Halloween

halloween costume

aka: tired cold old cpa

it's a cold and dreary looking shed and shop this morning 

white shit is forecasted

I'm so not ready 

I spent all of Wednesday night cleaning the sewing room / cave office barely made a dent in the chaos down there .. will go back at it this evening -- 45 minutes sucking up asian beetles with the vac ... those things are just creepy -- tonight's agenda - purge - either donate, ebay or toss  and follow up with another round of vac'ing -- the beetles that escaped last night are leaving this evening 

thinking ahead to November ...

mother nature can be one evil woman 

it has since melted 

35' is cold compared to the 80' 55 hours ago

 

10/30/24

and the morning after two days of continuing education .. 

the piles grew ... to be fair -- the pile on the left was files I took home as homework, the pile on the right is our BOI book and related documents .. that BOI bullcrap is setting me over the edge .. as in the edge "am I going to do these or not edge" .. lots of drama with those gizmos

I did plot out furniture placement for tax season while the webinar was toodling along, plotted out timelines for document prep and the like ... I kind of miss the days of live seminars -- antisocial Marie would have never said that a couple of years ago -- 

I miss actually getting out of the office --

 I should have went to the cabin and livestreamed them out there .. 

I miss have a nice tacky lunch served ..

I don't miss the commute or the busy restrooms 

today's schedule -- Mom has doctor appointment in Mankato .. early appointment .. then back to eliminating the piles .. ( one can dream ) .. appointments up the whazoo on Thursday .. quiet Friday (furniture day?, phone day?, cleaning day?, most likely pile day!)

 

Education Day 1

I rescued this blooming salvia .. it dared to seed it self in the sidewalk crack -- the warm fall encouraged growth and a bloom and I picked it last Friday .. tough bugger ... my zinnias are almost two weeks old .. changing the water seems to help -- but they are fading fast

finished the blue/cream in the am

rolled the other one into a ball

and started it after lunch 

speakers are in a different time zone so things are a bit wonky ... but it's happening and I hope to learn something wonderful .... another full day of it tomorrow ... then I have one more in late November and possibly an additional webinar if I can fit it in ...

 

SIP Day 14

SIP Day 14 were does the time go ... hey?

    and after having a couple of fun days it was kind of a work day .. both at the farm and at the cabin ... 

1.    lots of early morning laundry 
2.    off to the cabin with lunch
3.    cabin projects
          rolled up and stashed the hoses
          ditto the bird bath and fountain gizmo
          dropped all the storm windows and locked down the windows
          packed out some more "stuff" .. mainly food
          wiped down the kitchen cabinets, counters and island 
          watched TV and read my book 
4.    back home .. stopped at office and loaded up the plants for overwintering
             in the porch geraniums and a gerbera daisy
5.    took recycling to recyling
6.    gas in the truck $90  -- lights were flashing and it was dinging . 
7.    carried all the crafty crap to the basement and unloaded it
8.    #1 -- clean laundry carried upstairs
9.    washed the cabin "throw pillows"
10.  took an ATV ride around the farm ..
11.  finished my book and did dishes

and now I'm planning out my week .. tax conference on Monday and Tuesday .. appointments and Doctor appointments on Wednesday .. and I can't remember Thursday and Friday .. 

I thought I would be yawning by now but so far so good ... 

SIP 12 and 13

     SIP Day 12  -- Today and yesterday's achievement (mind you it's only 7:30am) ... is getting out of bed and getting to the office.  Small steps lead to change -- argh, quippy quotes.  

Today's Agenda:

1.    zoom gig with the software peeps.
2.    client gig
3.    scrapbooking with some of the Diva's -- ( one of us is working elections)

4.    clean office
5.    organize thoughts (never-ending battle)

SIP Day 12.5 and 13

    Go play with the scrapping divas .. (minus Diva Jan)

95  half square triangle blocks  .. to finish at 7" .. I cut from the stash of low volume "word" prints and a pack of fat 8ths from somewhere .. a lot of cutting, marking, sewing, pressing, measuring, trimming and more pressing

a layer cake with jelly roll strips added to 2 sides

left over jelly roll strips made into 8 four patch blocks .. mug rug bits

It was a good night and day at the sewing machine -- which Bessie, the bernina has a hummm ... not sure what's up with her .. yesterday I had a nasty thread jam in the bobbin .. 

good company, good food and productivity !

