Virtual Brush Box

Awareness of the outside world. In support of pedestrianism, public transit, & the non-car life, The Hollywood Reporter: Hollywood Without Wheels: A Not-So-Pedestrian Guide to Getting Around Town, Katie Kilkenny, November 7, 2025.

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When last we spoke on this subject, I pondered how to wedge fitness reports into the blog. [State of the Fitness, Sausage]

Result. Fitness photos. As in photos while I am out & about. Fear not. No mirror selfies are planned.

Biking

An ears photo for a bike.

Most of my biking is done on country backroads. Recently, we used bikes to get around in town. For example, from parking to the parade. It was an opportunity to brush up on my bike handling skills. Or, alternately, get off and walk when I couldn’t even, for example at complicated intersections or on cobbles. [Road Test, De Sequor Mobile!, intro]

Intermittent biking. Last bike ride was 8 November. Gonna be a while until the next one. [Wrist Wear]

Monthly 5K Walks

Old Baker Farm
October 2025

Fortuitous accidental still from videos trying to capture the sound of rustling corn.

The twiddly bit in upper left is corn maze. The square loop at the top is the parking lot to get the last few steps. Strava has several options to share, I prefer the simple version, below, but this one showed the twiddly bits the best.

No 5K in November. When Turkey Trot time came around, I was recovering from surgery. I have hopes for December. [Horsekeeping, Not]

Daily 1 Mile Walks

Columbiana One. Deliberately left car at first stop and ran errands on foot. Once again reminded that our road usage is antithetical to pedestrians. [Walks While Milton Took Time Off Day Three]

No photo. Hadn’t come up with theory at that point. Leaf photo taken during walk but not related to walk. [Leaves]

Columbiana Two. Walked up & down sidewalk on Main Street.

Rest of walks were in the pasture. Mostly daily, with time off for weather& human setback. [Differing Distances, Morning Walk Stories]

Mississippi Virtual Mileage

Meh?

Virtual mileage has joined virtual medals on my discard pile of shiny objects. I still like the idea of virtual touring down the Mississippi River. I just don’t seem to actually get around to logging my mileage and figuring out where I am. Clean cups! [Mileage, Virtual Mileage]

“Yammered on about … Then, meh. Suddenly, I was over that adventure.” [5Ks, Final Fitness Friday for 2024, Virtual Medals]

Onwards!
Katherine

Awareness of the outside world. “Behn outperformed every Democrat that has run in the 7th District in more than 40 years.” The Tennessean: Republican Van Epps wins TN special election but Democrat gains ground, Van Epps won with a lead of 9 percentage points in the district Trump won by 22 points last year, Jones, Dec. 2, 2025.

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My arm adornment since 12 November. [Cursewords!]

One. U-splint.

Initial fashion statement. Photo taken in the ER.

Two days later, I had it redone by cast techs after medical appointment. No photo. The professionals in the cast room are amazing.

Splint immobilized my elbow. There is very little one can do with one’s elbow locked in place.

Two. Cast.

Put on a week after previous appointment, once swelling started to go down. Photo taken in clinic lobby on the way out. Wait. Stop. I need a photo.

I was delighted to have my choice of colors. Years ago, I had a boring white cast on my ankle. I found it highly unfair that adults did not get to have the festive colors.

Note freedom of the elbow. I still couldn’t lift anything but I could wave my hand around.

Three. One-sided splint. No media.

The post surgery splint. Plastic brace running under the arm. Splint & forearm wrapped in elastic bandage, so it looks about the same as the initial splint above.

There are photos of me, taken to check in with family. (Waves hi.) However, I look as one might expect after anesthesia, so you are not going to see them. For the next few days, I felt tired but normal. I was told that I might not be as coherent as I thought I was. The fact that I completely forgot about documenting this step lends credence to that theory.

Four. Brace Reminder

Photo taken in hand therapy clinic.

Looks like a brace. Feels like a brace. Is not a brace. That is being done by the internal widget. This is a reminder Not To Do Anything Stupid, such as lift, pull, do cartwheels, and so on. [Horsekeeping, Not]

Onwards!
Katherine

Horses of the outside world. Bloggers having fun with their young horses, A Collection Of Madcap Escapades: Chip Goes to the Beach & Braymere Custom Saddlery: Today in one picture.

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Have time. Looking for projects.

Hunter/Jumper

Judging Hunters and Equitation: The definitive book on judging for riders, trainers, parents, and licensed officials, by Tricia Booker & Julie Winkel (Ink Horse 2023).

Hoof Beats: How Horses Shaped Human History, by William T. Taylor (UC 2024).

The first book (underneath in the photo) was recommended by Coach Deana. Note, there is another book with the similar title by a different author. This is the one preferred by my current H/J lamplighter.

The second book leapt into my cart, as they do.

ASB

I have subscribed to the Richfield Video Archive, These are the people who cover the saddle seat shows.

