End of 2020

It's been a year.

It was our first full year in a new house, with a new barn, at a new job, Shane at a new school, in a new pandemic. 

What a year!

Originally, there was a chance that Shane could've spent New Years with Grandma, Grandpa, and the Cassano cousins.

Instead, we had a quiet year's end at the house. The highlight was Shane and Carrie started playing Minecraft Dungeons together.

We thought it was only two players, so it became "their thing." I'd listen in to them as I roamed or did my thing. It was great. They bonded, had fun, and I had some downtime.

Which included doing the chores and running out to meet the FedEx guy. We didn't know who it was at first when he pulled up to our house in the dark and got out of the truck (Twas a Dad job).

You can learn some valuable things when playing 2-player games. Things such as:

• Don't run off and pin someone else in the corner to die.
• Which means don't chase the treasure pig and draw out all the enemies on the level to kill your mom and then follow after you.
• People find it annoying when you click pause every time you pick up an item to look at it.
• If you're going to throw a bomb, give a warning.

Carrie fell asleep eventually (long before midnight).

Shane and I stayed up for a while, but I didn't let him stay up all night. I wasn't planning on doing it myself!

Happy New Year, everyone! 

Mulling Over the Mule

We got Pockets in July. Eowyn came in November.

They still don't get along.

Pockets picks and picks...

...and eventually Eowyn loses her cool and reacts.

The cycle repeats itself.

Pockets was fine when he was introduced to the herd, but he has been jealous/vengeful/something ever since Abby took a shine to Eowyn over him. He's started acting crabby around Abby (and she's a boarder's horse), so Carrie's had enough.

Pockets got put in Maddy's lot.

Maddy got thrown in with the girls....and run around! Eowyn did most of the chasing.

Loki tried to come in near where I was filming, but it was ill advised. He ended up running off the field ahead of Maddy who was being run off by Eowyn!

 

Abby acted special for a while and stood near Pockets some. She dislikes any change. Maddy had been in the field with Pockets and Abby, so I thought that'd minimize drama, but there were still some kicks and running before she left Eowyn to do most of it. Maddy gets along with everyone, so I'd hoped for a smoother integration. But in Carrie's words, "They'll work it out."

Magic has come a long way from his freak-out when Pockets first arrived. Doesn't mean they're friends, though!

Carrie and I talked it over and we decided to sell Pockets. I was firm on "there will be no replacement," and Carrie agreed. That would open the stall for another boarder. We already have access to a third horse to ride, because we gave Heidi a discount to help her out financially on the terms that I can ride Eddie (and I've done it once).

Carrie reached out to Pocket's original owner to see if he wanted to buy-back Pockets before she put him up for sale, but he declined. Carrie started putting word out and we'll see what happens. I hope we'll get what we paid for Pockets as he's great with people and being a mule makes him a novelty....but I'm not holding my breath. As long as we get a decent price we'll pay less in food out of pocket (heh) and a boarder would pay back the difference over time.

Pockets will have to hang out in the dry lot until then. 

Back to Our New Normal

After three days of road trips, we had an ordinary day. Shane had the honor of scooping poop again after all his time off at Nana's!

We didn't have anything planned Monday. It was a quiet day around the house with drawing, electronics, etc.

There were some projects to take care of. Like the Thank-You for Jama!

She'd hinted rather strongly it was due (road trips don't factor in to her!).

So Monday was pretty normal. I even got a picture of Carrie taking a picture of a cat.

Tuesday, we had some excitement. Shane and I went to meet Henry at Totier Creek Reservoir. 

We had to cut it short last time, so the boys were looking forward to another session. It's hard to believe it was nearly two months ago. I asked earlier in December for a get together, but Henry's family had been traveling for work and skiing. Henry is on a youth ski team this December! I'd love to take Shane skiing at some point, but that'll be post pandemic. I always went with my church youth group.

But back to the park, the boys went right back to the same spot as last time and started working on a camp again. Molly and I talked and I didn't take as many pictures. The water levels were lower and quieter, but I wouldn't say they were low enough to hop from stone to stone across (Maybe when Shane's a teenager).

We didn't leave 'the spot,' but the kids weren't building the whole time. Shane got distracted by the dogs at one point.

Sadie was game for fetch, but Shane's game was to tease and cause trouble!

Sadie won.

Henry was more focused. I mentioned Alone to Molly saying Henry would probably like it. He's all about crafting and survival.

They're a funny pair.

"I'm surprised they haven't gone down to the water and tried skipping stones or something yet," I said. 

Molly agreed. Skipping stones is a classic.

There's no way they could have heard us, but they started within a couple minutes of us mentioning it!

Henry has the technique. Shane had more success with big splashes. 

I bet he made some big sound effects, too, but I couldn't hear them from where I was!

The boys would've stayed longer, but Molly was freezing and we had evening horse chores.

Shane would love to see Henry more often, but it hasn't happened. They're frequently travelling and busy (Note - It's outdoor travel for horse shows mostly. They're COVID cautious and not cavalier, avoid restaurants, etc).

