It's Wednesday - A "Day Off" With a Ton of Stuff To Do

I have a stack of bills to be paid on my desk, an empty refrigerator that needs populating, and 10 audio credits that need to be used up before April. I won't listen to the books that quickly, but I can get them purchased and into my cyber-library within the next week or two. I'm on the final audio book of a 30+ book series, and I'm starting another huge series after this one. I just need to see which book of that second series I left off with in my purchasing and get the next 10 bought and processed for the proper audio file type. I also have bills to cyber-pay. It'll be a busy day all around and DH is in a total frump. 

I have a bunch that needs doing on my "day off", not 
even including the three loads of laundry and making 
the beds that's standard for a Wednesday. My "day off" is 
almost busier than a work day. 

It's a bad time of the year for DH, and adding closing the store to his mix and he's at boiling point all the way. But, he still has time to lie back in the evening and watch the Olympics. Not double-tasking the way that I do with the TV on behind me and me on the computer getting things accomplished. No ... he's kicked back in bed, watching the TV like a slug. *sigh* GRRR

I enjoy "watching" TV, although it's rare for me to actually 
pay a lot of attention to the screen. I'd much rather be 
reading a book. He's a TV addict. Maybe that comes from 
being the third child when I was an only child and had to 
self-entertain. He needs outside stimulation to be entertained, 
I'm happy with a book. 

I can work out some of my frustration in the pool in an hour, but really? For example, I got home last night, ate a quick dinner, and then gathered the trash together to take out to the bins. Today is trash and recycling pickup day. Then I grabbed my tea and went down to the computer to catch up on emails and notifications while listening to the Olympics on the TV behind me. I even watched a little bit of them. He went up to bed, settled down and watched the TV, then came down to yell at me about something I had apparently done incorrectly when I picked up our income taxes last week, and then went back upstairs again. Good grief! GRRRRRR

I'm really tired of getting yelled at all of the time. I understand 
his stress levels are high, but so are mine and I don't yell 
at him. GRRRRRR Retirement isn't looking like it will be 
any fun at all. 

Today I have to ride him hard about getting the shelving photos sent to me. I need to get that file populated ASAP and a "day off" is a great day in which to get some serious computer work done (between a quick run to the framers to get a mis-cut frame redone and another one routed out. I may not get the frames back until next week, but maybe they can have it on Friday. I might be able to take a quick run out there, although I really don't get my Fridays off any more. 

This is my YMCA from the air. Obviously in the summer, when 
the outdoor pool is open. The black square is the main building 
which houses the gym, the building connecting the black roof 
to the pool area is the rest of the gym - basketball court, running 
track, weight room, lots of machines, etc., and the indoor pool. 
It's a big complex with a little bit of family for those of us who 
meet at the front doors every day. 

Enough bitching, though. I have a swimming pool waiting for me to work out my frustrations in, so I'm wrapping this up and heading to the YMCA. Have an excellent Wednesday. Be kind, enjoy the Olympics, and I'll be back tomorrow. Slava Ukraini. 

October Has Arrived, Autumn Is Officially Here

Welcome to October. The year is slipping away, faster than we would have believed in January, slower than we think when we are facing the month/year/lifetime. It's rather amazing how those many days of life condense into shards of memories that mingle in a soup, rising to the surface for recognition every now and again, before sinking back into the broth once again. It's a "Day Off" for me, and as usual, I have a bunch of stuff that needs doing - primarily three or more loads of laundry, but also a bit of cleaning here and there, and some framing. I won't be bored today. 

October is one of my favorite months, even though it's a lot 
of work raking up our leaves, and we might get an early 
snowstorm or two. The colors of autumn are my favorite 
colors, so the entire world celebrates the end of summer 
and beginning of winter alongside all of us. 

Right now, however, I'm comfortable, dressed in my skinsuit for the pool, and ready to put the trash can out onto the curb as I leave. I'll check the yard waste bucket when I get back home - I need a bit more light for that one. I suspect I'll have something worth putting out - DH was planting daffodils yesterday afternoon. But there's no guarantee that I'll have a bucket's worth of yard waste worth putting out for pick-up. 

October brings the harvest time - lots of vegetables, the 
last of the summer stone fruits, and pumpkins! Lots of 
pumpkins. I love the colors of autumn more than any 
other season. They suit me - those russets, oranges, and 
splashes of yellow. 

