ahhh fall ...

and the things we do to get ready for the snow and cold ... Ruby had her fall oil change yesterday -- a fast pass with a vacuum and wash and she's ready for winter storage ... I actually drove her home across the field road last night -- after all it is the shortest route between the farms.  she can handle down the hill -- up the hill is 4WD only ... it's dry out there .. if it doesn't rain or snow soon -- my ATV trips will be cut back ... wouldn't want the prairie to start burning from a hot manifold or muffler 

since Ruby was out of commission with the oil change gig -- I ended up walking everywhere ... first trip was Gov't Center for Ditch Stuff ... then over to HHS for a retirement and the social workers were gracious enough to invite me for lunch ... and I never turn down pot luck!  

Back to the office and spot of work -- then back to HHH for the soiree at Public Health -- 50 years of home health care by Nicollet County -- and then back to the office ... 'twas a good day to be hoofing it all over town ... and good for me -- even if I was whining about it ...

what a crappy day ...

the only solution to making a horrid day tolerable.  

yes, I use my own mug rugs!

so -- the queasy's continued most of the day -- after lunch I was light headed, dizzy and had balance issues -- and hot ... once I lost the long underwear, skirt, boots and sweater -- I cooled off ... the ears are still ringing ... so back on the allergy pills.

meeting, meeting, meeting, client meeting, meeting.  it was one of those days.

tomorrow is client meeting, meeting, meeting, client meeting, meeting -- 

I haven't looked at Thursday ...

then I had a candle moment -- as in, "wasn't there a candle burning in the bathroom" moment so I drove back to the office -- and well, there was no candle burning in the bathroom.  wth.  letters are not swearing.

my Christmas card order arrived from Vistaprint ... below is the picture :)

the glut of capitalism

no cyber monday for this chick -- i spent way to much money on needless stuff the entire month of November.

clothes -- i have way too many clothes for a middle aged woman.  i scored deals on saturday -- 50% deals and took advantage of them ... let it be known -- i won't need undergarments for a while.  enough said.  i've been drooling over a lands' end down vest for years ... a pretty plaid one.  no. no. no.  

i sewed on the mystery project most of sunday morning -- the blocks are constructed and need to be sized and slabbed together ... pictures after christmas -- 

mom and i black friday shopped on saturday night -- fleet farm (ya, we need to get a life) ... nuts, dried fruit, boots and appliances -- and of course a side trip for supper .. 

the fabulous weather yesterday had me cruising the prairie on my atv -- almost 15 miles of cruising ... i went places i haven't been for years and well, i hauled trash to the dumpster.  the atv is a very expensive trash hauler.

it's back to the pool night -- we'll see if i can still keep my head above water ... good for the body and soul.

little details in life

my thanksgiving day walk ... nary a snowflake in sight ... isn't it lovely!

but the last of the coneflowers didn't survive the 10' temps a week ago ....

So, I normally love having a rental apartment -- until the text message arrives at 7:00am on a Saturday -- "no heat" .... so I called the furnace dude's emergency number (which is his cell number) .... and waited --- finally I gave up --- put my cell number on the doors and went home at 1:00pm  .....

got home, got comfy --- and he arrived -- renter dealt with him -- a motor or compressor or something on the upstairs furnace.  

It is good to be me.

milestones

there are no pictures -- but I mowed the freaking lawn today -- November 24th and I'm mowing the lawn -- this will be the very last time in 2017.  I usually jot in my daily notes when I mow ... I didn't jot the first of the season down -- but it was April .... April thru November is a lot of grass cutting ....

on the flip side -- the freshly mowed (and short) grass looks pretty darn good (for November) ... I like short grass going into winter -- less snow mold.  Let's be real here -- my grass is pretty awful.  The quack has froze off -- the creeping charlie doesn't mind the cold. 

Ruby and I will be headed home shortly -- after a stop for gas (and perhaps a wash -- if it is not raining) and then she's going to hibernate for the winter -- her reserved spot in the machine shed awaits her (and her blankie) ...



maybe we should check out the cabin tomorrow!!!!  lunch on the deck if it isn't raining ...... missing the happy place...

argh ..

immediate disclaimer -- I stole this pix from facebook --- my theory, if it's on facebook it's fair game as longs as I disclose it ...

so this is the traffic nightmare of south Saint Peter -- NIGHTMARE .... truly, WTH is MnDOT doing to the road on an holiday escape day --- ...  it's been like this all week long ..

even here on 3rd it is chaotic -- truly ---  and frankly peeps have become aliens ... truly ..

I feel the need to sew and CALM down. 

every once in a while

a reality check hits. ....

I was on the move from the moment my fit hit the floor yesterday --- client meetings, county meetings (*3 -- in various locations) -- updating the life insurance (always important) ...attempting to calm the chaos of a Monday (and my life) ... and thru it all ....

the news of a death -- the 16 year old daughter of clients -- 16 -- cancer .... a beautiful vibrant 16 year old --- I know life isn't always fair -- but 16 ... she (and her family) fought so hard ... and now ... peace ...


