it’s been a day

 Pix from today, it’s been a long one and still in progress  

At least the mask hides the unwashed - un combed hair   The teeth got brushed  

  

11:00 pm

midnight -- covered the unwashed hair ..

early morning deluge

Friday on 3rd Street

just an old guy with a smart phone and cancer

he had appointment with new oncologist on Tuesday --- we liked him

more chemo and infusion therapy after appointment

and on day 3 and 4 post chemicals the body struggles

mouth sores etc - it is a never ending battle 

2 more chemo's and then he's done 

scans -- and perhaps radiation

my new office gizmo

personal chain saw -- battery powered

Amazon delivers

I should be cutting things down

brrruuuuupppp  and down they fall

I think my pots and office crocks will have these in them

after dumping an entire iced coffee off my desk ( and down the wall, splattered a book case ) i moved my desk -- a new exciting view out the windows -- at the parking lot and the shrubs 

it is what it is 

more projects in the game of life today .... I'm all out of sorts and having issues concentrating, I'm tired, really tired.  I might move some more furniture ( and clean the corners behind it ) cleaning is better than surfing the internet ( or typing rambling blog posts) 

 

weekend adventures

i didn't work all weekend

it seemed so but 

i opened the big doors ( this is my truck parking spot )

and hopped on the atv

went to one of my favorite spots on the farm 

it was windy .... and I forgot my cheeter glasses so I had no idea what i was seeing

old age is hell .. especially on the eyes

tomorrow is a new day and I need a project list

1.  scan the box of crap on my shelf

2.  payroll -- one left to finish for the week

3.  appointments 

4.  5 more nasty tax returns.

5.  more vac'ing

6.  f/statements for the bar and the hairdresser

7.  50 more mnpr's 

8.  get that billing project whipped out 

              (collecting money is important)

9.  wash the truck and the mustang

10 recycling to the bins

11 eat healthier

12 walk (?) weather permitting

 

Sunday

somedays (everyday) this cancer thing stinks

although, the patient claims it was his 2nd booster that "knocked me on my ass" .. well, whatever it was it knocked him out flat ... not very perky the last 3 days .. -- sometime during the night " i woke up in a full sweat -- drank some coffee and finally felt better" .. ok then -  he's just exhausted beyond exhausted -- blood work tomorrow and doctor appointment on Tuesday ...

I worked partially from home and partially at the office this weekend.  Not the usual 16 hours ... but more than a couple

it's time for bed 

 

where's marie ..

had a County meeting in New Ulm on Friday 

road construction involves a scenic commute 

I had wastebook land stumped ...

intersection of CR 21 and CR12

and this my friends is ditch project # (%#*%)

at 55 mph 

I should have drove in there -- 

I had already exceeded my quotient for drama 

the cancer patient got to skip chemo this week -- it was a rough weekend -- so he had his 2nd booster shot instead -- and after lunch yesterday that started to kick him down -- I hear movement up there this morning ... haven't checked in yet

I stayed in bed until 5:15 -- shout that from the rooftops .. I'm on laundry #2 and MNPR #55 this morning .. time for a shower and the commute to 3rd street -- it will be a couple more weekends yet .. but no help .. just me and the dust --- 

 

shit happens

I specifically emailed the boys and told them it was picture day and to dress for it -- and then I promptly forgot and didn't dress for it .. I found a sweater from Kohls hanging in the office closet -- a tad better than the grey sweatshirt I was wearing.  and I was grumpy again ... 

I'm always grumpy.  but I had jewelry on !!!!

 

the party is over

old picture -- but I'm cleaning my office tomorrow and then starting over .. I've got piles of things to finish and a couple more deadlines before I can rest easy (easier).  It's been a rough couple of months.  

when I looked back at my hours compared to prior years, it's the same number of hours, just compressed into a shorter time frame.  the poop hit the fan March 1st and the games began. 

i am tired.

easter was a bit of a struggle -- i worked, came home and helped get dinner ready, we had company and then took a drive to the cabin to check on things. .. got home and elder #1 was down -- day 4 post chemo tends to wipe him out, and a lot of company with no nap made for a bad evening.  a really bad evening -- 

he was up fairly early and then fell back to sleep before I left at 5:45, ya 5:45 ... it's been rough -- this isn't an easy battle ... I wish there was more I could do ... 

 

and the pontoon is adorned

 Jean texted me this picture this morning -- the pontoon has graphics!  We never stray far from our roots !!!

Yesterday, someone asked me my schedule -- and yes I work 7 days a week for 5 months.  I just do.  It's what I do for a living.

3:30 -- rise and roll to the basement and start working
         toss in a load of laundry because I'm down there

5:15 -- shower .. switch clothes in laundry - start packing up homework 
6:00 -- head for the office -- stop at grocery store if needed
         I've been pretty good about not eating out ( or was until this week)

7:30 -- the phone starts ringing and never quits - ditto the emails
8:00 -- the help starts rolling in
11:30 -- lunch
2:00 -- 2nd cup of iced coffee time
6:00 -- some kind of food
7:30 -- home
        unpack the homework - carry the laundry down maybe work at the computer
8:45 -- bed

sometimes I run out of homework and head to the office sooner -- like 4:45 sooner ... argh, McD's and the coffee cabin are still closed ... my reward for the early starts -- McD's on Saturday's ... I try to be home for supper on weekends -- more homework ... 

the gas station and car wash is not busy that early :)
nor is the grocery store

after 37 years I'm still amazed how much work I actually get done before 8:00 am ... 
today it was prioritze the projects and keep filing extensions ... 

it is what it is and I'm really tired
I really underestimated timing this season.
it could be worse.

oh ya

the boys and I ( or the men and I) ... presenting the "traveling trophy" for efficiency and innovation at Tuesday's Board Meeting -- public works and facilities maintenance teamed up for a project ... 

the trophy is slightly smaller than the "stanley cup" but just as coveted -- it's a fun way to celebrate good projects ... government generally doesn't think like the private sector ( " net income" ) so ...

