weekend musings

elder #1 was pretty excited when I got home on Thursday -- the ripper was sitting at the cell phone tower waiting for him -- so Friday and Saturday he ripped ....

I forgot my pictures for scrapping on Saturday and drove home to get them ( and a McD's run)  .. and rode two rounds with him .. he was below the hill behind the house when I got there .. 

this is the first field work he's done since he finished up last fall ... 9 months of cancer doesn't leave a lot of time for the fun things in life .. it is so so so dry out there ... he was kind of funny -- crabbing at the autosteer giving him a "no signal" warning message .. wth the tractor talks

I went out to the cabin this morning ... I needed a little down time -- so, I vac'd all the floors, made lunch, scrubbed the counters, stove and sink -- ditto the toilet and bathroom sink ... read my book/Sunday paper and soaked up a peaceful lake .. it was like glass ... home for more laundry and projects

I did spend Friday afternoon/evening and Saturday crafting with 3 of my 4 crafty peeps -- we were at church .. it was fun ... I finished up scrapbook pages of our first year at the cabin -- I had prepped them last fall when I thought I was going to Green Lake ... so it was trim and glue 'em down -- I did 3 paper pumpkins .. and 50 photo cards for the office -- we send out a lot of cards from the office and the photo cards seem to be well received ... and started typing the WISP

I've been thinking hard about this weeks project list :

Office:

1.   get the bricks moved to the garage

2.   trim the sidewalk hostas and move the planters to a safe location

3.   assemble the 3 year old still in the box stand up desk for the file room and 

              get it cleaned and arranged

4.   finish typing the WISP 

5.   zip out the pre tax appointment letters and the 1099 letters

Home:

1.  vac the basement

2.  purge sewing room fabric for the church ladies

3.  weathertech's in Ruby II

4.  detail inside of ruby 1 and 2

5.  rake and burn leaves at the cabin    burning ban ... wait for snow

Other life planning:
1.  quit stressing over the election 
2.  Mankato run for returns and bullshit
3.  

blog surfing

my seminar is still rolling along  -  I've spent some time reviewing my old blog posts -- I gotta get a life .. but found this jewel from 2016 or 2017 .. less GRAY hair ... can I blame the GRAY on COVID .. why not ... I'm sure this is the first polar fleece 3/4 zip I bought from Lands End .. believe me .. I haven't been without since .. I have a current shelf full .. and super shopper that I am -- all on sale -- dirt cheep ..

I think I've been a smarter shopper since the spring clothing purge and the latest round ( still have a bag in my car) .. I thought I found the perfect denim jacket at Target -- epic fail .. I'll keep searching -- someday I'll find one 

today's wardrobe consists of charcoal gray leggings, white tunic t, mushroom vest -- sneakers .. at 62 and not thin I've decided I can wear whatever I feel like wearing ... headed to scrapbooking after seminar  - next to be comfy .. slippers are packed 

 

Thursday -- screen time ...

education at it's finest -- I actually like webinars over live in person seminars -- lets cut the bullcrap -- NO travel time needed -- and as I age, travel is exhausting.  Drive for 90 minutes -- 1 way, in nasty traffic, sit for an 8 hour class, drive home for 90 minutes in nasty traffic -- and repeat the next day ...

so parking my tush in my desk chair and looking at the screen isn't so bad 

today/tomorrow is my 1040 class

yesterday I had 2 additional hours 

leggings, comfy sweatshirt -- and strong coffee -- what more do I need

I have managed to clean my desk (inside of it)

The book cases have been purged and the binders clearly labeled

The hallway book case -- purged

the recycling can is nearing "overfull" and the shred can is filling up 

one scarf has been completed and am working on #2

sunrise from the bakery parking lot on Wednesday - it was nice 

love me sunrises and sunsets 

 

Tuesdays on 3rd Street

I'm kind of at loose ends lately -- for the last 10 months I've been pushing every deadline and pushing hard to be efficient -- always trying to think ahead -- the what if's have been looming large .. 

