This week has really zoomed by. I stayed busy every day trying to get things done so I could cross them off my list. Lists! Oh, I love my lists. I would be so disorganized without my lists. To-do lists, shopping lists, things to pack lists–if I don’t want to forget something I will make a list.
In a couple of days, I will be going out of town on business. Not health coach business; business for my other job. I am going to receive training on a new system that is going to be installed later this year. So, I had to get things done at work before I leave. It is a courtesy to leave very little for others to have to deal with in your absence. We are a very cohesive group, and we like everything to run smoothly.
There are also quite a few things that I want to accomplish at home before I leave. Our little ranch is quite a bit of work, and my husband and I are a very good team. Together, we keep this place in order and all the animals taken care of. With me being gone for the next 2 weeks, my husband is going to have his hands full. Plus, it is already time to start thinking about fall and winter coming. I will feel very much behind if certain things have to wait until I get back.
So there are have-to-do lists, need-to-do lists, should-do-lists, and want-to-do lists. I was very successful at my other job getting things crossed off my lists. My lists for things at home always have more on them than is possible to take on, but I have been working on those all week, too.
There are always unexpected things that pop up, like my mom insisting that the tree outside her window be taken down ASAP. It was too much for my husband and I to accomplish safely, so luckily, I was able to find someone who could cut down the tree, cut it into firewood sized logs, and grind the stump 2 days after he came out to give us an estimate. This weekend, we have to replace the overhead light in the feed room in the barn. It looks to be about 15 feet high. This is a perfect example of a task that my husband and I would do together. It is just so much easier when you have help. Hopefully, the A frame ladder is tall enough. I may have to stand on top of the hay to help out.
I need to finish mowing the field for the last time this year. I started mowing last weekend, but I didn’t finish because one of the hydraulic hoses on the tractor sprung a leak. We got new hoses today. Once my husband gets them installed, I will be on my way. You see, this field is my horses’ winter pasture. I don’t want big, old plants in there that are devoid of nutrients. I have to carefully plan my last time to mow so that the grass grows a little more before it goes dormant for the winter. That way the grass and other plants will have a higher concentration of nutrients to keep the horses warm all winter. And that means I will not have to feed as much hay to them. Hay is expensive, and I try to make the most of the pastures that I have. Speaking of hay, I bought my hay for the year back in June. It was just cut and baled so it was fresh. I try to guess how much hay I am going to need without buying so much that it goes to waste. And you don’t want to run out, either. Sometimes, good quality hay is hard to find in the winter. And sometimes it is very expensive, too. Careful planning is an absolute must.
We have an outside fish pond that needs to be cleaned out. The lily pad plants have gotten out of control. I had been meaning to do some cleanup work in that pond, but just couldn’t find the time. Well, a few weeks ago I accidentally killed all the fish in the pond. It was so hot every day that the water kept evaporating like crazy. I let it get too low and then I put too much city water in it. The water department had recently sent out a statement that they had to add extra chemicals to the water. They warned about a slight change in color and instructed us to not use bleach in the laundry. Something in the water killed all the fish. Some of those fish were several years old. I was heartbroken. I literally cried. I would like to get that fish pond cleaned up and ready for new fish. They will need to get acclimated to living outside before it starts to cool off.
In Texas, you would think that it is going to be several weeks before things really start to cool down; and you would be correct. But losing two weeks of productivity at home could really skew my schedule. So we will see how much time I have left after I do the laundry, clean the house, pack my bags, and spend some quality time with my husband. I’ll let you know how everything turns out.
Proverbs 10:5 A wise youth harvests in the summer, but one who sleeps during harvest is a disgrace.
