goodbye 2019

and love and laughter

it's time for change peeps

not giving up the lake time

enjoying every sunset and sunrise .

this old teapot/coffee pot is a good reminder 

it reminds me to be practical, steadfast and resilient

to stop and smell the roses

to nourish the soul

to roll with the curves in life

it hit me yesterday that it is the end of the decade, freaking decade -- where does time go -- I vividly remember the Y2K issue in 1999 and hoping computers would work the next day -- remember I had a bag phone back then :) -- and it's 20 years later -- now I worry if I locked the damn door

the pursuit of wealth and taxes is driving me insane this week -- proper planning is important but I'm not so sure planning on December 30th is the best option -- Unemployment Audit today -- evidently UI Auditors are working today ... argh 

my NYE will be spent in flannel pants on a couch, in a chair or at my sewing machine -- various versions of the crud have arrived on Daisy Lane -- we're just going to take it cool (cooler)

there is a new baby in the family - we won't get to to meet him until the crud leaves but he's a good reminder to enjoy the moments -- big and little

Happy New Year 

cheers to 2019

blessings for a 2020 filled with goodness and joy

EDIT:  I must be tired -- I just realized I used the same picture twice in one week ... seriously tired but my fun boots arrived from Target -- I'll be perking up in time for the couch ...

critters in the rain

the cardinals put on the show before, during and after Saturday's freezing rain, drizzle and heavy rain ... seriously, the gutters were gurgling when I went to bed ... gutters gurgling in December ??

and in this mornings fog I spied this girl in the windbreak 

she moved back and forth and eventually came into the yard

and when I got home from the office -- the tree rats were nibbling on the deck

yesterday, Asshole Cat #2 -- had one by the tail -- on the icy deck --- I missed it but elder #1 is still laughing over it ... AC#2 is not the smartest cat in the world.

and Aunt Luz's teapot 

this teapot seems to stay put no matter what ... 

it isn't nailed down ...

goofy thing :)

Mother Nature

   the freezing rain and 2/10" of ice were really not necessary.

   I made it over the hill to the office -- loaded up a box of work and -- made it back up the hill -- coming back wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. 

   I'm slogging thru the projects .. hopefully, before the day / night is over I'll have a couple of hours at the sewing machine. 

  otherwise, the work projects and the laundry are getting done.

((( sigh )))

 I have the worst case of  "I'm tired of work and I really don't want to be here, but I got stuff to do and need to be here" ... it's a disease peeps, a bad disease ... 

year end does that to me -- makes me tired, reflective, tired, crabby -- too many peeps with weird questions this week ... I'm about to toss on my sweat pants, lock the door and have an attitude adjustment moment -- after I run errands ...

the post office

the hardware store

the grocery store 

the list is endless 

but yesterday it was the car wash and picked up me drugs .. life is better with drugs 

so it rolls

ps:  Cousin Mary -- elder #1 is dying to watch the well removal issue you have going on ... he's still cracking up over your Christmas letter ... 

other entertaining year end moments

my Christmas present to myself

found this lamp at the antique joint next to the beauty shop

it was calling my name

it looks splendid in my office 

ignore the hole in the wall and the chipped paint

(unfinished projects)

Year of Color

Instagram does this year of color -- where they analyze the color represented most often in your Instagram feed --

this is a pretty good representation of Mother Nature with a splash of Ruby tossed in ...

I think however it would make a cool quilt ... circles of solids on a white background --  I think I can, I think I can .... said the little train ....

Happy Christmas

 I'm about to chuck all the crap piling up in the office and head for the farm.

Actually, I think over the last week or so, a lot of projects got knocked out and done.

The gifts are bought and need to be wrapped -- it won't take long.

Got a haircut -- always a wonderful thing.

Found a spiffy mid-century modern lamp at an antique store -- $20 (insert grin)

There will be a spot of homework, a few home projects, a bit of sewing, some eating and since it is a fabulous 45' day -- a walk on the wild side ...

