Almost, State of the Blog

Blogs of the outside world. Scalzi is posting more often on his blog, Whatever. Cat photos have moved to Instagram, @scamperbeasts. Good news for those of us who enjoy his writing but did not follow his Twitter adventures, Whatever: Preparing My X-it.

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I almost walked away from the blog last month.

This was after Milton had thrown yet another fit. [Lecturing Milton]

I am so over it.

Drafted the sine die post. “Without any future date being designated (as for resumption) : indefinitely. the meeting adjourned sine dieMerriam-Webster: sine die.

Scheduled the post. Twice.

Decided close to August was not the time to make major decisions. [Here Comes That Month]

I will stagger along for the rest of this month with photos and brief posts. Maybe September will bring a new, uplifting breeze.

Onwards!
Katherine

Two New Places, State of the Fitness

Awareness of the outside world. News Mix channel yesterday. Three networks talking about the arraignment. Fox talking about the credit downgrade. Color me not surprised. [Bridge Bling, Blankets Are Back]

Truth in advertising. They did eventually switch over.

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Daily Walks

Memorial Park
Birmingham AL

One new place. The rest were in the pasture, mostly as morning walks with the horses.

Monthly 5K

Sulky Sprint 5K, Breyerfest
IRL Kentucky Horse Park
Virtual, Oak Mountain State Park
Sunday 16 July 2023

Since there is no local horse park for me to mill around, I went to Oak Mountain State Park, in honor of Milton’s trail ride a while back. Chose the easy, level people path instead of the goat track that the horses use.

[Camp Report, Hittin’ The Trail]
[The Canadian Horse & The Red Queen] The rest of the story

Other

No other types of activities this month.

Last month [In Which I Go To A Foreign Country and Walk Around In Circles]

You think I was kidding about goat track?

Onwards!
Katherine

Here Comes That Month, State of the Now

Awareness of the outside world. And I thought time zones were hard to deal with. Julian vs Gregorian calendars. “So you had the odd situation of a ten day gap between England and Europe.” Inky Fool: Today is Mayday, 11 May 2023. This lasted for 170 years! “Because of this discrepancy in the date of adoption, documents written on the same day in different countries may carry different dates.” Univ of Nottingham: Julian/Gregorian Calendars, with chart showing year of adoption by country.

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Updated Now Page

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August 2023

I hate August. [Hello September]

That is all.

No. Wait. Let me try again.

I am opening myself to the energies of a benevolent universe in order to use the days of this month to follow a path of joy and service.

That’s better.

… hate … hate … hate …

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Last Month [Sunny Days, State of the Now}

My antipathy toward August is not new.

[Hello September] 2016

“Or it could just be August.” [Milton & Me, Redux] 2017

“Plus, it’s August, Not my favorite month in any year.” [Mood On Monday, Same Same] 2020

“It may be a month where simply getting to the other side is a victory.” [On A Related Note] 2021

“I shouldn’t have bad feelings about an entire twelfth of the year. Yet here we are.” [The Illustrated Month, August] 2022

Have I mentioned recently how much I hate August? [Rodney’s Foot Saga Continues] 2022

Onwards!
Katherine

Home Team Update for the Beginning of August 2023

Awareness of the outside world. Refutation of the alpha male nonsense. Imgur: Bullsaint: ALPHA MALES SAY NO BARBIE HURR DURR. 27 July 2023. Hat tip to C.

Reminder of the arguments, in case the text disappears someday. 1) Why do you care so much about a two-hour commercial for a toy company? 2) Alpha vs beta versions in software development. 3) Scientist who coined the term disavows it. 4) *IF* you accept the term, then caring for your pack is your highest priority. You’d go see the movie, “purely because they wanted to.”

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Milton

Milton’s abscess blew out on the top of his heel. [It’s Always Something, Milton’s Turn]

Yay for pus! Yes, it’s a weird thing to be happy about. Anyone who has had a horse with an abscess knows what I mean.

We were 90% sure it was an abscess, but nice to see. Definitely shorter duration than last time. We went after it as an abscess immediately.

Poor dude. Rodney’s go back out the sole. Milton’s travel thru the foot & come out the heel.

No photo. Looks about like last time. [Milton’s Foot Diagnosis Develops, scroll down for heel photo]

Rodney

Rodney is back to what passes for work these days. We do our morning walk. He does a few trot circles on the long lines.

