pfffffttttt

 I submitted these two pix to the Free Mess for the annual MMagazine Photo Contest/RoundUp/Whatever and I'm told they made the cut and are in the Magazine.

the elders tossed the magazine already and #1 added it to the burn pile this morning

because he felt the need to torch the dump this morning

4 large pine trees, grass clippings from the last year, lake leaves

torched -- because it was on his "list of things to do"

it was an awful day on 3rd street - the phone was ringing out of control, people kept walking in and sitting down -- "I just need to talk to you" .. for what may I ask?  seriously, it's not over until no one tests positive -- and if I get sick, nada gets done

well I'm healthy and nada got done today 

February --- the end ?

 I had another 3:30 am start this morning.

Mornings are truly the best time of the day -- this morning, was a load of laundry and a pile of files.  Unfortunately, most of the pile was missing info -- so the completion pile is stagnant and the "need more info" pile is growing.

Office by 5:30am .... I've managed to tidy the bathroom, stash a box of envelopes and crash a pile of other stuff -- hopefully, Jessica, the renter -- is a sound sleeper ... 

March is typically the month I don't blog -- not sure what I'm going to do .. the 4 peeps that read this probably don't care -- it is my jottings to self.

I should set some goals for March .. other than survival .. 

elder #1 seems to be doing okay -- fatigue -- I sent a text to him yesterday morning -- he called to inform me "I don't have time for ( ##%$^%) messages I have snow to plow" .. alrighty then ... 

got a subpoena yesterday -- to testify in a divorce case -- it's never fricking dull around here ... 2nd time, 2 wife for the same client -- we found it amusing .. -- I think the profound statement was "I don't have time for shit like this" ... I have to clean up my act ... 

and the wisdom for the weekend -- start melting mother nature ... 

ohhhhmmmmmm

how's this for fashionable -- 

glendive montana circa August 1972

mom is wearing polyester 

and the always entertaining xmas picture

knee socks

and how about that TV -- our first color TV

circa 1970

and today 

my wonder woman crown is slipping quickly

really quickly

there was company at home last night, so I got up at 4:30, worked, laundry, showered and waited for #1 to rise before heading into the office .. he had a good night and sounds like a pretty good day ... fixed a carb on a power washer .. life skills -- plowed snow -- didn't wait for me to get home to do it tonight .. so 

I'm attempting to work and actually finish something

and straighten my crown

 

Marathon Day

I can't remember if this was Saturday or Sunday 

pre Yellowstone Marathon

because I needed to watch/listen to Yellowstone -- all 4 seasons, again

I attempted to DVR it ... might not have been sucessful

bring on season 5

I started this morning at 3:37am 

in the cave

me, the computer, the tote bag of work

and a load of laundry

and I'm still at it 

fading fast 

don't ya love the "dot" and my green gloved finger -- phone shot from Sunday afternoon walk

and it freaking snowed - again -- I shoveled and am grateful for a guy named Dave with an ATV and a plow ... equally grateful for Nelson Printing delivering envelopes in less than 24 hours 

need treats for these guys -- they are the best !

big day on Daisy Lane tomorrow == chemo starts for elder #1 ..

he's tired of the waiting and anxious for the future 

it's been and adventure we'd rather not experience

it is what it is

post nap, he managed to plow snow for 3 hours this afternoon ... argh.

 

Words of Wisdom

 

“Life’s not a dress rehearsal, man,”

“You don’t get these days back, so you gotta finish with your fun meter on high.”

 

Sean Beaver

2/21/22 Free Mess

I saw this quote in this mornings paper -- truth ...

sunrise sunset swiftly flow the days

not sure where this one came from -- it ain't mine ...

I'm noticing the longer days and shorter nights

the Friday night commute home (with my lovely tote bag of work) .. it was still kind of light out at 6:30 .. it was dark(er) by the time I made it to Daisy Lane 

even cracking daylight at 6:30 am .. love it ... love the light

and I'm home working in the cave again this evening

tonight's tote bag is full of problem children 

all of the files seem to be missing something ... 

it's my life

 

the Serenity chant

since 5:56 when the first text rolled in 

I've been chanting the 

"god give me strength" chant

at 6:06 the second text arrived

we're falling like dying flies

(not the best analogy) 

around here this morning 

Kate's kid

Kevin's kids

tummy troubles

 

a peaceful shot from my desk several years ago 

but Robyn to the rescue

i am blessed

i am grateful

i am tired

i might have it too 

craptastic

 

truth

one of my favorite cabin shots ... love watching the sailboats ... 

love the green grass and blue sky

I need some green grass, blue sky and warm temps

truth

 

my random week

my new jeans .. 

drinking out of 3 vessels at the same time ?  two cold, one lukewarm

blooms

notes to self

me and the beanie baby waiting for software

waiting, waiting -- and presto it arrived

the Saturday morning inbound commute -- at -17' .. another chilly start 

software arrived late Friday - functional this morning and I printed, sorted and signed 102 returns -- Jan is the Saturday girl -- she was busy too ... piles await Robyn in the morning -- where I'm told it will be freaking cold again.

the magic hour of 8:00 pm is rapidly approaching -- my bed is calling ... it'll be an early start tomorrow .. 