So, I'm kind of caught up .. it's a freaking first -- at least in the last 35 months -- 

It's kinda weird

my desk in the cave still looks this bad -- ditto the desk on 3rd street

my goal for the rest of the week is to get them cleaned off and organized

Kate and I started to move front room furniture this afternoon .. the copier and the phone work -- that's a plus...need to clean and scrub before too much more happens

Trying to have an efficient safe simple clutter free layout -- do more with less is my new mantra

and because I'm a good daughter -- just got the HyVee app to work on elder #1's tablet and got them signed up for some "perks" club .. and I thought getting my own fuel saver card to work was a challenge .. and the other challenge  - logging into SBA and paying off my EIDL loan this morning .. that was a PITA .. in caps .. wth.  

2 1/2 days of continuing ed is up next .. and desk/office cleaning .. and a spot of crochet .. :)  then scrapbooking ... it's in town at church so ... I've kind of prepped my projects -- need to find some treats .. 

 

giant sigh

one of the shots when I was chasing the sunset last week ...

It was a productive weekend - the warm weather kicked everyone/everything into high gear ... I did manage a brief ATV ride while hauling crap to the dump -- behind the house -- there were cornstalk tornado's happening -- dang wind .. took all the leaves too ... hopefully they landed at the neighbors 

1.  office garage -- sort of cleaned out

         and all the junk from the side yard is tossed .... 

2.  appliance recycling -- when your dumping fee is $127 you have a lot of shit

3.  porch cleaning

        a.  plants moved in to over winter

        b.  much discussion w/the elders

        c.  and the plants that didn't make the cut ... tossed

4.  garden hoses and yard art - stored

5.  lawnmowers -- stored

6.  office plants tossed to the burning pile

        a. ceramic pots cleaned and stored

7.  the endless laundry

8.  cabin time -- 

        a.  briefly -- I came home yesterday to help w/yard shit

        b.  leaves raked -- just over the bank where I want to kill junk

        c.  dock came in -- I missed it again ... Jean was there

9.   road tested a "new to me" ATV ... it's not red. :)

10. started purge in sewing room - found treasures

            got sidelined -- go figure

11. finished closet purge -- 1.5 more bags for thrift shop

12. ordered turtlenecks for winter 

             NO MORE CLOTHES

             except shoes -- need warm winter shoes that are cute

and to do yet

1.  all vehicles need to be detailed

2.  Ruby needs oil change

3.  Office furnace needs fluff/buff

4.  Window kits at office

5.  Move furniture at office 

6.  Finish sewing room purge 

7.  Move the brick from the yard to the garage

               toss out more shit from garage .. it's a hazmat zone

this week's adventures

Cultural Diversity Training

Board Meeting

2 1/2 days of continuing education

and ..... 

CRAFTING w/my peeps for a day or so 

   it's been 2 1/2 years since we played together .... 

       life and COVID thru curves our way ..d

ah these damn lists .. endless lists -- coming to work this morning kind of felt like going on vacation ... 

ya ya ya

yes, it is real

check out the horns on the buck on the left ... weird stuff

I got lucky when I was cruising around this morning

October sunsets are always the best

and they are even better at the lake 

I moved over to the neighbors lawn and snapped this one 

and the bottle tree ... 

I went out Saturday morning -- after appliance recycling, grocery store, yard work, demo driving an ATV .. finally got out there .. it was a struggle 

fixed lunch, had a nap, surfed the internet and raked some leaves

swatted the no see 'ems and got out the bug spray 
Jean and I spent the night -- after dark it was movie night -- I slept thru it 

and it was rise and shine at 5:38 am :)  

I love 75' days in October .. I would love them even more if the wind was a gentle breeze

 

TGI

and the morning view from the cabin 

I check it out every morning 

leaves be falling

and yes, 176 days until freedom

seriously - there will be less weirdness this tax season and some of our procedural changes should make life a bit calmer  (and if you believe that -- I can sell you ocean front property in Nicollet county)  

so yesterday I crashed at 4:10 -- went home for

1.  more laundry ... 

2.  vac'd the porch -- getting ready to move in the blooming pots of goodness

3.  loaded up recycling and hauled it to town

4.  put the newly washed sheets on my bed

5.  and truly crashed .. 

today's agenda

1.  load up the appliance recycling items in Ruby II

2.  keep moving office furniture around

(finding the right layout / flow is an issue)

3.  wipe out the project list on my desk

4.  vac & dust

5.  more laundry 

6. schedule the booster shot ... 

