07/31/21 the end

I went out to the cabin last night -- mainly to get away from people.  Well, not people, I'm not around many anymore -- but get away from all the background noise that seems to infect us constantly.  I had the Olympics on my iPod (tv on a 2" screen is good) .. coffee and a new book.  Sunset with the Canadian smoke was pretty.  Every sunset out there is pretty.

I was hoping to have a "no work" weekend.  No work at office, no work at home, no work at cabin.  I'm on load of laundry # 3 -- vac'd, stick patrol at cabin last night -- a tree fell down at the farm Wednesday morning -- brush pickup is this morning.  One can dream for a no work weekend.  

Pulling fabrics for a quilt project and will be cutting and marking tonight.  Lots of fabrics.

 

07/30/21 Friday (already)

I swear there was a deer there when I took this pic -- I didn't have my cheaters with me so the tiny little camera screen was very very fuzzy ....

took a little ATV ride across the prairie to check out the smoke .... actually, I've take little cruises almost every night this week .. hot, smoke, fresh air 

and northbound on our township road ... the walnuts are starting to drop .. and some of the weeds/overgrowth are starting to turn a "pea" shade of green -- August = the start of fall -- I'm really dreading the end of summer ... I haven't had enough summer yet 

Mrs. H finished up her tour of duty for July -- I think we got a lot done ... I know we got a lot done, I kept her busy !!  Kate comes back in August -- 

Since the smoke is still with us and will be for a couple of days -- it's inside projects -- everyday it seems like I finish up a couple of tax returns -- such is today, yesterday I spent the entire day working on issues and government correspondence - today's list:

1.  FB - just get them done and caught up

2. JS 1040 return -- k1 finally arrived

3. JWE finish return

4. Issues, more issues

5.  start paying July payroll taxes for payroll clients

6.  load new document mgmt software on green room computer

7.  fix front room computer monitor issue

8. more trash

If nothing else this pandemic has got my brain rewired -- we're doing things sooner rather than later -- paying payroll taxes as soon as payroll is complete for a month -- booking out those payment 24 - 25 days in advance -- and they are done!  One of the August projects is to image 2 more file cabinets of client data -- when we moved over here 20 years ago -- I had 6 file cabinets of client data -- now we're down to 1.5 for individuals and 1.5 for business/entity clients -- there's a bit in the basement but not much ... I'd like to get down to 1 individual and 1 entity -- this is August ... 

 

07/26/21

 Jan, Tammy and I had an early Sunday morning adventure -- we drove to Nerstrand Big Woods state park and hiked (walked) into the hidden falls.  It too is a trickle -- but it was a pretty walk thru the woods ( not many bugs ) ... an uphill hike out ( needed a rest stop and oxygen at the top ) ... but a fun adventure -- close to home -- hope to go back in the fall - 

edit: the purge continues -- I'm not done filling the curbie yet .. pretty darn close -- today's project -- hang the summer curtains in the front room/green room = because at the end of July the sheer curtains should be in the windows ... moved plant stands around .. vac'd out window sills ... thru out more shit.  it's looking better .. next up is two chairs to the curb ... freebies on 3rd.  I really need to work on work now.

07/24/21 ramblings

I had to return an ill fitting pair of jeans to Target and after Target I had a fabric store moment -- I haven't been here since November 2019 -- here's the crazy part -- I didn't realize they added onto the mall until I downloaded the picture.   I bought yarn.  I had raspberries/melon in the hot car and didn't drool over the fabric.  

new additions to the neighborhood -- have yet to see mama ..

cleaning and purging is good for steps .. by the time the day was done I was over 10k, If I don't specifically take a walk -- I rarely go over 6k .. 

coneflowers getting a drink from the sprinkler

and the treat -- Nancy brought me a singer featherweight - she needs to have the foot pedal required and needs a few accessories .. but it's cool .. oh so cool.  I can't wait to play with her ... she's going to need a name .. 

 

07/22/21 hmmmm

I'm keeping it simple -- I'm just throwing it out -- trash, recycle, thrift shop -- whatever --  crap is leaving the building.  Hot weather is nesting weather - perfect time to purge.  

I'm out of sorts and tired of working - today's productivity is cleaning -- started in the file room -- floors, furniture, file cabinets -- moved into the hall way -- more trash -- 

I'm on the second vac cleaner bag -- it's that bad here -- no cleaning lady for a year.  I even put new rollers, etc in the roomba -- it's now a super cleaner -- tomorrows project -- the "under the sink" cabinets in the green room - disgusting -- needs cleaning.   Next week I'll be able to paint them and the inside of the drawers --- next week it will be the basement also -- 

The "purge" started when a centipede crawled out of my coffee cup ( in the drawer ) .. bug bombs will be going off on Saturday morning.  I even chopped weeds for 45 minutes -- finding the "mother" vine on the Virginia creeper is proving to be effective.  