Things to note in this pix.

1.  the professional politicians pose like politicians

2.  jack is very good about mask wearing ( I just avoid people) 

3.  I'm really tired and it shows ... 

(and there is the matter of my raggy blue sweater -- it hangs in a closet at the office -- to a) take off the chill when needed and b) cover up the clothes to avoid having breakfast, lunch or snacks land on clean clothes .. eeks .. stains ya know.

we're a raggy bunch lately -- need to work on better dressing, today was jogger pants and a sweatshirt .. sneakers of course

thursday was leggings and a tunic sweatshirt - warm and functional in one easy package -- I've been avoiding the leggings lately -- almost 2 weeks of "pants" ... which translates into old navy distressed jeans .. raggy baggy things that feel good on .. 

i'm rambling - sorry, it's the tired thing

bed is soon ...

toodles

 

soon, soon and a screw up

i uploaded pixtures to what I thought was a new page/post ...

alas -- i added them to yesterdays ... 

shit happens

the moon glow at 3:15ish this morning was pretty 

my orchid has buds!

rise and shine and go to work time

this morning was a pile of projects, two loads of laundry and as always a nice warm shower ... with fresh from the dryer clothes to wear -- might be my only pleasure in life this week.

this probably doesn't apply to my life -- but dang, I'm pretty close to toasted, fried, burned up and out ... it's been a long 5 months .. yes, this shit starts in November and it's non stop until the end of May.

I'm going into damage control mode tomorrow and whipping out the extension forms and emails .. we've been pretty diligent about sticking to our April 1st drop dead deadline.  If we didn't have it by April 1st - it wasn't getting done.  I'm amazed at the shit that got dropped off in the last 48 hours and the "gasp" ... "it won't get done, but we have until Monday".. really .. and really

I really underestimated the time it would take with the extra reporting requirements -- the stimulus and ATC -- it's not a lot of work, but a lot of clicking -- more proofing .. more calling for data, because clients don't always READ the instructions in our packets.  or didn't get our packets or didn't open our packets ... 

I mailed my own extension checks yesterday.  

all in a day, eh ... 

I'm tired

chemo #8 was yesterday, the patient is tired

 

and the end of the week ... was

sunday morning sunrise 

I started at 3:30 and was headed to town at 6 ...

I slept in ( 4:30 ) this morning and came directly to the office 

elder #1 seemed to be perkier ..

3 days post chemo and he struggles -- perks up and it starts all over again 

he had chemo and infusion therapy on Thursday -- this combo wreaks havoc on him

plain chemo not as bad

and then Friday afternoon this pix came in a text

pretty darn cool eh!

and then yesterday they shared pix on wastebook

vacation in Boseman MT

exciting stuff !!!

 

Rough Week

yeah -- the picture below is the reason for the above picture -- I never dreamed I would be working at 3:00 am or 4:00 am on a regular basis ... I heard #1 moving around this morning and we were chatting at 5:15 about the state of affairs on Daisy Lane -- 5:15am

I must admit -- my head hits the pillow by 9:00pm

most of the projects remaining are messy, difficult, messy, weird just plain ugly

it has been the year of income, lots of income -- 11, 1M$ returns this month alone, that is a lot for my clients/practices, rural minnesota

my coffee and I are going to finish a project or two and hit the pillow

hoping for another lovely day tomorrow 

a day with no people and no phones 

lots to do

 

April 7th

today is my Grandfather's Birthday -- 4/7/1907  -- # 115 and he's been gone 37 of them, I was 25 when he died -- seems like yesterday -- and then again 

in the chaos of almost deadline day 

Dad calls this morning -- the chemo schedule changed and we needed to get him there by 12:15 -- lots of scheduling changes lately -- protocols, schedules, planning and plotting

things are going okay for an 85 & 11 month year old guy with cancer .. but some of us don't have scheduling flexibility --- I made arrangements with a client to hang out in their conference room for a couple of hours -- well, the schedule changed and Jean is working in Mankato so she can pick him up -- I dumped ( literally) him and his backpack of gear ( tablet, charges, puzzle books, headphones and snacks ) at the door -- in the freaking snow

it will all work out -- next step is one more chemo and then comes the radiation, maybe ... still uncertain on radiation -- it's safety 

all those lovely restaurants in Mankato -- and I chose Arby's ... I had a jamoca shake for lunch ... Kate and Regis held down the fort while I was gone 

it's a shit show

 I wish I could balance life like this

the peaks and valleys are exhausting 

coffee isn't working any longer

it's getting to me

i googled losing my mind and well, this seemed the most appropriate -- some weird stuff appeared 

'cause google does that

then i had this dude in my picture stash

overcoming adversity 

we all need to do that better

 and I'm going to work on getting my focus back

i can i will and it will all work out

breakfast of champions

this pic (Amy Finsted) was on wastebook this afternoon (?) 

what a cool shot of Minneapolis on an inbound flight 

I had saved a pix of my " monster cookie cheesecake" that I had for breakfast, but I deleted it while editing and can't find it ... it's a rough life I lead

the cheese cake was tasty

two more 4:00 am starts -- I'm fading fast ....

 

 

April Fools Day

no freeking joke

I work too much.

the end.