Where have all the flowers gone?

 Well, technically, they are not gone yet, but soon will be.  I can't believe it is the end of September already.  The fig tree has fruit on it, it looks like it is going to be a good harvest.  There might even be one or two ready.

Temperatures are on the downward trend, we did have 90s the first week or so, then 80s.  This week will probably be 70s.  Always such a change, and it's hard on me, I know what is coming, and I don't like it.  So now we've got to squeeze as much out of it as what we can.

Old Business:

• Hands Heal - my client still has it.
• Outside chores - Back stairs are stained, but then it kinda dropped off.  
• Inside chores - doing better, I'm getting 1-2 done per week in addition to the stuff that has to be done every day.
• Perfect Union - still reading.  Have had a couple of nights with good bursts.
• NCBTMB - Yup, still need to schedule
• P4S - BAD
• Garage, still bad
• Magazines - doing OK.
• Still 1 shade to go in the dining room - need a rainy day that I don't take a nap with my cat!
• No more issues with getting the service to go Live on YouTube!  Yea!!!
• Mowing has really slowed down. Last Saturday we got some good rain (13th) and then today so that should help.  We have been really dry.
• Weeding - I am now officially further along with cleaning out than what I was last year. That feels amazing, especially since I still have a few more weekends yet before it gets really cold outside.
• Cherry tree is planted and doing well.  I put it on the west side, by the fence and woodpile.
• National Conference in Dallas was really great!  Went down a bit early to do some sightseeing, and just really enjoyed the conference too.
• Getting better at planning on what to do each day, and I've divided my list that I keep in my planner to: Personal, Work, and AMTA.  That has been very helpful and lets me see just that area's items to pick what is priority.
• Staycation did not work out the way I wanted it to, but it was still good.
• My visit with 021 was amazing!  Got to spend the night and meet her roommates.
• I did get down to see D&K in August and we had a great time.  I got to see the remodeling of the kitchen, and it is so amazing!
• I took today off today, I spent Saturday and Sunday with 024 and that was amazing!  Always so good to see the two of them. They took me to a couple of great eateries, and the bookshop.  Love that, I get to learn a little bit more of what my kiddo likes.  We watched some funny YouTube videos, read together, and just talked.

New Business:

• Looking forward to State Conference in October.
• We are having a block party at church this weekend, it should be so much fun!  I'll also have baby bro that weekend, so I'll take him back home before.
• Attended his ISP/BSP last week, and it was great to ge an "extra" visit with him.
• Need to find another therapist.  Unfortunately KL had to leave due to some personal issues. Will go to the next career fair.
• Can't believe it will be November and Thanksgiving soon!

The heat is on...

 It has been very unseasonably hot the past 2-3 weeks. First, the heat dome that just decided to hang out for awhile, and now, just regular hot. And the humidity.  IT's been sticky.  But, then the other morning, it was like 59 when I woke up, and that felt cold, and good.  Speaking of cold, I typically take cold showers in the summer, and that helps.

Old Business:

• Hands Heal - actually loaned this to a client who's going to help me start doing better information gathering before/after each session.
• Chores - Ooo boy, that's been a tough one. Up, down, and all over the place. But, I have gotten both the shed ramp and the deck stained, so that is good.  Inside, it's a struggle, but Little Bro came home for a visit this weekend, and he helped me go through my files and pull out the shredding.  He ran the shredder for me.
• Perfect Union - still hard to read
• Advocacy day was fun! We had a good group down at the State House, and we did manage to meet a few good, key contacts
• NCBTMB - I just need to do it!!!  LOL
• P4S - BAD!
• Trail Guide - BAD!
• Garage, always bad!  LOL
• Magazines - good
• 1 shade left to go - waiting on a rainy day
• YouTube is being a lot better. I upgraded the church wireless to a Netgear Orbi mesh system with 2 satellites, 1 in the sanctuary, and 1 in the fellowship hall downstairs.  That has also helped with our Zoom capabilities for HAWC and board.
• Winter projects? Well, you can guess...
• Lawnmower struggled a bit at first, but I ended up bringing the battery in to charge overnight and that was the trick.
• Weeding is in full force!  So far, the sections that I went over last year, and got chips down on have done well, and I've been able to quickly go through those and top dress them. With it being so hot, it has been a challenge, I've mainly just been trying to work where there is shade, so it is sorta hodge-podge, but hey, better than nothing! I've also resigned myself that along the alley, and a few other places, I just needed to take it all down with the weedwacker and the mower.  Not the flowers, but going around them.  It has helped. I also decided to just one Saturday cut out all of the junk trees, and that also made a big difference. So, maybe it will get easier... And trying to snap off the dandelion heads before they turn to fluff...
• So much has bloomed, and it just looks beautiful!
• Still need to figure out where to put the cherry tree!  LOL
• AMTA conference/board meeting went well.