6,000 steps pre lunch -- 1 full curbie -- a large pile of cardboard -- it just keeps piling up.

Someone brought me a special treat today ... details to follow.

 

07/21/21

12 years ago today -- seems like a lifetime ago ... more than 12 if one adds the years of fuzziness 

I am grateful to have grown up with an extended family that was ( is, are ) close -- multi-generations, all sizes, all shapes ( grin ) all kinds of occupations ... 

Grandma was the crafty, gardening grandma .. crochet without a written pattern -- seriously -- gardened most of her life -- because they had to -- and because she enjoyed the beauty 

Hoed watermelons with the best of 'em -- fed a lot of people over the decades .. and canned a heap of 7 day sweet pickles -- dyed them dark green too ... ( it's been 20 years since I've had one ) 

I had to look back to remember -- Cousin Jack Dranttel lost his battle early yesterday / late Monday -- dementia/Alzheimer's is such an awful disease ... 

Jack was in St Peter at the time grandma passed -- I remember visiting with him in the halls of the Grandview Hilton and him telling me what a blessing it was to celebrate her passing/life with us and be present for all of it ... well, Jack -- we will celebrate you this week -- we're aren't in Florida but we will celebrate you --- 

 

07/19/21 the weekend pix

well, this was the inbound commute this morning

when I drop over the driveway hill .. the steam is always rising from the river and the sun popping up over south Ottawa .. it is always pretty

and then at the neighbors 1 of 2 .. not sure where twin 2 or mama was ... but this dude was standing on the side of the road and I almost bumped 'em

there was a pix of Lee's glasses here .. I must have deleted it ... he lost them on the 4th of July ... and I found them while mowing lawn on Saturday .. they were in pretty good shape for laying in the grass for two weeks and getting splashed by the power washer 

there was no reward 

horizontal version 

homework at the cabin

small computer here ..

my surface pro rules my life .. all the notes, to do lists, journals etc live here

moved to the big computer here ... and of course it needed updating 

netflix streaming on the iPad .. 

Virgin River Season 3

6 hours of homework ..

lots of freaking spreadsheets and data analysis

Mrs. H will be proud of me - she's got a copy stack waiting for her

once I got done whining about Saturday - my thoughts and projects were organized and I had a productive Sunday -- it was a beautiful day at the lake -- quiet, gentle breeze to keep it cool -- cold beverage and wildlife to keep me entertained.

 

07/17/21 memories

wastebook memories popped up the trip to Salt Lake City in 2013 -- I had some good pix from that adventure -- loved the gardens of Temple Square -- they were impressive, beautiful and perfect ...

the stampin' up zealots were also entertaining  .. it was a good trip

after supper edit:   what did Marie do today, well she worked from 5:30am -8:30am  knocked off another project on the to do list (and a couple loads of laundry) 

Then:

1.  got gas in the truck and the office lawnmower gas can

2.  stopped at office and retrieved stuff, watered plants, pulled in the mail, answered the tele, listened to the messages on the answering machine (it is endless)

3.  stopped at the grocery store = basics for the weekend at the cabin, raspberries, cookies, bread, turkey, lettuce .. 

3.5 stopped at sweet corn truck and got corn

4.  finally got to cabin -- 

5.  started piecing a jelly roll race quilt ...

6.  mowed lawn at the cabin 

7.  finished the jelly roll race quilt .. need to rip it apart ...

8.  brought mom home

9.  back to office and mowed the lawn and retrieved more homework

10. home for a shower, supper and homework .. 

and instead of homework, I'm whining .. I should be counting my blessings, I am able to mow the lawn, I can afford the $ 80 of gas in the truck ( it's been 6 weeks ) and well the homework/office projects on the to do list are getting done.  If I had any energy left I'd go out and run around the yard for 15 minutes and whip out 1,500 more steps -- believe me, the fitbit will dance on my arm.

tomorrow -- 

1.  rip apart one seam on the jrr quilt and sew it back together 

2.  finish my book

3.  weedwhip/mow down by the lake 

4.  sit in lawn chair and stare at lake

 

07/15/21 dress code

 

so I have vowed everyday at 3:00 to chop weeds at the office.  I have a zillion weeds -- believe me they are awful.  Today I changed out of my dress into shorts and the above tee  --- truly weed chopping wardrobe.  I'm dragging a load of grapevines to the pile and I look up and there are people sitting in my office ...  I didn't know people were coming ...