“On the way out, the folks from Richfield Video interviewed the winners. I talked five times to the poor man holding the microphone. I managed a usable soundbite once. The rest were the same ‘It was great. The horse was great.’ drivel that I used to get when I covered horse shows.” [Show Report: Team Awesome, Pro-Am 2016]

“Richfield Video: SEC18 – Academy Class 108 – Katherine Walcott. Conyers 2018. Victory pass with Whiskey & post-class interview. I don’t look or sound like a complete idiot.” [Change Partners And Dance]

ISO Suggestions

Any ideas for off-horse activities? Riding is among the last things I will be cleared for. [Horsekeeping, Not]

Onwards!
Katherine

Awareness of the outside world. Post #5000. Or possibly yesterday. WordPress & I disagree. [Blog Milestone, 4000]

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This Week

Walked Monday. One lap, i.e. 0.2 miles, followed by power nap. Coming back slowly. See yesterday. [Horsekeeping, Not]

Last Week

No walks post-surgery. Combination of inclement weather & conserving my energy for exciting adventures such as a medical appointment or the blacksmith visit, even though the other barn minion had to hold both horses. Doesn’t take much to tap out my energy these days.

The Week Before

Walked all week, including the morning of surgery. Better than the alternative of sitting around the house waiting to leave for the hospital. [Short Walks]

However.

All walks were half the usual distance, 3 laps, or 0.6 miles. At first, because of my wrist. Then, because the horses honored the month of November by becoming absolute turkeys.

For the first few days after I splatified my wrist, the horses walked just fine. As per normal. Then one day, suddenly, in the middle of a walk, Milton put his hind feet in the air and ran back to the barn. Rodney of course joined in.

As best we can figure, they determined that I was incapacitated and decided to take advantage. That is our best explanation for the sudden outbreak of anomalous behavior. Once we determined this was a policy statement rather than an aberration we dug out and implemented the remedial lead shanks.

Milton was actually cool with it.

Us: (chain over nose)
Milton: Busted!

And then he was fine.

Rodney did not get the memo. Oh, he got the first memo about running around like an idiot. He did not get the correction memo. The first day he was furious and outraged that we would dare to discipline his magnificent self. After that he was just plain rude. We finally ended up switching horses. Rodney was sufficiently pushy to require two working hands.

We retired the chains but kept both horses on leadlines, including walking back to the barn. Two leadlines meant that the other barn minion walked with us instead of waiting at the turnaround to dispense cookies. Walking is not his forte, so we stayed with short walks.

Coda

For a simple jaunt, our morning walks can be filled with drama.

Onwards!
Katherine

Awareness of the outside world. Hello. World!

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Today is a week out from ORIF (Open Reduction & Internal Fixation) surgery on my right wrist. Apparently the repair is common enough to have its own abbreviation. Docs went in and screwed a metal plate to the distal (wrist) end of the radius.

Things I Couldn’t Do Before Surgery

In a cast, I was looking at no weight for 6 weeks.

Things I Can Do Now, Activities of Daily Living

This was my first major surgery. I was amazed at the immediate improvement. I felt better. I could do more. At my 2-day post-surgical appointment, I was cleared to lift 1-2 pounds with my right hand. The difference between non-weightbearing and 1-2 pounds is huge. Toothbrush. Pen. Handcrafts. Typing. Putting up my own hair. Anything that involves just moving the fingers is okay.

I am sore and tired, but feeling way more functional.

This is my first typing in a week. Fingers are fine. Am having someone not on pain meds double check the content for coherence.

Things I Can’t Do Now, Barn Chores

Few things in a barn weigh one pound. Using my non-injured hand, I can open a stall door, take off a blanket, or put on a grooming halter if the horse cooperates. Everything else, not so much.

The biggest issue in the barn is the temptation to do too much. It would be way too easy to lift too much, pull too hard, or get my hand yanked. I realized this when I was standing in front of a full bucket of water, thinking, ‘Yeah, I can find a way to move this to refill that.’ No. Step way from the bucket.

So much I can’t do. Feed. Move hay. Put on blankets. Other barn minion is doing a stellar job. I still hate being barn decor.

Coda

Heal with steel!

Previous Posts
[Taking A Break Before The Fireworks]
[Wrist Wreport, Short Version]
[Cursewords!]

Onwards!
Katherine

AFK

Homespun Dry Goods
Childersburg, AL USA
[Finding A Tack Store Where You Least Expect It]

Photos taken a while back. Store closed shortly after.

Not Spotted

Why no Spotted lately?

Most recent Spotted post before this was 2022. [Spotted at Lake Ontario]

Before that was 2019. [Spotted Spots Ghost Ads]

In the past, Spotted had been my excuse for including whatever I wanted in the blog. A way to shoehorn non-horse topics into a horse blog. Now, I just randomly stuff whatever I want in the blog.

Hat tip to M for suggesting that Spotted come out of retirement.

Onwards!
Katherine

AFK

Pistachio
Stepping Stone Farm
September 2025

Onwards!
Katherine