And where did this day go? I thought, so many years back, that when we purchased this place that we’d have most things done in a year or two. We even made a lengthy list, and intended on getting the things done on it, done in a year’s time. One of these things was varnish the cabins. It’s been 18 years and we still haven’t gotten to this task. And I seriously doubt that this is going to get done.

I am now conceding that we will not, in the remaining few years we have left, get done all that needs to be done around here. We might clean the washcloth draw out and remove the mice turds. We might put in a new kitchen faucet. We might

Turning compost

sand down the kitchen addition door and put plexiglass on it, so that the dogs don’t continue to scratch the wood surface. We might take down the waterlogged chili poster in the kitchen. We might surround the perimeter of the upper quadrant porch with latticework.

We might replace fenceposts. We might –the list is long.

What got me thinking of this was that our friend Nan came for a visit today, and we subsequently gave her a pre-summer tour. As we talked, I saw what needed to be done around here through her eyes. Her words, in seeing the interior of our place was that “this place is fun.” I have no idea what she meant by this. Seems to me that it’s sort of a literary way station. Books, even though they are mostly on shelves, are everywhere. They are the décor.

Nan was very polite. She didn’t start whistling the tune to Green Acres, but only because it didn’t immediately occur to her. I’ll bet, though, that she was humming it in her car, on the drive home. I have never been to Nan’s place, but I suspect that inside and outside, it is artfully decorated. I think that we had at one time an interest in artful decorating, but it fell by the wayside as I focused on the animals and Pete focused on putting in a huge garden. These projects are going to continue to take time away from the more mundane tasks that need to be done.

The tour took well over an hour. I tend to rush things a bit – I will strive to be a better listener. After, we went for a horseback ride. I did rake the front area this morning. Nan was recently tossed twice by the same horse and sustained some serious injuries, so I assumed that she was anxious about going for a ride here. If so, she didn’t seem worried, but then I put her on Hrimmi whose motto seems to be, “what, me worry?”

I rode Tyra, and Pete rode Raudi. Hrimmi just moseyed along, stopping to drink water whatever and whenever. This is why her nickname is Tank Grrrrl.

It was a good ride, around the loop, up Jim’s Road, onto Siggi’s trail, down the road, and home. Once back on the property, I was reminded of all that still needs doing around here. I then rationalized my thought process, saying that each and every spring, the projects loom before us. This could be why I like winter.

Next: 118. 4/29/21: Back to Winter