accidents happen.

As I lay here in bed tonight my mind spirals out of control.

My day started perfectly. Billing, Shipping done for hubby...
NEW update on the neck is just torn muscle that will heal with time.
Then a ride out to Biltmore.

The ride was glorious... The quiet, the colors, the company! Don protected me... as I call it from an on coming van. Sweet Pea was about to have a kanipshion fit!  She was high strung from the start and was dying to run the entire ride.  I was in her mouth holding her, neck bent, but barely listening ... so... with one sprint of a run and Sweet Pea was so excited she was hard to STOP.  But I did when I heard the NOISES behind me. My riding companion for the day on Navarre... was off and barely breathing.  Alive yes, awake yes but legs moving from pain.

got both horses tied them together and had to let them go to assist my companion.  The rider came off when Navarre balled up to jump forward with more speed, or so best I can get from his description.  Those who have ridden Navarre know this is unexpected and can catch you off guard.  My riding buddy fell off with a heavy thud onto a tree knot that had fallen onto the path etc... He was riding well, sitting tall, but all this happen so quickly it just ... happened.

I asked him to stop moving, rest, breathe.
I could see his pulse in his neck.
He could see, He wasn't bleeding, I asked him to stay still... he could move everything so he propped up on the side of the path so he didn't have to use his back etc...

It was when he went to get up, realizing the horses were GONE...
He was determined to get out of there.
HE WALKED down the path...

I whistled for the horses and they either stopped or headed back towards us. YES he tried to get back on... He realized that likely was not the best idea.... so He walked out of those woods like he was marching head of a platoon and leading the way.

I got the horses settled as he stood around wanting and begging to help me.
PAIN rushed him as he got in the truck... and ... we went straight to the ER .
I rushed to get a wheel chair and mouthed for HELP! Two nurses came out and took care of him.

I know.
I thought he was a goner.
I thought he was going to have a broken back
? damn it! I figured I was going to have to call 911 and have an ATV get him out, while I knew the horses would find other horses and that too would send people looking for us.

I rushed the horses home.
I threw out hay and left.

Another alarm was my hubby was home and he was planned to leave for a little time in Nash.  Had to check on him, see if he was ok; explain to him what was going on and go back to the ER to see if Don had at least been tended to at some level.

He had a basic x ray showed two broken almost dislocated ribs.
The blood had pooled so much this too showed up on the x ray and caused more concern so another test was ordered and a good and bad result was given.  It was actually 4 ribs broken but the lung not punctured as thought.

Thank GOD he is going to make it, but the poor guy will be in so much pain for the next week and then six weeks.

Oh bad I feel does not easily go into words.

FYI... I didn't blow my diet today I had stuff with me but I was so relaxed at one moment and so worried the next I didn't get hungry.  I did make myself eat something once I got home. After going back to the barn giving the horses more water, disconnecting and draining the hose line.  Lordy I will never get to sleep tonight...

Life is good but it changes in a moment.
My love to the world.
AegF

A good day off.

It was again  a normal day but a GREAT day as well.

Don, Darrell and myself got phase one of the equine patio completed! I am so ... excited.

Today we went from... THIS

All the way to THIS.... 

View INTO the barn area... 

From in the barn...

Life is going forward... I learned SO much about laying these things by hand, and almost got it really going on fast by the end of phase one.

NOW I have to save my money again, purchase 6 more pallets of pavers and get started on phase two.

In the mean time! I plan to get my new hose extender that is going to be industrial strength

Close up and cover the insilation box for the water hose. 

Create an insulated LID for the horse water, as well as an insulated box for it!

Not to forget I have to put up the forest fence again.

Put up a fire wood shed! 

Get some trees cut down and out of the way (put onto the west wall )

My "diet" went out the door today as I was with the guys all day. 

cream in my coffee...  a muffin (regular) for breakfast... and yes... a SANDWICH for (1\2 of one) for lunch.  I gave the other half to the hubby... 

Pumpkin seeds for dinner (Jerry had carved a pumpkin for his mother)  

All is as it should be.... and I'm happy.

Signing off, want to get in some good sleep so I can ride in the morning... 

My love to the world 

AegF 

long day.

