06/30/21 the end ...

 the end of June, the end of the second quarter ( big thing in my world ) .. the end of 1/2 of the year ... yikes, where does time go ....

 today / next week - the bodies switch over at the office - Kate has time off to hustle kids -- summer school, 4H stuff, horse stuff - Robyn's coming in to work ... in fact she came today -- I forgot I told her to come today .. all part of my crazy life.

 I'm tired of work - tired of the 4 walls, tired of putting out fires -- especially those I did not create -- oh I create some but most aren't my issue ... I had a 2 hour ethics gig today ... not too bad -- short, sweet and to the point.

 I made it home -- the elders and I drove out to the cabin and temporarily installed a new hand rail on the stairs to the lake -- #1 must be tired -- he let me drive his truck while he "watched the flag" .. the rails hung out the box of his truck ... they ( the hand rails ) look nice and are much better to grab than a 2 x 4.  

   and Thursday begins the 2nd 1/2 of the year -- it will be good -- 

 

06/27/21 Balance - blessings

 

Counting my blessings this morning -- 3 1/2 inches of rain at the farm and there is no rain gauge out here at the lake but it was pretty significant here too ... I was out here thru most of it ... I managed to slip and fall during the early downpour -- I was headed out to shut off the sprinkler -- barefoot and slid off the landing, down the stairs and eventually landed on the sidewalk -- I lived.  My glasses and piece of cheese survived too -- gave the cheese to the very startled chipmunk.  

The sun is peeking thru the clouds today -- the lake was like glass when I arrived this morning.  Love my coffee and Sunday paper on the deck / porch .. the kids and PWC have now arrived and the lake is a choppy mess.  I'm hoping we can sneak in a boat cruise this afternoon.

I'm sitting at the computer plotting out life and shopping.  Things I do well, at least the shopping side of life -- it is toner, paper and office supplies today.  

06/25/21 Balance - recharging the mind

 

ah Friday's -- the day I try to leave early and play ... so far this summer that hasn't happened, but I cannot complain, I got a lot of projects checked off my to do list.  The phones were quiet, the walk ins were few .. after I left, it was home for the cheaters, and the grocery store -- dang that grocery store - it gets all my money ..

Another active night on the lake -- I'm not sure I get the fun of  the water skiing after dark activities -- other than they have the whole lake to themselves -- with the drought issue, the lake is really low and zipping around after dark can get one in trouble.   the fireflies are putting on a show this evening.  My iPad is charging -- it's always dead ... the jar with the solar light string is lit up and glowing on the porch table .. best $ 3 from Amazon.  The solar light on the flag pole is lit up ... another night in paradise.

06/24/21 Balance - Boundaries

   I think a big part of regaining balance is setting boundaries .. learning to set boundaries and learning to say no.  This past tax season we've tried hard to manage the workload ( somewhat successfully ) and that means cutting out a few clients.  I can't seem to get rid of one .. still haunting me today ...  but this too shall pass.  

   I am grateful for the clients that respect our boundaries -- and I need to set more limits on my time.  I'm working on it -- it is hard.

Lady Slipper Flowers delivered my monthly bouquet of blooms -- I get a bouquet a month from May thru October -- money well spent.  She is local and grows most of her own flowers.  The peonies were from her gardens - she picked 'em in the bud stage and kept them wrapped in a walk in cooler.  I look forward to her treats. 

I took this pix in the 2nd floor lobby of the Gov't Center Monday night while waiting for my P/Z meeting to start -- I see quilt block layouts ... last night I cut batting and backing for a bunch of projects .. the goal is to quilt some table runners and a crib quilt at the cabin this weekend.  I have some rogue scraps that need to become potholders -- started a scrap bin for cabin projects.  

I get this view every morning on Cedar Ridge Rd  -- I cannot believe his employer is happy with this and his neighbor the Commissioner is less than pleased -- we had a chat ... we'll have more .... 

Neighbor Tom lost his battle with cancer on Tuesday night -- 50 years of being part of the neighborhood family -- first as landowners and the early 90's when they build and moved out to Daisy Lane -- our hearts are heavy -- but grateful the pain is gone .. 

We are blessed -- our Cedar Ridge Road/Daisy Lane family -- is family.

edit:  I will learn to spell -- eventually ... argh.

06/22/2021 Balance (amid the crazy shit)

 

today's balance exercise was deciding how to tell my clients with kids that there is money headed their direction -- but do not spend it because you'll need it to pay your taxes next April.  crazy shit.  The advance child tax credit payments start in July .. advance payments -- seriously -- just lower the rate, do away with the credit and quit playing games with peoples money.  

