Death and Taxes - Predictably, I Forgot One Piece of Paper

DH did point out to me yesterday that May 31st isn't a hard deadline, that, if needed, our closing can move into the first part of June. That's going to impact the plans that Chickie has been making, so I texted her last night that she might end up having to work those first two weeks of June. I suspect she wasn't very happy about that - she's already been planning a trip out West with some family members and I might have just stomped on those plans, requiring some shifting. I know I wouldn't be happy to get a text like that, so I suspect she'll be quite crabby today. Nothing to be done about it, though. DH is correct. The close date isn't set in concrete, it's moveable depending on what remains to be sold. 

I suspect Chickie is not happy with me right now. 
She's been busy planning this trip out West for 
a couple of weeks now, and I completely forgot 
that we might still be open into June. My bad, but 
I'm going to need her help to get things locked down 
and closed. 

We met with out accountant last night for our personal taxes. I had everything together, except for a single 1099 which I forgot to print out. I've quickly done that and will have DH drop it off on his way in to the shop today. Then we'll be set. I asked my accountant if he knew any good attorneys he could recommend to help me with this whole identity issue I'm having, and he recommended a firm he does business with. He said they have about 25 lawyers on staff, so hopefully someone there will be able to assist me. I'll give them a phone call today. 

Our accountant is great, and very close to where we live 
so he's also very convenient. I usually forget at least one 
piece of paper, and this was no exception. I'll have 
DH drop the papers off on his way in to the shop today. 

Except for the usual - death and taxes (LOL) - everything seems to be moving along - a bit slowly, but steadily. I got everything done that I needed to yesterday, and even had a bit of time to relax - something rare on my Wednesdays. I got my next batch of fruit baked, and did six boneless pork chops for my upcoming dinners. Yummy! I still have a bit of leftovers that need to be eaten first, but I'm set up. I also had 10 audio book credits that needed to be used by the end of the month, so I bought the next ten in the next series I'll be listening to. It takes a LOT longer to listen to a book than to read it, so I'm probably set for the next year now. 

I've been listening to audio books while exercising for more 
than 25 years now. I can't imagine being in the pool without 
my books to listen to. I sometimes listen on the treadmill 
too, but often will stick to rock music on that equipment. 

So I'm heading out to the pool for my final swim of the week. I hope you have an excellent Thursday and I'll be back tomorrow. May life be kind to you today. Slava Ukraini. 

It Was a Busy Day and I Was an Idiot

Back to the shop today. Apparently DH pulled out a desk drawer from one of the desks and is unable to actually get the sucker back in, so that'll be a job for me. Also, I need to get the freezer defrosted on the ancient refrigerator that we have in the framing studio. It was in the place when we moved in, and it'll probably be here when we move out. I can't imagine someone wanting to purchase it, but ... if they want it, they can have it. It'll be up to them to get it up the stairs and out the door. The same with our huge safe on the main floor. I got that from the KTCA Public Television Auction at no charge - they were getting rid of it when they were moving to their downtown location and no longer going to hold the auctions. So, we've had it for a long time now. It's not super secure - a simple bike lock is what we've used for decades - but it also doesn't hold a lot of valuable items either - LOL. 

I use a simple combination lock at the gym. My 
valuables - car keys and cell phone are in their 
wall lockers which are keyed, but the rest of my 
stuff is in the gym locker inside the dressing room. 
I try to never carry valuables in any case. Not 
really needed at 5:00 am after all. 

So I guess I'll get dirty and dusty working at the shop today, and Chickie will mostly be on her own. I do have her holiday gift, however. I had hired my "nephew from a different sister" in Oregon to paint two Dungeons & Dragons minis for her characters. Of course, he packed them poorly, and one arrived broken. I glued it back together yesterday and sprayed a protective finish over both of them, so they should be good to go. I'll try to take a photo of both of them today, but right now they're in my backpack and I'm very short on time for the pool. So ... that will have to wait. 

My dear "nephew" apparently understands 
NOTHING about shipping because he didn't 
put any packing materials into the box at all! 
It's a wonder that only one of them broke, 
and lucky that I was able to repair it easily. 