Merry Merry

WWS --

WWS - Wonder Woman Syndrome

as in how the heck is all going to get done.
stress makes WWS worse (worser) (bad, just plain bad)
I'm crabbing out on people regularly ...

and I'm bone tired -- just tired.  I'm going to blame the cold weather -- I haven't felt my feet in a month .... the weekend forecast is in the 40's ... just need to feel the warmth ... as if 40' is freaking warm ..... fresh air ......


I had a few big projects this month:


1.  upgrade computer system
2.  renew licenses (the professional ones)
3.  renew irrigation permit
4.  renew rental license
5.  finish pre tax client appointments
6.  get year end packets out by Christmas
7.  get home office moved to basement

so #4, #5, #6 and #7 are yet to get done.  and then there is the 100 outstanding IRS problems we're still working on --- although a couple finally got resolved this week -- it's taking freeking forever -- and I mean forever ...

my weekend plans
#'s 5, 6 and 7
Christmas Tree & seasonal decor (their still in the closet) ...
take a walk and get some fresh air (this might entail cleaning a couple of garages)
go see the bison --
get a haircut
clean office




and what did WW accomplish today ....

so far:  
1.  New Ulm for public health board meeting 
2.  dropped off junk donation items at MRCI in NUlm :)
3.  took 1000 envelopes to the post office to mail .. 
4.  laundry (done)
5.  tree is up -- elder #1

Just for Jan ...

62,300

digital pictures on my home computer ...

So, Sunday night I was copying my digital pictures over to an external hard drive with the intent to move them to my new home office computer --

62,300 images -- what the hell ..... I bet I deleted another 62,300 over the years ... the library goes all the way back to 2007 and my first digital camera  ---

I bet 61,900 of them are flowers, birds, deer, the patch, and quilts  (insert grin) ... less than 10 of them are me (larger grin) ...



when I get home I'll add the first pix I took ....

July 24, 2004

now that ought to make me feel old  

62,300 pictures of flowers, cats, birds and deer

our second year at the market 2004

they day George Bush rolled thru town at 65 mph

it was kind of a big deal

people too!

A Day for the Birds!

 So the twisted life I lead -- is kind of scripted .. I went off script this morning and went to Mankato at 9:00 am and 0' ... I had returns at Kohls and Tarjay  ... Kohl's gave me "in store credit" for part of the return -- so I had to check out the deals ... and scored some nice cold weather items .-- 30% off .. remember, no new clothes .... Tarjay is equally good about returns -- that parking lot .... I was waaaaaaayyyyy back (but near a cart corral) ..  I had a list:

toothbrushes

toothpaste

lip gloss

sanitizing wipes ('tis the season)

toilet bowl cleaner

purse/wallet/tote bag

raspberries (have the best luck there)

and the things I forgot

deodorant 

laundry soap

bathroom furniture (don't ask)

then I went to dump drop off my items at the thrift store ... which was closed until noon so I dashed to Joann Fabrics -- scented pine cones, yarn, gift bags, things I really didn't need ....

back to said thrift store -- 11:15 --- I came home -- still have 6 bags of treasures in my back seat ... including some thirty one bags with even more treats in them ....

argh....

I came home to a bird show and I got lucky 

used a cool whip container as a tri pod -- steady is important

the detail and color amazes me ...

I think I need to re-create in a quilt 

(next summer)

30 days of chaos (pix heavy)

the board of projects .... this is the beginning 

it has slimmed down a bit 

most of the orange and left side greens are gone

my work space at Green Lake

tissue, eggnog, iced coffee, sanitizer and glasses 

all the necessary things

green lake is gorgeous

the view from my office chair ... 

I'm part of a nine month leadership program thru the Blandin Foundation

meeting some cool people and learning new traditions and cultures

appreciating differences

the migration of the data ... new server, a new workstation, new hard drives in the old computers and upgrades to Windows 10 on everything  .... earlier there was a new copier/fax 

 and since the office got new computers I thought a new one for home would be good too -- and a new "lamp"... moving my home office to the basement has been a project in the making

there is still a piano in my way .

