flashing lights

 behind me

so I left the chamber office and drove past the cop shop and a highway patrolperson will putting on my seatbelt.  office pilar felt the need to pull me over ... on the only street in town with no parking ... :)

then she asks for my drivers license -- which is in my desk a block away ... but I had my insurance card!  and then she says ... "you've cut your hair" ... like wtf ???  20 years ago.  

"you should carry your license" ... " i don't lose it in my desk drawer" ... i think i got an eyeroll on that one .. seriously I lose shit all the time -- all the good stuff is in my desk drawer.  

  

thursday's on third

 just putting this out there for all of us who do not like darkness .... or an extra minute of this weird year .... 

on the flip side of life -- I got a haircut and feel somewhat human again ...

today's project list includes:

1.  finishing payroll 

2.  projects off my desk

3.  put together bathroom cabinet

4.  put together ladder shelf

5.  trash and vac'ing

6.  payroll taxes 8 * 5

7.  last Q

8.  post office

9. window kits in 2 rooms

chill out in the cave and the sewing machine :)

Mr. C

 Pix of Mr. Cardinal in the snow on Sunday -- I'm always amazed at the detail of the color in their feathers -- the shades of red and gray .. I see quilt patterns.

If I had ambition -- I'd sew / quilt / play with that a bit.  Since last November, I've sewed 15 masks and pieced a couple of table toppers .. that's all ... still accumulating fabric ... argh.

I found a Sweetwater panel on one of the quilty blogs -- so I ordered it "kind words" is the theme -- it is really cool.  Today my friends at Walmart delivered the fabric I ordered from the Pioneer Woman's new fabric line -- the quilting cotton is surprisingly nice -- it will become the back for my Kind Words Quilt -- I also ordered 2 yards of the PW printed fleece -- it also surprised me.  

Smiley the UPS dude, delivered copy paper, disposable masks, Old Navy ( jeans that do not fit my ass -- one to small - one to large, a dress and some sweat pants), Kohls - because I just need more fleece -- colored fleece :) ) Maurices (boots that don't fit my fat (fatter/wide) calf's -- perhaps calves :) ) argh it was a day.  

I'm finishing the day (evening) with a farm client spreadsheet project, sorting quilt project dreams from magazines, laundry and one of my favorite TV shows.  It is Life Below Zero night.  Love that cave TV .. 

I ordered and installed some new document management software and it went okay -- not sure if it is the answer to my problems -- tomorrow will install the portal piece and start getting techier ... client letters going out ... and my afternoon is assisting at the food shelf -- lots of sanitizer involved there .. Thursday morning I'm volunteering at the produce distribution (last one of the season) .. our COVID case numbers are rising rapidly -- I knew this day was coming -- denial was okay but it's time for the big girl panties and dealing with it.  

I hate being an adult --- 

truth

 

Mrs. C

 Twenty minutes after I hit the "order" button on Amazon -- I found the battery charger for my camera -- so in a couple days -- I'll have two.  Happens every time.  

Bird day on Daisy Lane -- the feeders were busy after breakfast .. 

The purge has continued -- I haven't had time to seriously purge - too busy at the office.  So, Thursday and Friday nights were dedicated to closet switch & purge, yesterday I accomplished very little.  Today, I spent most of my day in the cave.  

1.  the sewing space got tidy'd up ... sadly I purged nothing but an empty box.  But I put stuff away and have a pile of books and magazines to pull projects.

2.  I spent a couple (4) hours working on client stuff.  Drafted an almost year end letter -- the great debate in my world -- who's actually going to get into the building and when and for what purpose.  We've done a fairly good job of not letting people in -- relaxed a little this fall and now that the cases/deaths are rising in Nicollet County -- I'm leaning back to limited contact.  I've drafted the letter 2 times and the waffling continues.  If it were just me -- I'd have a different opinion -- i.just.don't.know.what.to.do.  

3. I packed my projects for our November retreat at the GLBC ... I doubt we'll be going -- but my projects are packed -- extra tape ordered.

4. I crochet my first wash cloth.  It's a start.

5. 3 loads of laundry.  

slow Saturday ( so far )

lacking ambition for anything important today ( and yesterday ) ... I managed to get out of bed (the struggle was real) ... and so far I've

a.  hauled a load of crap from home to the office  

b.  dumped the office flower pots into the back of my truck

c.  drove out to the lake to check on the place ....

               heats on

               no new branches landing anywhere important

               leaves still falling

d.  put away the patio furniture -- more snow on the way 

e.  came home 

f.   road ATV

g.  sat at computer ... 

need motivation today ...

pretty bare to the north of us

and south

hope the neighbors are hunting? fishing?

haven't met them

the dock could be a giant winter slide 

and the rear parking lot view ... see those leaves 

they need to fall ..