I have so much in which to be thankful ....
and chaos is just freaking chaos.


peace .....

just Diva and an afternoon ATV ride

the mother lode of bittersweet -- is a bit slim this year 

someday I'm going to build a house on this corner of paradise ... it is a gorgeous view of the valley ... and the oaks ... oh, the oaks

I tried so hard to get a shot of the milkweed seeds blowing in the breeze -- 30 pictures later ... they all look like this ....

ice on the pond today ... 

T G I F

Monday -- I can't remember but I must have been busy.
Tuesday -- Board Meeting, lunch w/Jack, tornado party planning, drive to St. Cloud
Wednesday -- Tax Conference (in St. Cloud) a spot of Crafts Direct
Thursday -- Tax Conference, drive home from St. Cloud, office messages, etc
Friday -- Public Health Preparedness Conf in Mankato, back to office

whew I'm pooped.

48 hours -

I miss keys ... 

covert crochet -- always good to keep the hands busy during the seminar ... I managed to make a significant dent on two scarves ... 

and my view from the back row ... water .. coffee .. writing utensils ... 

it was a fast 48 hours -- Saint Cloud and back -- I did get to spend an hour at Crafts Direct ... I showed restraint -- only $73 in the hour I was there -- it was the $12/yard fabric I selected ... 4 yards for an undercover project .. 

The seminar was a bit of a disappointment ... although I didn't expect much ... but geez .. babbling to fill time is a waste of my time and insulting to all of us in attendance.

motivation Sunday

well, I was so motivated I deleted the picture of my caramel frappe ... it tastes as good as it looks. It truly has been the only motivated thing I've done today.

so below was a phone shot out the bedroom window and the quote of the day ... "there's a brown truck parked in the yard .. I wonder who that is ?"  oh Mom ....

it's my truck.  elder #1 used it to move his boat from the front of shed from back of shed --- brown truck was parked in the way.  

since I'm lacking in motivation -- i'm going to take a nap. 

later alligators!

night stand still life

fuzzy ipad shot ... the sudafed stupor does not allow for pictures in focus.  but that stuff seems to be working.  so ... two beverage glasses, advil bottle and advil tablet, eyedrops and book ... 

soft tissue is a must ... need more ... you know where to find me ...

embracing November

  on another blog I read how one crazy woman embraces November -- it's the month before the happy season ... it's the end of the year and getting ready to roll into the new year ...

hooey pooey --- i hate sitting at my desk and seeing the street lights come to life at 4:40pm.  yikes it's dark ... but I'm trying ...

   i have the crud or some version of the crud.  'tis better to have it in November than February has been my mantra of the day ... I was out at THE drainage ditch project last Friday and got a chill -- ditto for Saturday and Sunday ... and so begins the dripping nose, the chills, the achyness, the fever .... yes, Mrs. H -- I got it ...

  i'm still at the office -- however my freshly detailed truck just arrived -- time to go home and get in a nap before bed!

weekend fun and games

I started a new quilting project while attending a quilting/scrapbooking retreat on Saturday ... it uses two layer cakes and a cake mix booklet -- ... I'll be ripping off papers in my sleep .... long way to go ...

the other three in my tribe -- they were working on cards from a couple of Wednesday's ago .. we were literally in the back corner of the room -- it was quiet back there .... and kind of dark.  I was thankful I took my Ott light with me.  It was after 8:00 before we opened the cookie bag and I don't think anyone attacked the m & m bag.   Love my little travel iron -- it's great for small work spaces.  After I got bored tired of the paper piecing gig I pieced a 1 1/2 honey bun roll into a top.

I started the day with my 2017 scrapbook pages -- all stuck down and ready to insert into plastic sleeves.  I planned and prepped and really didn't waste a lot of time .. I did shop the vendors ... cool stuff.

We were home by 10:00 and by 10:15 I had my stuff carried into the house ... 

I don't

wanna work ....

I have a really really bad case of the I don't wanna work .... really bad.


Yesterday was a County Gig in Nicollet ... lovely drive in the darkness ... cold breeze blowing off of the lake, marsh, prairie pothole, swamp.  Back to the office and the end of month - beginning of a new month stuff --

Home to a couple of piles of laundry -- and I sewed while laundry -- pieced 9 turning twenty blocks for a mid-sized table topper ... tonight will put the blocks together and finish packing for Saturday ...

Saturday is our crafting day in the metropolis known as Arlington Minnesota -- I have 2017 scrapbook pages to assemble (as in glue the pictures to pretty paper) .. and a couple of sewing projects ... my Block magazine arrived and it has a couple of possibilities in it ...

okay back to work -- webinar this afternoon, followed by a County gig and a HAIRCUT ....


M