And yesterday I was a complete idiot. It's a good thing that Target is relatively close to where I live. I needed a new set of jeans, so went to Target yesterday morning early. I tried on a couple, and ended up with two size 6 sets, but decided, after trying them on again in the comfort of home, that I'd rather upgrade to the size 8 instead. So while out on afternoon errands, I dropped back by Target and returned the incorrect size. I went to the display for jeans and decided which type I wanted, then picked one from the size 8 pile. It wasn't until I got home that I realized it actually was another size 6. *sigh* I'll try to return these later this week or maybe next Wednesday, and get the size 8 I really want. I don't need to be squeezed into my jeans, I like them to be comfortable,  not constraining. 

I totally messed up with this one. I'll be returning 
it later in the week or next week, and getting the 
right size this time. LOL

So, on that note, I'm off to the pool. I hope you have a great day, we'll see how mine goes. Lots of frayed tempers as we're under deadlines with Travis. Enjoy your Thursday! Slava Ukraini. 

Wednesday - Chickie's Vacation is a Bit of a PITA

It's Wednesday, and normally it would be a "day off". Not this week. Today I'm heading out to the swimming pool, then wrapping things up at home, and heading to the shop for another day's work. Although DH and I haven't killed each other yet, I'm only getting a single bathroom break at an unpredictable time, and I haven't had any time for a lunch yet. I'm not really very happy with how this week is going so far. GRRRRRR

I want my normally scheduled life back ASAP. If I 
didn't have the pool or the treadmill in the mornings, I'd be 
going completely nuts. Thank goodness for the water and 
my friends at the YMCA. 

I did foresee my lack of time in many ways. I have several more dinners left in the refrigerator before I have to dive into my freezer, and the grocery store opens at 6:00 am, so most days I can easily drop by there on my way to work to pick up this or that. I also have a pantry of items that can just be popped into the microwave, so I'm certainly NOT going to starve to death. But, I miss my days of cooking, I'll miss my weekly chat with Aearwen today, and dang it, I want my "normal" life back. 

I'd like a "normal" life again, but I'm really not sure 
exactly what that entails right now. Still, I'm still alive 
and kicking, and while I can, I'm going to live things 
to the best of my ability. 

On the positive side, it's been very nice having DH working in the basement area while I'm on the sales floor. I don't get interrupted by him, and I can work on things that I've got in the works. We've been working on a huge sale of crystals, and if I can pound out an accurate invoice and get her credit card information, I'll be able to send that off on my way home tonight. It was just one of those chance things - a sample order through Etsy, and a meeting of the minds. I sent her inventory sheets, and she ordered - a LOT. It'll make a real difference in my sales numbers this week, but it's also a LOT of work to get together, invoiced, and sent out. She should be phoning me today with her credit card information, and under ideal conditions, I should be able to clear my desk of this order by tonight. 

I'm using one of the larger Priority Mail boxes 
for this shipment, which gives you a bit of an idea 
about how many of these very small Swarovski 
crystal beads my customer is purchasing. It's a good 
sale and I'm delighted to have gotten it, but it's also 
a bit of a PITA because I have to interrupt all 
the time to help in-store customers. 

Chickie seems to be having a lovely time in Montana. They arrived safely earlier this week (on Monday, I think), and are happily catching up with family members. I'm sure Chickie is resting up from the long drive, and also trying to rest up before she has surgery later this year that will keep her immobile and unable to work for SIX MONTHS! It's another one of those deadlines that's breathing into our faces. She has bone spurs in her spine that are growing inward toward the spinal column, rather than outward as body support. They're very painful, but also if they continue to grow, they'll impact her spinal column and leave her paralyzed. Not good! But she had to lose quite a bit of weight before Mayo would even consider the surgery, so they put her on Ozempic injections. They actually seem to be working well for her, she's getting down to about 220 lb which she considers a great number. Anyway, that's also looming in our future, and we have to close the store, hopefully before her surgery. 

I used to love watching "Columbo". Peter Falk was wonderful 
in the role, and it was always that last question that would 
pull things together for him. That "one more thing". 

Just one more thing to worry about, right? LOL Have an excellent Wednesday, I'll be glad to see the end of it and look at only three more days to work this week. Slava Ukraini. 