It's October, however. This is the month when the leaves that started to turn in September, fully go colorful, and then fall. By the end of the month we will have raked several times and perhaps taken at least one trip out to the recycling location to drop off a load or two of leaves. It's a fact - when you own a house, there's never really an "off" month - a month when you can just sit back, enjoy your yard and garden and not have to water, weed, harvest, mow, and/or rake. Still, Autumn is one of my favorite seasons. Mother Nature paints our world with extraordinary colors and those splashes of yellow, orange, and fire red will keep me warm throughout the winter whites and greys until I return to the promise of springtime's gentle greens. 

The colors of Autumn are my favorite colors, so it 
becomes one of my favorite seasons (except for raking 
all of our MANY leaves every year - that's a chore!). 

Today is a normal Wednesday. I have a couple of bills to pay and my first load of laundry for the day is already in the washer, I'll do a bit of grocery shopping, a bit of housecleaning, and a bit of this and that. I hope you have a simply lovely day and I'll be back tomorrow. Slava Ukraini. 

It's Going to be a Cooking Day Sprinkled with Errands

It's Friday, a "day off" and a day when I'll be going here and there and have a LOT of cooking that also needs to get done. I have one piece of salmon to eat for my dinner tonight (yummy!!!), but I need to make my dinners for the week ahead and also do a load of baked fruit. My side of the refrigerator is showing a lot of empty shelving. LOL

I make my baked fruit in large batches - it's my usual 
breakfast every day. I'm eating the last portion that I 
have made today, so it's time to make a new batch. 

I'm starting to think about upgrading my cellphone again. I don't actually need a new one, my "old" one which really isn't more than two years old, works great. But Google has done some wonderful things with the newest phones. I'm waiting for sales. The last sale they offered on the Google 9 phone didn't include the folding version (which I'd LOVE since I read on my phone a lot). So, after some thought, I decided to skip that sale. My Google 6 is still working great, as I mentioned. It's old and starting to show it in little ways, though. 

Verizon is currently offering the Google Pixel 10 phone 
with an "Unlimited Plan" at no charge for the phone. It 
might be worth looking at ... but just looking right now. 
There's something really nice about having a phone that's 
totally paid off. 

Since DH is awake and playing his computer game not six feet away from me, he also has the TV on, and it's morning, so it's on the business report. I guess, from the interviews, that Apple has a new phone that's getting released today. In all of the years I've had cellphones, and I stretch WAY back with them, I've never owned an Apple phone. I did have to work on an Apple computer in the early days (and I didn't like it), so I've never dived into the Apple pond. After years of Motorola phones, I've pretty much settled on Google phones. When I upgrade the one I currently have, it will be my fourth Google phone. DH and Chickie have Samsung phones, and I've looked at them too, but no, I keep going back to Google. 

I'll be busy in the kitchen for much of the day today. 
There are worse things to spend my time on - LOL. 

So, I'll have a busy day today going here and there and cooking this and that. All things considered, it's one of the better ways for me to spend a "day off" these days. Have an excellent Friday and I'll be back tomorrow to wrap up the week. Be kind, and Slava Ukraini. 

Allergies - I Hate Them!

My eyes are really bothering me this morning - burning and tearing. There's not any smoke in our area, so I blame this entirely on pollen, which DH says is heavy right now. So, it's my allergies coming to the forefront, just when I didn't need them to step up to the plate. *sigh* Of course I also can't stop sneezing, so I'm a mess today. 

Right now I can't stop sneezing and my eyes are 
watering enough to create a river. I really hate 
my allergy seasons. 

I'm continuing on my housecleaning list today. The upper level is 90% finished. I still need to move my bathroom items to the larger double bathroom before Thursday, but that's plenty of time. DH actually cleaned the larger bathroom. It probably isn't quite as deep a clean as I would have done, but frankly, it's good payback for the 5+ hours it took me to clean his bathroom up last year. LOL. It actually looks quite respectable this year. 

I do need to do a few things on the computer today, but most of my day will be spent on grocery shopping, getting gas into the car, and some more housecleaning. I also have some framing that I need to do. The art I wanted to call finished last week needs a new mat. The current mat is perfect on the sides, but approximately 1/8" off on  the top and bottom opposing corners. It's not much, but it's really bothering me. 

So, it's just going to be one of those days - annoying, filled with watery eyes and sneezing, and I'll be reaching for pharmaceuticals to help me over the hump. I think every flower in nature has sent out it's spores and pollen, and I'm allergic to every bit of it. *sigh*. So have a great day. Minimal photos today because I'm sneezing too much to search them out. Slava Ukraini. 

