. I got to work on accounting I totally forgot and spent an hour on hold with the bank but got a mystery charge sorted. I worked on blog posts and computer calibration and non fun technical stuff. A shower at 10 and crawled into bed with some YouTube.

First official training session

The wind picked up like crazy after 5 am so I got up to close a few windows and the garage door that was sucking in and out. I did manage to fall back asleep after an hour or so but missed putting on coffee for Shaina who was out the door at 9. I did promise her a hot Short rib dinner so got up to get it made and left to simmer for the am. The wind howled all day.

S hooked up the truck again to the dump trailer and was off to fill the water totes after 11. I black waxed the valet and prepped veggies to go with the ribs. S was back at 12:30 with Shaina not far behind. She crawled back into bed with a headache so I got lunch on the go as I am starved.

Lunch was so yummy, try that recipe! S was in after putting water on trees and Shaina joined after her nap. After she shared workout information as I washed pots and pans and S went to help neighbor Marvin with the skid steer. Shaina and I battled the crazy wind and thick smelling smoke to give Switch, Bird and KD joined the ranks their probiotics. Here is KD's before photo. We also put her fly sheet on as this girl loves her rug and hates bugs.

her expression says it all .. she no like

Back to the house for our first official workout with the trainer. It was a good one with her demonstrating all we need to know going forward and correcting our mistakes during the workout. Thanks Shaina.

S promptly went into a coma in big brown as she and I enjoyed a fresh smoothie for a light supper. She was loaded up including taking my Etsy parcel she forgot this am to drop at post office after 5:30 and was on her way. S woke to have some of the coleslaw I had made for last night, salad and leftovers for supper then caught the Raptors first part of the game. I hauled the chair outside and sanded the seat, edge and back down but I need to remove the back to get it all.

off it goes to Illinois

another blooming apple tree but look at the smoky sky

He was off for another load of water at 7:30, I headed out to dump clean and refill the far paddock water tub. Then it was time to water my garden and try and hand mow some weeds in the paddock but they are too big ;( When S got back, he dumped water on the caraganas we planted that I found 3 were drying up, rats. I came back in at 9 for a hot cappuccino as that wind was still brisk and cool and smoky. I wrote a blog post for the grey side tables. He was back inside not long after caught the end of the game and hit the sheets.

Golf and painting

I was up early as I have an acupuncture appointment at 9. S was making coffee as I left. He spent the morning relaxing then unhooking the truck from the dump trailer so he and a friend could go golf in Okotoks leaving at 10:30.

After my appointment I picked up a free valet from a friend; sadly it is missing one of the wood wallet holders so I have to come up with a solution. I filled with diesel, stocked up on beverages and vegetables and headed back to the ranch at 11:30.

Lunch was a healthy chicken salad, I wonder what the golfer might have? I was excited to get a message I had an Etsy sale. It was the green jewelry box so it was all boxed up safely, labelled and ready to go.

Now to get some things done; I scrubbed up the chair I hauled in and left it to dry and wiped the valet ready to paint. Britt wanted me to add a new daily probiotic to a few horses. I started by mixing up the powder with hot water and instantly knew it had yeast in it. Now putting that in a syringe caused quite the bubbling brew but I did get out, catch Switch and Bird and give them this concoction.

Back to the house I noticed Roo's breathing was labored and it seems the destruction she did to her new blanket was prompted by her stress to it so I removed it. It shows 31 on our thermometer but Matt's says 27. The grass is drying fast!

 look at this destruction in only a few short hours

Back inside; I put the first coat of paint on the valet and prepped steak and veggies for supper along with fresh coleslaw.

The trimmings were taken to the "fat" girls and my compost tubs to the garden where I did a demo for Instagram.

Now the valet was dry, I distressed it and put on the 2nd coat. I finished up just as Sheldon and Dave S pulled in from their golf day before 7. My fancy supper plans went out the window as they got busy drinking beer. I walked out to give horses supplements and ate some of my salad and a hard boiled egg. I sanded and distressed the valet and did my work out as the fellows reminisced on the deck with beer. It was another beautiful night. I took them a tray of meat, cheese, crackers and pickles.

Dave's wife Missy arrived after 9 to give him a ride home but it turned into a camp fire evening till 11:30. Shaina made it after work around 10 to have some of my coleslaw salad and relax in bed hoping to get rid of a headache.

Yard work day

My morning started with a phone call from Mom, Sheldon awoke and put on coffee for our routine coffee in bed. I got up and did marketing while he relaxed before our day started. This is usually sleepy Tuesday but he has a golf day tomorrow so we headed out to do yard work. I dug around tree bases removing the quack grass and weeds and fluffing the chips while he weed eater then mowed. I made us a healthy smoothie to drink as we did our chores. I trimmed trees as I did the bases.

Britt arrived at 2 as I was getting water on some of the fluffed trees. S caught Roo and worked her in the round pen while I changed to trim her. It took an hour to trim the rascal. S finished up the mowing which took a couple hours as definitely in need of cutting. He set water from the shop tank to water the island. B and I got Roo fitted with her new fly sheet B drove to Cochrane to get her; fancy!

note this is the last time it will be clean and new ;)

She then tried to give Bird and Roo probiotics she purchased too with little luck. I watched enjoying a cold beer from the deck. B then rode while I prepped supper and S napped. We ate our chicken dinner at 5:30 so the baseball player could digest hers before heading to practice after 6.

Roo spent the evening trying to rub the blanket off, here she is full body rubbing on the shelter wall so hard I could see it moving

After I washed dishes I went out to water my garden while S sprayed for dandelions. I got the dogs in for the night to avoid laying and walking in the grass. Not a bad day getting yard work done.

