Friday, October 22, 2010

Last Friday


Just so many minutes remain.  What to do to make sure this last Friday of "golden beauty before the gray" is not wasted!

Rain is forecast by tonight, and rain is forecast for the next four days.  Then two days without rain and then more rain.  

So, I'm guessing we've seen the best of the good times, and we'll soon be entering the cavern of the blahs.  Yeah, we'll be busy for the next several weeks, but it will be still be gray and it will be colorless, unless it snows.

Folks keep saying that this winter is predicted to be one of the worst in decades.  If that be the case, Mother Nature has a ways to go to outdo the long, hard winters she dished out to us two and three years ago.  

I have not yet figured out the secret to elevating my mood during the winter months.  Suntanning helps.  And, the promise of a trip somewhere in the sun usually gives me a reason to get excited.  Both take money, though, and mine's pretty limited this year.


New daily farm routines will begin in the next several days.  My horses will be staying inside at night, so the morning mucking begins anew, and there will be a return to the Breakfast Boys and the "Secret Sound," which I haven't heard for months. 

I did hear the other day that the latest Secret Sound had set a record of 54 days without anyone guessing.

Don't know if it's still setting new records today, but guessing what the sound might be over the winter months keeps me going while I clean stalls and put out bedding and food for the horses' nightly meal.  

Maybe this year I need to take my cell phone to the barn and actually participate in the Breakfast Boys radio contests.  They do give some nice prizes for the Secret Sound winners.  That might add some excitement to winter.

As I look at the calendar, I see we have only 61 more days of gradually decreasing daylight.  Only 61?  Hmmm. That's uplifting.   

Considering that factoid, I'd better work on some thoughts about better times and better things.  Oh yes, I do have to hurry this morning because Rowdy needs a new bag of kitty litter.  I was told by the gal who changes his box that Tidy Cat would do just fine.

So, this day of limited sunshine minutes (did I mention that we're socked in with dense fog this morning?) will begin with a quick trip to Yoke's and then on to Mother's to fulfill the housekeeper's request.  

After that, I'm hoping to hear from Deb who has the two tons of premium hay I'm buying for the horses.  First cutting grass and alfalfa.

That will be the horses' "grain" this winter.  They're all fat, so I don't think I need to purchase $60-plus worth of All Breeds pellets each month.  

If Deb says yes, then I'll use part of this last Friday to drive to her beautiful farm at the base of Bonners Ferry's Black Mountain to pick up a load of those lovely bales.  I want to haul a load to my barn before the rain starts.

Maybe I'll get home from hay hauling in time to saddle up one of the horses for a quick ride.  My bruises from the last ride have gotten to the truly colorful stage, so maybe it's time to acquire some more in my quest to become the calico woman!

Actually, I'm not really in as bad a mood as it may sound.  I'm sure the true crankiness will come with winter.  My opinions on winter are well documented.

I know it has to come every year, and I know it's part of the glory of four seasons, but at this point in my life, one week of winter would be more than enough to satisfy me. 

Since that ain't gonna happen, I'd better quit tapping away here and go get that kitty litter.  

Have a nice Last Friday.  By the way, my daughter has already checked in after arriving in Maui last night.   At least, she'll enjoy a few days of sunshine and bliss before her Last Friday comes in Seattle. 

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