LJ Idol Starts Again and Chickie Is Heading to Montana - Monday Blues

My writing competition is starting up once again, and yes, I signed up, even though I'm working for the next 8 days straight and have little time. Still, I love the competition, I've made several friends through it over the times I've joined, and I like a challenge. It just might be a bit MORE of a challenge than I really need at this point in my life. But ... LOL

The Rocky Mountains of Montana are stunning, and 
I really miss mountains. But, I traded mountains for 
lakes and rivers, and really don't regret the decision. 

Chickie and Chickie Mama left yesterday for Montana. It's not a major family reunion - they've had those in the past and it's a total zoo. This one is really just visiting family who live out there - no people flying in from here and there to join in the dance. I know Chickie is really looking forward to this. She'll have back surgery later this year and that will leave her flat on her back for up to six months. Obviously, she's trying to hold off until after we've closed, but her health may not permit it. We're working it day by day. 

The days will still pass, although it will be a 
bit harder to get everything done without 
Chickie's help. Still, we will persevere. 

Chickie being gone means I'm working with DH for all of the next few days. We have a challenging work relationship - we don't work together very well, although we have the same goals. I can count on Chickie to help people coming into the store before I have to get involved. I'm now the front person, and that limits the amount of actual work behind the counters that I can get done. *sigh*

So, a short post today. I have to get moving. I'm already running a little late and it's only 6:15 am! *sigh* Have an excellent day and I'll be back tomorrow. Slava Ukraini. 

It's a Tuesday, I'm NOT at any Clinics, Just at Work - Yippee!

It's Tuesday, and checking my calendar, I have absolutely NOTHING except work on my schedule today. Oh, I do have to go to the bank to buy rolls of coins for the shop, but no doctor appointments, no clinic appointments, and no pokes, prods or examinations until tomorrow when I begin radiation. It's almost like getting a day off from school - LOL. I'll be at work, of course, but that's not a problem. I'll be working with Chickie, and I have a few questions on a program she developed for us, so it'll be good to have her around. 

I have a question ... actually I probably have a lot 
of questions. ... the meaning and purpose of 
life, the reason why people harm other people, 
and other things. Lots of questions. This particular 
question, however, is about a price tag program 
that Chickie thought out. It works really well, 
but I have a question ... LOL. 

DH finally gets a day off today, although I suspect he'll be in the shop anyway. We're finally getting a little caught up since Chickie managed to cobble together a program between Xcel and Word that allows us to print our price tags on the main printer instead of the printer we use for our cash register system. The main printer is outstanding - a higher end Epson that I purchased to replace a poor quality HP. The cash register system printer sucks right now - it's not working. It's vintage 1999 but my local repair people think they can repair it. They'll be over at the shop today to collect it and bring it to their location for new parts and upgrades. This is my HP LaserJet 1100 - a reliable printer, but dating from 1999. It's a bit long in the tooth, as the saying goes; but it's the only printer that talks to our specialized sales register system. We need it operational, and right now it's not. 

I thought the printer was older than it is, but 
when I was checking the specs for the repair 
guy, the back placard stated it was made in 
August of 1999. It's a workhorse of a printer, 
very reliable, with a rather small footprint. 
It's the only printer that talks to our software. *sigh*

I had actually purchased a second HP LaserJet 1100 printer a year or so ago because we were having problems then. The "new" used printer worked great for a couple of days, but then it died, and we went back to our original one which was wonky, but at least printed. Right now, however, neither one of them print cleanly at all. It'll be a ridiculous amount to get it fixed, but it's mandatory. 

It's going to be a ridiculous amount of money to get 
this printer fully operational again, but we have no 
choice. We need to get through the end of the year 
with all of our long reports necessary for the 
government entities. *sigh* A workable printer is 
a necessity. 

So life forges ahead, and I'm still on the ride, enjoying most of it. It's not perfect, there are bumps and detours along the route, but it's mainly a really good thing. I hope you have a wonderful Tuesday. I didn't manage the treadmill for my full 45 minutes, but did make it for 35 minutes, so I'm considering that a win. LOL I'll be back tomorrow. Be kind, spread love, and smile. Happy Tuesday, Slava Ukraini. 

