Hey Sweetie,
Not surprisingly, it took a long time to get to sleep last night, which always happens when I have a lazy day, especially with no hot tub, but I was in no hurry to get up this morning. Was feeding the horses when Rick came by, we chatted, then I spent the morning doing some computer work before heading out to the new hay store, Farmers Direct in Williston, to pick up another 21 bale bundle. The last one lasted nearly a month, and the horses are liking it, so I got some more. Then I went into the Tractor Supply to fill up my three empty propane tanks, but they had run out earlier in the day, so I'll have to wait on that. No worries, I only just started the last tank, and it took me nearly three months to go through the last one, and that was less than a full tank when I got here. I use a lot less propane when I'm on electric! One last stop at Winn-Dixie for a few groceries and we were headed home! Weather was getting downright warm today, I even had to put on my AC for a bit this evening to blow out the day's hot air. Two days ago I was using my fireplace! Had another salad for dinner (I'm determined to lose the weight I gained over the holidays, again!), and then spent the evening working on my application for social security. I'm finally about to reach the Full Retirement Age where the financial advisors say it's more of a diminishing return if I wait any longer. Not sure it will make a lot of difference to my monthly income, considering once I get my own SS, they'll drop the widow's benefit I've been getting, so I'm figuring it won't be that big of a bump. I did get a nice raise when my new Medicare Advantage program kicked in. That's some relatively new and lesser known program where they insurance company reimburses the government for a good portion of the payment they usually deduct from my SS, so that helped. I did manage to sort out my Yellowstone outfitter today, too, which was a relief. The new one is a bit more expensive, but their reviews are all stellar, especially compared to the last one. That is going to be such a blast! Anyway, I've had my hot tub, my shower, my tea and my home-made oatmeal cookies, so it's time for bed! Good night, darlin'! Love you!
Thursday, January 30, 2025 – A Busy, Productive Day
Hey Darlin’!
It was a great, busy productive and tiring day today, beginning with hooking up with DeDe, a long-time forest volunteer, in one of the few permitted quads allowed in the forest, and we headed out first up to the north end of Black Prong to take down a tree that’s been blocking one of the undesignated trails (though it will likely be used at the FITS ride next month), then trailered down to Apex to work on a couple of sections of trail that just needed some general clearing. While we were there, we checked out the bike route for the Taste of Goethe, and I’m very happy to report that the water crossings have been mostly filled with gravel, so the bikes won’t have any trouble getting by, thank goodness and the Forest Service! We also checked a couple of other trails, and I was able to make some adjustments to the map I worked this morning for the signs and their placement. We finished up with that around 2:00, came back to camp, chatted with a couple of campers, worked on that map a little bit more, but found myself nodding off a bit. It’s been a tiring couple of days! Fed the horses, then headed over to Willards for a TOG meeting, which took until after 8:30, but we got a lot of things settled. I think we’re in pretty good shape for the event! Took a hot tub almost immediately when I got back, showered, having tea and shortbread cookies, and soon be in bed. Good night, baby! Love you!