cleaning binge

   the "it's raining on a Saturday morning" cleaning binge has begun.  

1    laundry perking
2    basement vac'd
3    taking a rest break
4    next is vac'ing the porch
5    loading out the trash
6    stripping the beds ( well, bed -- once the body leaves it)
7    the fridge ... 
8

all of this prior to the new cleaning lady coming on Tuesday .....

I did manage 4 hours on the lawnmower last night -- most of it is done -- the grass has changed texture -- the quack grass is dying off ... so I was hustling along at quite the clip -- the bugs were controlled with chemicals -- I wanted as much done as possible before the rain.  need more rain.

  a nine patch beauty .... sometimes the simple blocks make stunning quilts -- this one was from a fabric designer ... 

  we went to KAVO for birthdays Thursday night -- Rachael had to work so it was the 5 adults and the tiny Diva ... Mara did pretty well for a 16 month old -- in a upscale Italian restaurant.  I had an upscale pizza -- a $28 pizza -- alfredo, procuetto, argugela and hot honey drizzle -- enough for 3 meals -- tasty ... mom had spaghetti and meatballs -- she wasn't impressed .. didn't like the meatballs -- it had a fresh tomato sauce ... we need to go for appetizers and desert .. I'm betting the deserts are tasty

post cleaning binge:

1    gas and wash for the Jeep
2    wash Ruby
3    finish the MNPR's if it kills me 

         gotta get these damn things done  

         100 MNPR's DONE ... 

4    move home office upstairs -- maybe ....

5    hem pants ... cooler weather = long pants

6    pop into off ice and clean my office .. it's a mess

7   plan the week 

8    sew ?? or think about sewing 

9    finish mowing if it's dry enough - think about weed whipping

mind is gone ...

so i went searching for "closed" for the week meme's -- toying with an end of month shut down next week .. or less work next week ... it's pretty bad that I'm looking ahead for these today 

this might be the winner

so taking the week off is really taking the week off from "people" or "people - ing" ... if that's a word -- lately I crave uninterrupted work time ... just a lot of push and pulling of the paper and mind .

managed to get bit by something and my calf looks like I've been shot with a shot gun -- went to Urgent Care Tuesday night -- faster than the doctor == steroid topical and oral medications ... using the cream and self medicating with Benedryl at night -- sleeping like a rock :)  

so back to the paper shuffle 

 

august weekends

 I've over-shared this picture from sunset on Friday night --- it was a beautiful end to the day 

  All week long, I planned a weekend at the cabin -- so mid Friday afternoon I headed home and spent 3 hours on the lawn mower ( ! ), packed up Mom and 4 tubs of stuff -- food, clothing, technology and stuff ... we made it out there and had a late fast supper -- I cleaned up and headed for my deck chair --- and finished my book.  A firecracker went off and I looked up and saw the above ---

  Saturday was more of the same -- fighting the internet -- I haven't decided if it is the internet or my laptop -- the battle was epic --- after lunch I came home and mowed for another 3 hours, fed those damn cats and hit up the grocery store --  grateful for family friend who pointed out I had pine needles in my hair -- at the grocery store .. 

  Back the lake without said pine needles and groceries -- I whipped out spaghetti sauce, baked cookies and a gouda cheese ball --- then it was time for the chair and book (it''s a theme out there) 

   Sunday was an early start -- the www was cooperating until 6:30 am ... then it was porch vac'ing, dragging hoses and watering the perennials that are newly planted / transplanted.  The mosquito's were horrid and I have the bits to prove it ... I'm chewed -- a lot 

   -- it gets better -- back home late afternoon -- sprayed out the last of the RoundUp -- weeds be gone!  and finished mowing -- another hour --- 7 hours of mowing ..... it looks pretty good .. back to watering trees this week .. so .....

  a new week and a new project list --- it's Mom and Jean's birthday week .. hoping to go back to the lake for the weekend -- weather and project permitting ... :)

 

what a beautiful day

these didn't upload in the order I had hoped ..

sunset at the cabin

I snatched Mom, the chix salad, cookies and we headed out for supper -- a spot of reading, and sunset -- cannot pass up a sunset !

lunch was the always nutricious Kemps Moose Tracks Ice Cream ...

