'Spending' time

I'm  doing my very best  working hard  mostly staying on track to work through my to-do list before surgery, but I haven't managed to carve out time for seasonal tasks like skirting or gardening/landscaping work – yet. (Hey, I still have three more days to try!) Even with the time crunch, I'm very glad I 'spent' the time for women's retreat last weekend. As always the location, food, and speaker were great, and the weather, my bed, and my knees were better than expected. Besides, it was a good warm-up for Rick and Brian, who will have to step up for far longer than a week-end starting next Wednesday afternoon. Photos? Why yes!

my bedroom (I had the bottom bunk, a double bed)

the green space across from our house

the park between our house and the beach access

first ocean view Friday evening

I made it down and up those stairs twice!

my first 'heart' rock sighting!

my first beach gleanings

Friday night's almost-sunset (I had to go back for vespers)

art befitting a place called The Dawn Treader

a Sabbath morning rainbow

the gals who drove me to an easy beach access on day two

The Dawn Treader, best retreat location ever!

a friend who took more photos than I did

very low tide

handsome, well-trained Theo

my second 'heart' rock!

last view of the Pacific

I'm also glad I 'spent' the time to visit my dear old Dutch friend. I had gotten a text from her youngest son over the weekend and was planning to visit her Monday, but decided on the spur of the moment to stop by Sunday before driving on home from the retreat. She had deteriorated noticeably since the last time I was able to stop by; she was on oxygen and unresponsive while I was there but I touched her and told her I loved her, plus talked to her two sons who were present. Work at the two office jobs swamped me on Monday so I wasn't able to stop by again, and she died in the wee hours Tuesday. She was 95; her husband (who is in a different facility) shows every indication of making his 100th birthday on April 25. Considering the extreme conditions in Japanese prison camps they both survived during WWII, their longevity is especially remarkable. Here is the last photo I have of her, taken in January by our retired pastor and his wife (who are originally from South Africa and so could communicate with her in Afrikaans/Dutch):

l've also grabbed every opportunity I can to ride Stella before being sidelined – usually short rides in the arena at the end of busy days, but yesterday and today we took advantage of the beautiful weather to ride around the hill. I was hoping to see my favorite wildflower, the wild iris, but it is too early. There were other flowers, though, including quite a few of a sunny yellow flower I've never seen before.

Lesser Celandine, according to my handy iPhone identifier

Green Alkanet

fawn lily

Oregon grape

a volunteer cherry in the woods

Tomorrow morning rain returns, so that was likely the last of my rides until some time in May. This will likely also be my last post until sometime after surgery. See you on the other side!

this evening's clouds-from-horseback

Shearing is completed!

With the help of fellow breeder Tamara Hill (Rocking Hills Ranch flock number 84 – my flock number is 1480!), as of today my whole flock is sheared. All of them were pretty good or very good about it but one. Bauble was the 13th sheep we sheared, and she seemed determined to prove the superstition about that 'unlucky' number. After an easy and cooperative start she started fighting us, jumping and bucking or trying to collapse completely; by the time we got her done (off the stand for everyone's safety), Tamara and I agreed to call it a day. At least no one got hurt, other than our aching backs. I didn't take many photos this year, but had to take at least one to capture Bauble's lack of cooperation:

3/27's IG/FB photo

I don't know how much skirting I'll get done before surgery. I have a lot that must be done before April 9 as well as our church's women's retreat this weekend that I've already paid for, so skirting may have to wait until later. I forgot to snip side samples from two sheep before shearing them, so those would be the ones I'd start with in order to get all my samples mailed off to Texas A&M for micron testing sooner rather than later.

I saved my waste wool to mulch my rhubarb this year, which is something else I hope to get done (along with the requisite weeding) before surgery. I'm worried that recovery is going to keep me from having a vegetable garden this year, unless Rick takes the initiative on garden prep along with everything else he'll be doing. (He has already done a little work on our one-year-old strawberry patch, but has a lot left to do.)

Surgery looms closer and ever more real. My pre-op appointment with the PA was yesterday, after another set of x-rays were taken specifically to guide the procedures. The PA showed me the hardware I will have and briefly described their placement in a way that sounded like no big deal but clearly IS a very big deal. I understand that pain control is a must in order to do the exercises that will determine a good outcome, but the thought of being on narcotics scares me almost as much as the surgery itself (it doesn't help that I've been listening to Tommy Orange's books). I have a prescription for an at-home surgical rehab machine that I'm told by my doctor's office that my insurance has approved, but am awaiting confirmation of that. And I have an estimated pre-pay amount for my surgery (that probably doesn't cover the two-night hospital stay) which would cover a very nice vacation for two. Good thing I'm a home-body!

Besides the above photo of Bauble and one of daffodils, my IG/FB photos have been all about the sky shows lately. Enjoy – I sure have!

That's it for now from . . .

Counting down and checking off

With surgery looming on April 9 I've entered countdown mode, starting to check off things that must be done before I'm laid up for awhile. I need to start a written list so I don't forget the various house and barn staples I need to stock up on, the medical devices I need to procure, tax payments that must be paid ahead of time, etc. I need to confer with the two friends and a neighbor who have volunteered to stay with me for the first week while Rick and Brian are at work to create a schedule. And 'just in case,' I need to fill out an advance directive and write down some specific instructions for Rick regarding the dispersal of my sheep, horses, and fiber tools.

Tuesday I went to Salem Health's joint replacement class. Most of what the nurse and physical therapist covered is in the book I was given at the appointment with my orthopedic surgeon, but going over it again and getting to ask questions was worthwhile. One of the friends who has volunteered to stay with me attended as my 'coach.' My sister has also been passing on pearls of wisdom from her own knee replacement experience and those of people she knows. I think I'll be as prepared as it is possible to be without having gone through any prior surgery and recovery.

A BIGGY to check off before surgery is getting my flock of 15 Shetlands sheared, and thanks to the help of a fellow Shetland breeder, we're over halfway there. We can only do one or two a day; even with both of us working together, one on each side, each sheep still takes 2-3 hours. I am SO thankful for her help; doing them all myself before surgery would have been impossible. She has also agreed to give my flock a home should anything happen to me, relieving me of any concerns about their future welfare.

Unfortunately, shearing yearling Bernice yesterday confirmed a growing suspicion. When her half-brother Bud escaped briefly last winter and responded to her flirtation in spite of his broken shoulder, she got pregnant. I didn't record the date and the signs are subtle at this point; I don't see her lambing by April 9. The disastrous results of lambing season three years ago that started when I was in Texas helping my parents still haunts me; now I'm in more knots over little Bernice's situation than I am over my surgery. Hopefully I can at least get my guys to help me clean the sheep fold in order to set up the lambing jug in the corner so it's ready when needed.

IG/Facebook and assorted blog post-specific photos follow (IG posts have words in quotes).

"Apparently a dual-purpose Nylabone."

"Interesting dayscape and nightscape from yesterday" (two photos)

"Morning  cuddles."

"Good morning!"

"The first of my yearlings was sheared yesterday–such SOFT, fine, crimpy fleece!"

"I don't share many photos of Chuckie because he's usually too close for a good photo."

"More grey yearling gorgeousness (I have three) and, unfortunately, an unplanned little bun in one of the ovens." (three photos)

Bernice from the side.

My four-legged flock and herd. Enjoying them while I can.💕

Oh, and happy Spring Equinox! (Yes, it is raining.)

That's it for now from . . .