Tuesday's venture was a great way to get outdoors and make some memories, though. I haven't been able to provide the same level of cousin crazy Shane can get in SC, but we're not hermits!

Catching up on the backlog

I got behind again.

23 days this time. Dec 25 - Jan 16 (the day I'm writing this).

That might be the record. 

The blog became "one more thing." And it was "one more thing" that I could let slide without it being a catastrophe, so I did. It slid.

It slid enough the backlog increased to where it made a barrier for re-entry, but now it's gone far enough I don't want to let it go further.

So I'm hopping back on the bandwagon....for now! Hopefully, I'll be fully caught up before I lapse again. If not, I'll just blame virtual school.

NOVA Drive-Through

If you thought Shane and I drove enough over break, you'd be wrong. Carrie wanted to do a drive-by hello to Genevieve and Chris!

It'd been over a year since we'd seen them in person (Thanks, COVID.). Both of their jobs have them around enough people they didn't feel comfortable socializing much.

They agreed to a back porch, socially-distanced pow-wow!

Gifts were exchanged!

There's were much more photogenic than ours.

Shane and Chris played some whiffle ball and we hung out for a little bit.

Since they weren't comfortable with anyone coming inside, Shane and I peed on the side of their house. None of their neighbors saw. Probably.

We had one other brief visit with John. We met at Silverbrook elementary. We've played on their playground before, but it was under construction this time. 

This is the only picture I got, surprisingly. Carrie and Shane went to play on the kiddie lot some while John and I talked.

He hasn't been doing well, so I was glad he even agreed to meet in person. I was a bit alarmed when he started giving me all of the Battletech stuff and said he'd thrown away his models collection. He went on about how he's building a new computer and he's not getting rid of everything afterward. I'm looking forward to when vaccines are out and people are more willing to meet in person.

It was a shorter visit than I would've liked, but John was clearly freezing. I'm used to the cold from horse chores...and speaking of which, we needed to head home to do them.

Carrie drove both ways. I dislike how my phone's selfie cam mirrors images. It looks like I'm in the driver's seat here.

By the way, Shane was right. You can see through the neck gaiter masks. 

It was a fast food day. Popeye's was lunch and Arby's was dinner. I couldn't remember the last time I "ate out!"

The driving ate up a chunk of the day, but it was good to physically see some people. I guess this was Christmas 2.5. 

Third Christmas...well, that's still a few days away. We have one more road trip before our holiday traveling is over.

2nd Christmas 2020

Shane spent Christmas night at Kathleen's. I drove by the next morning to pick him up and head home.

I got to meet Reeses for the first time! She's a rescue that was supposed to be a foster kitten. Stu was very surprised (and I'm glad to see it doesn't only happen to me!).

Nana and Pop weren't content to let Shane drive off without a goodbye the day of, so they drove over for a farewell hug.

I managed to catch the elusive Stu in a picture, too!

Pop hugged everybody.

Whether they wanted a hug or not!

Which they all did, because they all dog piled on him full of giggles.

Social density at it's finest!

Shane and I almost made it home without a bathroom break. An emergency poop hit before Lynchburg. Shane acted like it was trying to claw through his insides to get out! 

And then it didn't want to flush. The only toilet was a broken one that I wouldn't have wanted to use pre-pandemic. I was more worried about sepsis than COVID. If anything, I'm glad COVID made wearing a mask socially acceptable in that bathroom (Never mind, I would've considered driving to a store or somewhere else pre-pandemic!).

Loki was thrilled to see Shane walk through the door.

Carrie had the "fireplace" going and 2nd Christmas ready to go!

Carrie printed pictures of the games she bought to download on the Switch from Nana. There was a picture of something else that Shane scratched his head over for a moment.

But then he found it! 

Carrie put the clam in Shane found hiking with Dylan and Eli with the fish. 

After that, we finished opening presents.

Loki ran in circles, but stopped log enough for some wrapping paper to stick to his tail.

And it hung on! Loki was running, slapping shoes, barking, and festively decorated until I took pity on him.

Shane made out like a bandit, but the pickings were slimmer for the adults. Carrie and I got t-shirts!

And boots. Carrie bought me boots. "That's not a present," I said. "That's a promise. You plan on putting me to work!"

The 2nd Christmas meal was food fit for champions.

I got to try out my new boots shortly thereafter. Carrie took some shortcuts while she was on her own and Saturday's are the refresh days before boarders help out on Sunday.

There were mounds of poop to spread, but the bridle path was so mushy one of the wheels dug a rut.

It created it's own sled of grime and refused to turn!

At least, the boots worked.

Later that night, I had to go out for evening chores...  

...while Shane and Carrie played Katamari Damacy on the Switch.

Doesn't seem fair, does it? 

I came inside and Carrie had fallen asleep on Shane while he played.

He didn't mind. He was still talking to her! I let him play until bedtime and then swapped him out with a pillow so that Carrie could keep sleeping.

And that's how 2nd Christmas went! What do you think 3rd Christmas will be like?