Help Me, I'm Melting

We've had over a week of unseasonably warm temperatures. It is not supposed to be 40 degrees in Alaska in January. Spring in Alaska is referred to as "break up." I think that is due to the ice breaking up on the rivers and lakes. I drove by Lake Wasilla yesterday and there is standing water on top of it. It could be melted all the way through for all I know. As one woman at the barn said, it wouldn't be so bad if we knew spring was really on the way but we know it's going to get cold again and we're going to have to suffer through this more than once. Oh well, enough about the weather.

I think I'm going to finally manage to get in three rides this week. Two weeks ago I had to skip Friday because I had to attend a wedding and last Friday the side roads were just too icy for me to want to leave the house unnecessarily. There are some new horses being boarded that I'm getting acquainted with. One is a Clydesdale who, strangely enough, doesn't like carrots but scarfed up the apple I brought him Tuesday. He's the first horse I've personally met who has a mustache like the horse in this picture.

Picture swiped from Horse Nation, as is the following video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFkdsPKARgE

Is that bizarre or what?

Ta and Da

Two more trips to Home Depot as the first set of toggle bolts I purchased had screw heads that were too big to fit in the curtain hardware openings. (P.S., toggle bolts don't work for me the way they're supposed to. The darn things wouldn't open up and I eventually took a screwdriver and a hammer to them) It took me most of yesterday and I lost count of how many times I had to re-install the hardware as it kept falling off the wall the minute I put the curtains on the rod. I was in a really bad mood by the time I was finished. I won't be surprised if they come crashing down as I did a real number on the sheetrock. I'm almost afraid to open/close them as I don't want to put any stress on the hardware. No more home improvement projects for me. From now on I'm hiring out.

Adventures in Home Maintenance

I've had no window coverings for my living room since living in this house. My husband said, "Who needs drapes? We're out in the middle of nowhere." Now that I'm alone, I need drapes. I'm out in the middle of nowhere.

So I ordered some bamboo drapes that I thought went well with my hardwood floors and furniture. I purchased four panels since two wouldn't be wide enough and three just seemed odd. My sister and I planned to install them while she was here but it didn't happen, mostly because the Christmas tree was in the way.

Monday was the big day. Long story short, the damn curtains pulled the hangers out of the drywall (and I did use drywall anchors) So I turned to the Internet and it looks like I need molly bolts. I should just get a job at Home Depot for the amount of time I spend there. Next to the grocery store it is my most frequented shopping spot.

Back on Track (More or Less)

My sister flew home yesterday so I no longer have any excuses for not eating right, exercising and organizing the house. Somehow sitting here at the computer doesn't fit into this plan so obviously I'm off to a bad start.

I have paid for three riding lessons a week in January. Of course, I'm already screwed this week as I have a wedding to attend at 4:00 Friday. Who gets married then? What about the people who have to work until 5:00? I think it had something to do with the church's availability, but personally I would have just picked another day.

I am a terrible slacker and can procrastinate doing almost anything until the absolute last minute. I think I'm going to try making a schedule of daily tasks. If you're familiar with FlyLady, number one should be getting dressed first thing as opposed to sitting around in your pajamas half the day. That's a toughie for me as I really don't function until I've been awake for a couple of hours and had several cups of coffee. Even when I worked I'd get up at least two hours before I needed to leave the house so I'd have lounging time.

Okay, I think I've inspired myself enough to do the grocery shopping and put away some more Christmas decorations. Gosh how I hate acting responsible...

Winding Down the Year

My sister has been visiting which compels me to actually do stuff and not sit around reading blogs most of the day. Subsequently I've only managed to read an entry here and there and have lost track of what everyone has been up to.

She and I had a very nice, relaxing Christmas. There's been too much food but that's about par for the course. I keep apologizing to the horse and promising him that I will get back on track after the beginning of the year. I've been working on the sitting trot and actually rode about a 20 meter circle without bouncing. I just love it when I do something right.

I hate arthritis. I got a prescription from my doctor. It helps but I'm still so stiff most of the time. I'm trying to do my walk at home DVD and I also received a yoga DVD for Christmas that I need to stop ignoring.

My brother passed on his old Kindle to me and I'm reading my first book using it. I am so glad that it times out since I tend to fall asleep while reading in bed. It's also neat because it remembers where I stopped reading so I'm not losing my place all the time.

My sister flies home this Saturday but will be moving up to live with me sometime next year. It will be nice to have her here.

I'm sorry to see that some of my favorite bloggers mention that they may quit writing after this year. I will miss reading their thoughts and activities.

I wish everyone health and happiness in 2014 and beyond.

Holiday Eating Tips

1. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. It's rare. You cannot find it any other time of year. Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip?

2. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on.

3. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.

4. Chocolate, apple, sweet potato, mincemeat, pumpkin. Have a slice of each. If you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert?

5. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's Day. You can do that in January. Now it's time for circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food.

Welcoming Committee

On my front lawn when I arrived home from the grocery store. I could tell Bart had been barking at them as he was all worked up. Now that I'm home he's not worrying about them any more. Who's the watchdog here anyway?