What a weight off my mind

 Tanza's fetlock lameness is improving.  They did not take new x-rays, the vet said since its only 2 months she wouldn't expect to be able to see much change on the sesamoid x-rays, but with the level of improvement in gait after flexion from November she didn't think he needed to have shock wave therapy and if they do the shockwave it is $800-1K each time and they do it 3 or 4 times every 2 weeks.   The only issue they found on his stifle was some excess fluid, and that might from him compensating for the fetlock soreness.   

So keep on doing what I have been,  using the cold laser 4-5 times a week and feeding the OCD pellets and I can bring him back for a recheck in 2 months.   I'll probably just have Dr Mike evaluate him.  I need to get another trailer ball with only a couple inches of drop to pull my trailer with B's pickup.   I guess I was hoping/thinking I'd have my pickup to use by then.  But I should drive B's pickup somewhat more often,  I've been using the trickle charger some to keep the battery okay but vehicles should be driven a couple times a month for other things.  

Procrastination wins

 After neighbor moved my dumpster to the other side of the driveway for me with the pallet forks on the tractor the dumpster service has been able to reach and  empty it.  I should still get some fill for that ditch, it might need some help when the ground is no longer freezing overnight.    I had to report for jury duty on Jan 6th.   Thankfully I didn't get seated on the jury for the pool I was in but I picked up a virus that hit like a truck on the 9th.   5 days of ivermectin got me past it, but it really did hit me hard.  I don't know if it was influenza or I was just hit that hard by a regular cold bug.   I am now getting some excess sinus drainage,  hopefully I don't wind up with a sinus infection or other bacterial crud.   The coworkers have been sick a lot this winter so I don't think there is an issue with my health, seems to just be a year for a lot of viruses going around. 

I really need to call the CSU equine center so I can get in and get copies of the images they took and I also need to book an appointment to get the fetlock x-rayed again and do the shockwave.  I think the cold laser I've been doing is helping a bit but my gut feeling is that just that and rest is not going to get enough healing.   I keep getting depressed by the situation.  I figure I will retire Tanza but I want him pasture sound.  I don't know if it makes any sense for me to get a new horse.  I kind of thinks I should just ride CJ and Sadie some and either try to find someone that would like someone to ride one of their extra horses or maybe just go and volunteer at rides.  It seems very hard to find time to do much riding. 

I must get some recycled concrete delivered now

 The dumpster service I signed up for was not able to get to the dumpster this morning.  Argghhh, why does everything have to end up being complicated.   I will have to get the tractor tomorrow and see if I can move the dumpster to the other side of the driveway which I think is less soft, that is where the old dumpster was; but I expect I need to get some fill put in even on that side.   

Neighbors had invited me to come over at 2 for Christmas dinner a week ago than canceled on me Xmas eve day because daughter had a fever.  I cooked a tenderloin filet from the Omaha Steaks box my brother sent me and some frozen tater dish from O.S plus made a rough apple crisp.  The filet was pretty tasty even though I ended up cooking it a bit more than I had planned.   Hopefully I do better with the next ones.    I need to decide what to give L and D for their anniversary.   They took me and B out to dinner for my birthday so I need to get them something, maybe a gift card to that steakhouse.  I suppose I shouldn't just give them cash, but I might.  

I got a cold laser to see if I can get Tanza's stifle and sesamoid bones to heal.  Used it on Lady first and she seemed to enjoy it.   She has been pretty uncomfortable lately so I need to get the power lines marked or just dig where I'm pretty sure it's safe and get her PTS soon unless the laser makes a huge difference quickly.  I should have texted folks to try to make a riding date but I couldn't bring myself to do it.   I decided I do need to change/fix the fence in Taj's pen pretty soon and I will tackle that instead; but I am going to have to force myself to ask folks if they'll ride with me, Taj is too goofy at home, plus I should run B's p/u regularly.   

Gift basket delivery to the rescue

I had to force myself to make the call to get sis something.  I forced myself to send bro and wife and his stepson and DiL  as well and did not send as much this year as in years past other than last year when I just didn't get anything sent to anybody.   Bro will get a big sum of cash when the farmland sale goes through and his son and DiL are acting like spoiled heirs, but bro or his wife did send me an Omaha steak box.   I think son and DiL are on a course to hit a brick wall around age 50-60 even if they end up with most of the $ from the farmland since there is not a family fortune.   But whatever,  that is not my circus.  I don't know why I felt so meh on getting something for sis,  she has spent quite a bit of time here the last couple years so I good have a break from dad care, then seeing him, and helping me sort out some of the estate crap. 

Argghhhhh stupid president Tony

 Couple weeks ago we get a complete surprise email that they are rescinding remote work unless you were hired as a remote.  Everyone that chose to remain remote after they shut down for 2 years for covid panic must start coming to office 3 days/week starting in April 2025 and if you are more then 50 miles from the office you have till Aug 2026.   So I do some thinking and "gee I don't want to go through pain of moving and job goes away in 1.5 years, I will just try to make things work better for myself here" 

They got a bunch of pushback, now it is July 1st to start coming to office 3x/week AND if you live more than 50 miles away it is Aug 2027.    It probably is still not worth moving, but 2027 would put me with 2.4 years gap of insurance before I can get medicare and with COBRA it might not be horrible to do that.   I suppose they might well say "you had to be living more than 50 miles away before we announced this to qualify."    It just sucks that I made a decision based on their initial timeline.  That decision is not carved in stone, but time's a wasting if I would want to pursue moving.  

I am just not feeling it today

 I was bored inside and the wind had decreased so I went outside and grabbed a few tumbleweeds that had blown up against my driveway gate and crammed them into the burn barrel, it was still breezy enough that I opted not to burn them.   Then decided I need to force myself to set up the tree so I dragged everything in from the shed.   Took the head off the apple picker that the handle broke on last week.   I had the notion that I might replace the handle but we don't have any handle that length laying around and the metal tines have never worked great.   So I will burn the broken handle and the head goes into the metal scrap pile, which I should at least move from in front of the house.  I should just run to the recycle place, they'd probably let me drop my bit of scrap iron/steel off even though it is not enough to weigh.  

I should address several more cards and write short notes and the boss wants me to special process a dataset.  He wanted it last week but I told him I could not get to it.  

Finally some action on insurance

 I went to Strong Insurance company.   The agent there said it was very hard for him to get any company to write a farm policy and what I had was pretty good.   So I paid up on the farm policy in dad's name and then that agents office called me.  So I think I will get a policy with my name on it soon.

I tried emailing the BCD dumpster outfit.  No response so I guess I have to suck it up and leave a voice mail.   If still no response from them I will have to text to neighbors asking who they use.   Sigh,  I hate it when it is hard to become a customer with some outfit.   I always feel like "sheesh, I am wanting to give you money for a service, why don't you want it?"   I suppose that mostly happens when I'm dealing with some employee not the owner and the employee does not want more work for their probably fixed pay.

I need need need to call my vet's office and request he call or come out for consult on Tanza.

I wrote up a short xmas letter.  Now I need to dig out some cards and write out addresses and short notes. 

I rode Taj today.  I wanted to ride Sadie but Toby was out, not pestering her hard cuz I had his collar on, and she was all "can't catch me" and Taj was running the fence as she was doing that so I just rode him.  I shouldn't let Sadie off the hook, but Taj needs exercised.  He is in great weight but I should make it more of a point to get him out more often, regular work is best for keeping older horses sound.