it works 

I pulled this from the camera ... 

it was a perfect day -- beautiful weather and -- I had a surprise visitor late afternoon -- I actually hung up on a client with the " I need to hang up and hug Jason " statement -- I'm sure she thought I was nuts ... but it was good to see Jason !  He's doing well ... over the decades we get to watch clients "grow" change -- all of the good ( and bad ) things in life -- 

 

the grocery store this morning was an experience I do not need to repeat .. suffice to say .. we're stocked up on things, chix, burger, pork loins, pork chops, frozen pizza's .. ice cream -- all that "stuff"

and to get thru the week, berries, bagels, cream cheese, tator chips

I still need milk, bread and eggs ... I wasn't stopping at zip trip on the way past

I went home early on friday to mow .. like, 3:00 pm Friday -- and by the time I got to the farm -- it was misting .. no mowing -- these dudes appeared . they've been regulars at the apple trees

.

it has been this kind of week -- 4 times this week

momma too ... 

and this my friends is an organic corn field -- she's rough looking -- like more rag weeds than corn .. I can't imagine how this baby is going to go thru a combine -- tall rag weeds

So here's today so far  ....

4:30 - laundry # 1 into machine

5:30 - laundry # 2 into machine

in between was empty dishwasher, tidy basement -- our water heater is taking a dump so I'm getting ready for the plumber ... always good to clean before he arrives ?

6:30 - grocery store -- I was the only customer :)   

7:30 - surfing and typing this 

next on the agenda:

MNPR's == I spent 90 minutes searching for odd county property tax statements so I'm ready to roll with those -- we're almost done with them ... those that we missed or didn't request we'll pick up at tax return time ... time to be done with them and move on to other office projects ...

10:00 - 2:00 I have herdsmanship judging at the fair -- it's raining need the appropriate footwear and clothes .. might need to bring home treats ? time will tell -- 

Need to fetch office homework as well - since it's raining - might as well be productive .. 

I need to stop being responsible and blow off work and be a sloth for a weekend .. 

soon friends, soon ...

 

adventures in food

so, I thought we needed to expand our dining habits this summer -- 

so far it's been:

Panera -- better than anticipated

Kavo -- the bomb, expensive but good

    ( w/family after Joy's funeral -- the remodel is cool -- still noisy in there)

    ( I still miss Godfathers and the taco pizza)

3rd St Tavern -- who doesn't love bbq

Perkins -- the elders favorite -- not returning

    (hoping I didn't catch a disease in the rest room)

    (it was brutal -- at least the muffin was tasty)

Not sure where we'll end up next ....

besides Perkins -- I got 3 bags delivered to Goodwill ... projects the endless projects ... 

6:58 am

it may seem like I dilly dally ...

but since 3:50 this morning

1   dishwasher is perking

2   load of laundry

3   25 MNPr's

4   fed those damn cats

5   loaded and unloaded trash & recycling 

           (brought to the office)

6   watered the front flowers

7   gassed up the golf cart

8   packed/unpacked work tote bag

9   at McD for breakfast on the inbound

10 read two newspapers

I'm running out of steam at 7:00am

one of us took her golf cart on an excursion to the neighbors yesterday -- a mile round trip -- evidently the $30,000 Jeep in the garage was to fancy? didn't have a nice ride?  wasn't an open air set  of wheels ?   

and when I got home from being robbed at the grocery store -- I spied the golf cart in the yard without it's occupant -- I was a little irked .. for someone who can't walk, doesn't carry a cell phone -- all of the I don't's and won't's .. a little stick to the house might have been the smarter plan

the golf cart ran out of gas .. it's not the most reliable set of wheels.

one of my favorites

and there was this -- this week, last week .. can't remember which 

I don't like popularity contests -- I like to be supported for the good things we do and I like to see all of us do well .. I posted a post on the office wastebook page -- we provide a personal service to individuals that really cannot be or should not be quantified in a "best of" contest .. 

I'm way to introverted for this .. 

I spied these on wastebook as well -- they are darn cute 

so the rest of the day ....

more MNPR's -- I'm going to get these goofy things done 

the normal stuff

chop some weeds/haul them out 

clean the office ... that recycling and trash thing needs to happen here as well

find a new cleaning person for home

wash the truck