 

so, I learned how to

be productive before and during a presidential debate

closet cleaning -- the winter stuff came out of storage and the summer stuff went into storage

I have to much -- but I still need more

I can't find any winter socks

another bag ( so far ) for the thrift shop -- I still need to sort thru the sandals and summer shoes 

and the worst part -- I shopped via the internet on Sunday -- Old Navy had a sale -- jeans on the way ( yes, a pair or two might be ripped ), Torrid had a pair of cute fat calf boots, Kohls had fleece on sale - never have too much fleece -- and well, the winter coat I ordered in August arrived on Wednesday -- I've been wearing it already.  

the project will continue and be completed this evening.

so Monday, while in line for drugs at Hy Vee -- the customer ahead of me had cute clogs on -- and I thought -- oh those look like Jan's ... it was Jan ... wth --- I only had the backside ... argh * 2 ... I like those clogs .. might need a pair 

I have 8 packages of tulips that may or may not make it into the ground -- the alternative is to pot them in pots and chill 'em in the basement ... might be the option at this point .... argh

 

an more weirdness

 

saw this jewel on wastebook yesteday -- truth ... 

rain, thunder and lightening in the morning forecast - Mother Nature is truly confused or angry -- I'm not sure which -- all I know --

1.  I refuse to wear long underwear to work in October

2.  I need to mow the office lawn one more time

3. there may or may not be pots of annuals on my front porch yet

4.  I will commit a crime if I hear Christmas music

5.  Plowing/Shoveling snow in October stinks

6.  I need to do a better job of counting my blessings

Damn snow

uploaded from my "needs a charge soon' phone ... a mishmash of shots from yesterday and this morning.  Mother Nature is an evil goddess this week ... hopefully enough melting happened overnight to save a few tree limbs and such ... it was wet, heavy and sticky stuff ... 

Kate and I both left the office at 4:00pm ... once I got to Daisy Lane the driving was good :) ... there was a lot of people driving around and no plowing so the roads were packed and slippery in spots  -- much better this morning  ....

Last night was the first night I went home in eons -- with NOTHING to do but be a slog -- a no agenda night --- I did manage to wash a load of laundry and spent a couple hours on my "diamond crystal" painting project ... and watched some TV ... no computer, no phone, no work ... it was good ..

 

old is young again

 got to love an old woman with an ear infection -- or the start of one -- I've battled them since the tornado and when they're coming I attempt to get drugs.

called the clinic at noon and had a 1:00 appointment with the CNP -- prescription, mini lecture and back to the office by 1:35 ...

it's been 8 months since I've been somewhere other than the office, the government center and the grocery store --- the intake procedures / questions at the clinic were very direct -- and once the nurse brought me back to the exam room -- a full repeat of the questions --- didn't spend more than 5 minutes in the waiting room -- next up is the dreaded antibiotics ( and their nasty side affects ) 

Will pick up drugs and supper -- back of office and then P/Z at 7:00 pm ... there seems to be a lot of activity in the 'hood -- fire trucks, ambulances, law enforcement --- might just hang out here for a while -- until the dust settles ..

hoping all is well and not serious ... 

the weather forecast is frightful ...

well, freaking awful

I miss 85' and sunny -- a lot ...

be well

saturday travels ...

 I thought I was going to have a day of nothing, thinking is overrated ..

1.  #2 had a chiro appointment in Upper North at 10:15

2.  post chiro we drove to mineopa to see the bison -- the bison drive was a lot like 35W during friday afternoon rush hour --- and the bison were off in the distance

3.  cross country to Mankato hilltop to pickup take out Panera for lunch

4.  cross country to the cabin (via every blacktop road in Blue Earth and Hazzard County) 

5.  arrived at said cabin -- found 3" tree branch thru screen -- patched screen with a roll of duct tape and ate -- seriously love that screen porch  

6.  commute back to home via Lake Emily #1 was ripping corn ground

7.  Speedway for a tank of gas ( warning bells were dinging)

8.  home --- 75 miles later 

and somewhere in there was 4 loads of laundry ... a spot of vac'ing, cooking, eating and those pesky dishes 

I think next weekend will be dedicated to cabin closing -- or as much closing as we are going to do ... the grill needs to be stashed - I think the plan is to cut styrofoam panels for the screen porch, leaves need to be raked and burned -- windows washed -- gravel hauled in for the parking pads ... set up the camera's -- I think internet is coming this week ?

and Sunday was almost as wacky as Saturday ...

1.  Went to the office at 8:00am ... I had a list of projects and most of them got completed --- the back file room is now nice and tidy -- it tends to accumulated a lot of "stuff" -- 5 cases of copy paper, a box of batting ( a 40 yard roll of quilt batting), a broken chair (and it's not broken mate), unopened/un-ate girl scout cookies, cardboard for recycling .... it is all gone.  

