December 2016

December 2016

Thursday 01- 58 to 39 and windy.

I did my stretches and took the dogs for a walk.

I went to town to do some shopping. I stopped off at WalMart to get supplies, and then on to Home Depot to get 20 12x12” cement pavers to place down on the ground where I am putting the new washer; still not sure where it’s going yet. I also bought a parasol clothes hanger and a toolset; I seem to be missing a few sockets.

For being good doggies, me and the dogs ate the whole roasted chicken I purchased at WalMart, and then I took them for a nice little walk.

Friday 02- 53 to 37 and still really windy.

I did my stretches, yoga and took my dogs for a one mile jog.

Saturday 03- 58 to 42 degrees and windy, but not as much as the last two days.

I did my stretches, lifted weights, took me doggies for a one mile jog, core trainer, and punched the heavybag for three minutes.

Even though it was windy, I went to work patching the roof. I almost had it all done but the day grew dark.

Sunday 04- 62 to 43 degrees and no wind!

I did my stretches and me and my doggies went for a one mile jog.

I went back up onto the roof and finished doing the patch job. When I got done me and the dogs went for a nice walk.

Monday 05- 65 to 43 degrees.

I did my stretches, lifted 20lb dumbbells, me doggies went for a one mile jog.

I got the Harley running and moved from the battery room to the garage whose roof I had patched the day before. This will give me more room to work on the bike and get it ready for spring. I began cleaning and moving stuff out of the battery room, but there was a whole lot of spiders and other crawling critters here and there so I decided to go to Home Depot to get some heavy duty bug spray. I also stopped off at WalMart since I was there and picked up some roasted chicken (among other stuff) to take home for me and the dogs to share. First thing I did was when I got home was spray down the battery room so I can start cleaning it out and laying down the cement pavers for the new washer.

Tuesday 06- 66 to 42 degrees.

I did my stretches and my doggies and I went for a one mile jog.

I started moving and placing the pavers in the battery room.

Me and the dogs went for a mile evening jog.

Wednesday 07- 55 to 41 degrees.

I did my stretches, yoga, and took me doggies for a one mile jog.

I worked moving all the rest of the pavers into the battery room.

I worked out with the 10lb dumbbells and took me doggies for a one mile jog.

Thursday 08- 60 to 43 degrees and clear.

I did my stretches, lifted weights, took me doggies for a one mile jog, core trainer, and punched the heavybag for three minutes.

I watered some of the plants that seemed to need watering and did some work around the yard. I cleaned out the wood stove that had gathered a bunch of ash already this season.

Me and the dogs went for a mile evening jog.

Friday 09- 60 to 41 and a bit overcast.

I did my stretches and took the dogs for a walk.

I went to town to get more cement pavers for the battery room floor. I also stopped to fuel up my truck and two 5 gallon gas containers.

Took the dogs for a walk when I got gone moving 15 of the 30 pavers to the battery room. Once I move and hookup the new washer I’ll rename it the laundry room.

Saturday 10- 73 to 42.

I did my stretches and took the dogs for a walk.

Moved all the cement pavers off the truck.

I went to the “1st Annual Flora and Fauna Celebration” at our community center. The event was put on by the Mojave Desert Land Trust (MDLT) and Stewards of the Coyote Valley.

"Biologist Kelly Herbinson will be on hand to talk about wild desert tortoises and her favorite; Ants. Local herbalist Peri Lee Pipkin will discuss the medicinal uses of native plants that grow in our area. I picked up a copy of her book “Medicinal Plants of Joshua Tree and Surrounding Areas”. MDLT Nursery Director Madena Asbell will have native plants for sale."

I didn’t buy any plants because it’s winter, maybe during the spring I will.

"MDLT Conservation Director Frazier Haney will be in the house with interactive maps to discuss the Joshua Tree North Wildlife Linkage Corridor (pictured below): where it is in our Copper Mountain Mesa/Coyote Valley neighborhood, why it's important, what kind of animals and plants live there, and how each of us can help to make the corridor more successful."

I had a wonderful time listening to the lectures and learned a lot about our desert environment!

Sunday 11- 73 to 50 degrees.

I did my stretches and took the dogs for a mile run.

I started to place the pavers down and I found I was kinda short on the side. I decided to move them all around, but thought of a better plan and will use bricks to fill the empty extra space.

