06/19/2020 Friday

It is quite a warm day today. It's 88 degrees in the shade of the oaks covering our deck. Very slight breeze so the leaves on the black walnuts are moving just slightly which makes it feel less hot. Funny how that works!

Ron, my brother and I took a short hike up one of the trails my mom used to like to walk when she first moved here when she and my dad retired. We went to a site she particularly liked. The site is where the Donner cabin was built (not sure if there is any relation to the Donner party family) in the 1860s. We planned to scatter her cremains there, but it was not meant to be today. There was a young boy and his father investigating the stream and having a grand time being scientists. We decided to go back another day - and earlier in the morning. My brother suggested 9 am. I was thinking more like 7 am! Hopefully, we can compromise and go around 8 am sometime next week.

The sad thing about the hike was that my feet were absolutely killing me afterwards. I mean they HURT! It was like my arches contracted and stayed that way. Such an odd feeling. I don't recall that happening with decent shoes on before. Age? The extra weight? Not sure. Didn't like it. I had conflicting feelings. Resolution is that I believe I must up my cardio and movement exercise in addition to enjoying my strength training. I need a little more balance in my corporeal fitness.

DD, i am not surprised DS took your news harder than DD. We boys tend to be a little more attached to our mama's in base emotional ways that don't get discussed. I did not realize how much influence my mother had over my adult life until she was gone for a while. I think one thing I can say is that even in my early 30s I felt like a boy around my mom. She was simply my mom. Didn't matter how old I was. With my dad it has been different. We have become friends and roles have started to reverse a bit as he is living into his 90s. he'll be okay once he's had a chance to process and see how positive you are. Even the most macho guy I know has a hidden mama's boy. It's just how we are wired, IMO.

Today is a tough day in my weight journey. The walk and foot discomfort that followed triggered a diet urge, which of course, triggers binge eating feelings. I am not bingeing, though. I did make a nice brunch of Liz's banana egg pancakes with strawberry compote and SF "maple" syrup. I think if I have some more water and get a little busy doing stuff the want to eat will pass.

Weight was up another .5 this morning. Booooo! But, I had a major workout yesterday, a full 64 oz of water (YAY ME!!!!), and chinese for dinner last night The work out and Chinese food tend to make me hold on to water, so I'm not too surprised. I was hoping the full compliment of water might keep me steady or even down a bit, but c'est la vie!

Oh, the best news yesterday was Blitz (the young male puppy) had two descended testicles when I checked yesterday. It is truly celebratory news here. LOL! I kid you not. The boys have to have correct anatomy and many a really promising show dog is lost to the retained testicle debacle! So, given that I think Blitz is the best pup I have bred so far, I was getting worried that his one testicle was not cooperating. It's not a done deal yet, but I'm feeling much better about his future now! (I know.... freakish dog person....)

That's pretty much it from sunny CA.

Yeah to descended testicles! My DS is definitely his Mama's boy!

One of the farm hands found another pile of logs. Christmas time in June. This is a pile I am sure the loggers meant to take. Bigger logs. White oak, red oak and one I am uncertain what it is. I was getting a trailer load of logs this morning. Running the weed eater around where I would be walking. That side to side motion got my back. Chilling with an ice pack.

We ordered some chickens. One chicken is not enough to keep the ticks under control. Maybe 15 will be enough. They are supposed to be here next week. The breed is Bielefelder. Multi colored when they grow up. Big dark brown eggs. DW wants guinea fowl too. They are supposed to be fierce when it comes to snakes. We have rattlesnakes, copper heads and water moccasins around here. Nothing quite as bad as Shirl has in Australia.

I just finished looking up your Bielefelder Kennhuhn. I WANT my own flock! Not only are they gorgeous, they are hardy and good producers and can be sexed at a day old! Perfect chicken breed!

So chickens have benefits other than egg laying? Who knew?