2.  I actually worked on work too ... caught up on financial statements for all but two write up clients, 3 sets of quarterly payroll reports to go ( need info yet), started PPP forgiveness docs, workflow planning, ... 

we're trying our best to decide how the next seven months are going to function at the office -- if the COVID predictions are accurate and another wave is upon us -- we'll stay closed or have limited access to the facility -- it's not going to go well -- any way I look at it.  

3.  Made it to recycling with my cardboard -- and home with the broken chair and roll of batting (and a box of raspberries - yummy ) 

4.  proceeded to shop Old Navy's 50% off sale (more jeans that fit my ass) and fat calf boots from Maurices ...   just because I need more jeans that fit my ass and more boots .... the struggle is real.

5.  laundry -- 3 more loads of laundry ....

     

289 days

 of tax season 

so I should be celebrating a bit of freedom -- there are still returns to finish -- clients we haven't heard from -- I am assuming they a) went somewhere else or b) have more pressing issues ...  it is life

the last return was transmitted at 6:45 last night ... with the current state of government - most deadlines and dates are a bit artificial -- necessary but bendable 

I should be celebrating and having a day off ...

so, I slept in -- 6:00am, I stopped and picked up McD's for breakfast

the iPad is streaming TV and I'm going to make a couple dozen more lists of shit to do ... so I can ignore them later

I usually purchase myself a treat to celebrate the end -- I think the cabin is a treat for several decades !!

tonight is more laundry -- maybe I'll sew --- someday I'll sew again

tomorrow #2 has a 7:15am chiro appointment ( in upper North ) -- these are getting dumb - after that it might be a "Marie" day -- and then again ... there might be a project list :)   again, those damn lists 

make it good peeps

be well

and during a pandemic

 one does things one normally doesn't do ...

I've never in my 60 years and 2 days had a flu shot

yesterday before the Board meeting the lovely public health nurse was prepared with shot supplies 

I lived to blog about it 

seriously -- it is a pandemic

wear the mask

be well

WTH

this is the look I gave Lance when he told me ... "it is the cable"  ... so I've been battling scanner issues since I moved my desk 6 weeks ago ...    6 long weeks ago.  

the longer usb cable I purchased to connect the scanner to my computer was 2.0 vs a 3.0  WTH

seriously a freaking cable.  argh.

Office 365 and Office now work on the front desk too ... 

somedays we beat our heads against the wall -- for a CABLE !!!!!!

ok -- it's fixed onto the next item on the agenda.  - I went home, ate toast for supper ( the easiest choice and least amount of work ) and started my new diamond crystal painting project -- a new craft addiction 

at 8:00pm a client emails -- "when is my tax return due"  ... Thursday I replied --- "oh can I come tomorrow" ...  truthfully I thought he went somewhere else ---  goofy kid. 

it was a great weekend

Friday was a gorgeous day -- Mom and I finally got to the cabin at 4:30 ish ... the rest of the tribe trickled in ... Jean brought supper from El Agave and cake 

lots of pontooning on Friday night -- sunset was magical

and Saturday morning (after the 7:30 am chiro appointment and 3 hours of work ) -- we got out to the lake and the dock was out and the old lifts were getting loaded up and hauled out on a "barge" -- it was a pretty slick process - loading the lifts took less than 15 minutes .. 

and away they go ...

we spent more time on some landscaping projects -- burned the rest of the brush on Saturday, dug up an old firepit and relocated the rocks .. Lee installed new light fixtures ( motion ) and messed with some electrical stuff -- 

the birthday supper provided enough leftovers for Saturday lunch and supper and Sunday lunch and we still had enough to freeze and send home -- she had ordered a "taco bar" for 10 ?  enough food for an army ... large army ... we ate well ....

Sunday we were back at some projects ... more unpacking -- dishes and such from the camper ( the camper the elders sold -- no camper at the Dranttel house any longer ) ... a bit more raking and we sat at the lake and just enjoyed the view --- I was playing with selfies .. note I managed to avoid myself ... 

home in time for an ATV ride and a load of laundry 

 

aging gracefully

 today is my birthday and since the pandemic arrived my mood/outlook swings dramatically between horror, acceptance to "who gives a shit" .. sorry, some days there are no words to describe the feelings that keep swirling ... the highs and lows .... are exhausting ... 

60 -- today, I'm 60 -- 

the last 8 months -- all I've been able to do is react -- react to chaos -- I don't like that ... I think my brain works better when it has to act in an orderly sequence .. I need to get back to normal ...

so I spend way to much time whining about losing my "normal" and wallowing in the pitty party -- and then wham!  I see or read something that jolts my reality ..  

I have so many blessings ... I do, truly I do  -- my wish for my 61st year is to celebrate those blessings ... I fear the chaos is going to continue and to survive I have to be a) strong, b) resilient, c) orderly and d) engaged.  

