January 2011

The year started in the right way: Tacos at our house with the usual suspects: Mom, Angie, Gary, Dennis & me. And Spike & 50-50, of course. Can you tell they are not happy?

It's all ready Jan. 10, so I'm late starting the 2011 blog. I had to catch up with the last two years of no entries. It's been a good year so far. I had a horseback riding lesson with by trainer and friend, Betsy, on Wednesday and went trail riding with my friend Joyce for the first time since my knee accident on August 3, 2010. We went to the Laguna Mountains and the entire trail was under snow. My horse, Doc, loved it. I was wearing my new ACL brace and was a little nervous about slipping on the ice (either me or Doc). But there were no mishaps. On the trail someone had built a small, 3-ft. tall snowman. Doc took one look at it and I could just hear him thinking, "No way I'm going past that horse-eating monster!" He did eventually, of course, or I'd still be out there.

Recap 2010

Medicare
What a way to start the year. I turned 65 in January and had to make the adjustment to Medicare. Apparently, this triggered the signal to fall apart. In March I had a stroke...really? a stroke?...isn't that what happens to old people? Luckily, I had no lasting effects except some slight vision damage. However, once they get you (the medical establishment), they feel they can change and control your life. First, get rid of the PremPro, welcome back hot flashes. Then shed 10 lbs. within two months. No Jenny Craig, just quit eating all carbs (bread, pasta, pie, fruit, crackers, cereal) and, by the way, don't eat meat either. Hello nuts and vegetables. Next it's either cholesterol medicine or holistic therapies such as niacin, red yeast rice, chelated magnesium and fish oil. Have you ever taken niacin? And I thought hot flashes were bad. Finally, lower that blood pressure--another tiny pill to take and double your exercise, too. So instead of my usual daily mile walk on the ranch trail, I started climbing the hills behind our home. My dear husband has been with me every step of the way. He even cooks low-cal, high veggie dinners for us.

Cry Fowl
We added more wild birds to our collection, including 13 wild turkeys. They are beautiful from the neck down--heads not so much. But amusing, yes. I don't know what they're thinking, but they seem to like to follow...people, dogs, cats, cars, whatever is moving ahead of them.
Camping
We acquired a camper and took it for a try-out at Lake Morena. Spike came with us, sleeping in his own pup tent.

My Bike Accident
Dennis & I took a couple of rented electric bikes out for a trial ride in August. We'd been riding for a couple of hours when I had an accident and blew out my knee. Long story short, the worst part was my ACL detached and it took about 5 months before I could ride my horse again. In December I was able at least to get up on Doc, even though we didn't go anywhere.

September Wedding
Perhaps the best of 2010 came when my nephew, Bryan, married a sweetheart of a girl, Danielle. They decided to set their wedding date on the day my parents (Bryan's grandparents) were married--September 25. That made my Mother very, very happy. The wedding was held at Danielle's parents' gorgeous home in Rancho Santa Fe. Great niece Amanda was one of the two flower girls (Amanda on left, Simone on right). The girls were cute, cute, cute. It was a beautiful wedding and we are so happy for them!

Trips
When I could walk again, we took a couple of trips: San Francisco to see Cavalia, a Cirque du Solei with horses, and to Washington State to visit friends and relatives in Washington and Canada.
Rally to Restore Sanity
In October we attended a local Rally to Restore Sanity, not the one in Washington, DC, but a satellite one in San Diego.
A Sicilian Christmas
My Mom and I have been talking about putting together a recipe book of all the traditional foods we prepare at Christmas. This year Mom, my sister Angie, and I finally did it.
Sandy Creek Designs
My glass fusing endeavor has evolved over the year and I decided to try to sell some of my jewelry and glass art. My friend, Betsy, and I set up tables at the Pine Valley Days craft show and I started a website and new business called Sandy Creek Designs. The website is not done yet but I'm working on it.