My day started out as normal as they get.

I did billing, shipping, went to the barn did their water and graded a few feet ahead for laying pavers tomorrow or Thursday with the guys...

having said all that I went to my part time job and was doing what is expected... ate lunch...

Chi Pani... a great place to eat...
Indian Street Food but a saving grace for a new vegan like myself.

A great vegan veggie Udda Pamm (if that is how you spell it)  

Worked some more ... then as I was listening to something a co worker was saying ... I realized I couldn't make out WHAT she was saying... and the black started to move in.... 

My co-workers say I got white and insisted I go to a urgent care.  I had a pain in my neck yesterday and while it was no worse it was no better;  and my primary couldn't see me till Thursday of next week;  that with what ever it was that made me not concentrate and nearly pass out was enough to encourage me to think it out. 

I knew urgent care was only going to have xrays and what ever it is, is soft tissue so ER it was... A caring co-worker took me, and hubby followed after tying up loose ends like business, house, animals etc... 

I got to the ER and with in 30 minutes I had an  EKG, it was CLEAN! 

I then sat in the waiting room for hours. 

BUT ... when I got back to a room once again time was given to me and attention was focused more than I expected.  

Apparently the exact spot of my pain is the carotid artery ? who knew? not me! So I was rushed to a contrast CT.  IT too is CLEAR, CLEAN NO issues... 

So I am being sent to an ear, nose, throat MD as soon as I can.  ? who knows... 

Long day! 

Just Keeping in touch... 

My love to the world. 

AegF 

great energy....

Today was another day with great energy.
I have NO idea why or where all this is coming from, as once again the only change I have made in my life is the vegan diet to get this weight off!  While I believe I have lost 5 pounds in three weeks I have to say I tend to weigh differently from morning to night etc... So I say I have lost this amount because I am weighing myself after my morning coffee, after going to the barn... and after my shower while I am dripping wet.  SO ...

I have lost inches... lots of inches... and the energy is CRAZY!
I have had more and more trouble sleeping through the years.  I thought it was my hormones getting out of wack, my husband snoring like a freight train, and getting older!   Recently the husband has complained about MY snoring! but even last night when he woke me up more than 4 times I was able to get back to sleep (I have never been able to do that)   BUT this could have been a fluke for only last night.

Having said all of that my knee pain is not as much as it was three weeks ago.  I say this as MORE about the little bit of weight I have lost and not as related to the diet change itself.

These are ONLY MY results, nothing scientific here! only me, one person doing what I can when I can and how I can to get my weight off my bad leg, keep my life going forward in a way I am comfortable with, and I am NOT preaching or telling anyone else what they need to be doing.

I had an apple with almond butter and hemp for breakfast.
I had beets in orange and ginger, an avocado, and cauliflower in curry for lunch...
I had a banana with peanut butter and hemp for a snack later in the day...
and tonight I didn't crave a dinner so... that was my day... coffee with coconut milk when I got to work! (can't do that all the time it is too sweet of a creamer for me)

I had so much energy this morning I laid yet another few bricks before going to work!

I know it may not look like a lot to most but this takes a little concentration, although I have to admit I am starting to get the hang of some of it! 

I also took pictures of the trees just outside my zen spot to be... 

This fall is just amazing this year.... I am enjoying it very much.  

Yes horse friends these are maples and bamboo.  I have not yet decided what to do about the maples as they are above the barn and the leaves could blow into the fence below.  NOT sure but keeping an eye on the situation!  

I also had to stop and take a photo of the sun set tonight... it was breath taking! 

Life is good and getting better. 

I am moving around well, having energy to stay up and type out my day... and enjoying the mornings again. 

My love to the world 

aegF

Funny. ....

Ok...
So I've been gluten free for a long time.  BUT I was living off good cheese and foods heavy in fat.   So yes I cut out all the animal products to get a little weight off, but I never ever expected to be feeling as if I have MORE energy not eating all that fat.

Having said that Yes I miss foods, yes I would love to have a bowl of blueberries with cold heavy cream poured over them!

BUT I am not craving the fat any more!  I posted on Facebook when I publicly announced my vegan diet that I was hungry ALL the time.  I was but not only was it I was eating so much but it was also a craving for all the fat I had  been eating.  

