All in a Day . . . .

Self-induced stress:  I could have written the manual.

I told my friend Helen that this week I would need a white board to keep every "to do" for each day of the week and when it needed to be done straight. 

It's one of those weeks of being tugged in seemingly a million different directions without enough time on the clock to do it all. 

Somehow, it's all working out and, happily, working out well. 

It's been an action-packed few days with a definite need for self discipline.  Yesterday was especially busy because at the end of a string of "to do's" would come the visit of Tom and Beth. 

Tom and Beth were my seatmates on a flight from Seattle to Los Angeles earlier this year.  Tom, who's newly retired, spent his career building pretty cool looking homes in Seattle, while Beth has worked for the last decade-plus as a flight attendant for Alaska Airlines.

During our three-hour, rollicking get-acquainted session on the way to Los Angeles, Sandpoint and its beauty were mentioned, as was the Lovestead and the time the Australians stayed out behind the barn in our new-old motorhome for nearly a week on their first trip to America AND the time the cross-country bikers of the Baker clan (one a classmate of my brothers) stayed out behind the barn in the motorhome for two days. 

Apparently "out behind the barn" sounded really alluring to Tom and Beth and their dog Sadie and their beautiful teardrop travel trailer, complete with American flag flying while parked. 

So, this weekend, Beth wrote and said they were coming. And, they did.  

And, since their arrival, we have had a great time, especially because I reminded Bill all week long that their names were "Tom and Beth."   

After all, Bill sat across the aisle from me during that flight so he couldn't participate in all the visiting across the aisle to get to know them like I did. 

Tom and Beth are now enjoying the comforts of their trailer out behind the barn.

I'm happy to say this morning that horses did not whinny their usual "let me out to the pasture" and I managed to keep clanging gates at a minimum.

So, they're probably still snoozing away as I write. 

Before Tom and Beth came yesterday afternoon, my farrier John Fuller came precisely at 8 a.m. to put shoes on Lily and Lefty and trim CB's pretty white toes.  That went well, and, as usual, John and Bill and I enjoyed a wonderful visit.

Almost the second John drove out the driveway, we went into action on the next thing to do. Bill started hauling out garbage sacks bound for the transfer station, while I pulled out the vacuum cleaner.  

As I was vacuuming in ultra speed mode, Bill suddenly appeared in the the kitchen, yelling, "Mike and Mary are here."  

Mike and Mary are my brother and sister-in-law. They're here for a family reunion on Mary's side, scheduled for this weekend. Usually when they come, we enjoy a relaxing visit over a cup of coffee or two. 

Yesterday, it was a quick visit outside.  They soon went on their way.  

I finished up vacuuming, changed my clothes and headed for town with my camera to take photos of some folks involved in my story assignment. 

They all enjoyed meeting each other, and within half an hour, we had some nice pictures. 

Then, it was on to town for a quick meeting with a former student who had flown in from Denver.  We knew beforehand that we may not connect, and that turned out to be the case. 

Then, it was back home for some final cleaning/organizing touches before Tom and Beth arrived.  Turns out they were behind schedule, so that gave me some unexpected time to do some work on my story. 

They came rolling in the driveway about 4:30, and about 4:31, Tom, the high-end builder, noticed the duct tape holding my greenhouse door together. 

To say he had a curious look on his face would be an understatement.  

"We live funky," I finally blurted.  Tom seemed to accept that, but I could tell he still wasn't convinced that duct tape and funky go together.   

This morning I put another strip of duct tape on the greenhouse door with the message:  Tom-Free Zone. I'm sure he'll notice. 

We went to dinner and when we returned, I found a bag of fresh-cut lavender on my door knob.  Thank you, for the lavender and your thoughtfulness, Maryann.  Hope you like the photo. 

Yeah, twas a busy, crazy day yesterday, all fun.  And, now I can identify with that saying:  all's well that ends well.  That is truly the case for yesterday. 

Horses' feet are up to snuff.  My photos turned out well.  We've thoroughly enjoyed our guests, and the kitchen smells heavenly with the lavender.

High notes throughout the day.  

Oh, did I mention that we also had another group of visitors yesterday:  turkeys!

Happy Thursday.