    

SIP Day 10

    I had a phone call from another CPA up the road (Mankato) ... she reinforced my belief that some clients have become weird -- that's not the proper description -- but in general we're seeing clients not take responsibility for their own actions .. 

    We end up fixing "stuff" / shit that could have been avoided and/or shouldn't have ever happened -- 

    I thought it was just me -- it was good to visit with Kris ... I need to reach out and have coffee someday ....

SIP Day 10 -- w/out the new fitbit - long story short .. took it off for the morning shower and forgot to put it back on -- must wrap it around toothbrush to remember 

Today's SIP .. wear leggings, goofy sweatshirt and go to work ...

speaking of electric toothbrushes -- it's getting hard to find new heads .. my 10 year old gizmo is still going strong ... grateful for Amazon aftermarket heads .. who knew ...

SIP DAY 9

 edit:  forgot to post on the 9th day ... argh and on the 10th day -- I left the fitbit laying on the shelf in the bathroom .... double argh .. 'tis me life lately

    I just read that this is the 35th Anniversary of Jacob Wetterling's disappearance/abduction.  It was the week all of Minnesota lost it's innocence -- because bad things didn't happen here.  Well, they did, they do and happen everyday somewhere in this mixed up crazy world

my fitbit arrived -- #4 ?   not because i wear them out ... I lose the crazy things or I lose the charger? or the fitbit? or both?  better habits with technology .. my new Lands End long down vest arrived too .. it is the coolest warm vest I've owned .  I might look like a giant Firestone tire while wearing it -- but I'll be a warm Firestone tire.  

scenes from the living room -- looked better in real life -- it was the golden hour shortly before the cold front blew in .. 

and from the patio door -- the dirty patio door .. on the list to clean -- painter/door dude is adding another coat of varnish this week -- will clean after that 

met with the tree cutting dude yesterday -- 8 more ash trees coming down this week ... more money, less Emerald Ash Borer .. 

cut down, chip and haul away .. it'll make nice wood chips he tells me ... okay dude

and the ugly delimiters came off the road yesterday ... it was a happy sight .. the intent was probably good, the execution, not so good.  

Monday was my tax conference, it was pretty bad -- I'll just leave it at that --- today was a Board day -- a long hour with the attorney in closed session -- some things in County Government piss me off -- then back to the office for a full afternoon of clients 

I'm supposed to go to Waseca in the am for a regional AMC meeting, but I need to work -- and Mom has a doctor appointment in the afternoon so -- I'm going to work, take her to the appointment and roll with the balance of life.  It is the best I can do.  

the cold front blew thru at 6:30 -- no rain.  really need rain.

7th day

  SIP Day 7: and on the 7th day -- self care ... well, self care should be every day .. I'm sitting in the porch at the cabin -- winds blowing -- leaves are falling, dogs are barking, neighbors are having yet another party (large one) .. 

    I did manage to broom cobwebs off the outside of the windows and some of the siding -- we should be burning a) it's too windy and b) I don't burn alone ... I have yet to rake a leaf -- today they are landing at the neighbors -- the party neighbors ... 

    I attempted an egg bake this morning -- it's more like cheesy potatoes -- cheesy potatoes with bacon .. never a bad combination .. I've started to pack things up for the season and load them out .. our days are limited -- especially after Daylight Savings happens -- that damn darkness is hard .. 

    Tomorrow is my Farm Tax Conference -- kind of looking forward to it .. from the UofM -- virtual -- it was pretty inexpensive but the book/reference manual looks okay .. 