That about sums it up for 2010. Not an especially good year, but it ended on an up note anyway. Now I can get on with 2011's blog. I hope I can keep up this time. Only time will tell.

Recap 2009

Glass Fusing
In January I took a glass fusing class at Blue Dolphin Stained Glass store in San Diego. I started making glass pendants using a microwave kiln. Dennis bought me a glass kiln and I started making more and better jewelry, plates, bowls, spoon rests, and vases. In truth, they are cluttering up the place.
Other Hobbies
My knitting continued to progress at the same time. This year I concentrated on making socks and learning lace knitting. Mom relearned to knit this year after crocheting for many years. Dennis still plays his violin, although his time for practicing has diminished in direct relation to his work schedule.
Dog Diary
We lost two dogs this year: Ghost and Shadow, 13-year-old litter mates, half samoyed, half lab. They were our black and white bookends and we miss them.

Kindle-ites
Mom, Dennis and I have given up hardback books in favor of digital books on our Kindles. We LOVE the kindle! It's so easy to carry around, no more big, heavy books to pack and lug around when we travel, no more storage problems.
Sandy Creek Forest
Our tree planting is finally making a difference. From spring through fall you can barely see any of the buildings on the ranch from the road.
Back to the Mac
I now have an iMac in my home office along with the obligatory PC.
The Bells are Ringing
Dennis built a carillon that chimes at the hour and quarter hour and plays a tune at the half hour. He programmed it with Christmas carols that play all year round!
Travel
To make a long story short: Northern Italy and Switzerland in September and San Francisco in November. For Christmas, Dennis, Mom and I met my sister Angie and brother-in-law Gary in Branson, MO, for a week of nonstop entertainment. We loved it.
Ranch Projects
No house remodel, no garage, but we have plans to enlarge the guest house just a little. However, Dennis did remodel the garden, putting in some planter boxes and many vegetable plants.

Ok, that's a very quick recap of 2009. On to 2010.

I Had a Stroke and Forgot I Had a Blog

My sister and I were looking at her blog (2squirrels.blogspot.com) and I clicked on the link she had to my blog. OMG, the last entry was December 2008! How could I ever catch up? So my clever sister gave me the line for the title of this comeback blog.

I did have a stroke, but it was last March, not two years ago. Then I blew out my knee, but that was last August, so my excuses are pretty thin. I could just start with January 2011 as if the last two years didn't happen (wouldn't mind skipping 2010 actually), but my left brain won't let me. Therefore, I'll do a recap of 2009 and one of 2010, then I'll try to keep up. How's that sound?

We're Back

We made it! Shalla and I trailered from the barn to the mountains in little less than 40 minutes, arriving around 8:50 a.m. Joyce arrived with her horse around 9:00 and we were well down the trail by 9:15. It was a gorgeous day, blue sky and warm, but not hot. Perfect. Shalla started off a little hot, as in ready to go, but she was great all the way. A wonderful trail horse. Why did it take me 20 years to ride her? I guess I just wasn't ready. Anyway, we got back in one piece and all is well with the world. Horses are the best.

Really Catching Up

I can't believe it has been over a year since my last post in August 2007. It's almost the end of 2008! I either ran out of things to say or time to say it in.

But here I am just finishing up another Xmas Express newsletter (our 23rd) and getting ready to go for another trail ride in the mountains. I still ride with the same friend, Joyce, and normally the same horse, Doc. But today is a little different. It's cold, for one thing. The high Santa Ana winds we were having the past two days have died down so it should be a pleasant day. Today I am riding Shalla, one of our Arabian horses.

Catching Up

Missed the last couple of days. Thursday afternoon we had rain again--.28 inches. On Friday morning I did another head count on the geese and found that Lucky was missing. There is a very serious predator out there somewhere, and it or they have picked off all of the "leadership" of the geese flock. At this point, only one Chinese goose and 14 Canadians remain, plus Ralph, Jr., our only Muscovey duck.