I'm hoping after dropping off the load at appliance recycling - I'll get to spend the balance of the weekend at the cabin -- the weather looks nice -- if enough leaves have fallen, there will be raking/burning/swiping of the cobwebs .. we'll see -- the stars must align and everyone feeling ok at home too ... next week is 2  1/2 days of continuing ed -- and a few of the Divas are going to a scrapbooking event .. it's local .. so ... 

 

Road Tour

Tuesday was the annual County Road Tour day ... the peeps and I spent most of the day in the Lighthouse Van touring road projects, ditch projects and zoning issues thru out Nicollet County --

above is a ditch problem 

the view from the very back seat -- the motion sickness peeps got the front rows 

highway 14 construction west of Courtland -- the interchange to Courtland they have moved heaps and heaps of dirt -- I mean heaps

Administrator Landkamer liked the "air ride" seat in the new motor grader .... 

 

the end Part II

   some time on Saturday I crossed the "I don't give a shit if this shit gets done or not" .. so today was a bit anti-climatic ... but at 6:00pm I finished a tax return and transmitted it, knowing it will need to be amended ... and then

   I went to planning and zoning -- which taught me the perils of anhydrous ammonia -- hmm -- youtube videos of nurse tanks spewing liquid anhydrous ammonia -

- 

  And really, Mother Nature -- I have a down coat, gloves, long underwear and a turtleneck for today's adventures in rural Nicollet County -- you are one evil woman.  

  I am eagerly awaiting 75' by the weekend 

wickedness continues

my desk got sideboards yesterday .. whatever it takes

wicked good clouds on my first ride of the day 

more wicked clouds

still life diorama of my world, keyboard, messy desk, fitbit calendar, hours calendar and gratitude journal -- when life got out of control in September -- I started a gratitude journal -- some days I think I need a bullshit journal -- just focusing on the positive

and the big green machine headed towards Dad and I . . we drove out to see if they were ready to move downhill and whoa .. they were ... then he moved a downed tree and I hauled Kevin/Harrison up to the other semi ... and ...

so to celebrate a due date -- I cleaned my clothes closet

I AM A CLOTHES HOARDER ..

yes, I hoard clothing - and I purchase too much clothing -- 4 more bags for the thrift shop -- believe me they can stock their shelves with this goodness .. I was brutal ... this makes 8 bags in 45 days .. it is a sickness ... (don't ask about the fabric/yarn issue) ( and don't ask, but a delivery from Maurice's is on the way) ...

4 more bags ... WTH

 

weekends for the wicked

I'm hoping for some of this today -- not likely.  I think today is the day the pontoon comes home to roost in a shed -- not sure which shed, but it will be coming off the lake -- there are some cold temps in the forecast.  (this is the neighbors pontoon, not ours)  --  I don't think there will be a pleasure cruise today -- I hope to sneak out there for some attitude adjustment time but .. 

1.  I have 5 3 tax returns to finish by monday

2.  one set of payroll taxes 

3.  2 sets of quarterly payroll tax returns

4.  6/7 clients to track down and pick up their tax returns

            (so they can be transmitted)

5.  the final 500 campaign flyers need labels and stamps

            (will recruit the elders for this)

6.  the combine is coming to Daisy Lane today!!!!

7.  Ruby needs a bath

8.  need to get to the market and get some goodies 

            (it is the last day of market)

the lists are freaking endless -- next week is a bit meeting heavy -- P/Z, Board Road Tour, flu shot, transit, doctors ... but the end of the week is totally open -- i think it's MEA weekend so the rug rats and their parents will be running around a wreaking havoc -- I will be doing yard work at multiple locations

I did sign up for crafting event at church  ---  it is the end of the month ... 

in the chaos of life -- the only thing I seem to be keeping up with is - laundry -- and I got that shit under control -- it's one of the few projects that I can do well at 4:30 am ... 