Today is a Day of Tasks To Be Done - Do You Make TBD Lists?

It's a fast post today because my TBD (that's To Be Done for my out-of-the-USA friends) list is HUGE and I took an extra long run this morning because I wanted to. No better or other reason - just because I wanted to. So, I'm a bit rushed for time. 

A TBD List - we've all made them, even if it's something 
as easy as a shopping list for the local market. 

Today will be a day of errands, some shopping, maybe a little cooking, and general this and that. I know every one of you knows what a day of "This and That" can mean. A lot of going from here to there, realizing that it would have been more efficient if I had done things in THIS order instead of THAT order. But efficiency be damned, the important thing today is to look at my TBD list tonight and have everything checked off the list. 

I'm hoping that I'll have a lot of check marks (or 
cross-outs) on my TBD list by the end of the day. 

So, I hope your day will be a bit less filled than mine. Mine won't be hectic, but it will be full. Have an excellent Friday - spreading love and the best of wishes to everyone kind enough to read. I'll be back tomorrow to wrap up the week, hopefully with a bit more time to spare. LOL Slava Ukraini. 

Death and Taxes - Aren't Those the Immovable Objects of our Lives?

Our income tax appointment last night was short and sweet. DH had everything together, I answered a couple of easy questions, we left everything with Paul and were on our way within 30 minutes. I remember the days of income tax preparation all too well. My Dad was an accountant and prepared income tax returns through his business (when he had a business), and then prepared them for family and friends after he "retired". Our lives revolved around the dates of March 15th and April 15th. 

We've been seeing Paul for our income taxes and tax 
advice for many years now. Before him, we saw my 
good friend Eleanor Anderson, who developed dementia 
and has since passed away. Paul is sharp, has a good 
sense of humor, and really knows his taxes and the law. 
Great guy! 

But everything went smoothly last night. We left the information with Paul and his office will call when everything is ready to pick up. Contrary to his usual policy, we're allowed to pick up our returns and look them over carefully before I'm sent off with payment for him. A benefit of having known him and done business with him for many years. 

I've been buying audio books from audible for more 
than two decades by now. Since they were taken over 
by Amazon, however, I have to use my credits up within 
a year or I lose them, and I've paid for them. I'm up 
against that wall now, so will have to make some 
quick choices about the next books I want to listen to. 

Audible is telling me my subscription is about to expire and I need to buy 12 audiobooks and download them before it expires or I'll lose my credits. ARGH. I have a list of books I want on audio, so choosing the books isn't the problem, it's just getting my act together to get it done. It's on my TBD for today, though. Along with laundry (already in progress), taking out the garbage (happening as soon as I leave for radiation therapy) and grocery shopping (on my way home from the radiology appointment). I'm pretty darned well organized for 5:50 am! LOL

It's always fun to catch up with Aearwen for the week. 
We've been chatting once a week (with some gaps 
for out of town visitors or trips, etc), for more than a decade. 
It's a great friendship and I love hearing what's been 
going on in her life. One of these days we'll have 
to try and meet in person. But since that would 
probably entail my having to fly to California, it's 
not happening anytime soon. LOL

I also have to get some bills e-paid today, cook dinner, and have a lovely chat with Aearwen later this afternoon. That's always a high point of my week, and we've been chatting weekly (with breaks for vacations out of town, visitors, and unexpected things) for many years. It's been a great friendship - my sister in a different state. I hope you have an excellent Wednesday and I'll be back tomorrow. Slava Ukraini. 

Running Late - But Not as Suave as the White Rabbit

I'm running a little late today. I had to awaken DH for a doctor appointment, I had my 45-50 minutes on the treadmill and my shower, and I have already downed my first cup of tea. But, it's the 16th of December, and I don't have Sharon's stuff sent to her yet, I still need to address a couple of holiday cards and get them out, and basically ... I'm feeling behind, even though I'm swimming with my head above the water. 

I'm grateful that I'm not part of LJ Idol any more. At this time of the year, carving out the time to get into a quiet space and write for the competition is simply impossible - I live on slightly more than 6 hours of sleep as it is, extra hours in the day just don't appear in my life. 

The new phones at the shop, however, are up and running and wonderful. I need to do some programming into the main line - a welcome message, an activation of the ability for people to leave messages for us that we can return, etc. But that's far less important that having and actual, functional phone. The final step came on Saturday morning when I called the tech team about the transfer that had "happened" but hadn't happened. It turned out a small typo in one thing had stalled things out, and when that typo was corrected, everything worked as smoothly as silk. WHEW! One thing done. 