I no long crave the fat!   heck I was in the grocery store tonight talking to my father, talking to him about bacon, and milk and still I didn't cave in a grab a pint of ice cream or any meat.

Today I had enough energy to grade off and lay 12 pavers at the barn. My only goal had been to get the center post out of the ground and get the post secured in some other way.  I accomplished my goal and then laid several more for the heck of it.

Had fun with the hubby when I got home.

Then got ready and went to work.... LIFE... it never stops but normally I am pushing myself to just mull through it, Sense Thursday I have been gaining a little more energy a day.  The only thing that I have changed in my life has been my diet... Other than my hair (my husband said)  as if my hair color was going to make me so happy as it give me more energy.  We laughed together when he said it.

At any rate I still had enough energy to work, and post all this before going to bed.

My love to the world..
AegF

daily drummm

Life today was as normal and mundane as it gets.  OH except that I died my hair ORANGE this morning! ha ha ha...

I had the ONE day off this week Thursday... and did the hard labor it takes to keep a barn going and lay a few concrete pavers to get the horses a little more settled.

Today that effort paid off.
Sweet Pea was in her own spot eating her feed and not being upset with Navarre.  Yesterday he was for a third day in a row badly battered from her kicking him in her fit of anger.

She hates small spaces while he doesn't mind them.  So all the blocks left are on his side and her side nice and open as she likes it.

While I am normally dragging with little to no energy, living by consuming coffee; today I had energy, and even took a moment to go get more fat for their winter feed needs. So my food change for myself is perfect and on track with my needs.  Otherwise I have no other changes in my life to allow me more energy with little rest in my days.

I decided to change them (the horses)  from the 18 % rice bran fat I normally get to the 25% flax bran fat (new to my area) from Southern States down town.  I also got some Hard Keeper while there; because my favorite smart packs stop carrying the product and I find it works well for Sweetpea.

Life is good and my walking at work today added up to over 5 miles for the day. (not including barn work etc)

Life is good and I'm out for the day, as I open first thing tomorrow BUT I don't have billing or shipping either!   So a late morning for me will do the trick!

My love to all
AegF

Making HUGE changes.

Ok...

So I have gained weight. My leg hurts all the time. While I push myself with my horses, my house suffers, and I am tired ALL the time.

This is what we started with... just basic stall mats keeping the area somewhat clean.  Sept 27th 2014

I made a huge change three weeks ago today!
I have gone Vegan, Non GMO, GF  for any and all meals I make myself, and or I choose to eat out alone.
I will however eat whatever is on hand when out with friends and family (all within reason)  I'm not going to order a small house salad, a large steak, with three side items loaded with cheese sour cream butter and bacon.

Oct 4th 2014

Having said that I have ... I repeat! ...
I have had three cups of coffee with cream out with workers each Thursday!   I also ate gluten free muffins each of those days as well  Ate some wonderful cheese tots today!!!! .  So yes they had eggs in them! Other than my hard labor days.. my eating going over our days goals etc... This life change is going well.

Oct 8th 2014

I have to say yesterday was the first day I actually had energy!
YES I wasn't dragging myself in or out of the barn.
This morning I actually got up without an alarm at 5:30.. like I used to!
We... Don,  Darrell and myself got more done than I expected... even after breaking one of our necessary tools!  

Oct 16th 2014

I haven't written here because I have not had the energy!
I've been working 5 to 6 days a week.

I've ridden my horses only once in the last two months.  (last Friday and Navarre gave me a time...)


My only day off this week was today!
I got lots done... We got 1/4 of the horse patio done (or so my family calls it)
We rocked, sanded, and pounded the new 1/4 section and the horses are now walking on the first area completed.

Of course basics were also done today!
Cleaning trash around the barn,
Cleaning (Clorox) the water container )
Got hundreds of pounds of feed across town.
Even washed some clothes today!

Oh well I can only say I HOPE to have the energy to give a daily update as I once did...
Weight, measurements, horses, horse blocks! (horse patio at barn) and everything else going around there!

Oct 23rd  2014

Love to all
AegF