# 1,200 ... blog post that is ....

  and yes that is another magic number in my world.

  So, Dr.  Lee, the computer geek, rescued me late this afternoon.  I had a wild idea yesterday and started it in motion last night and attempted to finish it this morning.  Alas, the best laid plans sometimes just don't happen as fast as I had hoped. 

  There are now 5 fully functioning computer workstations on Third Street.  Yep, lots of spaces to work.  Came close to sending me over the edge -- but he snapped his fingers and it worked.  He literally snapped the memory chips in and out and it worked.  Dang thing was being ornery. 

  So it was chugging along updating itself when I left.  49 windows upgrades ... it's been a while since it was plugged in ... I even gave the mouse and keyboard new batteries ... and a spiffy new desk lamp....

  So happy post #1200 and I'm most thankful for computer geeks who make house/office calls on Sunday nights! 

M


  I still don't have a camera ... so here's some old ones of the shack during the snow .. unfortunately I think it's snowing now ... but the melting is also forecasted.  Weird winter weather  ...

it really isn't as big as it seems ...  it is long and skinny ... and in need of some plumbing and probably a garage roof, a sidewalk and a real roof .... it is the money pit.

Weekends on Third Street

   after 3:00 on Saturdays it is kind of like Christmas Eve -- "not a creature was stirring .... "  clients are gone for the weekend and it's just me and my stacks of files, papers, stuff.

   Sundays are reserved for me (and the cleaning lady!) ... yes I work 7 days a week for the next 90 -- oops 80 days ... normally the countdown begins at 30 days and nights ... it goes fast.

  so this afternoon it's me and MPR ... gotta love good radio when deep in thought ... and hummmmm fabric arrived in today's mail -- as did the "Watermelon Diva" Calendars .. let me know if you need a calendar -- it is full of goodness relating to being a DIVA.

toodles
Marie

so ... it arrived from Amy (the long arm quilter)

on Tuesday, Mrs. Herberg delivered my quilt from Amy (the long arm quilting diva) ... and it's flipping fabulous.  I had no idea it would look this cool.  Now it's time for binding and the big dilemma is deciding on what color --- I had saved the brown/blue argyle but I'm re-thinking (over thinking) that choice ... I have little bits of every color and might just mix it up.

Sorry about the bad picture -- I used my SNP (spiffy new phone) and emailed it to myself -- it's really browns, blues and creams ... the green wall makes it change colors and since I was in a hurry and a dweeb I never bother to shut off the lamp ... Mrs. Hoehn had the privilege of staring at it from her desk for 2 days before it made the trip the scrap shack and finally home ... it may return in its unfinished state for the next couple of weeks.

This is #1 for 2012  (even though I pieced it last June -- )

TGIF --- happy weekend

marie

cause of the grumpiness

it's the ice underneath that's the pits.....

hoping for melting

elder alert

   I live with internet junkies.   "The Internet isn't working" was the first thing I heard coming in the door tonight ... OMG the world was going to end. 

   No ... how was the funeral? no how was your day ?.... no "gee wasn't the snow pretty?"  .... it wasn't but thanks for asking. 

   So I waved my magic wand and fixed it.  I am a talented woman.  The fix -- turn off the modem, re-boot the computer -- makes me a genius every time.  Now #1 seems to want the computer. 

   The funeral was nice -- other than the grandchildren I was the youngest one there ... that's okay --- makes me feel younger than my 51 years.  The soloist was fabulous. 

Good Night from the crabby 51 year old internet repair woman -- it's the only thing I actually finished/fixed today ...

Diva

beer sticks

okay I stole borrowed the picture from the meat markets facebook page .... schmidts meat market to be specific .... the giant stick of sausage is made into 8 inch by 1/2 inch mini sticks to munch on ....wonderful ... all kinds of blends ... teriyaki -- original -- bold/brassy -- jalapeno .... maple .... smoked ... mild ....

good stuff .......
the head cheese on the lower left (the brick) is gross.  yuck yuck yuck ....

m

I gots to get a life ...