I walk inside, smelling like weeds and sweat -- it's warm in the weeds .. and meet new clients ... in a shit show tee shirt -- with a burdock or two stuck to me .. the weeds between me and the neighbors are out of control .. I was hacking a path to the electrical meter -- the meter reader will love me ... 

yes, it is that bad. 

new clients -- large land sale ( in another state ) .. never met me .. and I'm sweating in a shit show tee shirt .. 

I started my day with a zoom gig -- 100ruralwomen -- focus group on rural minnesota women leaders -- interesting hour long conversation .. small group ( 3 ) ... 

07/13/21

 

I'm just going to let this one hang out here for a while 

it is the truth -- somedays -- not today -- today was good, all days lately are weird ..

07/11/21

 

seriously - how cool is this ... my view from the lawn chair on Saturday night ... 

07/09/21

pix from June ( or whenever the tulips were blooming ) .. the sunsets at the happy place are always fabulous ...  someday I'll get ambitious and download the 7/4 pictures from the phone 

I visited the happy place for supper on Thursday night -- got away from phones and people .. I vegged in the chair with tv running on my phone and a book on the iPad .. and just enjoyed the view ...

Saturday's agenda is work, lawn mowing at work, perhaps some weed taming, I have a lot of weeds to tame, celebration of life for neighbor Tom and then it's lake time .. 

beautiful rain today -- soaked in nicely -- I managed to plant my last planter today and then I found another one ..  next week

Next weeks project list:

1. finish the quarterly payroll tax returns ( only 5 to go )

2. finish the financial statements

3. 2 continuing ed gigs -- one is more techy than educational

4. load up and haul all the dead computer stuff to recycling -- ditto the paint cans 

5. finish weed / de-brushing project 

6. decide on block design for the quilt gift ... gotta get sewing

7. wash Ruby

 

Holiday Blues

  I don't recover from Holidays very well.  Lately, I never seem to know what day of the week it is and by the time the weekend rolls around -- well, I'm a lost cause - and then I try and cram a million moments into 2 1/4 days -- it's the rat race life I lead.  

  Since today was Tuesday ( but really Monday ) -- it should have been calmer -- but the recent IRS mailing is setting everyone over the edge.  Clients who paid their balance due via the portal -- are getting letters if the payor information doesn't match the primary information on the return -- if the spouse did the paying it can't take the payments to the taxpayer ... argh.  One would think it would eventually get applied to a joint return.  

  One scathing email from a client set me over the edge .. bad .. I'm not the IT department for the IRS -- if I were life would be better.  I get that it is a stressful notice -- but take a chill pill the world is nuts. 

  Trying to decide on a quilt pattern to use for a wedding gift -- 

one would think with the 1,400 pins I have saved on pinterest that I could find something quick .. I'm aiming for a scrappy structured look

who am I kidding I just need to chose and get it done before the wedding!

 

Independence Day

 

I really like the flag pole Lee got for the dock -- the dock moved out on Saturday and all the related stuff had to move too.  The flag pole has a solar light on it ... and it telescopes up and down ... I ordered one for the elders for their birthday/anniversary ... it's pretty cool.

The fireworks were directly across the lake from us.  We sat on our beach and enjoyed every moment - or most of them.  The north neighbors had a houseful of drunk 30 year olds.  16 of them -- by Sunday night I was a bit tired of them - 

The fireworks lasted for 45 minutes -- then it was a fast clean up / bag up the trash and bug out for home -- I would have stayed but the neighbors were winding up for more chaos.  I need sleep and it was still hot.  

I was the only person working on our block of 3rd street today -- seriously -- the only soul.  I actually think I got a lot done.  I have a project pile for Robyn, a bunch of Q's are done, most of the Q's are done, tried to tame my email inbox, if that is ever possible.  Finally got my truck to the car wash at Kwik Trip -- the Speedway car wash is the pits -- I've moved to the south end for the wash.  Truck looks nice - clean -- a lot of gravel roads lately.  

07/03/21 July ....

this is F -- a child of clients/friends/local kid with the nastiest of cancers, he's been in my thoughts and continual prayers since I heard the diagnosis a month + ago ... Thursday, he had surgery -- the doctors replaced his mandible ( and removed the freaking tumor ) with a bone from his leg -- from the hinge of his jaw around and thru his chin ... he's a fun, kind and caring kid and 9 -- 9 years old.  Already had 5 rounds of chemo and there will be more ... post recovery.  

F needs all our love and prayers ...