Early morning chores

 Morning got here at 5 AM today, but it was dark until 7.  I was up at 5 with Dad, helping out with some morning needs, and then we had coffee and visited until shift change at 7--the caregivers, not mine.  It was a chilly 37 here this morning, but boding a beautiful day I thought.

 I went out to check the hay first as Rio and Jenny were grazing in the pasture and did not come when I called.  Once he spotted me, though, he headed over, so back out to get the feed while Jenny sauntered in.

The neighbor's chickens were over, ready to scavenge any oats that might get dropped from the bin or out of Jenny's mouth.  Rio rarely loses an oat as he pays more attention to his food than he does me, once I dump it.

Dad was napping when I got back in the house, so I worked for 3 hours on a manuscript until time to take Mom on her Friday beauty shop run and go get the mail and to the grocery store while she was getting her hair done.  While I was out, it turned cold and cloudy, and the wind was blowing fairly hard.  Back home, a late lunch and then some more work on the manuscript, and the next thing you know, it was time to put out hay, water, and evening feed.  The beautiful day had dropped in temperature and I had to get Dad's flannel barn coat out again, and go find his leather gloves to go fork hay.  The caregivers love it when I am here, because I always like to feed and they don't have to.  We have wonderful help, and they cheerfully do the few things needed beyond take care of Mom and Dad's needs--take Tinka out and feed and water her, and feed and water Rio and Jenny twice a day.  I had not met the newest addition to our caregiving family until yesterday, but I told her I always fed when I was here, and she said my sister had already told her.  I am predictable.

I made pineapple fried pies and then prepared tomato bisque tortellini soup for dinner.  It has started to rain, but is calm and quiet this evening, and hopefully, all will continue to go smoothly the rest of the evening and night.  Sis had a great time going to see her grandson's concert solo for both programs today, and is enjoying a few days of relaxation.  With the 24/7 in-home caregivers, it is more about being here than having to do much, except on those occasions like this morning when something needs two of us.  It has given me a lot of time to work on assessment, research, and writing without the interruptions that occur at work, so in that way, it is a good trade off.