Chickie Is Going to Mayo and It's COLD

The cold that stayed away last year has returned this year with intentions of staying for a while. We're sub-zero for days on end now. Thank goodness for good heaters in our cars and homes. Still, I guarantee we're losing homeless people to the cold on a daily basis right now. Tragic! 

The Mayo Clinic operates at least five separate campuses, 
each with a hospital of its' own. It's the primary business 
for Rochester, Minnesota. Chickie has been there before, 
so she and Claire know where they are going. I suspect 
I'd be totally overwhelmed. 

Chickie and Chickie Mama are on their way down to Rochester and the Mayo Clinic. It'll be a day of examinations, interviews, introductions, more interviews, and maybe a plan of action by the end of it. Chickie has a genetic disease - very rare - and it's been escalating, causing her extreme spinal pain. That's not so good when she's on her feet all day at the shop. So how rare is her disease? There are less than 1000 people in the WORLD with her disease. Sometimes it's not lucky to be the "special" person. 

The Mayo Clinic now has branches in two other states 
(Florida and Arizona) and has expanded to multiple 
buildings in Rochester - still the main complex hub. 
Are you interested in the history of Mayo? Here's 
an article that goes through the history quickly. 

So it'll be DH and me at the shop today, and since we don't work super well together any more, there will probably be an exchange or two of heated words and some hurt feelings by the end of the day. If everything goes according to plan, I'll still have my Friday off and can use that day for decompression. 

DH and I don't work smoothly any more. We have the 
same goals, but we are focused on achieving them in 
very different directions. 

I looked at my poor, neglected treadmill this morning and said "I'm on it", got changed, and did my 45 minutes running through the canyons of southern Utah. I hadn't been exercising since just before my surgery, so a bit more than a week. I felt like a slug! I feel much better now that I've been back on the tread, fast-walking to awesome rock 'n roll/heavy metal. That's what I was missing in my days last week. 

I do love my treadmill. Without it, I'd be a total 
slug! Thank goodness I can turn on the heavy 
metal music, set my speed, watch scenic videos and 
just lose myself in activity for 45 minutes. 

I did get a chance to cook my fruit yesterday, so I'm back in stock with that for another 1-1/2 weeks. I didn't get a chance to cook anything else (except the Wednesday chicken dinner), but I desperately needed my fruit. I was going to bake a loaf of bread too, but realized my time would be very tight, so I bought my standard loaf instead, and will make bread late this week or early next instead. I do want to, but time wasn't on my side for this one. 

Have an excellent day today. I dropped by the YMCA quickly yesterday to see Sabrina and Beth. It was wonderful to catch up with both of them, and I got a new Swimmers Contact List. I had one from a month or two ago, but managed to misplace it, and found I needed that information. I now have it posted above my desk so that I don't lose it a second time - LOL. Enjoy your Thursday and I'll be back tomorrow. Slava Ukraini. 

It's Day One of a Two-Day Countdown - Besties Are REALLY the BEST!

I won't be posting tomorrow. I have to be at the hospital at 6:15 am and my surgery is at 8:15 am. Today is taken up with my pre-op physical, but that won't happen until early afternoon. So I still get a chance to get some grocery shopping in and make a batch of Ogre Juice. Having Ogre Juice available is going to be prime in healing quickly. Getting those nutrients into my body to replenish it from the shock of surgery will be essential. 

I know that the nutrients in my alkagizer will help me heal 
quickly. I have two still avaliable, but I'd like to make another 
four today so that I don't have to worry about them until late 
in the week. 

At this point, however, I just want this over and done with. I want to get on with my life, for as much or little as I have left of it. My hope is that I'll still have a good 20 years left, but who knows? I'm no Spring Chicken any more, I'm fully into the Autumn, and seeing those freezing winds of Winter approaching. But today I'm taking an unusual Tuesday off since I'll be busy tomorrow. 

I still feel like a Spring Chicken, although 
the weather is trying to convince me 
otherwise *sigh*. I'm not much of a winter fan. 

DH is very worried, but my friend Claire (Chickie Mama) is my rock. She's been amazing throughout and at my side through everything. She'll be at the clinic with me this afternoon, and at the hospital with DH tomorrow. I don't know what I ever did to get such a good friend, but I'm eternally grateful for having her in my corner every step of the way. 

