Life ...

it appears to be a flipping mess out there 

be safe

be smart

and no I won't make it to the office to get your payroll done

thanks for the midnight email 

seriously ...

I need to get a life.

technology

can't live with it or without it.

attempting to make the blog private
need to read directions a bit better.

or maybe just read

argh.


new email is working quite well
no news from the geeky dude with the computers ...
if he took off with my $$$ I'll have revenge


seriously
they were back ordered.

argh argh.

3002

so, there is a baby shower on Sunday 

cousin Cyndi Lou is having a BABY!!!

I pieced a top last weekend at Green Lake

(before I surfed the www and had a nap)

and life is crazy 

so I had to piece a back

loaded it to the long arm

find a batting that fit 

quilted it

 made the binding 

and trimmed it up

in 2.5 hours last night (it's not overly large)

and there was 4 loads of laundry

I started my morning with more freaking laundry -- it never goes away ....

the bedroom was tidy'd up (those clean clothes had to go somewhere)

then I went to the grocery store 

yikes ... 

baby shower food fixings 

eggbake ( x 2 -- fancy & plain)

sausages for a crowd

monster cookies for home/office

eggnog !!!

operation limited access to the Watermelon Diva starts Monday

email me at marie.dranttel.com if you want access

thanks Deb, Mary & MaryAnn -- you are in ...

3001

 I could really use an afternoon with my feet up and a beverage 

even if it were indoors ...

this too shall pass

 so I decided to make this blog semi private 

if you want to follow I can give you permission

please email me at marie@dranttel.com

I can add you to the list 

yep, I got a domain name and new email addresses tonight ..

new computers over the weekend

lots of change

me, myself and I

 those who know me best, know I take the pictures -- I don't have my picture taken ... I really really hate the spotlight.  I am a classic introvert --- classic ...

And I run for elected office -- believe me -- it's a struggle ...

it must have been funny

our annual trip to WCW -- Mom wasn't feeling well at this event and missed it and the quilts .

so didn't we do a fabulous job on the wardrobe coordination :)

Win TWIN's

I missed the memo on the wardrobe :)

Scrapping Divas 

and the political gig

Me and my smallest friend WJ

she's adorable isn't she

as Uncle George used to say 

"later alligator" 

#2999 - very picture heavy

So, I've thinking --3,000 blog posts is a lot of blog posts over 10 1/2 years ... I'm going to either a) quit entirely or b) dramatically cut back -- hanging out with the scrapping Divas this weekend in Spicer at the Green Lake Bible Camp and there has been a few chats about work, life, balance.  All of 2019 I've struggled with work, life - balance.  It's been a year of chaos.  So taking small measured steps to make life better.

Going out with a bang -- and a few of my favorite pictures

(favorite places, spaces and people) 

and since I'm on the laptop the picture pickings are slim ;)

life at West Lake Jefferson -- restorative to mind and body

my first pix of a load of organized watermelons and still a favorite 

that damn patch taught me life skills - not sure I always applied them to life

but I learned

July 2019 -- sunset on the water

Life is not about the clutter (weeds)

but about being the best you can be

the little details make life good

sunset on 3rd Street

and I've seen a pile of sunsets on 3rd Street

a new young Somali friend recently reminded me that the sun rises and sets everyday and here in Minnesota we have the BEST sunrises and sunsets

she was right - and we need to see every single one of them

it is good for our soul

and all the little things we've learned in the machine shed 

and the good byes in life 

last shot after closing up the cabin (2019) for the season

for every end - there is a beginning

I just don't always realize it at the time

July 2009

the morning after Grandma died -- we all tap dance around death and sometimes sugarcoat the word 

but truly death is not the worse thing on this earth

after a dry spell it rained 4 inches the night she died 

I think she may have had a talk with Mother Nature

and I (and every other farmer) was grateful

 

those market moments

and those snow moments

we've had some doozies over the last decade 

this was 11/13/11? 

#2998

  Blog post #2998  ... hmmm how do we mark the milestone.  Well 3 of the scrapping divas and I are at the Green Lake Bible Camp -- scrapping/sewing.  It was a wild drive up here -- so, like I drove on every County Rd in Nicollet, Sibley, Renville and Kandiohy (sp?) Counties -- so it was a fast drive ... 70 mph anyone ...

  GLBCamp is a really pretty place.  Green Lake is not froze over yet.  It is also very pretty.  The pictures are on my phone.

Natalie climbing over the bar to fill the water pitcher

at the Spicer American Legion

good food -- 

Friday night sunset from inside

Saturday afternoon

the lake up the road has a fish house on it

Diva Jan and I drove to Willmar for a break

the quilt top I pieced for a baby shower gift next week ...

looking at the lodge from the lake

we shared the facilities with 100 kids from Faith Lutheran Church of Waconia

and the view from O'Neils Bar & Grill

we've not missed a bar  ...

also good food