So, I'm grabbing a very quite bite to eat, then I'm off to the bank for the store, and then I have to work with DH for the day - never an easy task, but at least he usually stays out of my way. No pictures today - I'm running about a 1/2 hour late so I'm out of here. I'll catch up with people tomorrow. Slava Ukraini. 

The Debate and the Fence - Our Projects Continue

I got sucked into watching the Presidential Debates last night. ARGH! Trump didn't stay on topic, and Biden had some frozen moments and too many wasted words. The political choices this year simply aren't. We don't have much of a choice with either candidate - both of them probably shouldn't be in office, and neither of them have a realistic replacement. 

Neither of the candidates presented well, Trump tried to 
take control of the debate by ignoring questions, and Biden
 had a "catch phrase" to collect his thoughts, and used it 
far too many times. Neither one deserves to be elected at this 
point, and the polls reflect that with a race that is 
totally in the wind for either candidate. However, if I have 
to look at where we will be in four years ... I know who 
I DON'T want in office. So I'll vote AGAINST a 
candidate, but not FOR a candidate. 

DH, who voted for Trump last election, has stated that he refuses to vote for him this year (yippee!), but also states that he'd feel a lot better about voting for Biden if he had a better Vice President than Kamala. And there's the question - isn't it? These guys are both old, in a high-pressure job. Who's going to take over if they collapse into gibberish or a heart attack? I rather like Kamala, but she's not a super strong person and I'm not sure she would be able to stare Putin down. Of course, we also have no idea who Trump is choosing for his vice president - he hasn't made the "grand announcement" yet. I pity anyone who has to work directly under Trump for four years and can't imagine why anyone would want the position. 

We've got a good thunderstorm going on right now, 
but it will pass between 9 and 10 am. That will leave 
me lots of time to pressure wash the bottom board 
of the fence in preparation for tomorrow and Sunday's 
painting job. 

So, it's raining and lightning and thundering outside - bands of rain coming across. It'll be finished by late morning, when I will grab my garden hoses and pressure sprayer and begin washing down the lowest rail of the fence on Laura's side. I don't think I'll have enough length with our main garden hose - it's quite long, but the far ends are probably beyond reason. So, I'll have to uncouple the upper hose and join it to the lower one to allow me to reach the far Eastern panel. I suspect my mosquito netting over my hat will be essential, and I might wear gardening gloves too. Mosquitoes in Minnesota in June and July can be deadly weapons - LOL. 

The mosquitoes will be out in force after this morning's 
rain. I'll need to be fully covered to wash the fence, and 
it'll be hot, so I'll be a sweaty mess by the time I'm finished. 
A second shower is already looking like a great idea - LOL. 

Before I hop outside to do the fence, I need to make next week's batch of "Ogre Juice" I also need to pay bills, and call Network Solutions about DH's website (which I was supposed to do on Wednesday, but forgot or ran out of time). One way or the other, it'll be a very busy day. At least I don't have to bake fruit for next week's breakfasts. I'm actually well stocked from last week, so I can ignore one chore for a week. Huzzah - LOL. I hope you have a really fantastic day. The rain will clear out of here around 9:00 am, and then my day will get started for real. I plan on being back tomorrow, with a cleaned fence, Ogre Juice in the refrigerator, paid bills and progress on the never-ending website saga. Enjoy your Friday. Slava Ukraini. 

It's a "Day Off" - So It's a Busy One, Plus Rain and Fences

A quick post today - first, the fence. The fence posts did NOT end up getting set yesterday. The rains came and went and came again, and they postponed until Thursday. That's fine - DH is still here. If they need to cancel again, they could come in the afternoon of next Tuesday and that would be OK too, but I'm hoping tomorrow will work out. 

It is my understanding, that they will be setting the fence 
posts similar to the far right side - the concrete above the 
fenceline to protect the wood of the posts. 

The rain came, and it rained, and rained and rained. I'm quite sure all of my plants are delighted - lots of moist soil to cuddle those roots and encourage growth. For people, it was a drippy, drippy day. I ended up forgetting the power cord of the laptop at the shop last night, so have to drop by and pick that up on my errands today. I only have the one cord for the laptop, and although it runs well on battery, it won't be good for long periods of time. I'll get maybe an hour or so out of it without supplementary power. 

