Posts Tagged ‘life hack’
Sore Arms
Friday morning there was a heavy dew and as the sun hit surfaces, things started to develop clouds of steam that made it look like they would soon erupt in flames.
The cornfield to our south and the shade sail were both looking noticeably smoky.
I started the day with a visit to our local pharmacy for vaccination shots after looking online and seeing open appointments immediately available. Why not? I’ve never had the RSV shot, so I added that to my annual flu and COVID vaccinations. I also accepted the pneumonia vaccine because we couldn’t find any record that I had received that shot in the last 5 years. Four shots at once! What was I thinking?
Well, I was thinking that I have only ever reacted one time with a mild fever after a vaccination shot, so I went in with all the positive intentions I could muster. My other life-hack with vaccination shots is to immediately work my arms and get some exercise to encourage maximum blood flow. To aid that flow, I also make a conscious effort to drink even more water than usual to really maximize my hydration. Lastly, I ramp up those positive intentions with visualizations of processing the developing immunities with minimal negative reactions.
The feeling of stiff muscles in my two arms is accepted as a reasonable outcome. That just helps remind me to use them even more.
It was a beautiful day yesterday, but since it started so wet, I found something other than mowing to do. Cyndie agreed to team up to spread some more composted manure onto the hay field. In a pleasing surprise, the horses were interested in coming out to supervise.
When I returned to the composting area to get another trailer-full, Cyndie sent me a message that I might want to come back through the paddocks, since the horses were crowding around the gate.
We were very happy to see that Asher had settled down to watch us from just outside the gate. It is so rewarding when he chooses to stay with us even though we are not giving him any attention. That rarely lasts, however. While I was mowing the north loop pathway, I noticed a car slow down on the road. Then I spotted Asher’s orange scarf and hollered at him to return. To his credit, he sprinted directly to me on the mower.
A quick phone call to Cyndie determined that she was in the barn, and I was able to have her call out to him. He ran right off toward her voice. A happy ending to an unsettling situation of him being off property and meandering in traffic.
The hybrid maple tree behind the hay shed (and next to the visibly ailing one) is halfway through its transition to maximum brilliance. Cyndie finished moving the last few hay bales out of the shed and into the barn in preparation for a delivery of a fresh batch of hay expected to arrive next Wednesday.
Too bad I was busy mowing because that would have been a good workout for my sore arms.
.
.
Psychic Power
There was a period in my life when I figured out that every project/task/repair includes an unwelcome difficulty that arises to complicate things.
- A stripped screw head.
- Rusted bolt that won’t turn.
- Drill bit breaks off while drilling.
- Tap breaks while cutting threads.
- Unable to locate a missing tool.
When I figured out this was such a common situation that it was almost an integral truth to DIY efforts, I tried to adjust my attitude to avoid being triggered into a temper tantrum when problems crop up. If I convinced myself to expect that something would inevitably foil my plan for a smooth flow to a desired outcome, I could simply frame it as another step in the series toward completing whatever I was working on. It made it a lot less anger-inducing.
It turns out that this idea of an inevitable “fly-in-the-ointment” is not accurate. Unfortunately, that presents a new psychological struggle for me to process.
On Wednesday, the multiple errands I ran in succession before my reunion planning meeting went off without a hitch. I actually arrived at the restaurant half an hour early.
Yesterday morning was cool and dry, so I decided to try the riding mower first thing. After about 5 minutes, the overtemp sensor tripped off the PTO. I drove the mower back to the shop garage, put it up on a ramp, and swapped out the blade motor with the new replacement I picked up on Wednesday. The fix was quick and happened without any difficulties.
We had technicians show up to install our new dehumidifier, and I took a break from mowing to check on them, showing up just in time to confirm he had it oriented opposite of what we planned. As he described his intentions for the rest of the job, it sounded like a better setup than the salesman had proposed.
My luck was on a roll.
We had the guests from Sweden coming to visit, and I really wanted to finish the mowing before they arrived. The combination of switching back and forth between the push mower on the labyrinth and steep parts of the yard and then the riding mower for the rest, while the other machine’s batteries charged, worked out to a tee.
I completed all the mowing with time to spare.
This presents me with a challenge: It is not in my nature to accept such good fortune without trepidation. I am waiting for the proverbial other shoe to drop. I also struggle with feeling undeserving of so much trouble-free success. How did I get so lucky?
We are strongly hoping our quick transplant of the trillium plants from Hayward will be viable and that they will thrive in this new location. 48 hours later, the once droopy transplants are standing tall and looking as happy as can be.
Could it really be possible that focusing on positive outcomes and the practice of holding expectations that things will play out flawlessly produces actual results?
Honestly, I believe it can. I just find it hard to believe that I might be pulling it off.
.
.