I'm going thru every client return that has kids (and the credit) and attempting to project their 2021 credit and the effects of the advance credit on their return.  one would think the over priced software would calculate said amounts for me -- no ... overpriced does not equal efficient.

When the calculations and spinning ideas go to be too much.  I chopped weeds in the flower bed.  I chopped trees and grapevines to be precise.  Those things are crazy as shit too.  

Remember -- balance = less swearing    (insert huge grin) ... I'm going back to sewing.  Matching up backs to pieced tops so some long arm quilting will be in my near future.  I have quite a few tops pieced.  crazy me.

06/21/21 Balance ( day two)

 

Well, so far Day One of Balance is going pretty good ... found the missing CPE Certificate and fulfilled the CPE audit requirements ( and CPE requirements) -- for the last 3 year CPE cycle ( July 1, 2017 thru June 30, 2020 -- I spent 201 hours in class ... for the current cycle -- ending next week -- I'll have 70 hours in ... that's a lot of "screen" time.  I must admit I prefer the webinar format -- I don't like driving ( or I'm not fond of driving in traffic) and I like my own chair/bathroom and kitchen facilities.  On the days I have a seminar, I order in lunch -- it's like being out of the office ( insert grin ).  

It has been a relatively quiet Monday -- learning to embrace Mondays is my next skill.  Only 6 calls regarding the advance child tax credit payments -- so far -- I have managed to put the plant stands together -- next up is a chair ... projects peeps, projects.  

I have planning/zoning gig this evening -- then home for a spot of sewing.  Regaining balance is making time for the hobbies that keep ups sane.  I cleaned down there yesterday and I'm going to keep paper piecing some log cabin blocks.  Planning projects for the weekend.  I might spray baste a couple of crib quilts and use old Bernina to machine quilt them.  Old Bernina is one tough sewing machine -- she's the queen of sewing machines.

 

6/20/21 Balance

It's a well know fact - I struggle with balance -- mental and physical .. 
I juggle a lot of balls every day and somehow seem to keep them all up in the air -- it's an illusion peeps, simply an illusion .

My summer goal is to bring more balance into life -- less reacting -- more acting -- this morning was a perfect example -- I went to the office ( on a Sunday in June ) .. fetched the mail and received an audit notice from the State Board of Accountancy on my CPE records -- full blown panic -- seriously -- over CPE records -- it's a pain in the ass -- not a life altering event.  

Said records are now ready to photocopy and submit -- I'm missing one cpe certificate from last April ( the April from hell ) I'll call and get it in the morning.  NBD ...

Sales tax returns for clients were finished, 2 payrolls were finished and a tote bag of homework -- it's going to be a busy week and if I want to play more I need to work smarter when I can .. I did take work with me on Friday to the happy place -- Saturday morning -- me, computer, jammies, screen porch and coffee were spread-sheeting away at 6:30 am .. it is my life ...

balance -- life is about balance

this hummer can teach me to balance .

Friday night at the lake -- I hadn't seen the light on the flag pole light up .. it does and it's pretty cool

I woke up at 12:30 when the wind came up .. wandered out and it was super cool 

balance -- enjoying the little things in life

06/19/21 Cabin Life

Lee purchased a flag pole kit and installed it last weekend -- it has a telescoping pole and a solar light at the top -- none of us have been here after dark -- last night it was lit up .. I got up shortly after midnight when the wind picked up and it was really cool -- camera pix however is not so cool ... 

I left the office early ( 3:15ish ) dashed home for clothes, stopped at the grocery store -- damn I seem to spend a lot of time at the grocery store ... and headed out here ... 

I brought homework and am currently spreadsheeting away ... watching tv on the iPad, cooking chicken and enjoying the view of the lake -- this pix was last night .. 2021 is another good "cloud' year.

 

06/17/21 A day in the life

desk view on Wednesday

clothes for night gig

crossword puzzle for seminar

modern continuing ed...

virtual -- all year again

truthfully, I like virtual -- no travel, no hassle, my own bathroom and kitchen

I can still sew a straight line

it's a bit wonky -- not laying flat on the floor

although the middle section does look a bit "curved"

Sunday sewing desk ..

Lee put up our flag pole on Saturday

with the gusty winds on Sunday / jean and I lowered it a bit

has a solar light on the top ....

 

06/14/21

the saturday morning coffee view ... 