The Lenovo power cord for my laptop is still 
plugged in at my desk at the shop. I need this, 
so I'll have to drop by the shop first thing this 
morning to retrieve it. 

I already have my first load of laundry in the washer, and I have a stack of bills at my computer desk waiting to be paid later today. I can tell it's going to be a very busy day. Grocery shopping, maybe some minor cooking (Friday will be my cooking day this week), and a lot of general tasks will keep me busy through the day. I never seem to be lacking things to do on my "days off". I'm really not sure if anyone with a house and/or family ever REALLY get a "day off" unless they're on vacation. Even then, we're usually the ones who keep track of the sun block, who can put our hands on the swim gear, and who can make the dinner reservations. It does make me wonder if "Man"kind can actually do anything. It seems to me that it's "Woman"kind who does most of the actual day-to-day work. 

Women can do anything! But, I can't make power appear 
out of nowhere for my laptop, so picking that cord up 
is on my agenda today. *sigh*. Good thing it's on 
one of the ways I go to my co-op. 

On that note, I'm heading out to the pool. Rosemary was back yesterday and she's looking much better. Her back had really been bothering her last week, so she took the time to give it some rest. She seems back to her perky self once again, which is great. I've got to nab her address from her - I would have done a wellness check on her last week if I had it then. Wellness checks at our age isn't a bad idea at all. So ... have a wonderful day. Mine will be busy, but I'll relax late in the day chatting with Aearwen. I hope all of your tasks aren't too horrid and I'll be back tomorrow. Slava Ukraini and חיים למען ישראל. 

A Beaver in the Pool - A Laugh for Your Day

Yesterday was a really nice day - not just in weather, just totally in general. Things clicked. I wasn't super rushed, I didn't have a long list of things I had to accomplish, and I managed to get everything done that I needed to. It even started out with a burst of humor which I'll share with you because we all need something to laugh about, don't we? 

At first, Beth couldn't tell it was a beaver, because it 
was sitting, and they sit on their tails. But then it went 
into the pool water and she saw the tail and those 
powerful back feet. I'm quite amazed that it wanted to 
climb over the tall chain link fencing to get to the pool. 

Coming to the doors of the gym yesterday, my friend Meg asked if I had heard about the beaver. "Beaver? No, haven't heard anything." She grabbed her phone and showed me a somewhat blurry photo of a beaver sitting on a platform surrounded by water. I looked at her quizzically. "It's our pool!" she said with a huge grin. I looked again. It WAS our pool. Our outdoor pool. Apparently beavers can climb over eight-foot tall chained link fences. Who knew? LOL Anyway, our lifeguard Beth, as she was off shift and heading to her motorcycle, checked the outdoor pool as is her habit at this time of the year. She was shocked to see an animal in the middle of the pool. At first she thought it might be a muskrat, but then she saw that distinctive tail. Nope, it was a BEAVER - about 14-16 pounds worth of a beaver. In the middle of our pool! Needless to say, we all got a seriously good laugh about that one. My friend Even said that beavers are attracted by the sound of running water. Well, we are filling the pool now, so that would certainly qualify as running water. Too FUNNY! 

I went to my local FedEx Office store to fax the documentation 
to the credit card company. I knew they would have the 
appropriate equipment. It cost me $2.49/page and it was a 
total of 30 pages! OUCH! But, I'm not going to get a bad 
mark on my store credit at this point in my life. The sale 
was legitimate and I'm owed my money. GRRRRR. 

The day itself went really smoothly for me. I gathered all of the paperwork for the charge card credit that I'm disputing, made sure I had a cover letter explaining everything, and headed over to the FedEx store to fax it to the credit card company. For some reason, they insisted on a fax. Well, the damned fax cost me more than $75 to send, and the disputed amount is for less than $40, but I'm in the right on this one, and I'm not backing down. I have a perfect record on my charges over almost 30 years, and I'm not letting a one-time customer ruin my credit rating with my vendors and bankers. So, I got the 30 pages of documentation faxed to the company, did my grocery shopping, and returned home with a feeling of accomplishment. Now to see what the credit card company says in response. 

I even had enough time to make new sugar water for 
my hummingbird feeder. I think I might have spotted 
one whizzing by me too, as I was pulling the feeder 
down to refill it. I should have hummers within a week 
or so, and I'm totally ready for them. 