 

SIP Day 6

 SIP Day 6

    NO WORK WEEKENDS !!!!

        I've somewhat succeeded -- slept, took a shower, ate, went to Mankato, shopped, picked up lunch to go, read my book and surfed the internet.  We could really use a good couch out here for napping.  

I finally moved .. got out the tools (aka weapons of mass destruction) and attempted to clean the porch screens -- trial and error led to better than they were ... the light of day will be the ultimate test

started with a broom

then a broom wrapped with a towel

back to broom

then vac'd up the fuzz balls 

and vac'd the floor

it's better but ... those darn cottonwood trees

looked out the window when doing supper dishes .. and well, the golden hour out here is always delightful

next up is a fresh glass of iced tea, my jammies and maybe a crochet project -- because I need to have 8 zillion projects rolling at once.

SIP Day 5

SIP Day 5 - work less play more .. so the plan was to spend the weekend at the cabin so I got carried away at the office and at 4:15 got home -- carried 8 tote bags of stuff to the truck -- 8 tote bags for 2 nights plus there was a stop at McDonalds for iced tea and ice cream on the way out.  All is unloaded and put away .. and we drove 10 miles to watch TV.  Yes, we're watching TV at the cabin -- instead of home.  Need to find something fun to do tomorrow to add some zip to the weekend.  

I found some treasures in the facebook memories .. I think this was 1991 - Halloween Blizzard Week

so look beyond the Nifty 250 and notice the lack of trees in front of the house .. the apple trees are twigs .. I know this was the late 70's .. holy shit -- you can see the mailbox from the house .. will need to repeat this one when I get home to see the differences ..

and the classic irrigation gun in action shot ...

 

SIP Day 3

     SIP Day 3 

        Well, I've got Day 1's project whipped out and done .. the left side of my desk is empty.  Now working on the front and center .. and there's that pile behind me on the credenza .. yikers -- the endless paper in my paperless world is out of control.  

        I've decided it could be worse -- we could go back to paper :)   Mom popped in for a visit .. she though there was less "stuff" sitting around .. something must be working the way I had imagined it .... ..

    SIP Day 4

        I've started my day watching a PBS Frontline Documentary on the Vice Presidential candidates ... its a little deep for 6:45 am .. but informative 

        Today I'm on the road to Mankato for a gig and returns at Kohls - because the vision of clothes on the internet does not translate to my old, large, squishy body.  

sunrise from the back yard at the farm .. the tree is pretty -- the rest needs to be leveled - literally

I made it to Kohls, the meeting and then went around the corner to Joann Fabrics .. it was a hot mess and the check out line was a disaster but I scored this coffee mug while in line -- because that checkout aisle is lined with stuff we just need to purchase .. argh $6.99 on sale.  

I found two pillows that work well with the "orange" office chairs - lumbar support, 8 fat quarters on sale -- some yarn on sale, a $15 quilting magazine (double argh) and the coffee mug. 

so the balance of SIP Day 4 --- 5 - 10 minutes on the treadmill for every load of laundry -- doable -- I have 10 minutes to go ... 

SIP D2

the last bouquet of zinnias for 2024

all season they were delightful

one tax return for one dude

serious paper issue

road tour day .. cr21 slope slide project

I didn't zoom in 

it's a mess

     okay, Day 2 ..

    Need to think small -- small accomplishments add up to sustainable results .. ( I've spent to much time around talking heads - hence the "sustainable" ) ... 

    Seriously -- today is a deadline day -- need to find a plan/solution/method/change to avoid deadlines  -- or the rush to get meet deadlines -- I think It is going to be an educational process ..and that leads to the most effective way to communicate with clients ... 

    I don't want to go down the website gig but it's needed ...   

    I kind of knocked out 1/2 of the left side of my desk .. 3 more tax returns .. down to 8 MIA's

SIP Day 1

 SIP Day 1 --- Self Improvement Plan Day 1

    Change is hard -- change is a challenge we all struggle to accept.  I lead the pack.  Little things add up to large improvements.  And since it is my least favorite day - I'm starting my SIP today.  

