Random Friday

1.  I have been floored by the response to my "acceptance" post.  I had no idea it would resonate with so many people.  Honestly, when I wrote it I was hesitant to hit the "publish" button.  It seemed so... personal ... so petty.  It is a HUGE comfort knowing that I'm not the only one who struggles with accepting the body type that goes with 50+.  My mom used to say that when she got older, she never recognized herself in the mirror.  That woman with grey hair and wrinkles just couldn't be her.  I have to admit, I understand the feeling now.  The picture of me in my brain and the reflection in the mirror do not match.  I'm going to try to come to terms with that; accept that -- who knows, maybe even (huge leap of faith) embrace it.

2.  Jackson has his first abscess of the season.  I can't believe he made it through two and half very wet months before succumbing.  I tried a new style of hoof boot when I ordered replacements last time; they were less expensive and easier to put on.  Jackson was not impressed.  He figured out that if he lifted his hind foot and gave it a good shake, he could get rid of the boot.  Over the past month, we've found him many mornings sporting three boots.  I scour the pasture, find the missing boot, put it back on -- and Jackson glares at me.  I ordered more of the original kind, but not before he managed to keep a boot off long enough to bruise his sole and get an abscess.

3.  The chickens are laying again.  Glory hallelujah!  We have twelve hens and five or six of them are back in service.  It is so nice to have plenty of eggs again.  Brett and I were negotiating for the few we were getting from the three youngest who didn't stop laying.  I'd reserve a couple for a recipe; one for breakfast on the weekend; and Brett would hoard the rest until there were enough for him to make scrambled eggs.

4.  I'm looking forward to a quiet weekend at home.  Last weekend we flew down to Southern California where we ran from function to function.  We had a great time but I missed my quiet weekends with the animals and the time spent in front of the wood-stove recharging my batteries. We had lunch at Brett's son's restaurant with my daughter and her boyfriend.  The food was amazing.  Then we were off to a retirement party for one of Brett's good friends at the police department.  Not many of the guys that he worked with are still there; everyone has retired.  But many of them came to the celebration so it was fun to see everyone and catch up.  Sunday morning, we went to brunch with a group of women that I used to work with before we moved to Northern California.  Again, great to catch up on what everyone is doing personally and professionally -- mostly, personally.  When we got home late Sunday night, it was 47F in the house -- no heater and no wood-stove for two days of cold and rain.  It took a few days to get the damp coldness out of the corners of the house.

5.  Rain continues.  Lots of snow in the higher elevations.  And a few hours of sunshine today between fronts.  The streams are all singing and the pond is filling faster than the overflow drain can handle at times.  The horses are covered in mud.  Life is good.