There's nothing much better than a best friend, and in Chickie 
and Chickie Mama (Claire) I have two amazing and awesome 
friends. I really couldn't have done this process without 
both of them. 

So I'm going to bundle up and head to the grocery store. It's below zero with a stiff wind chill, and I'm not going to want to be out in it any longer than needed. I've got some soup made, I can get chicken for tomorrow's dinner, and I have a little of this and that in the freezer. I won't starve to death, even in the middle of a Minnesota winter. I hope all of you stay warm and safe, and I'll be back on Thursday. Slava Ukraini. 

Please Read and Vote, and Updates on Chickie, and DH and the Treadmill

Out of desperation, I looked at the prompt for the current LJ Idol with different eyes (and a very tight time schedule) and decided to scrap the definition and just work with the word. So I wrote "A Prayer for Earth" using the letters OMAKASE in order, one for each paragraph of the prayer. I hope you like my take on it. Votes are open and there aren't a lot of us left. Every vote is important, and I'm hoping you'll like my entry enough to vote for it. Here's the link for voting: https://therealljidol.dreamwidth.org/1170782.html . 

I am a pipe carrier for the Lakota Nation, sending up 
prayers for the "oyate" - the people. It's an honor that 
I don't take lightly. When the time is right, I'll pass my 
pipe on to the next generation. But right now, it's my 
responsibility and my honor. 

Chickie didn't have to go to jury duty in the morning, but was called in for the afternoon, and has been selected for preliminary consideration in a Criminal Case that will start its' jury selection this morning. I hope she gets on a jury quickly and that the case can be resolved quickly as well. DH and I haven't killed each other working together yet, but it's only been one day - LOL (and Mondays are always just me and DH at the shop). 

DH and I spend too much time at the shop arguing. Since 
Chickie is out on Jury Duty, we might be arguing more 
than usual *sigh*. In some ways it's good - we resolve 
some issues and discover some things. In other ways it's 
a PITA because he always things he's right (until he's 
not), and is reluctant to listen to both sides of any issue. 

Today is a swimming day, so my time is a bit tight, but I'm actually finding that my treadmill days are the tighter days recently. I suppose that is because I want to get a full 45 minutes on the treadmill, and it takes me a few minutes to get all of my settings down properly. Plus, the virtual programs only go for 30 minutes, then I have to break stride to pick a different one for 10-15 minutes or just do my fast walking without any fun pictures of scenery to look at. I prefer the scenery. 

Using the treadmill really isn't that difficult. You turn it 
on, you set the incline and speed to what you want, you 
run (or fast walk). It's more complicated for me because 
I prefer to do it with virtual reality scenery. I get too 
bored otherwise. Then, when you're finished, YOU 
CLEAN THE TREADMILL. That's where DH will 
fail miserably. 

DH wants to use the treadmill, but he can't seem to deal with even the basic instructions of "Turn it on, set your speed and incline, run, stop the machine, CLEAN THE MACHINE". *sigh* I'll have to actually show him what to do when he's "in the mood" again. A waste of air, sometimes, is my husband. But we're stuck with each other this week. With Chickie at the Courthouse, we both have to be in the shop and that means nothing much is getting done, and any customers coming through the door are solely my responsibility. I love the customers, but sometimes interacting with more than two groups can be difficult. 

Please read and vote for my latest story 
on the theme of Omakase. Rather than go 
with the actual definition of the word, 
I did a prayer with each paragraph beginning 
with the next letter of the word. I'm pleased 
with it and hope you will be too. 

So, I'm off to the pool. I hope you have a chance to read my prayer in LJ Idol, and if you like it, I'd sure appreciate your vote. With this few writing now, EVERY vote is SO important. I'm, off to the pool to swim off some of this tension. Have an excellent Tuesday and I'll be back tomorrow. Slava Ukraini. 

Today is Time for ME!

I'm bouncing the theme for the current LJ Idol writing challenge around in my head, but nothing is floating onto the surface yet. I have little nibbles, though, and hope that if I can get some free time today on my "day off", I'll get a chance to sit at a keyboard and pull something together. It's an interesting prompt this time, one that's pulling me into several directions. I have to make up my mind rather quickly because my "spare" time, as always, is minimal. 

