In which there's treasure and good news and Fiddle is patient, as always

Fiddle can't believe we're doing it again.

"Didn't you pick enough of those last week?"

But I can't help myself.

View from the mushroom patch

Fee and I went out on a solo ramble to stretch out our brains for a few hours.  This is now officially the "off season," so we can kick back for a few months and relax.

Biggify the photo to see the treasure right in front of the Dragon's ears.

We were also out as a sort of a celebration:  Santa Jim and I met with my surgeon yesterday to discuss the possibility of replacing my remaining (right) hip.

After studying x-rays from last February and April, and comparing them with x-rays taken this week, the surgeon concluded that my right hip isn't changing much.  It shows arthritis, certainly--the same arthritis that has been noted on x-rays for 20+ years.  However, in 8 months, even while my organic hip did more work while my titanium hip healed up, it didn't get worse.

We didn't have to leave the trail to find treasure today!

This indicates that my right hip will probably not crash and burn quickly, the way my left hip did in 2013.

And that was my major fear:  that I would once again go rapidly from comfortably riding 50's to barely able to walk across the parking lot.

It's possible, still.  Most everything is possible.

Jump in my saddle packs, you lovely things

Given what we can see in the pictures, sudden disaster isn't very likely.

And THAT IS GOOD.

"I can't help noticing that you would have more more room
 in your packs if  you emptied out all the horse cookies..."

Which means there is a whole lot more riding in front of me this winter. 

Spring is coming!  Let's go!