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May 13, 2013: Holding Pattern

A common metaphor has just come to mind. I feel like I’m in an airplane, circling around and around. Two versions come to mind. I could liken it to (a long time ago) flying into Boston’s Logan Airport. It was raining hard, and I could see lightning flashes. The plane bucked, shuddered, and pitched about like a young horse. It was one of those flights in which everyone clapped when the plane hit the ground. Or I could liken it to (recently) flying into Anchorage’s International Airport. It was cloudy and I could see more clouds at the distance. It was one of those flights in which the turn your seatbelt sign remained off until the near very last minute.

Pete’s now undoubtedly in America, on his way to Walla Walla, Washington, where he’ll pick up our new trailer and a load of hay. Once this mission is accomplished, he’ll head home. Actually, he might just keep on going, and start a new career as a horse hauler.




In his absence, I’m taking care of all things on the home front. It’s easier than previously. The water container has thawed, so I no longer have to heat it on the stove and haul it down to the horse enclosure. And the snow in the enclosure has melted, making poop scooping far less laborious. I also don’t have to be continually tending to the woodstove. However, I still have to feed and clean up after myself, and sweep and vacuum up the dirt that Jenna brings into the house. And always, I have to continue to tend to all the animals and ride the horses.

I have before me a long list of other things that need doing. Yesterday I planted garlic in the hoop house, worked on an article for the Alaska Icelandic Horse Association, and loaded up the food dehydrator and took it over to a neighbor’s place. Today I’ll finish the garlic planting project, work some more on the article, and continue with the dehydration project. I’m also going to go to Animal Food Warehouse and pick up some horse supplements.

Tomorrow the veterinarian is coming over. He’ll do EIAs and administer vaccinations. Last night, as I fell into bed, I realized that I can’t do too much more than the regular, day-to-day routine chores, that is until Pete gets back.

I’m itching to clean up the black hole, to work on getting gear ready for the trip, and to resume straightening up my writing cabin. I also want to sort through the root cellar carrots, and reread my horse acupressure book. I could get to these things, but in the process majorly stress myself out. For, in the process of doing these things, I see that there’s more to be done. A case in point. I figured that planting garlic would be an easy and fast task. You make some holes, insert cloves, and cover up. What I didn’t realize was that I first needed to clean up the garden bed. This ended up taking me over an hour.

I do have to clean upstairs. What a mess. Looks like a tornado came through and left without saying goodbye.

Yesterday was Siggi’s birthday. And today is Pete’s birthday Celebrating both will have to wait until Pete gets home. I did take Siggi for a walk – he was mouthy and unfocused. He clearly feels best in the company of his buddy. So be it.

I am, and will continue to be, in a holding pattern until Pete gets home. This holding pattern can be like the first or second one that I described. I prefer the latter. This then means doing a few things well, rather than a lot of things in a haphazard fashion. Giddy up.

Next: 134: 5/14/13: Veterinary Visit