    So today - I'm going to clean off the pile of projects and stuff from the left side of my desk and not ADD or REPLACE said pile with anything else.  

    There is power in change.  

    Well, I think SIP1 might be considered and epic bust.  Nothing moved on the left side of my desk -- but I did manage to get $80,000 of payroll done and out the door and got to the Watershed Gig ...

    I did wimp out on supper it was a 4a for Mom and a 6 piece nugget for me.  Some battles are not worth the fight .. 

    Planning tomorrows SIP .. 

    Client email of the day -- I think I'm going to make between 400k and 500k with my influencer job .. seriously ... they've already made 400k as a social media influencer ... 

    I decided I need that gig -- old, oversized, grey haired, tired CPA giving tax advise on tiktok or youtube.  I thought Kate was going to lay an egg on that description .. we'll be working on it this week.  seriously, 400K .. it's a large tax bill.

   

 

change ...

change is definitely in the air .. frost is in the forecast ... I'm so not ready for it -- I like 80' and days with 14 hours of daylight.  I need to learn to embrace the upcoming darkness -- the struggle is real.  All of the "working life" has been spent working long hours during the days of darkness and as I age -- a) i hate work and b) i hate darkness.  an issue for sure.

mom and i went to the cabin for supper last night --- turkey/bacon/cheese on toasted marble rye -- comfort food ... with choc chip cookies for snacks .. we got out there after 3 .. it was really nice -- nicer than I expected ... we stayed thru the sunset 

this lone pontoon drifted past -- slowly

the leaves are changing fast and falling faster

the dock is on the bank, the pontoon is home, the wave runner never made it out there 

seems like the story of my life lately 

what did i accomplish this summer ...

1. mowed the grass every other day

2.  kept up with laundry 

3.  spent time at the lake -- even 2 over nights 

4.  got to canada

5.  finished up a lot of tax returns - weird ones

6.  a lot of county meetings

7. a lot of doctor appointments

8.  200+/- tires got to recycling

9. for fun I have read a lot ... 

(just finished the new Patrica Cornwall) 

(it's predictable)

10.  hmmmm  

I'm whining and that is not nice 

updates:

11.  saw the northern lights -- 4 times (and maybe tonight)

12.  conquered the dizzies and drove to Canada !!

 

light chasing

 

Joe and the green machine ... it was dusty, they finished last night and moved everything home to Hazard County .. they were pretty excited to be closer to home and the bin site.

the northern lights put on a show -- I never thought I'd see them with a naked eye from THE BACK DECK -- seriously cool.  I've become chaser -- it's magical.

It lets me forget all the other crap in the world .. the wonder is cool.

corn ballet - unloading on the go ... 

the friday night blahs have arrived - I'm tired, long week of nothing but nothing.  I did finish a couple of big tax returns today - 3 more to go and life goes on ... it's been a long tax season .... I don't mind most of the extensions but some of 'em are just unnecessary .. 

the pontoon came to town last night ... and the dock came ashore today ... early -- something must have changed with the schedule.  hoping to spend some time out there tomorrow -- yard work and lake staring .  it's calming

and the next trip

around the sun started today ...

and this year is the big one -- 

Teresa sent me this pix this morning ... 

from the corn field 

they had a weird night but were giving it all this morning when I stopped out there .. hoping to finish yet today and get across the bridge before they close the bridge for a "project" .. 

always a "project"

Tuesday night from the cabin .. notice the diving bird at 9:00 ... lucky shot ... 

it was a gorgeous night out there ..

home in time for 2 loads of laundry

yesterday at produce distribution!

busy day ...

can you find me ...