I'm going to enjoy this, my last "day off" for two weeks. 
Hopefully I'll get my latest story written, and maybe some 
house cleaning in as well. But I'm determined to enjoy what 
I can of this day because I won't have another day off 
until the second week of November. 

I did start the day out with a lovely virtual "run" on the treadmill for a solid 45 minutes. I'm absolutely loving it. I plug in my earplugs, turn on my music (Sirius FM Turbo) and get down to good music and beautiful locations on my screen. In general, I'm averaging 3.5-4.0 miles/hour and a 3.5-4.0 incline. Since I'm not allowed to actually run - just fast-walk - I'm meeting the criteria my physician wants me to stay within, and still getting a nice workout. Pure and simply, it's just fun. Today I wandered through Europe and ended up with a couple of walks in New Zealand. Beautiful scenery. 

I have always enjoyed virtual scenery while running/walking. 
I like having something to watch while I'm listening to 
music. Treo has a vast catalog of virtual runs, and I get one 
free year with them as part of my treadmill package. I'm taking 
full advantage of that. 

I enjoy virtual scenery for walking on my treadmill. Just using it plain is WAY too boring, even if I do have good music to listen to. My treadmill came with a one-year membership in Treo and they have a large catalog of virtual reality runs as well as lots of different instructors to help with fitness, sprints, and workouts in general. I'm getting a lot of use from the app, and suspect I'll renew when it comes due next year. 

I am NOT looking forward to the next two weeks. 
It's unlikely that she will have to be at the courthouse 
for each day, all day, but her schedule will be sporadic 
and unpredictable, which means DH and I are on two 
six-day weeks in a row. GRRRR

Today is a "day off" though, and I have a million things on my agenda - not just writing my latest installment for LJ Idol. I won't have a "day off" for the next two weeks while Chickie is on Jury Duty. Wait ... you might be thinking ... TWO weeks? Yeah. I looked at my calendar at work, and she's actually on Jury Duty for TWO weeks, not one. My service was only for one, but I was carried over a couple of days into a second week. She's scheduled for two weeks. She needs to phone in every evening to find out if she's required to be at the Courthouse or not. If not, she can come to work (unless they call her in mid-day which is what happened to me on my one "day off"). *sigh* I am NOT looking forward to working two six-day weeks in a row. 

I'm off and running today. Lots to do before I'm stuck 
working two six-day weeks in a row. ARGH. 

But I have plenty of food made and I think I'll be fine. Cranky and a bit crabby, but fine. DH will be angry and upset because he always seems to be angry and upset when he's working. It'll make for an interesting two weeks. *sigh* On that note, I have many things to do today so I'm off and running. Have an excellent Friday and I'll be back tomorrow to wrap up the week. Slava Ukraini. 

A Look Ahead at an Icky Schedule

It's a "Make Ogre Juice" and a "bake fruit for breakfast" day today. A pretty easy day in the kitchen, all told. But I'm already looking ahead to two weeks from now. Why? Well, that's the next time that DH and I will have to work a full six-day week (and perhaps even more). In a world of Tit for Tat, the pendulum has moved the opposite direction, and it's Chickie's turn for Jury Duty. Unfortunately, I remember my own tour of duty less than two years ago and truly, it was rather horrid. 

The chairs for the jury are actually rather horrid after 
the first hour or so. I found myself really hating them 
when I was called up for further questioning on the 
one jury I might have been chosen for. 

I didn't mind the going there, and after the first day, I learned to bring a power brick and lots of cords with me, and to grab one of the seats with plugs nearby. But, it's the boredom. The waiting to hear your name called, torn between wanting to be called, and hoping you're not called. Since you have no idea what type of case you'll be called for, or whether you'll make the cut, you also have no idea how long you might be tied up, sitting in horribly uncomfortable seating and trying your best to listen to testimony and instructions. 

The jury pool room was rather crowded, a bit 
cold, and they had snacks and coffee, but I 
don't eat sugar or gluten, so the snacks didn't 
work for me. I also don't drink caffeine, so 
the coffee was also useless. I brought my own 
teabags, but those ran out quickly and then 
I was stuck with plain water. Boring! 

Ick! 

I met a few nice people in the jury pool, but nobody I'd 
call a "friend", just people passing in the night - or in 
the hallways, as it were. 