 

generations

Tim, Dad, Joe, Kevin and Bob

Teresa sent me this pix this morning -- Dad went up to help move parts of the crew to a new location and when he got there the combine was broke down so .. he got in on the fix

Grateful for cooler temperatures but not sure if the forecasted snow is necessary 

 

yes, my friends my third 4:30am start this week

more laundry

more tax returns

and damn look at that dust -- tonight might be clean the home office and more laundry kind of night  twelve tax returns to go - and realistically only 5 are going to be completed 

i can, i can, i can

 

62 and 3 days

more snaps from Sunday -- this home is directly across the lake from us .. I love the wood sculpture -- it is cool

Jean was comfy on the pontoon

Marie the maintenance Diva .. life skills

and how about the paint job on that green boathouse !  we did good ... there is a lot of color in our neighborhood too ..

okay 3 days in to the 62nd year and my tush is dragging .. Monday I came to work at 5:30am .. the plan was to be first in line at the carwash and then come to work, well I was #2 in line but Ruby II is cleaner -- homework and I went home and nada got done -- company came for more cake

Yesterday ( Tuesday) I got up and was seated in the cave at 4:30am ... 90 minutes later I was in the shower and headed to the office, by 7:00 I had a visit from a landowner on a ditch issue .. off to the gov't center for the board meeting -- back to the office and the chaos -- home for supper and then back to town ( high school) for the "candidate forum" .. 9 of us on stage was too many bodies answering the same question over and over and over again -- there was no give and take/debate .. it was answer the same damn question over and over .. finished with a beverage at the Redmen and home by 10:00 ..

this morning - I barely dragged myself out of bed at 6 -- here by 6:30 and knocking shit off the project list ... I'm trying my best .. meeting in Mankato this evening .. clients for the rest of the week ...

 

Cheers to 62!

I got to start my 62nd year with a beautiful day --- 

made it to the happy place -- we raked and burned leaves for a couple hours (it's a start) -- raked from the front of the cabin, down the bank (next to the stairs) and over to the fire pit .. a lot less work than bagging and hauling home to burn ...

Friday I was the maintenance woman - again

Saturday was the Maker Fair -- no pix of our booth 

we did good -- it was good to see and visit with everyone

damn cold start to the morning!  27' -- 

 

Maker Fair

 well, my truck has stuff in it 

  a table, a couple of wicker baskets, 2 tubs of stuff, 2 quilts in a plastic trash bag -- and that's about it ... I'm really not ready or in the mood for maker fair this year ... nothing is marked yet ... but it's in the truck -- I have one more throw to finish -- maybe tonight -- just needs binding ( and the binding is made ) 

  going and going to have a fun day ..

WOTD - Word of the day

 FOCUS -- damn, I can't seem to keep myself on track ... all week long -- it's been ugly .. I jump from project to project and get no where ... 

 the only project completed -- I dropped the storm windows down at the office - the forecast is looking ugly so I thought I would get ready.  when I look to the north I see the front rolling towards us .. 

 Well, the end of the day did not add any FOCUS to life ... my homework project is completed, a load of laundry is in the dryer .. and it's time to head to the sewing machine -- a throw and it's binding await me -- it's a pretty one so I want to get it completed.

 If one were FOCUSING -- one would remember to post said post.  
 Shit happens peeps, shit happens.

 

'tis the season of color - pix heavy

 after painting the boathouse/shack trim .. we got a pontoon ride in 
I fear it might be the last one of the season -- I hope not ... but

and home a last --- how about the paint on the boat shack .. matches the cabin pretty darn good -- we still need to paint the inside of the porch .. and work on the weeds on the bank .. it has some poison ivy so I've been pretty cautious about attacking it ... the red tinges of color in the bank are poison ivy

because I am an idiot

Seven, yes 7, days to maker fair and this idiot decided to sew crib quilts ... argh -- knock me over 

girl prints

boy prints

#1 layout .. ( it's stitched together) -- nothing fancy just going for pretty prints that are durable and functional 

and these to throws need their binding -- I quilted them last weekend -- I can't remember when I actually pieced them .. they were in the "ready to quilt" tote .. idiot 

I got up at 4:45 .. #1 was making noise and I found him dressed and in the recliner so .. me, him, laundry and my goofy ideas .. 

7 days