I rode out to see the farming action after supper -- Bob is ripping on top ...

dad's job .. my first tears in a couple months ..

and a smile --  for a job well done 

80 pictures later -- will share more eventually 

 

((sigh))

I spied this on one of my quilting blogs

pretty isn't it ... 

might need to exit my comfort zone

get out some graph paper and plot something similar 

not sure if I like the center ...

maybe the colors -- I've never been a yellow fan .. but this one is cool

notes to self

Monday's on Third St are always weird -- yesterday was no exception ... I need to get back into the routine of just working on Monday nights ... I did go home for supper ( squash and sausage -  yum ) and then came back to the office for a couple of hours -- and got gas in the Jeep .. thirsty bugger ... 

the next couple of weeks are solid with doctor appointments, county commitments, client gigs, deadlines and general junk -- I keep looking at the calendar and getting overwhelmed .. need to focus on one day at a time.  And make time for some fun, laundry is not fun, but it is piling up :) 

I hate to admit this -- but I'm looking forward to November -- all the big deadlines are gone, we're kind of caught up -- it's just freaking dark all the time  .. 

it is life -- and the life I chose

 

ah Sunday -- the day of rest ?

sometimes jewels appear on wastebook that resonate with me .. 

not a lot of pix this week

grabbed sunsets from the Rings

another day in paradise -- 

Went to Mankato and 

    returned some ill fitting pants at Kohls

    dropped off 4 bags at Goodwill

    had lunch at Applebees -- 

    dropped in at the cabin

    found the farmers in Oshawa and checked in

    found squash and watermelon at the neighbors and checked in

    grocery shopped at Kwik Trip 

    mowed some lawn

    fixed supper

    cleaned the kitchen

Mom commented in the truck -- it's been a great day ... hmmmm .... she doesn't get out much and seeing people is her gig but .. 

Hopefully someday soon I can have the luxury of sitting on my ass and doing nothing

The week ahead is really busy with dr appointments, client appointments, county gigs and just general busyness .. we have 14 tax returns to finish and I have nothing from 10 of them .. so there is that too ... it is what it is ... 

at least it isn't snowing ... :)

 

www

www =  weekend working warrior .

that is I .. this weekend 

 

full disclosure -- this picture came from dr google.  the 3 vehicle caravan of tires made it from the farm to the recycling event this morning .. we were first in line ... in excess of 200 tires and 19 well used ripped snowmobile tracks .. they took them all ... 

it was expensive, but they are done and gone

next step is the clean out of the woods and hidey holes

a junker is coming

after the expensive trip to recycling I went to work -- 

the goal was to clean off the left side of my desk - mission accomplished

next was to finish another tax return done!  down to 14 ...

eservices is down for the weekend so it slowed down my quarterly filing goals 

next up catch up on farm client -- it's home and I'm getting it done

it is garbage and basement cleaning night

I might actually sew too 

I bought some fabric this week and have a project in mind

I did sign up for crafting weekend at church 

other projects

wash truck

gas in jeep/wash too

roomba upstairs

swiffer hardwoods

plan the week ahead

it is birthday week 

I however will be to busy to enjoy it

endless meetings

doctor appointments

client gigs -- cause well there is an approaching deadline 

I think my birthday wish this year is --- (drum roll)  RAIN .. would a thought ... need some rain and soon

the time has arrived

for hot coffee .. I cannot remember the last time I had hot fru fru coffee ... a few body aches this morning so I thought I'd have a cup of hot ... 

October is birthday month and I decided it needs to be "get shit done" month .. yesterday was a good day in the life of "get shit done" month ... no phone calls and very few walk in's .. very productive day ... and then 

the boys decided to load up tires for recycling last night ... 2 utility trailers, one car trailer and there is more ... I think this is going to be an expensive adventure.  I tripped over a dead log/branch and wiped out early on .. my shin is beat up .. no blood 

they (Nick/Lee) kept walking around and kept finding more -- lots more .. find a pile of 'em from the shop -- motorcycle/ATV tires ... I think by the time we finish there will be one more trailer load ... and then the real work begins .. there is piles of shit/junk everywhere behind the grain bins ...argh ..

I started tossing stuff at the office this morning 

scan and shredd

scan and shredd 

argh