I was both lucky and unlucky. I had to come back a second week, for two more days, which was a horrible inconvenience for Chickie and DH who had to work in my stead. I would have served, but I also emphasized that I was self-employed as one of a small staff in a retail store that was open six days a week, so that my staff had to be there when I was called away. I was NOT chosen for the jury on the case I was considered for, and that completed my service. I'll be over their age limit if they call me again, and can opt out because of that. 

The Ramsey County Courthouse building is stunning - 
very Art Deco both outside and indoors, with lots of 
marble, statuary, and touches of artwork and history 
throughout. It was built during the Great Depression 
years, so had some top-notch craftspeople working 
on it. It was almost worth being on jury duty to 
wander the halls of this building. 

Chickie is younger than I am (although in much poorer health). She might be able to opt out on health reasons, but it's going to be a rough five days in the jury pool for her. I hope she remembers to pack a lunch, the restaurants in the area are quite expensive. 

Jury Duty was one of the most boring weeks of my life, 
and we had snowstorms, and I was trying to get my meals 
made in the few off-hours I was able to grab. It was as 
close to a disaster as I could imagine. Horrid. 

But to get back to the topic on hand, I get one more week of regular scheduling before DH and I are stuck with each other's company again. I'm going to hope that Chickie will be called up for a case early, and will be released quickly. Maybe her luck will be better than mine was. She'll still have to be there for the full five days, but hopefully that will be all. 

I like to vote early when I can. I remember standing 
in long lines in falling snow for other elections, and 
I'm really not fond of doing that. DH probably will 
do that, but that's his choice. Mine will be to get 
early voting today or next week. 

On a different note, between all of the food prep I need to do today, I'd like to get my early vote in for the Presidential election. My local library has early voting opening today. I have a feeling the lines today will be rather extreme, so I might try to build this task into next Wednesday or next Friday. I'd rather vote early than stand in line in the frigid temps outdoors on election day. DH, I'm quite sure, will do the wait at the door thing - it's what he does. I'm a believer in comfort, and I'd rather avoid the November line if possible. So, on that note, I think I've rambled quite enough. Have an excellent Friday and I'll be back tomorrow to wrap up another week. Be kind, and Slava Ukraini. 

Rocks, Hockey and A Bit of ARGH - ALSO Please Vote or I'm Out of the Writing Competition

DH and I started our Sunday out at the MN Gem & Mineral Show. They opened the building at 10:00 am, but we arrived a bit earlier to roam through the outside vendors. This year they all had fabulous weather, which was awesome. Other years we've been there in rain, and a few times in an early snow. Yesterday was warm and sunny and perfect for wandering. 

I fell in love with this matched set of Cherry Creek 
Jasper. DH preferred the second set the vendor had, 
but I liked the color spectrum in this set. The 
inner twin works with the bottom of the centerpiece, 
the outer two work with the top of the centerpiece. 
It's well balanced, and in my favorite color spectrum. 

DH and I both adore rocks - we have WAY too many of them, but we love them. I fell in love with the five-stone set of Cherry Creek Jasper (above photo). It was only $20, and they were really nicely matched and complimented each other beautifully. DH thought the other five-stone set was nicer, but I disagreed, so he handed me the money and I now have the set sitting at my desk. I can hardly wait to design a beaded setting for them. It'll be stunning and a lot of fun to make. 

Since I didn't have a "day off" this past week, my laundry was 
mounting up. I did one large load on Sunday - way more 
than I would usually put in my washer. But it had to be done. 
I don't like doing loads that large, and the sheets had to wait 
for a week, but we'll survive that. 

DH has a habit of purchasing raw rock. We keep them in drawer sets in the basement, which has a concrete floor. That's rather essential when dealing with pounds and pounds of rock. He managed to talk me into letting him buy a small baggie of one style, and one smallish larger stone from our favorite vendor for raw materials. So we both ended up with something from the Gem & Mineral Show. We headed back home to watch the football game while I did laundry. 

It's almost time for the professional ice 
hockey season to start, and we aren't able 
to watch the games at home yet, even though 
I supposedly set everything up more than a 
week ago. DH is VERY unhappy, and he'll 
actually take the paperwork along with him 
to the Comcast store and discuss it with them 
in person. Hopefully he'll get somewhere, 
their website is a hot mess. 