I spent the night and got up with the birds/dog walkers/joggers and had my coffee on the dock 

dead center is the channel going into Dolly's hole and the "old place" .. the fishermen were going in pretty steady all morning long .. things might be biting in there

Friday night was dedicated to life planning -- laid out the continuing ed schedule ( and paid for them), updated the calendar for events (like a vacation/break/out of dodge moment) and ...  it never ends, I plot, plan, jot things down and ignore them.

So, Saturday, I pulled up the remaining grass mats leftover from the sew contractor, picked up 4 armloads of sticks, lots of sticks, mowed the grass ( I waited until I heard another mower ), vac'd floors and finally got a shower ... 

On Sunday, it was mow the office lawn, #1 has been working on my lawnmower -- it sounds like a fully loaded 747 at takeoff -- it was blowing lots of smoke and died when I was over in the jungle.  Not sure if it was out of gas or died, permanently ?  Haven't told #1 yet, will shop for lawnmower this week.  

and I'm back to work this morning

the projects of the week

1. find a lawnmower

2. keep weeding

3. clean out the interior of both vehicles

4. keep cleaning my office and move furniture

5 more tax returns (lots of tax returns)

6. sew

7.  walk more

 

06/11/21 a night at the lake

 

Spending the weekend at the cabin or until the hot weather returns.  It is a gorgeous night in the porch — tomorrow is a couple landscape projects and the it’s sit and read time.  Branches constantly fall out of trees around here.   Pulling up the straw grass matt’s, mowing and seeding since it rained.  Need to clean up the beach too.  Lake has dropped and stuff floated in — goose poop too.  Some idiot is driving around the lake to fast with the radio blasting.  Yikes

06/07/21 her story

it's hot
it's really really hot
it was really bad when the a/c unit at the office wasn't working

grateful for local a/c fixers

I chucked the dressing to look good and cool
shorts, t shirt and flip flops are going to rule the balance of the week
I don't care I'm hot

06/06/21 where does the time go?

 this afternoon I went and cut all the peonies with color 

Day two of the nasty heat was cooking them on the plant

we need to enjoy their beauty 

 the pictures turned out better than I thought ... phone shots

where does the time go .. I swear .. it zips on past me and I sit and spin wondering what is happening and where ... it was a goofy week at work .. projects, phone calls, general weirdness ... I started stressing on Friday and started to clean and purge 

Mom and I briefly went to the cabin on Saturday -- it was warm -- but it wasn't bad in the shade of the screen porch and a breeze ... 

We came home and I went back to the office -- lost something, so the cleaning and purging continued .. it actually looks pretty tidy -- This morning I had some items to return to Target so I dashed over early -- had the whole store to myself ... more tv trays, pillows and cabin kitchen things .. and then back to the office .. where I found the missing item ... yikes -- more cleaning (it never ends) more purging .. and finally home -- where --- I've been sitting at the computer preparing MNPR's .. lots of MNPR's ... seriously, working .. might as well -- 

I'm headed upstairs to plan my work week  ( noticing a trend) ... I have a fairly busy County schedule, so the working over the weekend is a good thing .. on the road this week ... New Ulm .. might there be a fabric store or a meat market involved -- let's hope so -- more likely road construction projects ... it is the life I lead ... I hope to get to the lake for supper too ... maybe spend a night or two -- weather permitting .. Thursday night we went out to water the blooms and I got the dehumidifier running -- Lee installed a window a/c unit ... life is good at the lake ... or cooler ...

06/01/21 memories

every look back or think back and wonder what you did on any given day on any given year .. well wastebook is good at popping up the memories and this memory of  06/01/2013 popped up in my wastebook feed this morning.

8 years since I purchased the beast -- she really isn't a beast -- she's literally parked behind me ( I'm working at home this evening ) yes -- I'm working at home this evening.

I take a lot of pictures but don't have them organized very well, I did a fast pass thru them looking for favorite quilt projects ... here's a few ...

I'm glad I bought the long arm -- it has paid for itself over the years ... I have a pile of UFO's ready to quilt -- throws, wall hangings, table toppers and the like .. I'd best get the real work done and start quilting ...  I told my self yesterday that my project list takes priority this week .. so tonight -- I knocked 3 things off the list

1.  office cardboard to recycling

2.  gas in the truck ( I think the last time it got gas was March)

3.  wash said truck -- it was filthy

4.  tidy up and purge junk from the home office (shit accumulates everywhere)

tomorrow's list

1.  gas in Ruby and wash Ruby

2.  road trip to Gaylord

3.  still working on this one :)