I'm a planner/plotter/list maker -- back on NYE I made a list of 60 things I was going to do -- to celebrate my 60 years --- and 2 things on that damn list actually happened .. granted - life got in the way .. 

so for my 61st year -- I'm just going to roll with the flow :)   ( and if you believe that ------ ) ... just keep chanting -- let it go, let it go, let it go ...

and on October 8th

she hopped on her ATV and toured the prairie ...

I was going to go back to work but .. the ATV and camera won the battle

October 8th -- leggings, sandals and a t shirt

Between the cabin and work I really haven't hung out much at home .. the prairie is alive with color ... I sometimes forget to count the blessing of living here 

the big green machine is also headed home -- east to Hazard County -- her work is done over here in God's Country .. #1 says he's all caught up to the combine crew -- they should finish soybeans early tomorrow and head to the corn -- all the corn is across the river 

looks good parked in front of Nick's

I snuck down to take a road shot -- evidently I was zipping along  -- fast enough to make a cloud of dust -- who knew -- old woman on speeding ATV

good night .. sunset / dust comes way to early 74 days until the solstice 

I cannot wait 

 

and when you are the boss

 you get to do all the fun stuff shit

a detailed vacuuming of our front reception area and scrubbing the floor ( after moving out the rugs ) is not on the list of fun shit.  3/4 of the way thru ... I tripped, fell, jostled the table and knocked the lamp over ... this my friends is how fires start ... alas, all is well - even me -- there was enough dust to pad the fall

used the norwex mop gizmo on the hardwoods ... does wonders .. 

yesterday it was my office -- all those creepy crawly spider web things need to be removed ... I even took time to replant the plants -- new dirt does wonders ... I had a moment at the garden center last week and my new treasures needed to be potted up ...

 the boston fern might need to find a new home -- it's a shedding mess and since the cleaning doesn't happen often enough ...

tomorrow is probably going to be the office garage ... ya, the garage -- it too accumulates stuff.  saturday is appliance recycling and I have a pile of dead computer equipment -- a pile.  hard-drives have been removed ... ready to go ... 

I got out of Dodge!

yes, my peeps -- I got out of town today -- just for an hour but nevertheless I got OUT OF TOWN !

Ruby's trunk has been the storage spot for my donation things, closet purging, office purging --- and it was full so I did a Goodwill run to Mankato --- they make it pretty slick -- pull in, empty in the bin and pull away .. and since I was already in town

I went to Office Depot and spent $300 on more stuff !   Big stuff, UPS's, my keyboard is on the fritz, a new calculator -- mailing labels, highlighters, weird shit ... it all adds up.   I tested out 5 different office chairs and since I had Ruby .... didn't purchase one ... but will go one line and do so shortly ... 

62 minutes start to finish -- 23 miles ... 2 stores ... 

YIKES I gotta get a life.

M

 

Another mad Monday is in the books

 I took my still camera with me to the lake on Sunday -- before lunch is was quite calm ... we fast west so the sun was to my back 

the fall colors are simply stunning this year -- it is the only high point of 2020

our old place is just to the left of the brown boat house -- 

 this kid has been the fisherman that never quits .. we've seen him on and off for the last 3 weekends .. he's catching stuff too!

My first zoom meeting of the day was cancelled -- which after 30 minutes of waiting to be placed in the zoom room I figured something was up ... and I went back to work .. the afternoon zoom gig was planning and zoning training -- needless to say -- some of us talk to much 

this week in pictures

pretending I'm ABC news ... here's this week in pictures (or some of this week)

I voted --- by mail

yes, it is very safe

and yes, it is very easy

just do it

Saturday was another project day at the cabin

Lee installed new LED bulbs on the flood lights 

Mr. Seller was kind enough to leave the extension ladder :)

Saturday started out cloudy

the lake was like glass while we were there

I'm sure the neighbors were less than thrilled with our burning habits

a lot of sticks (new and old) to burn

there may or may not have been marshmallows, graham crackers and chocolate involved in the project ... we are slowly "de-treeing" the bank down to the lake -- it hasn't had a lot of care -- but we're finding daylilies, hostas, ferns and sedums 

and when the sun popped out it was a glorious view 

Saturday was entertaining

7:00am on the road to North Mankato -- Mom had a chiro appointment -- believe me she's not a morning girl

8:30am at work 

12:30 pm pit stop at the garden center for potting soil -- $100 later, 3 mums, potting soil, tulip bulbs, cute pots, succulents, and two fun house plants for the office ... it was kind of a full back seat ... 

1:00 pm McDonalds ( lunch )

1:30 pm arrived at cabin

5:30 pm back home and supper started

9:15 pm in bed and sleeping :)