The professional ice hockey season is about to kick off, and the TV station on which it is broadcast is now part of a higher tier. I contacted the cable company, purchased that higher tier and had everything shifted over ... but we're still not getting that station. After going through all of my paperwork (including a transcript of EXACTLY what the service rep had told me in a conversation more than two weeks ago), DH will head over to the Comcast office on Tuesday with all of the paperwork to find out why we're still not getting that channel. Our hockey is VERY important to us. DH is NOT happy that we haven't been able to watch the pre-season games, and he has no intention of missing the season completely. 

Given the season and how many Halloween decorations I'm 
already seeing in people's yards, this seemed an appropriate 
illustration for "The Cupboards are Bare". Mine aren't quite 
THAT bare, there's still food to eat, but everything I made 
in advance of Chickie's trip has been eaten. 

So, that's the excitement in my life - LOL. I'm back to a normal week again. Chickie returns to work tomorrow and I'll get my normal Wednesday and Friday off. That's good, because my pre-made food is completely eaten and I need to get more made. Have an excellent Monday and I'll be back tomorrow. OH!!! I'm in a WRITE-OFF to stay alive in LJ Journal. Here's the link ( https://therealljidol.dreamwidth.org/1166159.html ) and I'd REALLY appreciate your votes if you like what I've written for the write-off. Deadline is tomorrow night (Tuesday) and my life on LJ Idol depends on YOUR votes. Thanks in advance. Slava Ukraini. 

Hell Week Has Arrived *Sigh* - I Can Hardly Wait for Next Week

It's 5:40 am on my first day of "hell week" and DH is already up and expecting conversation. No. The only conversation I have in the early mornings are with you, my readers, and within my own head. I have no great desire to be sociable at 5:30 am. His normal time to wake up is 6:30 am. Why he decided it was appropriate to awaken an hour early ... *sigh*. Argh! 

Six days in a row working with DH, no days 
off to release pressure through cooking, and 
no real help at the shop. Oh joy! NOT! 

We did have a nice, although cold, day at Fest yesterday. Our friend Ben who owns/operates one of the leather stores there was one of many honored by the King for service - he got his 20-year medallion and certificate. Very nice. He spent a long time at the outdoor court chatting with this person and that person, and later, when I was at the shop speaking to his wife (a dear friend), he came back to the shop in a human drawn "cabriolet". OMG!! But, it was a big day for him, and we all laughed. 

Our King and Queen at the Fest. We've had the same King 
for quite a few years now. We've gone through a few 
Queens in the years I've attended, but only a couple 
of Kinds. Maybe the job of King is easier? Hard to say - LOL. 

DH and I decided to purchase our Season Tickets for next year yesterday, instead of holding out until this coming Sunday. We probably will skip Ren on Sunday - we have the State Fair Gem and Mineral Show to attend, and it's a solid hour drive out to Fest and again back. We decided to save the gas and wear and teat on Minion and go ahead and skip final weekend. 

Chickie and Chickie Mama are flying into New York 
City today. They are thrilled that they will be in the 
audience of a taping of "The View", and there are a few 
other minimal things they want to do in the City, but 
most of their time will be spent with family, north of 
the City, near West Point. 

Of course, today is also the day that Chickie and Chickie Mama fly to New York for the family wedding. They have First Class tickets (they are NOT the person who purchased them - that's beyond their budget by far). Chickie informed me that they had already reserved their specific meals, and bemoaned the fact that since neither of them drink alcohol (health issues), they would not be able to enjoy the endless booze. Personally, I'd skip the meal (toxic food ... no thanks!) and have a wine or two. Different strokes for different folks. 

I do hope that Chickie and Chickie Mama have a great time 
at the family wedding and in NYC, but I'm going to have 
a personal week from hell having to rely on DH to actually 
be helpful at the shop. *sigh*

So, as I embark on seven days in a row working with DH, think kind thoughts for me. If anyone can drive me totally over the edge, it's having to rely on DH at the shop when he's usually hiding in the basement doing lord only knows what. *sigh* It's going to be a VERY long week. Have an excellent Monday and I'll be back tomorrow. Slava Ukraini.