3 DAYS OFF...

I got a very unusual 3 days off in a row from my job so Bill and I attempted to head over to the ranch. There were supposed to be thunderstorms in the area on Saturday and Sunday, but we didn't let that deter us.

What did stop the trip over was Bill's back. He said he had pain when he woke up,especially when sitting, and it only worsened as we drove. We got as far as Payson, an hour away, and that's where the decision was made to head back to Fountain Hills due to the excrutiating pain Bill was in by then.

The trip to Payson however was somewhat eventful. We stopped in at the Casino so that Bill could stretch out his leg and back and we both needed to use the facilities. We managed to win $27 after only being in the building for about 15 minutes!

I won another $8 on a scratchers ticket the night before. Ironically, I guess this could be considered my "lucky weekend"...even if we didn't get over to see how things were at the ranch.

This weekend was definitely just the opposite for Bill. He said he hasn't had this much back pain in the past 4 years. And all this happened after going to a back specialist for the past two months, in hopes of shoring up his back to put all these back problems behind him for good. Unfortunately the four shots he received only made the problems worse!

All things happen for a reason...I just hope this reason is a good one! It sure doesn't seem like there is a good side to any of this. The $35 won't help make Bill's back pain any better, but it at least put a smile on his face! But at least I was able to use the $35 on new ice packs for his back!

I was kindly given 4 days off in a row next month so we could spend time getting our water tank and propane filled, but that's a mute point now. I'll just have to go over by myself for two days to make sure all is as we left it. I can only hope and pray that all is as we left it.

Unless we get a miracle in regards to Bill's back we obviously won't be making any progress in 2010 either.

AND NOW IT'S APRIL...

Heavens...where does the time go? It probably goes off on vacation, relaxing peacefully, waiting for the rest of us to catch up!

I've requested the weekend of the 17th and 18th off (but who knows if it will be approved!)so that Bill and I can head out to the ranch for an overdue and much needed visit. We hope all will be as we left it, and as Jay and LouAnn last saw it in December. The weather has supposedly been beautiful, into the 60's during the day, but still dipping into the teens overnight.

And of course...the winds have come, blowing at seemingly a constant of into the 20 mph range during the day. Sometimes gusting into the 30's and 40's. The "Alert" is a constant bar across the top of my weather bar, and the little tree icon looks to be in high wind mode constantly.

We're hoping to make some progress this summer, because we got absolutely nothing accomplished last year. It's going to be a busy summer, at least for a few days... going into town to get water, refill the propane tanks, getting the little solar system we bought hooked up, and possibly talk to some people in town about services like putting up fencing.

Hopefully our first weekend trip to the T-Square this month will be relaxing, and then during subsequent visits this summer....let the work begin!!!