I also purchased a stand up desk for down there

 my ATV is in town -- and yesterday I plowed snow with 'er

cool tools make a nasty job go faster

see I did it ...

embracing the darkness by enjoying the sunsets

 

legal for another year ...

no wonder I'm pooped out

T G I F

Is the day over yet ...

dang the busy weeks seem to totally wear me out 

today's big appointment cancelled so ... I had a bit of time for other projects 

another shelf tossed/purged/recycled

the snow got plowed/shoveled/relocated

I really should suck it up and vacuum the basement -- maybe tomorrow that would cross something off my twisted pile of lists ....

my fabric arrived for a project ... might need to play a little bit this evening ...

so many maybe's 

maybe I just need to get my shit together ...

found this pix on wastebook -- for some reason it spoke to me ...

oh the memories

I was cleaning a corner and found some pictures of my old office -- the 229 Broadway Office ...the one I moved out of September 2001

above is the door to the storage closet/restroom ... and the receptionists desk -- 

the bar stool chair, wall hangings and part of the desk are still in use 

O M G

back in the corner office (mine) ... the fan, file cabinets, chair and pix on the wall I still HAVE ...

noticing a trend .... WTH

the tall upright bookcase is now storage shelves in the garage ....
I do miss my fish / fish tank -- they made the move to the new office but didn't do well after the move -- maybe too much light ... not sure ... most of them made it thru the tornado ... (they lived in a bucket for a month -- )

looking down the row of offices to my office ..
the first cubicle was the "staff accountant" office -- either Laura, Cousin Cathy, or Kathy ....
the middle cubicle was the file room -- client files, the computer server and the research materials

(back before I purchased the practice -- this was my office)
and the far "space" was my expanded office -- after the knee wall was taken out

 holy smokes ... 

I know these were taken pre-tornado -- so before March 29, 1998 

Yikes I'm old and I'm a hoarder
need to keep throwing out the crap ...
I mean seriously -- seriously

snow globe

the view out the window (office, of course) is like a snow globe. 

I finished a few projects yesterday -- the old server is pulled out of the closet and ready to be destroyed .... literally ---

I attempted to vacuum out the server room and discovered a plugged vac hose -- i cut out the bad section and attempted to tape it together.  epic fail.  Amazon sells replacement hoses.  Amazon sells everything.

So tonight, the computer wiz should be locating the new server back into the unvac'd server room -- and the file room computer will be brought into the network.


so during this entire process ...

I, that would be me, myself and I

1.  migrated data from old server to new server
2.  downloaded and reinstalled old tax software (2011- 2015) onto Kevin's Computer
3.  moved old tax data (2011-2015) off of server to Kevin's Computer
4.  test #2 and #3 and it works \
5.  final back up of old server
6.  pulled old server out of closet
7.  set up new home computer with various programs and links

my question -- what did the geek do? ... 

M

life is short ...

I popped into wastebook this morning --

A high school classmate and friend passed away -- it appears to be cancer.  Heaven gained a beautiful soul -- kind, compassionate, loving, talented  -- just a beautiful woman. 

Grief manifests itself in a multitude of ways -- my heart goes out to all of her family --

I do not

.... wanna work today .....

so many projects -- so little time -- so much weirdness.

(( sigh ))


So, I managed to drive back from Mankato last night -- on 169 ... at night in the dark -- without having the dizzies.  The reflectors have bothered me since the vertigo event -- 18 months ago. 

18 months of avoiding driving 169 and those damn reflectors --

I celebrated by having yogurt and granola for supper -- I gotta get a life. 


I should have went to Sibley Park and checked out the light show -- the thought crossed my mind while sitting in my meeting -- alas, no camera with me -- I think the light show needs a camera ....


okay back to work.

the struggle is real.

whew!