Frankly, I can’t see that it’s going to lead to anything much at this point. However, consistent, light work is good, even for the retired superstar Rodney thinks he is.

To be clear, Rodney is neither retired, nor a former superstar, no matter what he says. Well, he may be de facto retired if not de jure. But I have wandered into the weeds.

Whatever work gets done, it gets done in the morning. The rest of the day is suitable only for hosing them down.

Me

Speaking of heat. I am not handling the heat well this summer.

Partly, the weather is nasty. Hot and really humid.

Partly me. I don’t feel any different. I’m not sweating unduly. I’m not enervated by the heat. After a while, I realize that I am not cooling off, even with air conditioning. It’s as if my down regulator is broken. Weird. Last year, I showed in the summer. It was hot, but I didn’t melt. This year, I am curtailing activities that leave me out in the sun. Never had to do that before. Not hormones. Those are long gone.

Onwards!
Katherine

A Tale of Two Finish Lines, Virtual Tevis 2023

Awareness of the outside world. “This past year has been a challenge – fire and snow have greatly impacted our trail and event. To meet these challenges, we’ve set up this campaign with a goal of $25,000. This will directly help offset this year’s unusual costs.” Tevis Cup.org, 31 July 2023

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Virtual Tevis Cup 2023
100 Miles in 100 Days
19 April to 30 July

Rodney & Milton
100 Miles in 60/62 Days
Tues 20 June to Mon 26 June

Tevis season is over for the year.

The Virtual Tevis window closed when the IRL finish shut down early Sunday morning “Finishing up under the same moon as the date of the actual Tevis Cup Ride.” TC: Virtual Tevis 2023.

Tevis Cup Virtual 2023, Riding Division – 798 participants
Tevis Cup Virtual 2023, Non-Riding Division – 120 participants
RunSignUp: 2023 Virtual Tevis Cup

teviscup.org, screenshot of landing page, 31 July 2023.

This year had a trail change. “Last winter brought a record amount of snowfall to the Sierras necessitating some trail reroutes to the 2023 Tevis Cup Ride. Riders will follow a special and spectacular route which still involves many iconic locations. TC: Tevis Route 2023

Won by Jeremy Reynolds and Treasured Moments. Finished 1st at 8:29 pm. In the light! Check out the lack of bridle. Yup, 100 miles with a neckrope. Detail from screenshot.TCW:Results By Rider #13

Haggin Cup Winners, Hayley Moquin and Im Hot N Bothered (Freaky). Finished 6th at 9:25 pm. TCW: Results By Rider #62

No Thoroughbred entry this year. [Watching The Tevis] 2014

No Saddlebred.

One National Show Horse (Arab x Saddlebred). Trish Smith & Sparta finished 45th at 4:16 am. TCW: Results By Rider #22

Red Saddlepad to Katrin Leverman & GE Danex. Finished 61st at 5:10 am. “Because you couldn’t hang on his wheel for 30 seconds.” TdF: Lanterne Rouge. TCW: Results By Rider #24

2023 Webcast: Standings

I might make it to the first checkpoint. Our two VT warriors definitely would not. And yet, I have the smallest amount of fellow feeling for the Western States Trail Ride due to the Virtual Tevis. A fact probably not lost on their fundraising department.

Virtual Tevis Posts [Archives]

If you are interested in following, Facebook: Tevis Watch Party does an excellent job.

Update. Equine Ink: Jeremy Reynolds and Treasured Moments Win Tevis 2023 Bridle-less! Recap with photo & video bridleless ride.

Onwards!
Katherine

Hay Buffet

Awareness of the outside world. “The detail in Smith’s new charges … left many observers shocked.” CNN: Stunning new Trump charges up the stakes of an already existential 2024 election, Collinson, July 28, 2023. Really? I would have said we left shocked in the rearview mirror a long time ago.

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Since Milton’s surgery & recovery, the horses have been on 20/80 hay, in other words, 20% alfalfa/80% timothy. You can see them root thru the pile to eat the good bits first.

Milton was looking bloated around the tum.

More alfalfa, perhaps?

After considering the permutations, we have settled on having 80/20, i.e. mostly alfalfa, in the barn as well, pictured. We mix the two for a custom 50/50 blend.

Maybe some day we will not be so twitchy about Milton’s digestive system.

Not anytime soon.

Onwards!
Katherine