Rode both Tanza and Sadie on Saturday

I almost whiffed riding Sadie on saturday because it got gray and a bit windy but I knew it was supposed to rain on Sunday and the wind let off a bit.   Ended up having a nice enjoyable ride, did only go 5 miles instead of bumping to more of a conditioning length ride but quite fun.

Really enjoyed Tanza on Saturday morning.  I'm still leading him out the first .4 miles.  I'm using the excuse of needing to get some walking in on weekends anyway but mostly it is just a nice way to avoid stress.   Once I got on he wanted to canter right away and I was 'ummmm.... yeah we can see how this goes I do like to canter'    I did slow to a trot when we got to the downhill slope because I don't want to find out if my balance is good enough to handle a downhill crow hop.    Trotted a bunch on the way out and then walked heading back because he was willing to trot out, then was a bit worried that some boogie was behind him and than when he relaxed and wasn't feeling like he was wanting to rush away from a boogie I decided relaxed walking was a good thing anyway.  Then I asked him to trot and he offered canter instead up the gentle hill towards home.

 He is a lot of fun and has gained 20-25 pounds according to the weight tape since I taped him to get the wormer dose a few weeks ago.   He needs to gain at least another 25, maybe even 50 but its moving the right direction and gradual gain is safest.

Sunday it was indeed rainy, I think we got 1 to 1.5 inches over the 24-30 hours from Saturday middle of night to monday morning.  I did a bunch of laundry and treated myself to a Sarah Hoyt novel.  I have not quite finished it , decided I could savor the last bit and be happier than if I stayed up extra late and started the week being tired.    Finished up Quicksilver early Sunday morning and decided I'd read some fun shorter and faster novels before starting on 2nd book in the series even though I really enjoyed the side dish of history and character descriptions of various 17th century  math/scientists or natural philosophers as they called themselves.

Need to resume posting

Even if it is only short riding diary snatches.  

On that front I had 2 good rides on Tanza last week.  He is acting more relaxed going out solo and I am gaining trust in him.  I'm still keeping to walk/trot to keep things calmer but have had some good, longish trots.

Sadie has been a ping pong ball a lot lately but I know there is no blow up after the sideways jumps so am enjoying riding her regardless.  She was better Monday when I rode her, not perfect but not as many side jumps.

Sunday it was chilly and windy all day and I just read for several hours.  I should decide I can read in a disciplined way and read an actual book for a few hours every week.

I am 4.5 weeks into my I will jog or walk every M-F.   I've been a bit more brittle in mood, not sure if related.  It does feel like its becoming a habit.  I'm trying to decide on skipping Weds. to give the knees recovery time or go every day for the mental habit reinforcement once the 6 weeks are up.

I bought 4 pairs of tennies yesterday at Payless.  Hopefully that will hold me for 1.5 years or so, I hate making a special stop to buy shoes, even at Payless where its easy to find the sizes I need and no irritating clerk hovering insisting I should buy ladies extra wide instead of just using men's and then having to run to the back because they only have the cute teeny sizes out for display.  Monday I noticed the pair I was going to wear had one shoe ripping across the sole,  I didn't want to try to use them and have it rip clean thru and leave me hobbling home on my jog.  Tossed them last night.   Wore one new pair a bit in office last night and they are so comfy.  The intact old pair is going to become infrequent in the rotation if that comfy feeling holds up with the new shoes.

Mia is back to normal, getting antibiotics

Whew,  with the level of panting and lethargy that night even though she was better the next morning I figured she was in serious decline.   The vet checked her over and 'heart is good, lungs are clear ...'  He figured she had an infection.  She had a patch of raw skin on her neck.  It didn't really look like an abscess underneath but she is much better after the first few doses of antibiotic she is to get for 2 weeks so his diagnosis is probably correct.   She was panting and lethargic again the night after going to the vet so I gave her another dose of prednisone but then the antibiotics seemed to kick in and she got back to normal in couple days. 

Mia is not doing well

She is quite old for a big dog but just a week ago I was thinking how well she is doing.  Well that is better than a slow painful decline but I still haz a sad. 

I gave her an aspirin and a 10mg of prednisone last night and she was up and eating and drinking a bit  after I went out to feed horses this morning so I guess that helped.    Thank goodness.    It was a full George Carlin last night getting home at 11pm and having Dad announce Mia is not doing well and of course he had not tried to get her to a vet or called the former vet tech sister for advice on what we could give her from home supplies or even called me at work earlier in the evening so I could suggest something or tell him to call sister and get advice before it was too late to call anyone.  

Federal taxes done except looking up tax due

I got everything filled out just with the sidebar directions and looking at my last years' form so I didn't even pull up the huge instruction sheet yesterday.   Need to pull it up to get the amount due and then I can move on to the state forms.   I think I could do the ND one right now but I need to figure out what donations I gave last year since I can deduct them on the CO state taxes w/o having had to itemize the federal one which my standard deduction is higher since no mortgage insurance or other big ticket deductions and I will want to take whatever I can for the CO taxes since their rate is plenty high.


I've been riding Sadie and Tanza and having fun with it but not really in a conditioning for endurance rides yet mode.   Canceled tentative plans to go to a charity ride w/ open miles next weekend and volunteered to be on call at work instead.   Kind of bummed but I think I need to ride more at home before Tanza is ready for traveling and I'm just not ready to pack up trailer and stuff yet.

Went almost 3 miles on Tanza today.   Not very far but he was pretty good and we did some trotting for a pretty good stretch w/o me feeling like he was getting too wound up and might try to bolt for home or shy hard and dump me.   Went 5 miles Saturday on Sadie.   She was plenty wound up but I'm confident on her that I can sit out any spooks and that she wont bolt.