I wrote a blog post for the farmhouse tray. B was back from practice at 9:30 to get Cooper, she quickly ran out and gave the 2 horses their supplements she forgot earlier and checked and found Roo's blanket ripped. What a brat. The fires up north made for quite a sunset.

Good sales day !!

No milk left so coffee and creamer started my day. Last night I post a video of the sofa table again looking for a home and while marketing I had a Calgary lady message she wanted to pick it up today but found me via Kijiji. Strange how the universe works but I am excited it works. While I waited for her arrival I planted some flowers in the garden then gave Lola a good brushing. This girl is still blowing coat, this is half way done the brushing.

She arrived at 11:30 and loved it, we visited for a bit then got it loaded and her on her way. Lunch was a salad.

I posted a valet I bought at the rummage sale as a fathers day custom call and within 15 minutes it was called and the quoted painted price sent in full. She wants it painted shades of grey. This is a good day!!

Look I found new weights Shaina!

I decided I should run to town for milk and some seeds for the garden to get them planted. I text to pickup Ada to help me shop and picked her up before 2. Archer thought he might come and we loaded his seat but he changed his mind. Off to Walmart where we found plants and groceries then off to the "popcorn" store (AKA Rona). I purchased a new palm tree for my blossoming tropical jungle with a side of popcorn.

The final stop was to a ladies to purchase frames for the barn then back to the Paetz house where we enjoyed a sunny visit in the front yard watching the kids play.

 everyone demonstrating their talents

I stopped for the mail on the way home; there was a pile as it has been awhile. Back at the ranch by 4:30 to unload my treasures. After a bowl of leftover roasted veggies washed down with a cold beer I headed out to plant my seeds and water all the garden beds, flower beds and planters, dig a huge tub of dandelions, supplement the horses and move water on the grass seed. It is another gorgeous evening hitting 22+ today.

this is doing terrible inside so I planted it outside

While retrieving a chair to paint yellow I snapped a picture of this one for an interested buyer. There are 6 with an antique table. I found another chair in storage to paint yellow.

The crab tree is in full bloom!! love it

Dining table picked up

Sunday is looking to be a lovely day. A cappuccino and marketing got me started. The dining table pick up was requested for 11 so I got dressed for the day and tidied up the main floor. They arrived right on 11 and we had it loaded in short order. Great day to pick up and move furniture, they were even in shorts and flip flops ;)

I started my day good with a green smoothie and thought I would cook up a protein lunch with some bacon seeing I had a tub of tomatoes, loads of lettuce and healthy bread but it turns out bacon is 60% fat and not low calorie in comparison to the protein and one sandwich was 600 calories! But after rousting Britt to help me put clean sheets in Kaylin's room she and I enjoyed every mouthful ;)

staging a photo of a my multipurpose stool and my bleeding heart blooming

We then went out to ride which was lovely seeing the weather was sunny and 22. Riding led to me picking weeds in the back flower bed while Britt worked with Roo. It took her awhile of self exercising to catch the rascal but she did. While tossing dandelions to the "fat" girls I noticed KD'd feet needed trimming so I caught her and took her in to join B trying to trim Roo's bridle path and needing assistance.

always good to have a guard on duty

then a deer went thru the hay filed, the dogs chased then got out run and Switch watched it all the way around the field to the gate

Once KD was trimmed, Britt swapped her and Roo paddocks and gave supplements. It was now 5 o'clock so she loaded up Cooper and they were off for home. I cooked up another pan of veggies but enjoyed them with a cold beer after my busy day. However by 7:30 after a shower and meditation (day 5 you know) I was craving salty food and gave in to temptation and ate some miss Vicky's chips. Yes I am now over my daily limit but they sure tasted good and I savored each one ;)

I got poor "back to crippled" miss Lola in for the night and with a cup of tea I got cozy to watch the last of the WhatIf season. But feeling guilty about the chips I did 15 minutes of exercise to counteract them, so glad I have an iPad to entice me to climb stairs and jog on the spot ;)

Bird has mild colic

Gloomy overcast Saturday, perfect day to make a cappuccino and work of project blog tutorials and marketing. I posted the end tables for sale on all the sites and added a couple things to Etsy. I shuffled the new stock to paint away and tidied the work shop up.

I tried to get a better photo of the stained table tops

Bird was agitated so I ventured out if the cool misty air. I think she was bit by a bug as really wanted me to scratch her chest area she was nodding at. I gave them their supplements and scratched Bird a bunch before mixing up minerals and back in the house for a bowl of soup for lunch.

I was halfway thru my workout when B and Cooper arrived just after 4. She headed out to check Bird and did a health check. She seemed to still be presenting her symptoms and was now shaky so she took her in the barn. I met her in there after my 5 minute meditation then dispersing the salt/minerals to the 3 shelters.

 Of course she needed some meds so sent me back to the house to get the first aid goodies. After consulting with her vets it was decided she was having a spastic colic and banamine was injected. It did not take long for her to relax and seem much better. The blanket helped too.

I trotted out and caught Switch and brought her in and trimmed her feet seeing we were spending time in the barn. When Bird seemed to be feeling better we let them both back out in the paddock, swapping her fuzzy blanket for her back on track magnetic blanket.

Back inside I got veggies ready and roasted while she went to visit, brush and check on Roo. We ate late around 7:30 then she went to check on Bird again after 8 and waited for Amber and Brooke to pick her up for a party at the river. I jumped into the tub and watched my new series. B was off around 9:30. I heard her come in at 2:30 after I had watched a few more episodes and gone to sleep.