Kentucky Derby

Sunny start to the day, yeah!! I fed animals and watered/pushed out the planters before my second coffee. the internet was back up and running. Now I could get Thursdays blog finished and posted and yesterdays copied seeing I wrote part of it in notes offline. S perused his phone and laptop for all the news he missed yesterday. 

Look at these 2 snazzy derby goers

This sweet girl is 11 months already!!

and a gifted reader and writer too XOXO

We headed out before 11 to pitch the hay off the pastures where it is left. While others are cleaning ditches, we still are cleaning our paddocks. THANKS to all the ditch cleaners though. I saw the reflective vests come right up to our gate again. It sure is nice to have clean ditches in Alberta.

Harley even got in for the ride seeing the gun was taken out

We finished up before 1 coming in for lunch and a cold beer. S hit big brown for a rest and I blog catchup still and some brain games. We then got the Kentucky Derby programming going. The day was so lovely outside I suggested we move the TV out. This proved to be a challenge but eventually S got it working. I set up the cushions and snacks but the wind continued to blow off and on making it easy to go inside off and on too.

Sheldon submitted these 2 pics of his view of the race

The race was very exciting with 3 horses finishing within inches. And the favourite coming in 17th! How crazy! Supper was steak potatoes and salad. Perfect for the sunny day. Then it was time for game 7 between Boston and Maple Leafs. 

Roo seems to be losing weight

I fed the horses and while they ate raked the hay area up into a pile. S put the TV and cushions away then back to his game. I pulled in the planters and got to work on blogs. The hockey game #7 went into overtime!! And the Leafs ended up losing much to Sheldon's dismay and Dave's excitement I am sure. I read more of my book.

Fertilizer goes on

Amazingly I did not wake for the day till just before 8:30. Dogs were fed and the planters actually pushed out later in the morning when it warmed to 5. Now it is only 1 degree. The sun was out so that is promising. The internet was down and after a call to provider found it was totally out in our area. No marketing or blogging for me. So I spent the morning packing up stuff for the thrift store and homeless and other organizing.

I forgot to share this video from Tuesday, it is my fav video of the week XOXO

S, along with Harley, headed to pick up a full fertilizer spreader from Mossleigh around 11. I was doing touch ups on the coffee table then tidying the garage. At 11:30 the rain started. In short order it turned to graupel and in 15 minutes all was over. This is how the day went, sunny then bouts of rain and so on.

S was back at 12:30 and in for lunch. I sorted socks to add to the homeless bag. As I was taking the socks and bigger bag to the car I missed the bottom few steps and hit the cement rolling my ankle. Gosh darn it!

I tried a bit of ice but that was not going to work for me to sit with nothing to do. The internet was still down and will be for the whole day it turns out. At 2, S headed out to hook up the spreader to the tractor and start spreading. I decided to get out and walk the dogs even if hobbling. They were needing an outing and I needed something to do. I was gate man for S. Rain came down, sun came out and so on. I had my boots on that caused a blister so hobbled even more back to the house and change to shoes.

I gave the dogs bones to keep them busy and put some bones on to simmer. I pulled dam quack grass from flower beds and poo scooped between the rain bouts. it is looking pretty green. And my horse is looking plump - darn the grass and her now even teeth LOL.

crazy weather

S finished up with fertilizer, put away tractor and hooked it up to the truck. I fed the dogs, grabbed us a beverage and went with him to return the spreader. We took a very short loop thru Mossleigh to check out the town and the Aspen Crossing campground before heading home.

my ankle

Back at the ranch, I started tacos while S went to move the coyote down the canal. They were so delicious but we only had 3 shells left, opps! There was some tostidos chips but only made another 1 for S. I made us a fruity yogurt bowl for dessert while we watched Shark Tank.

Then S was onto hockey and I feed Bird and Roo. Luckily S still had the ranger out so I did not have to walk to the winter pasture gate on my ankle. Tonight went way better and the evening was spectacular weather wise. Not a breath of wind. 

I had to stay out once back at the house and puts around weeding, dumping the deck compost bucket, rolling the planters back in the garage and such. The crew hung out with me too. 

kinda looks like Kentucky here too :)

S put the skid steer and ranger away during intermission then back to the game. Still no internet so I headed to bed to start my new library book - the Forbidden Daughter. It is a true Holocaust story. I read well after S fell asleep. The writing is basic but being a true story it keeps you reading.

someone else had a tough day too

300 yard sniper

I was up early. Cooper settled into our routine but seeing I was up I let them out at 7. The ground was snow covered again but was melting. The planters have not gone outside for 3 days now and seems a few more cool ones ahead. S had his usual big breakfast with his coffees while online researching TV’s still. Needing his truck, S went and dumped the load of gravel along the driveway. 

Shaina is babysitting Renn Thursdays in May before she moves east. 

Videos show her hard at work LOL

After lunch he was off to town for his last shinny day. He did check rain gauge and it said 6/10 ths. I headed to the garage.