  I made it through Monday --- some weeks that is truly an accomplishment.

  Computers up and running -- I think the only thing missing is our email address books -- texted the dude and his replace -- easy fix.  I haven't seen him but --- "easy fix."  Tonight is moving old tax data over to a workstation to begin the selective yearly purge -- and have access if we might need it ....

  Found some Christmas lights in my cleaning --- the computer migrates data -- I clean corners .. I have many corners to clean.  The End.

wth

so Mr. Lance is doing his thing and building something on our computer network -- more stuff I really don't want to know about ...so I googled "watermelon diva" ... just to see what pops up -- well a  lot of my blog pictures -- and there is the other Diva who peddles "other assets" ... don't go there ..

but I found this .. Frida Kahlow painting ... how could I not know about this .... will be doing a bit more research tonight


so computer update

(check) new server is up and running -- data migrated (selected data)
(check) workstations all have Windows 10 and solid state hard drives
(check) workstations are all talking to server and exchanging data
(check) scanners/printers work at all workstations
(check) new server is currently backing up

yet to do

(to do yet) migrate 2010-2014 tax client data to workstation
(to do yet) remove old server -- move new to that closet
                        clean it first
(to do yet) locate new computer to file room and build it out
                         links, specialty software etc ... (nothing big)

we're getting there ... I managed to clean out a couple of problem spots and filed the curbies -- trash is good -- shred box is filing up also

weekend goals

so mr lance is rebuilding our computer system with new pieces -- so far i think it's going okay --

the accounting program/data is on the new server and working
the word/excel docs have migrated
the electronic file cabinet docs are currently getting backed up from the old server

it's a building full of computers in odd places ... old server is still hooked up and running in the closet -- new server is hooked up and parked in the file room  -- new workstation was somewhat balanced next to the coffee pot -- it's now unplugged and awaiting the relocation of the new server to the old server so it can go to the file room.... and if you can figure it out good luck -- i lost it at 8:30 last night ...

and oh -- someone thinks they "just got to have" their tax return Monday (it's an estate) ... well you asked you receive

and in the midst of the plugging/unplugging ... I copied all the worksheets, letters, checklists for our year end packets -- 15,000 pages thru the copier .... it only jammed 15 times :)


good to be me



edit: Mr. Lance begged off yesterday -- so I was tasked with the compacting,fluffing, backing up and restoring our electronic file cabinet data -- I must admit by the end of the process -- I was damn good -- it freaking works ... and it all appears to have migrated over ... this should not be in my skill set -- going in this morning to move 2010-2014 tax data over ... because, well because I can ...  then I'm going to shut down that old server and roll with it ...

Turkey Day --

I'm slowly learning the ins and outs of my new camera ... 

and the screens are off the patio doors so I can sit at the table and shoot out the doors ....

(warmer that way) ...

unfortunately -- a branch was in the way ...

found this one on wastebook -- the chamber's page ...

nice shot Ed :)  

so the only thing on today's agenda was to get that damn piano out of the basement -- they got the cast iron sound board off of it ... (only took a year) ... and the boys decided they needed more muscle to get it up the stairs .... I voted for the saws-all gizmo -- pieces  .. Jean want's it whole ... 

we'll see if and when the muscle arrives over the weekend 

my "black Thursday" shopping -- was somewhat extravagant -- 50% off at CJBanks -- the sweater that I liked (but really didn't need) shall be delivered and then there was the $1,100 of Office Depot -- that got out of hand quite quickly --

10 cases of paper

1 desktop computer

1 large monitor (for said computer)

1 scanner (duplex/color) for ^^^^

keyboard/mouse  (of course)

colored sharpies (the cheapest thing)

2 external drives for back ups

I used restraint and skipped the laptop ... it was in my cart for a while

so my new home office (once that damn piano is gone) will have a new computer, monitor and fancy scanner -- the stand up desk and spiffy used chair are ready and waiting 

projects, projects, projects