First Bike Ride!!!

Sunday we went for our first ride of the year!!! It was a little strange riding and looking over the fields still scattered with snow but it was wonderful to be flying down the road again. The kids had bought a side-by-side and we met them in Bisbee for lunch at The Chocolate Shop. We warmed up there with a cup of hot chocolate and I had a bowl of corn chowder and a ham and cheese sandwich.

There was a sign in the restaurant with prices for camping in Bisbee so we decided to take a ride over and see the campground and the dam. With my ankle still messed up I wasn't able to walk out and look at the dam like I would have liked. 

I was worried about getting cold so I wore fleece leggings under my jeans, a thermal shirt, zippered sweatshirt and my leathers. I plan to buy a neck gaiter to keep my neck warm on future cold rides. I also tried to wear a knit cap but it was not tight enough and it started to blow off so I had to grab it and hold it until we got to our destination. I'll make sure I wear a tighter knit cap the next time.

Finally got my Christmas present from Mr. B. He'd originally gotten me a pair of knee high boots but they didn't fit my fat calves so I had to send them back. I looked for another pair but we never submitted the order. I'd recently found a pair I really liked on Facebook Marketplace but they were the wrong size so I contacted the person and asked what style they were but got no response. I went back on Amazon and looked for the boot style but couldn't find it but I did find these. I received them this week and they fit! I was so happy! I like the fact they're tall enough I can tuck my leggings in but not so tall I can't wear pants over them. Wish I would have had them Sunday for our ride. It's supposed to be nice this Sunday so with any luck we'll be able to ride again.

FOOD:

Tuesday I was hungry for a salad so decided to make a buffalo chicken salad. Romaine lettuce, cucumber and some chicken strips drizzled with bleu cheese dressing. Simple to fix and filled me up nicely without being heavy.

Grandma's Helper came for a visit!

Today has been another warm day. We can finally see our driveway! I was sitting on the bench swing watching Jasper and pondering how long the snow will take to disappear. You can see from the school bus on the far right how tall these snow mounds are.

Jasper and Bella were enjoying the outdoors this afternoon. They got out their containers of bubbles and were running and twirling around to make the bubbles. Bella brought baby Hadlee out in her stroller and she got to enjoy the bubbles they were blowing for her along with some sunshine. 

Jasper took off to climb the mountains of snow and explore on his own. I had to laugh watching him lay down in a puddle and move his arms and legs like he was making a snow angel. He came in absolutely soaking wet and cold after his exploration but happy as could be. If he hadn't been so cold I would have thrown him into the tub to warm up. I'm not sure if his snowboots will dry out any time soon. I need to invest in one of those boot dryers. He also came in exhausted and crashed while eating his snack. I couldn't let him sleep too long. The night before he had done the same thing  -  falling asleep at about 6  pm, waking up at about 11 pm and staying up until after 3 am - grandma was exhausted!!!!

My lil sleeping beauty!

We have baby chicks on the farm again! Desi and I picked up 8 new ones. Bottineau had them for 1/2 price so they picked up 10 more. She bought 4 different varieties. They're starting their ugly stage now. I was surprised that Jasper didn't show any interest. I thought for sure he'd want to hold them but he looked at them and walked off. He wouldn't even help feed them.

lil dude intently watching TV

A Gray Day

It was a cold, gray windy and rainy day Thursday - which suits my mood. The rain had turned into a mix of rain, ice pellets and snow so it was an ugly day. Thankfully that mess quit before I left for town for my physical therapy appointment. I had very little motivation and just want to curl up with a blanket and sleep. I know it's because I was gone so much Wednesday and my body needed to recharge so I planned to take it easy after I got home from physical therapy.  I really would have preferred some sunshine to sunbath in through the window or sitting on the bench swing.to help recharge my batteries but nature hasn't cooperated this week.

So my plans for the day consisted of doing a quick pickup, unloading the dishwasher and curling up with my new books and magazine for the afternoon.  I finally got to Barnes and Noble on Wednesday to use the gift card that I got for Valentine's Day. Nothing I'd hope to accomplish got done due to events I describe below.

PETS:

I took Annie, Mr. B's border collie, to the vet Wednesday as she had been having a lot of problems and had stopped walking or getting up. Blood work confirmed she had diabetes along with some other serious issues including kidney issues (from diabetes), a sinus infection and an infection in one of her legs that he wasn't sure the cause of. She was under close supervision as she was not doing well at all. The vet did multiple x-rays to rule out a couple possibilities and gave her two injections of antibiotics at the office and sent her home on insulin, an antibiotic and an anti-inflammatory.

When I got back from physical therapy Thursday I walked in and saw pale red blood scattered across on the kitchen floor. Being in the medical field, I was glad to see no bright red blood. It appeared she cut or bit her tongue and that was where the blood was coming from and mixing with her saliva (she had been drooling). I almost wonder if she might have had a seizure while I was gone. She wanted to continually drink water (a symptom of diabetes) so I had to put the water bowl on the counter and give her limited amounts or she'd drink until she threw up. Babies and pets are the worse when they're sick and have no way to communicate with us.

I did some research and the essential oils that are good for humans are good for dogs with sinus issues so I put some eucalyptus, peppermint and lavender in the diffuser. I thought it helped a little bit, she didn't sound as labored.

Unfortunately, Annie passed while Mr. B was trying to give her the evening medications after he got home. We had thought she might be able to make a recovery as she was only about 10 or 11 years old. It's been a rough winter. The kids lost two of their cats and a horse and we've lost two dogs since the beginning of the year.

FOOD:

I've been reading off and on for years about Ayurveda, a medical system that originated in India over 2000 years ago. There are three dosha types and I'm a Pitta or Pitta-Kapha, depending on which test I take. One of the books I just bought encourages you to eat based on how you feel at that moment, so you have to listen to your body. Since I've been feeling the cold and damp outside I decided to try one of their suggested breakfast ideas of cooked apples.

I took some apples that were starting to wrinkle and weren't pretty, peeled and cut them into thick slices. Then I put the apple slices into a saucepan with a little water and cooked on medium. The water was cooking off so I decided to use one of Jasper's apple juice packets and add some apple juice to boost the flavor a bit. I cooked the apples until they were tender but still firm, don't overcook as you don't want applesauce. I threw some Wolfberries / Gogi berries into the pot as I didn't have any cranberries for a pop of sweetness then added a bit of honey and a couple pinches of cardamon. Ayurvedic theory says not to combine fruit and dairy but I added a tablespoon or so of cream to it as it needed a bit of something. It was a nice light breakfast and I used up some apples that would have gone bad otherwise.