 

slip sliding away

 

i think it's slippery -- it was cooling off on the homebound commute .. the paved roads / city streets were wet -- but the packed ice on the gravel -- not so nice -- I brought my yak traks home -- will install them on my boots before bed ... gotta love a prepared farm girl.

I snatched the above from the Mn DOT camera below the farm -- looking south from the northbound Robards bridge .. ( that's a description ) 

another day in paradise -- with no software and no communication when said software is going to arrive and be functional .. it is good to be me, really good 

got out and about ... picked up a caramel roll and raspberries at the Coop -- damn, those rolls are the bomb -- shared with Kate -- the raspberries were pretty tasty too -- and on sale -- my 4th box of raspberries this week .. Kate bought one of the pre cut mix berry boxes at hy vee ... I need to start purchasing them -- they might be high priced -- but it's better than all the other crap I consume.  

as the stress level rises -- the crappy food consumption rises . 

argh.

Hump Day ...

I spy these little ditties on wastebook - save them to a file and then can't remember where I put them or why I saved them .... running out of pictures ( or pictures that I can share on the internet -- because everyone needs to see a frozen drainage ditch ) ... 

Still no functioning Minnesota software -- at least TR functioning software and no answers from tech support or our sales rep ... I'm beyond angry -- I'm pissed -- boxes of returns are sitting in my office waiting to be polished off, printed and efiles generated.  

So I'm hoping some kind programmer/coder gets their shit together and we get fully functioning software today -- I'm irked enough that I'm thinking about changing software companies next filing season and since I've been w/TR since 1988 -- I am really pissed.

and I come back to read this and realize my typing/spelling cannot keep up with my spewing thoughts and words 

 

sunday in happyville

I'm running out of pictures .. this should be title -- "still life from the chair" ..

or "life is all about the cords"

this popped up in my wastebook memories

the day Jeremiah shoveled a path to Robyn's wheels...we all had a good smile over the memory -- 

still don't have functioning TR software -- or functioning enough to generate and print Minnesota efiles .. damn ... one would think for $21K this shit would be functional

the printer will be humming when it can

 

musings

T G I F

Although, I don't have weekends, so I'm not sure why I'm excited about a Friday.  This weekend will be my last solo weekend until April.  The shitshow is about to get real.  Monday is our start date for a building full of worker bees -- or additional worker bees will be in the hive.  

No MINNESOTA software yet and frankly -- it's driving me flipping bonkers.  I need to finish tax returns -- I have tax returns to finish.  Argh.  

And it is still freaking cold.  A warm up is on the way and it cannot get here fast enough.  

The Amazon purchases of the day -- yesterday -- an egg carton like mattress pad and shampoo.   Yesterday's delivery of office supplies and underwear was delayed -- always good to receive that email.  Imagine the surprised neighborhood when an AMAZON trucked pulled up last year -- and 2 guys carried in my bed -- my bed in a box .. frankly I carried it out and put it in my truck -- it wasn't that heavy and/or bulky.  

 

I am the queen of Amazon

and I wish I looked this good 

tomorrow's amazon delivery includes, coffee, staples -- regular and heavy duty, packing tape, liquid advil, earbuds with a long cord, cheater glasses -- the blue light blocking kind, both regular and bifocal -- just because, underwear -- all the basics one needs to survive a Minnesota winter

damn, I don't have time for the chair  ( this is at the old cabin) but I really need some time away from the chaos -- the endless phone calls are driving me nuts -- endless phone calls, Kate has had to deal with most of them ... My favorite intern, Ben, returns on Friday -- he popped in this afternoon -- it was the highlight of my day, week, 2022.  I like that kid.

I went home early Monday -- things were getting fuzzy vision-wise, I was either having a stroke or the beginnings of a migraine.  Slammed a dizzy pill and 3 advil and drove myself home to bed -- where I attempted to sleep while the elders felt the need to talk to me ... then the elders got company -- I was in my jammies by then.  Good family friends understand jammies .. 

So, my homework is done and I'm going to head upstairs, put on the jammies, sit in my chair and pretend I'm staring at the lake.  

It might just work. 

 

cleaning

that moment when you realize your deleted items needs to be cleaned out ... 

yikes