So far so good.

By Patty Wilber

I did a bad job of picture taking this week and last, but I did get a snap of the creek that ran across the property on the two inch rain day last week!

By the time I took the photo, water levels had already receded.

In the first nine days of October we got somewhere around 4.3 inches of rain and since the weather has been cooler, it has not all evaporated. We still have soggy spots and the catchment on the 30 acres filled up again.  Once it dries (hopefully before a good snowfall), I plan to dredge it out so it can hold more water for the spadefoots next summer.

The horse pens, were, of course, swamps and I had to drain one of my shelters with a siphon (which was kind of fun actually–I like playing in the mud!).  And “worst” of all, a good bit of the dirt work I had just completed, because hey, the monsoons were over!, has to be redone.

But we still needed that moisture, so were happy to get it. Despite the volume, the precipitation has not brought us out of drought status!  We could get another good shot of rain this weekend, though!

I did have the first chemo infusion.  I am not saying it was fun, but I am thankful that I have been able to ride everyday since. Luckily, despite all that rain and runoff, my arena stayed rideable!

I moved a little slower some days, but I was not incapacitated. And the horses made progress. Sonora, the two-year old colt start, had her first day of loping.  Both leads, no drama. Very proud of her!

Of course, there are three more infusions (spaced at two week intervals) in this sequence, and the effects are said to get somewhat worse each go, so no promises after next week’s #2. (But at least I will be half-way through this first round!)

I am trying to channel Lynne MacTavish at Mankwe in South Africa.  She did not miss a single day of work and she had the same type of cancer as I have. This is not to say I am not afraid of the treatments! I am!  Who wants to go for treatment knowing they are going to feel worse after it? But, I have my partner of 36 years by my side and the only way forward is through, so onward!