I had GRAND plans for this weekend. They were awesome. However, my supervisor(s) was not up to the challenge of getting me to DO the plans. I’m not sure getting more supervisors is the answer, so maybe someone else will have a suggestion.

Docs

While I am getting better (or at least stabilizing), I am still taking quite a few medications, tests, and doctor’s appointments to get through. Thursday I accomplished what had to be some kind of record and got through three “doctor’s appointments” (two tests, one allergy shot) in TWO hours. So many details about his are amazing (for example, my appointments were scheduled for almost 5 hours apart!) that I should have known my luck wouldn’t last.

Friday I had an appointment with the allergy doctor and it did not go… well. Essentially, he told me that because I was coughing, I needed to see the pulmonologist. The pulmonologist thinks the problems have a tie-in to allergies. Sigh.

To everyone reading this, yes, I’ve had all the thoughts about changing doctors. I’m pondering.

Locks

With the doctor’s appointment on Friday, I spend the majority of the day running various errands. Bottle return (always an adventure), groceries, a new tube of paint and brush, etc. A haircut was supposed to be in there, but when I tried to get into the local “fast cuts” place, the line was always insanely long (yes, I used the app and they weren’t even taking check-ins because they were so swamped.)

As a few of you know, my relationship with haircuts is… fraught.  I can find another instance where I called in sick because my hair was too long. I just want a haircut.

For reasons that seemed good at the time, I broke out my dog cutting clippers and decided to give myself a haircut. I had done it before, I reasoned. It didn’t look so bad.

Well, folks, that was back in the days when I had high-quality shears. These clippers are, ah, bargain basement. No matter how hard I tried, with the comb on them, they wouldn’t cut my hair. So, in a fit of frustration, I took off the comb. “It’ll be fine,” said the voice that NEVER ends well.

I am consoling myself with the following thoughts.

1. It’s MARVELOUSLY cool. Key and I went for a big hike both Saturday and Sunday and I can just dump a little water on my head and it’s so refreshing.
2. In six weeks I’ll be complaining I need a haircut.
3. With COVID going on, I won’t see anyone.
4. It’s summer. I always wear a shade hat during the summer.

However, the kittens have announced that I am no longer allowed to have unsupervised access to the hair trimmer.

Barrels

As I mentioned during the introduction, I was going to have a GRAND weekend. The reason for that is that I was going to treat myself with a workshop (online) and pretend I was going someplace fancy and doing nothing but having a play paint weekend.

So, Saturday I got up and took Key for a big hike. The goal from there was to get home and turn on the YouTube.

Then I saw the horse trailers.

I live on the edge of “country”. There is a big field in back of my house that is cultivated for grass seed. Orchards, berry farms, and vineyards are all within a few miles. The hops fields tower over segments of road. Cows, sheep, and horses are tucked up in little paddocks throughout.

As we were driving home, I noticed a field of horse trailers in the place that I think of as the pony field (probably self explanatory why…) I decided to snoop and see if I could figure out what was going on. Eventually a followed some trailers into a property and there was a big, outdoor arena set up (Phillips Run Arena). I looked around and saw some barrels in the arena. Barrel racing practice? So, I asked someone. It wasn’t a practice, it was a competition! With money and prizes and saddles and stuff.

I asked if I could take pictures, and they said sure. I took Key back home, grabbed my big camera and a few necessities, and returned.

I set up in a corner where I hoped to get some good action shots and settled down to wait for the action.

First up, was the Pewee competition.

Though she was the only competitor, I am sure we can all agree she deserved her first place!

My favorite competitor was this one. I was walking by and she made eye contact in a definitely flirty manner. Her humans told me that she was hoping for horse cookies. I have a real fondness for chestnut mares with a big blaze. They told me she was a mustang, and though I didn’t get her name, I will always think of her as PRM (pretty red mustang.)

I ended up staying for thirty competitors. Apparently, it was a whole day of various barrel racing events, but I only stayed for the time only portion. I got a lot of good shots (I took over 500 photos in just over two hours) and there are a few that I am going to work on painting. I swear!

With this unexpected detour, by the time I got home, it was “too late” to start the workshop. And then Sunday there was dog training (first time in almost three months), a big hike, food prep… well you get the idea.

So, I have limited painting to report. I’ll try to do another post with my painting progress this week (such as it was), but I wouldn’t hold my breath if I were you. In the meantime, I’ll leave you with this photo essay.