I barely had any necessary cooking to do yesterday either - a quick 1-1/2 hours of vegetable preparation for my salads and a little more prep work for last night's dinner. My loads of laundry went smoothly, and I was done with all of my chores when I spoke with Aearwen later that afternoon. All in all, I'm pretty darned happy with this Wednesday, and am ready to jump into the pool for my final swim of the week. I hope all of you have a wonderful Thursday and I'll be back tomorrow. Slava Ukraini and חיים למען ישראל. 

It's A Day of Errands and Cooking - Oh, and Taxes ... Joy!

It must be a day to wake up early. I awakened at 2:05 am and decided to just stay awake since the alarm would go off in less than an hour. I wanted to take a nice, long, relaxing meditation time, and took advantage of the extra time. It was wonderful - very refreshing. I'll probably hate myself later on this week when I feel sleep deprived, but I'll deal with the repercussions then. But, it must be catching, because just after I had started my first load of laundry and settled down at my computer to write today's blog, DH came into the computer room. Apparently he also wasn't feeling sleep, because no sooner had I settled down to start today's blog post, then he came down and turned on his own computer. He's making noise. I HATE noise at 3:35 am. GRRRR

I like my quiet time in the early mornings. Listening to 
DH killing enemies in "Lord of the Rings Online" from 
his computer does NOT qualify as "quiet time". Time 
to find my inner zen - LOL. 

But, I have my first load of laundry in the washer, I'm ignoring DH sitting within a yard of me at his computer, and I'm trying to get my act together for my swimming, shopping, and cooking day. It'll be a busy one, so it's just as well that Aearwen ended up with an unexpected schedule conflict for our Wednesday chat. 

I have two racks of ribs on my side 
of the refrigerator, waiting for the 
crock pot on Sunday. I'll have to make myself 
some more Bar-B-Que sauce before then. 
I've still got enough for this batch (probably), 
but will need to make a new batch within 
a week. So, I'll make sure I have all of the 
necessary ingredients at hand. 

I've been eating WAY too much meat - DH has been going a bit crazy on what he's wanted for dinners on Sundays, and I have another two full racks of ribs in the refrigerator awaiting the crock pot for this coming Sunday too. So, instead of cooking meat of some sort for my weekly dinners today, I'm going to make my Roasted Tomato and Red Peppers Soup recipe. It's a beautiful hearty vegetarian soup, one of my favorites. I grabbed the recipe from my stack this morning and will get it going as soon as I get home from the grocery stores today. 

I love my roasted red peppers and tomato soup recipe. It's 
a bit labor intensive - the veggies need to be broiled before 
they get put together in the blender to make soup. But it's so 
tasty and well worth the trouble of broiling and then skinning 
the tomatoes. It's got a lovely flavor profile - one of my 
favorite winter soups. Even if winter has passed over us, 
I can still enjoy soup for dinner. 

Today is an errand day too, however. I need gas in the car, I need stuff at both the co-op and my usual grocery store, and cooking this particular soup is always a time consuming thing, PLUS there's chicken to be cooked for tonight. So, it's going to be plenty busy - but with things I really like to do. I'll drop off the signed income taxes to my accountant's office, along with the payment, in the morning as well. So, a busy day off. I'd probably better get started on all of this. Have an excellent Wednesday, be kind to those with whom you interact today, and I'll be back tomorrow. Slava Ukraini and חיים למען ישראל.

A Little Bit of This and a Little Bit of That - It's One of Those Days

Today is going to be a bit of here and there. Fortunately, this is the "Winter when Snow Never Came", so driving won't be a hassle. Although it's been cold enough to freeze, we haven't had misting or enough moisture to cause ice problems on the roadways, and our snow is nonexistent! It's so weird to be looking outside in early February and see green grass. I'm quite sure our flower bulbs are horribly confused right about now - their cozy winter retreat and nap is getting interrupted. DH is already worried about his garden. 

I'm going to feel a bit like a honey bee today - going here, then 
there, then back again, then around, and then back once more. 
Honey bees are quite amazing - they cover a LOT of ground 
in their flights for pollen. 

I'm only worried about my schedule - which is a bit wonky today. I ordered a printer cartridge for the store's copier/printer yesterday and was supposed to pick it up last night. But I forgot, so I have to pick that up today. That store opens at 8:00 am. I also realized that I'm almost completely out of some flavors of tea that I love, so I need replacements. These can only be obtained from one specific grocery store that carries all of the varieties from this particular tea purveyor. Fortunately, they open at 6:00 am, so I can start my day our there, then go on to pick up the cartridge and then onward to my normal grocery store for fresh vegetables. 