Monday 12- 73 to 47

I did my stretches, yoga and took the dogs for a walk.

UPS delivery

I finished laying the rest of the pavers down and got them all aligned.

Tuesday 13- 70 to 48

I did my stretches, exercised with the 20lb dumbbells, took me doggies for a one mile jog.

I spread out the fine sand I bought to fill in the gaps between the pavers.

Wednesday 14-

I did my stretches, lifted weights, took me doggies for a one mile jog, core trainer, and punched the heavybag for three minutes.

I went to Staters in Twentynine Palms because I forgotten to purchase eggs. I brought home chicken for me and the dogs.

I watered down the pavers so the fine sand would set between them.

Thursday 15- 68 to 49 degrees and really windy.

I did my stretches and took the dogs for a mile run.

I moved the new washer from the garage and placed it in the “laundry room” and uncrated it. The wind started to blow very hard out of the southwest just when I was walking the foam crating materials to the dumpster and had to run down a few escapees that gotten blown away.

The wind picked up and I brought the dogs inside. Later around 1am I heard the patio creak and I went outside to find the south side wall had come undone and I tried to brace it with 2x4s.

Friday 16- 67 to 38 very high winds!

Woke up to find that the south side patio wall had collapsed.

I did my stretches and that’s about all because of the high wind.

Because of the data breaches of Yahoo, I closed my account there and on MySpace where my account was still open.

Saturday 17- 51 to 30 degrees and still very high winds, but not as much as yesterday.

I did my stretches and took the dogs for a mile run.

I can’t work on the patio because of the wind.

Sunday 18-

To me it's winter when my cement pond freezes over... It did so this morning

I did my stretches and went right to work on the patio.

It took hard work, rocks and sticks for leverage, 2x4s to hold in place, bunches of nails hammered, and me keeping the dogs away who wanted to look on and supervise, but I got it done.

Monday 19- 53 to 35

I did my stretches, lifted weights, took me doggies for a one mile jog, core trainer, and punched the heavybag for three minutes.

Tuesday 20- 65 to 42

I did my stretches and took the dogs for a mile run.

Worked in the laundry room getting ready to hook up the new washer.

Linda called for my help tomorrow moving a few things in my truck; I said I would.

I took my doggies for an evening mile run.

Wednesday 21- 56 to 44 with rain... lots of rain!

I did my stretches. It was raining so me and the dogs just kinda stayed inside most of the day.

There was a break in the rain and I helped Linda move some stuff to Dhamma Dena retreat from her trailer she’s selling.

I fell hard. I clipped the corner of the wood stove and because of all the sand on the floor from the wind and then the rain, slipped. I hurt my right arm the one I had trouble with, right hip, twisted my right foot, and hit my head on the floor. I laid there for a few minutes assessing my injuries. Looks like I won’t be doing any exercising for a few days until things work themselves out.

Thursday 22- 50 to 41 with rain

It rained all yesterday and still raining today. The electricity and internet went out in Joshua Tree and Twentynine Palms yesterday until sometime this morning. I still had power cause I'm on solar, but was forced to read books, but that was a good thing.

Friday 23- 57 to 44 with heavy fog.

We are socked in with heavy fog right now. Started late last night and it's still hanging around. Can't see more than a hundred feet or so. I've only seen this happen once since I've been up here and it wasn't this bad.

I took the dogs for a walk over to check on a neighbor’s cabin. My foot still hurts, but is healing.

Saturday 24- 53 to 36 with dark clouds overhead, cold wind and a bit of rain.

I did my stretches.

Just stayed inside with my doggies reading and watching videos.

Sunday 25- 48 to 33 nice and sunny day :)

I did my stretches, lifted weights, took Cassie and Barney for a one mile jog, core trainer, and punched the heavybag for three minutes.

My doggies, Cassie and Barney wearing their Christmas bandanas. They want to thank Carolyn Keyes Shaffer for the pretty bandanas

My landline telephone went dead on Christmas! I think it's because of the all the mud and water that settled in the road at the bottom of my hill after the bad weather hit. People in cars get stuck there and sometimes hit the green telephone box thingy... So I won't get any Merry Christmas call wishes on that phone.

Monday 26- 49 to 32 degrees with hazy skies.

I did my stretches, exercised with the 20lb dumbbells, took Cassie and Barney for a one mile jog.

