A Perfect Day!

What a gorgeous day! Tagging onto a previous post about interest inventorys, personality tests, and such, I decided to follow some advice about positive visualization.

I've decided to visualize myself as being happy, as waking up happy, as not being upset about the craziness of my home.

I've actually used visualization in the past. I use it alot when I run: visualize myself running strong, breathing in positive area, exhaling negative energy and it has worked for me. I sometimes visualize myself winning some great race- but that is metophoric for winning the great race against my mind and all the negative thoughts that prevent me from accomplishing my dream.

But on a day like today, I don't even need visualization. It truly was beautiful, I was happy, and I was grateful. I spent the weekend with people I love. It was nice to spend time outside with the animals and even though there will be no spring babies this year, the blue sky, peaceful air, chirping birds gave the promise of new beginnings. Spring seems nearer than ever. And though I didn't like to wish away my life, I must say that I am very excited to see the new life of spring.

No wonder I'm nuts

My life. Still struggling with a nasty cold, I have been taking Nyquil at night to quell my coughing so I can sleep. I'm successful until about 2:00 am. I've been waking up and watching the Olympics until I fall back asleep. I wake up at 5:45 so that I can run, feed the animals, and start my day peacefully. But, in a Nyquil induced stupor, I fall back to sleep until 6:15.

When I wake up this time of year, the dogs don't wake up - not until it is light which lately is around 6:25. I quickly fill up 4 water jugs, dampen my hair, wash my face, drink a half cup of coffee, put on my coveralls and holler to the kids for the first time to wake up. At this point, the big dogs are pacing back and forth and following me every (and I mean every) step of the way. So I let them out. I grab Birdman Joe and take him out to spend about 10 minutes outside while I feed the chickens. Now if Max, the farm chihuahua, decides to start barking at something - I have to put him in the house because once he starts barking, he won't stop.

We live on a hill. With the packed snow, it is very difficult to get down to the animals safely. Last year when we had all the ice, I would slide the water jugs down the hill and then sit down and slide on my butt. It was very efficient. And quick. Going back up the hill to the deck, however, posed some problems. Sebastian, being the kind and thoughtful dog, would usually let me grab hold of his collar and he would help me up the hill.

After the first trip back up to the house to put Birdman Joe and Max back in the house, I would haul down the first couple jugs of water. And it is the horses turn to be given their hay. Which I do. And I have to do it exactly next because if I don't, Snowball will follow me and try to stick his head in my pocket in search of a snack. We are all big on snacks-horses, goats, dogs, people- so I usually have horse treats or sugar cubes in my pockets and all the animals know it. On days my pockets are empty, I complete my animal feedings a little quicker.

Once the horses, goats, and Dolly Llama gets their hay, it is time to break up the ice and give everyone fresh water. By this time, I am ignored by everyone and that is fine. In the meantime, the big dogs are waiting for me up on the porch. And it is time for me to quickly change into my work clothes, make sure the kids are set for the bus, and to head to work myself. More times than not, I have hay in my hair or stuck to my clothes.

I'm crazy. Nuttier than a fruitcake. With all my disorganization, I should be the last person to have animals. But it works for me. And seemingly for them. I'll never have a sparkling clean, aesthetically pleasing farm or home - much of my stuff is held together with bailing twine or stakes or some other thing I've been able to grab.

I'm more into experiences than I am into appearances and I know that sometimes my older kids have been mortified by this. But the last time I visited, I saw that my daughter had a big roll of duct tape.

I think she's coming around.