It's Friday!

 

It's amazing the number of maintenance "to do's" that keep popping up this time of year. 

I don't like the money "to do's," but I do it anyway.  In the past week, I've paid the annual bill for Homeowners' insurance and have made two quarters of estimated income tax payments for the year.  Bill paid the other "ouch" on our taxes. 

Just as I think we've taken care of the "big money" items, others flash into mind, e.g., lawnmower maintenance, weed spraying, etc. 

And, sooner rather than later, the property taxes will once again come due. 

When Bill took all the tax stuff to the post office yesterday, we could, at least, say good bye to one of the ominous headaches and worries of the year. 

Yesterday and today have involved another kind of maintenance---spring worming for dogs and horses. 

I'm down to just one mouth left for inserting some paste.  That would be CB who requires that I put him in a stall and climb up on the mounting block so I can reach his head, which at worming time, can extend high in the sky. 

The other two horses?  A piece of cake. 

I wormed each while leading them from the round pen yesterday afternoon. 

One of our three dogs cooperated in the worming process.  

Yesterday at the vet hospital, cream cheese and peanut butter could not convince Foster to take his tablet.  So, it went down his throat and his mouth was squeezed shut until he swallowed. 

This morning Liam opened his mouth, accepted the tablet, gulped and it was gone. 

I thought Bridie would do the same.  

Silly me. 

She immediately spit it out.  I picked it up and tried again.  Same results. 

With other dogs watching, the concern was that Liam would grab the tablet, and, as Bill said, we don't need to double worm our dogs. 

Eventually, I used the same tactic as the tech had used on Foster, and Bridie swallowed her pill. 

So, three dogs and two horses down and one to go. 

As far as lawnmower maintenance, we're in the "pestering" mode with Tony who is probably as busy as tax preparers at this time of year. 

Tony is used to our pestering, and we're hoping soon that he'll bite and set a time for coming out to get the equipment ready to go.  

"Soon" would be good cuz the grass is growing fast. 

For weed spraying, conditions must be right for Lori to come with her equipment---namely much dryer ground. 

Speaking of a desire for dry ground, I was preparing a possible setting for some pictures I'm taking tomorrow. 

The setting for the subjects is nice, but for the photographer, that's another story. 

I have to stand in our barnyard to take the picture.  As always, I do dry runs before photo shoots. 

Well, at the Lovestead, there is no such thing as a "dry run" in our barnyard. 

In fact, the mud is so bad that it felt like my boots had suction cups on the bottoms. 

There were times yesterday when it took me as long as 30 seconds to release my foot from the mud and then attempt to take the next step. 

Hoping for some dryer times today.

Happily, the lawn areas are drying enough for the dogs to have some quality time playing without the need for a bath afterward. 

I took them with me for a short drive to some ponds along HWY 95 last night.  They seemed to enjoy themselves, and I felt lucky to have arrived just as the sun was setting behind the mountains.  

Plus, it was bonus time:  a train came through and a critter, which I think was a beaver, swam along the far side of the pond. 

A pretty time at the pond and even prettier times ahead.  

I have several items on the agenda today, including a hair zap with Sally and the day's grand finale when Annie shows up from Seattle for the weekend.  

Foster will be thrilled.  

Happy Friday.