I went to Home Depot to pick up 20 more pavers and I found some half sized pavers I needed. Before I stopped there I went to do a quick supply run at WalMart and got a roasted chicken to share with the dogs.

Them paver get heavy after carrying them out of Home Depot and my arms were tired, so I left them in the bed of the truck and will carry them into the laundry room tomorrow.

Tuesday 27- 54 to 39 and sunny.

I did my stretches and gave me and the dogs the day off from our jogging.

I picked up my landline phone and heard a dial tone! Yippi!

I unloaded all the pavers and moved them to the laundry room and put a few of the half sized paved into the ground so I could move the washer onto them and balance the machine. That all took awhile.

I swept the floor of the whole cabin... lots of dust and dog hairs.

I am putting together an old laptop of mine I’m going to give to a friend whose young child stepped on the one she had been using breaking it in two.

Wednesday 28- 61 to 42 degrees and sunny.

I did my stretches and took the doggies for a mile jog.

I hooked up all the hoses, threw a bunch of clothes inside the washer, turned on the generator and laid down the rest of the pavers while my clothes were being washed.

Did a poop patrol before sunset.

How deep the mud

Thursday 29- 64 to 41 slightly cloudy.

I did my stretches, yoga, exercised with the 10lb dumbbells, and took the dogs for a mile jog.

I mopped the whole cabin floors with Lysol.

Took the dogs for an evening walk.

Friday 30- 56 to 43 with light rain here and there.

Saturday 31- 57 to 43 with lots of rain in the evening hours.

I did my stretches and exercised with the 20lb dumbbells and took the dogs for a mile jog.

***** Stuff I Wrote this Month******

I get a lot of my ideas and inspirations from what people post here. Lately it’s been about people's negativity towards them. Here's a few of what I read:
Telling us something can't be done, you'll never amount to anything or you can't do this or that thing because you’re not smart or talented enough.
“getting smacked for saying my online thoughts and words”
“people put me down, and say I can't accomplish things”
Imagine if we didn’t ignore those who put us down, those naysayers to whom we cannot do anything right in their eyes. Such a sad sad world it would be... A poem never written, a story not told, an invention not invented, and art not created or performed.
I say ignore them naysayers and go out there and create something incredibly wonderful this New Year! <3 span="">

~RD

The end of the road looks hidden and gloomy as I walk this path of life’s final journey. I hear a cry, a shout, a wild winter’s scream, I stop to glance back to see what it all means, who might be following, stalking me down, who hides in the shadows to strike me a blow, to be left to die slowly on the side of the road.

Ascending now quickly into cold damp dreary hollow of forsaken souls from dark dismal dreams, attacked on all sides by evil swarms of screaming Banshees. I jump, I sprint, I windmill my arms to fight off this curse, to run away safely before it gets worse. I slow in my journey down this two legged highway, and come to a rest on an old wooden bench all weathered and gray. Across lies a field covered in thorns, I shall not tread there for my shoes are too worn. The old bench that I sit catching my breath is really a trap as its limbs they unwrap. With twigs for fingers they pick and they tear, shedding my clothes, my flesh and my hair. Reaching out grabbing and squeezing, the limbs are now closing blocking my view, from all that I love and friends that knew. Cherished loved ones whose paths I have crossed, now all have gone missing, perished or lost. I have no regrets on this wild road I have taken, what lies beyond a dream of a life, nobody knows unless they awaken.
~RD

To win gracefully without taking all the glory is a true triumph. To lose gracefully and not blame others is true leadership.

~RD

Confirmation bias has led us into a world of irrational conflicts justified by half truths and deceptions. Those who tried to be objective were silenced by both sides and now stand facing the precipice of history with a strong wind at their backs and compelled to watch as events unfold.

~RD

Life is like a doorbell... you either answer it or you don't.
~RD

On wings spun of glistening chrysalis web, fairies descending glide and soar around my bed. Wearing ballet slippers they do tiptoe dance, to sprinkle pixie dust upon my head. Fleeting dreams of white castles up high and secret forest effervesce throughout my mind. Oh, these fairies do love to romp and play as I sleep, taking me to exotic realms, the inhabitants I meet. Elves and fairies, trolls, pixies and nymphs, these are beings who truly exist.
A fairy dream is a memory that flutters and flows, then vanishes back into those realms we don’t know, forgotten now when we awake, waiting for us to open our minds, and believe in their magic, just one more time.
~RD

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