I have a bunch of things to do today, but can't quite get 
all of my thoughts in order. I must need more tea to get 
a handle on my schedule and make sure I don't forget anything. 

I know I have a bunch of other things to do today, but they haven't coalesced in my head quite yet. I know I need to make my "Ogre Juice" (vegetable alkagizer) portions for next week, and I have a butternut squash that I want to bake. Both things are quite easy and won't take up much time at all. But I have a BUNCH of other things I have to do on the computer - both the desktop and the laptop. I won't be bored - LOL. 

Roast butternut squash is one of my favorite things 
to make and eat during the fall/winter months. It's 
so easy and quick, and tastes fantastic. One squash 
gives me multiple portions, easily enough to last for 
a week, sometimes a bit more. 

So I hope all of you have a magnificent Friday. May the weather and the roads be your friend today, and may everyone you meet, greet you with a smile of welcome. Enjoy your day and I'll be back tomorrow. Slava Ukraini and חיים למען ישראל.

Progress - We're Progressing - Winter Is Still on Vacation and the Sale is Fun

Yesterday's "50% Off Clearance Sale" was all about the beads. My first five people came in solely to shop whatever beads were on sale. And even though one of them switched from sale beads to other beads, it was a bead morning. In the afternoon we were a bit more varied, but the sale definitely is bringing people in for that bargain, and they're loving it. 

50% is a HUGE discount, and my customers are 
absolutely delighted with their choices and the 
total of their sale. It's a total win/win. We're not 
doing something like this often (in fact, this is the 
first time we've offered savings this big), but our 
customers are loving it. 

We're loving it too. It's fun to visit with customers, help them find what they never actually knew they needed and achieve those "I Must Have This" moments when they see the perfect thing. Happy customers, happy sales people = the perfect combination. The method I had developed for pulling and selling the beads is working quite well too. We'll see how Chickie does today. Hopefully I won't be getting any calls from the shop asking me to come in. That's always hard on days when I have things in the oven. 

Usually I have a pretty good idea of what I want to cook 
on my Wednesdays, but today, I haven't a clue. I know 
I need to make some dinners, but what? I'll have to figure 
things out pretty quickly before I head off to the store after 
finishing my swim at the YMCA. 

I'll get some shopping done, buy gas for the car (although that can wait until Friday if necessary), and grumble at how DH has been taking over my little section of the freezer. I took at look at it last night when I was checking something and I'm NOT happy with how his three sections are overflowing into my little single section. I need my own space too! GRRRR 

We shouldn't be seeing bare ground in 
January, but my front yard (which this is 
NOT) has NO snow at all. My roof - usually 
a hell spot - also has NO snow. DH hasn't 
had to pull snow from the roof AT ALL this 
winter so far! It's not going to help our 
drought conditions, but I'm loving this 
winter so far. 

We're ending the month of January with bare ground and above-freezing temperatures. So bizarre (and so welcome - at least by me - LOL). It's an absolutely CRAZY winter up here in the Frozen Northlands. We're barely living up to our nickname this year. I suspect we'll be losing a lot of wild trees, etc because of lack of moisture. That's going to be a problem. But it's not like winter is a spigot that we can turn on and off at will. Mother Nature has her own agenda and She really doesn't care about anything outside of that. So, I'm off to the swimming pool. I hope you have a wonder-filled Wednesday and I'll be back tomorrow. How's YOUR weather. Is it all topsy-turvy for you too? Please share. Slava Ukraini and חיים למען ישראל.

Banking, Shopping and Cooking on a Cold Day

Good morning one and all. I've done my morning meditation, watered my fountain, taken my weight and my shower, and made my two cups of tea (currently steaming next to me). I'm ready to jump into today. 

We've been with the same bank for more than 40 years, 
although their name and location has changed several 
times. Now they're not close to us at all (they used to be 
within a mile of the shop), but they're really great people, 
very helpful, and it just didn't make any sense to switch 
to a different bank. 

The very first item on my agenda is getting to the bank. For this, I need to go to the South side of the Cities to the bank we use for our business accounts. I purchased $50 in $1 bills from them yesterday when I made a deposit. I can't find them. I know I brought them back to the shop with me, I clearly remember that, and the deposit receipt which was rubber banded to the cash has been stapled into the deposit book. So I know the $1 bills got to the shop. But I can't find them. 

I can't imagine what happened to my 50 $1 bills. I spent 
almost 30 minutes looking for them last night, and was 
unsuccessful. I'll buy new ones this morning, but I hope 
I find the missing ones soon. 