Corey hoped to put the wood crate on their step so it needed clear coat. I put the first coat on then moved to the coffee table. It was sprayed and wiped clean then the dings and top lightly sanded. Edges had some wood filler added then sanded when dry. The next step was to decide on stain. I thought of mixing greys and white but my grey stain was hard and the only color I do not have a new one on hand of it. I tested white stain and a golden ash stain but decided to go with my favourite walnut. For the next 2+ hours I applied, wiped and blended to give it a rustic walnut finish. 

Britt and Dave toured stud barns today, above is a past Kentucky winner Authentic

It was blustery out but I took Harley out to brush as she is sheddy. The crate got another clear coat and ready to go. S was home as I was feeding the dogs. He had grabbed groceries and booze too along with the mail. The last GF meal was cooked up for supper. It was a traditional beef meatballs over mashed potatoes & peas and maple buttered carrots. It was ok but would not have chose it knowing I could easily make. Hockey was the consuming entertainment for S with only 1 game tonight. I tidied up supper and worked on the blog. Speaking of supper, seems little miss likes to use adult cutlery!

During the first intermission we went for a hot tub. It has been awhile for sure but it felt relaxing. I jumped in the shower after S rinsed. He went to fill truck from fuel tank seeing the rain has subsided most of the day so making it a bit less sticky. While there he reprogrammed the outside barn lights, filled cat food and checked rain gauge again. There was another 1/10 over the afternoon.

I was cleaning out the dishwasher when Cooper alerted us to something in the pasture. Sure enough 3 coyotes were crossing the field. Not letting him out with 3 had him right concerned till he saw S get his gun. The sniper went out and pegged the front one off. 300 yards- 1 shot!! The nearby horses spooked for a few seconds then turned and went to check the dead coyote out. Like intensely checking it out. S got on his coat and took the ranger out to move it away. While he drove the horses loped along following. It was really odd.  

Seeing there was only 1 hockey game on tonight we were able to watch part of a The Gentlemen episode before S was asleep. I almost finished the season 2 of Blown Away. There was a glass blower from Calgary on this season but in case you watch I won't tell you where he placed. 

Winter returns for Kaylin & Renn visit

Winter is back in full force this am and 0 out. Big fluffy snow came down as I fed the dogs. This was after letting Cooper out as his usual 6:30 am wakeup then put him back to bed. We had coffee in bed watching the news on this snow day. I then got to accounting and S to his internet perusing. The snow was now melting as above zero.

oh hello winter

so funny, little toot

We got some lunch things together. Kaylin, Renn and Beans arrived around 12:30. The weather was drizzly and blustery. Not the best travel weather especially with the yard gate up. Renn is a busy girl and such a sweetie. She kept us entertained for the visit. S had a phone meeting at 1 so went downstairs. 

Our little techie took her own selfie on my phone

Kaylin took Bean’s to his vet appointment at 1:30. Renn and I went down stairs after S was off the phone as dog free and lots of space to crawl and explore. We all visited once K was back with a cup of hot coffee until they all loaded up and headed for home after 2:30. I made macaroni salad to have on hand.

Up and coming Wii player.. and look she knows where to open the game too!

Kaylin brought a parcel I had delivered to her place - my new purse I used birthday $$ to buy. It is lovely.

I had made Bird’s food earlier and seeing no break in this drizzly 3 degree wind, I donned a big jacket, winter boots and a toque and headed out with the dogs. This started good with horses coming to far gate and Bird in the paddock to eat. Then it took a turn, Roo quickly ate her “supplements” after I took her muzzle off then went head down arse up eating like a fat kid in a candy shop. She would not let me catch her and even gestured a kick at me. And I now have a blister wearing no socks. I text S to bring the halter set with her tub that I did not bring - OBVIOUS now it is needed! I left to meet him as she was ripping up the soft grass being chased and eating faster then I have ever seen a horse eat. Leaving had Bird upset who started racing around in the paddock UGH!! What a shit show. S helped me along with Harley who always tries to help. Eventually I sent him in the paddock with Bird’s food where all followed then we bribed her eventually to get caught with just the shank around her neck.

Thanks S for your help! Back at the house S went inside and I fed the dogs. Time for a refreshing favourite gin/tonic for me while I wrote today’s blog post. Then it was time to cook another GF meal. I did not order this box so in the mystery meals we got a tilapia one. S is not a fan of tilapia but he ate it. I am not a fan of kidney beans but I ate it. It was a weird combo of mashed beans, cooked kale and fish. The snow started back up as we were eating at 6.

I hit the tub to soak on this chilly cold day while watching Blown Away. I crawled into bed and started reading the new book but it is way to odd even with the 4.3 rating. Not worth my time so back to Blown Away. S jumped in the tub then into bed to watch more hockey. The snow stopped about 7:30 but around 8:30 the wind blew in more rain. Rain only lasted an hour or so but the wind continued.