   Still at work on a Saturday night -- I did go home for a fast supper.  The microwaved meals get a bit old after a while.  I've managed to consume a dozen beer sticks from Schmidt's Meat Market.  good stuff ---

   The next 7 days are a bit crazy -- a funeral (my old boss), board meeting, yogi, client appointments starting up, special Ditch Meeting, Special Board Meeting, a "see our new dairy" plans meeting, P & Z meeting and Barb's retirement party .... so .... it's going to be a busy week. 

   The good news --- all but two clients W2's are printed (ditto their quarterly payroll reports) -- 20 clients have yet to submit their 1099 info -- shame on them, it might not get done.  4 more annual sales tax reports to go and then we'll have met the 1/31/12 deadlines. 

   I haven't worked for my old boss for 17 years -- somedays it seems like yesterday.  Technically speaking I haven't had a "boss" for 17 years.  Dang, I'm feeling old.

Marie

this is the "damn you -- my dish is empty"  look

trust me this cat has attitude

next project ....

It's hard to get a good picture with a cheep camera!

So any bets when it'll be done ... I'm hoping for May ....

M

New Technology

Yep, Dr. Lee (the computer doctor) spent a couple of hours with us yesterday.  A bit of fluffing and buffing on the network at the office ... a flip and switch of computers ... and a wireless network installed at home ... so I'm blogging from my laptop in bed with the morning news.  odd.

It does give us the opportunity to have more than one of us on different computers and on the internet at the same time.  My spiff new phone can work via the internet too. 

Who'd have thought 20 years ago that (a) I'd have a  blog and (b) we'd have internet within a 200' of the house....and I thought remote car starters were impressive.

I do not however like my laptop (or any other laptop) ... too small -- the touchy feeling mouse pad ... it's all bad.

Happy Wednesday
M

weekend progress

  well after the excitement of the fire -- it was on to work  ... I finished the binding on a baby quilt, finished crocheting a scarf and got my strip sets done for the next batik project.  Plus -- we watched two movies -- Bridesmaids and The Help -- the Help was much better than Bridesmaids.  ..... 

food ... we always eat well ... Saturday night supper was homemade lasagna .... Friday night was potato/ham chowder and egg bake for brunch this morning....

cooking is a group process !!  one to cook and one to supervise and one idiot documenting it all with her camera ....

and in between all of this fun I managed to put in 12 hour of office time and get a badly needed haircut!   ... Mrs. H beware I have stacks ready for you on Monday morning ....

crafty weekend ....

  so far one word sums it up.   FIRE ..... yeppers --- fire on the utility pole in the yard --- evidiently the "slapping out the fire with a kitchen towel in pink flannel pants" was quite entertaining ....  5 hours of powerless darkness arrived -- in rural america -- no power = no heat, no water (no flushing) .... so other projects got done.

  I missed all of the excitement --- I was a working DIVA.  the electrician arrived shortly after I did and an hour later temporary power was restored ---

 we'll see what today brings ---

 I have to mention our weekend of food.  Dang we are all fabulous cooks .... potato chowder, lasagne, egg bake, dips and munchies are tasty!

M

T G I F (in bold font and all caps)

  yeppers, it's the weekend of Super Scraping or Stitch 'n Bitch -- or whatever you want to call it.  The stamping diva's and I have a crafty weekend ahead. 

 so the rear of my vehicle contains -- two tubs of sewing machine, supplies (cutting stuff too), ironing board (and iron -- last year forgot the iron) ... 3 projects to work on ... one to finish -- two to start.  I can't seem to decide what to start next -- 3 babies on the way and not sure if they are boys or girls .... so.

  and the FOOD -- we eat drink & are pretty darn merry thru this process!!!!

 first -- I gotta work all day!!!


ta ta

M

T G I Thursday

  because in 27 1/2 hours I'll be at the scrap shack being creative!!!!  the stamping diva's and I have a weekend of crafting on the agenda -- unfortunately I have to work during the day (and get a haircut) but dang it -- I'll be sewing something. 