The last thing I remember about them is grabbing two rubber bands from the drawer and separating the stack into two packages of $25/each. But after that ... it's a mystery. I spent more than 20 minutes last night looking for those two packs of $1 bills, and had no luck. We need them, so I grabbed $50 from my personal funds this morning and will buy them once again. This bank opens at 7:30, so I can get there and drop the bills off at the shop before heading to the grocery store. It'll all work out. But I'm quite frustrated - it's like there's a black hole for about 15 minutes that I can't seem to remember, and unless a dimensional doorway has opened up, those two bundles of $1 bills are around somewhere. 

ARGH! 

Still, it is as it is. No sense in getting all excited about it. When/if I do find them, I'll pay myself back for the loan and put them into the cash envelope where they belong. It's just frustrating - one more example of how my brain is simply not as "on point" as it used to be, and that's annoying and a bit frightening. 

I quite clearly remember dividing them into two stacks 
of $25, and putting rubber bands around them. But they 
are nowhere to be found and we need them. *sigh*

But today is a "day off" and I'll be working in the kitchen making "Ogre Juice". It's my usual Friday task. I've got it down to a science - what initially was a job that took 2-1/2 to 4 hours to do, now takes me an hour. I know exactly what I need, how to prep everything, and I have an excellent top-of-the-line blender that can handle what I'm tossing at it. Win/Win. I'll probably have time to bake that Butternut squash too. Yummy! 

I prefer to cube and roast my butternut squash - it's 
a lot faster and better for portion control. It's an 
easy way to cook it, so it'll be minimal time in 
prep and oven work. 

I hope your day is fulfilling and happy. I'm planning on wrapping the week up tomorrow, as we move into the weekend. We're COLD today - our first day of really cold temps - but I have the right clothing, a warm car, good gloves, and a wonderful "Canada" hat that keeps my ears wonderfully warm. All is right in my world (except for the missing $50 - LOL). Slava Ukraini and חיים לישראל.

It's A Very Busy "Day Off" - Errands and Thanks for Cards

It's a busy, busy day for me today. A "day off" with errands all over the place and a multitude of things to get done. I'll be glad to sit down at 4:00 pm for my weekly chat with Aearwen. I'll need the break - LOL. But between now and then I'll be going all over town - to the bank for the shop, to the Co-op and then the grocery store ... I know I have at least two other places I have to go, but those are the most immediate that come to mind. 

I'll be heading all over town today. I'm grateful 
that the roads are clear and we haven't had much 
snow. I hate doing errands like that in snow and 
ice, and I know I'll have to deal with some of that 
later this month when I have another one of these 
days. 

Last Sunday was nothing like the Sunday prior. Although I had a couple of customers, one of whom bought a nice selection of things and was there for more than an hour, it wasn't as busy as first Sunday. This coming Sunday will be my final one, and I'm SO grateful for that. I need my Sundays back. I really don't like working on Sunday at all, especially during football/hockey season. I end up missing too many games when I'm at the shop. 

Thank you to all of you who have been kind enough to 
send me a holiday card. I don't require that as an exchange 
for my own cards, but it's always a delight to open the 
mailbox and see cards inside. You've each brought a 
bit of joy and sunshine into my day. 

I've received lovely holiday cards from Shiremom, cmcmck, my friend JenyBeth, and Tinnean (who always finds amazing cards to send to me). Thank you to all, they are brightening up my living room and are the start of my fireplace mantle of cards. Some years my cards stretch fully across it, other years they don't, but they are always very welcome and wonderful. It's been a mild winter so far, up here in the Frozen Northlands, though. Not very "Christmas"  at all. No snow for Santa's sled, just a relatively light dusting from last week. I know we'll get snow - it's the Frozen Northlands after all - but I'm fine with it taking its' time. 

I'll quite literally be all over town this morning doing 
errands, and with luck will be out again this 
afternoon mailing the last of my holiday cards 
to those few getting the replacement cards. It's 
a busy, busy day. 

So, as I said, today I'll be here, there and everywhere all around town. I'll be glad to sit down for my weekly conversation with Aearwen. I'll need the rest - LOL. Now ... on to the pool and starting my day right. Have an excellent day, get those last-minute Christmas gifts gathered, and start making a mess with wrapping paper (my cats used to LOVE playing in the cast-offs). I'll be back tomorrow. Slava Ukraini and חיים למען ישראל.