  I can't seem to decide on a project.  too many choices and so little time.  It might have to be "finish up" the WIP pile and order my garden seeds.

  Yep, I came out of retirement !!!  Now I need a truck and some electric fence (and solar chargers) I will win the battle of the wildlife ... one way or another!!!!

(insert smiley face)

few words wednesday

holy shit -- it's snowing !!!

only in Paradise

january 10, 2012 at 2:00pm  yep a Harley at the neighbors

no snow so the cross country skiers have wheels on them ...

and those dark stripes ... pre-treating the streets for the "storm on the way" ...

yes all pictures taken on my stroll to the drug store for a prescription refill.....

it's 53' and flipping fabulous !!!

field cruise

yeppers -- the field road was surrounded by sweet corn in late july -- lovely looking green wasn't it ... I'm liking the lack of snow but not the "brown" look

manure man making delivery after labor day 

last year (2010) it was surrounded by soybeans -- this was in September of 2010 during the flooding down in the Valley --

and in 2010 looking west into the setting sun and my favorite cell tower ....

and today --- it was driveable -- yep ... took the field road home from the scrap shack ... eastbound and downhill  -- over a couple of frozen  puddles, some snow on the back hill ... and a deer (what else) ...

when grandpa was alive we always had contests ... who would be the last to use it in fall and the first to cross in spring ... and that was 30 years ago -- and we did it without four wheel drive trucks and atv's ... This is the first year in my memory when I did it in January ... with light snow years it's pretty passable year around -- ice makes the back hill a bit challenging  -- it's a 1.25 mile trek -- or 4 1/2 miles by regular road ... and it's been there since the late 1930's ... although it's been tweeked a couple of times.

and on the 7th day the

  the idiots of the world go to work.  yep back at it today.  first up a little internet -- seek and find -- fabric of course.  I really should be camera shopping but camera's need to be handled and played with before the final purchase.  the cheep one is in my tote bag for now.

  the stamping diva's and I are having a weekend event -- gotta work so I can play later.  need to decide on a project or two or three and pack up the stuff for the trek to the scrap shack. 

  so the bed is made, the laundry is done, the web surfing should be complete  -- hi ho it's off to work it go! 

55' tomorrow !!!  can't wait ... needs to start raining or snowing -- need the moisture soon ...

ta ta ...

M

where's winter ????

   what the hell -- the January thaw came before the winter freeze.  not sure if I can handle to two 55' days in a row in January .... weather records are crashing everywhere.  needless to say all of my ice is gone.  last year it took until May.

   just another day in paradise -- if St. George, MN  is the Holy Land -- St. Peter, MN  must be paradise .... 

   Happy Weekend.

   Marie

a brown paradise

blessings

   I have a lot of peeps in my life.  Client peeps, family peeps, friend peeps.  Clients come and go -- today I got to meet the daugher of a client.  Her mom, B--- lost her battle with breast cancer a little more than a year ago.  Her children live with foster parents.  Daugher has matured into a nice young lady.

  I'm sure B--- is looking down - smiling.  B and family struggled thru the years -- relocating to St. Peter for a better life, job loss, cancer, growing up pains.  But thru it all her children were raised with a lot of love and it shows.  She did a great job. 

  Just another reminder to count the blessings.


Marie

back to the real world ...

  yeppers, I overdosed on the sewing Saturday Night.  I did however vacuum the floors and empty the trash down there yesterday .... and in the midst of the vacuuming job that side of the room went dark ... and the furnace quit and the space heater quit ..... evidently the vacuum was drawing too much juice .... tripped the circuit breaker.  sounds like a great reason to quit cleaning eh! 

  Mom and I had a dash to Mankato -- yep, the last hurrah ... the deal of the day -- frozen dinners 5 for $10 at HyVee -- it is good to eat well and cheep! 

  The wind is howling, it's slippery and the rose parade is one TV today .  It still irks me.  It should always be on New Years Day.

  birrrrr

M