New Business:

• Figure out how to be more intentional - like working on the business, making time for the fun things I like to do, and not just weeding.  Like am I really living a life?
• Going on vacation next week!  It will be just a staycation - but maybe just spending some lazy time here at home will help.
• We meet with one of the Reps we met at Advocacy Day next week too. That will be informative and interesting!
• Looking forward to AMTA National in Dallas.  Going a couple days early, to just be, and maybe have fun!  LOL
• Going down at the end of the month to visit 021, and help her move.  That also will be fun
• Need to plan a trip up to 024 now that she's moved into her new place
• Next Sunday is a joint worship with Eel River at Camp Mack
• Also need to schedule a visit down to D&K's

Not blown away...

 ... we had our first round of really strong spring storms yesterday. The kitty was uncertain about it all, but did OK. It made the house creak and the chimney howl.

Old Business:

• Hands Heal continues to be informative, and makes me think about how I do my charting and intake and how I could improve
• Chores were OK last week. I had Monday off, so did some housework, as well as a lot of paperwork for work
• Still having hard time with Perfect Union
• Advocacy Day is planned for Apr 8 - it's going to be fun!
• Need to schedule NCBTMB
• 2024 recap done, but have not started back up with P4S
• Garage gets little bites done, maybe I just need to resign myself to it always being messy
• Magazines going well
• I have another shade done for the dining room, so one left
• Still need to get pulmonologist appointment and tests done
• YouTube at church is still being a pain, but I think I have some answers
• E's party went great!  Everybody had a good time
• Three Dog Night concert went well too, 023 watched Uncle E for me and did a GREAT job.  They both like to dote on him, it's sweet!
• Newest hire is doing great, she is so wonderful!

New Business

• Trying to finish up some winter projects now that spring is arriving
• Need to get lawnmower started and make sure it is ready to go
• Gonna have to start getting back to weeding.  We are starting to get a few popping up here and there.  Mostly dandelions and creeping charlie - hoping with all that I did in the fall, and all of the wood chips it doesn't get as bad in the sections I have done, like that I can maintain them, and get more of the bad ones done
• Lenten Roses are blooming!  They are so beautiful!
• Cherry tree that I bought in the fall and over wintered in the garage has leaves popping out! Now I just gotta figure out where to plant it!
• Looking forward to state AMTA conference and board meeting

Inconceivable

 It is absolutely mind-blowing the amount of illegal and unethical behaviour that has taken place in this country by our highest leaders.  Most, if not all, of which cause me to be very embarrassed as an American.

Old Business:

• Hands Heal is still a daily read
• Was not super good on chores last week, or over the weekend, but not gonna walk away from the wagon
• A More Perfect Union is starting to become an easier read as I get more intrigued by his commentary
• Think we've got advocacy day planned for the State House this year.  Hoping to make this a regular event again. New team member is great!
• NCBTMB, I really need to get off my butt and just schedule it.  I'm afraid of failing and "wasting the money"
• 2024 recap is going OK, hoping it will lead me back to P4S
• Magazines, good
• Garage, I've done a small amount of cleaning and/or watering the plants that are over-wintering. Just this AM I cleaned up a patch, and wheeled the saw outside to cut a new shelf for the closet where I store the magazines.  No, I don't want to talk about it... LOL It is installed and everything shuffled around
• Decided not to switch BOP and WC, it was more expensive, finally got the refund back from the other company
• I have one of the new shades made and hung up.  Need to get some straps so I can raise/lower it, but it is there and looks good.  Two more to go...
• Still need to do pulmonologist

New Business:

• Need to figure out our YouTube Live issues at church
• E's 51st birthday party is this Saturday.  Need to do some cleaning and baking
• Also supposed to go to 3 Dog Night concert with Kim on Saturday. Hoping the kids will watch Uncle E for me

Resistance is NOT futile....

 ... I will not go quietly into this goodnight... I will remain defiant, I will remain subversive, I will not bow. They can try all they want to try and suck out all of the good and decent parts of this country, but they are going to have to fight to do it.

Old Business:

• Still chugging through Hands Heal
• This past week was bad for chores, too many later afternoon appointments at work
• Finished Kings of the Wyld, and decided to pick up A More Perfect Union by Adam Russell Taylor.  I picked it up this year at the Brethrenpress.com booth at Annual Conference, as I like to support them.  It's been in my wishlist on bookshop.org for a while now.  Slow going, as it is definitely meat and potatoes reading.
• Enjoying having another team member.  Apparently, the governor is going to give us lots to work on as he's asking the state to audit all licensed professions to make sure they truly warrant licensure
• NCBTMB, I say I want to do it, so why don't I?
• P4S, yup, you guessed it, but I'm doing a 2024 recap, and that has been good
• Magazines, very good
• Garage - too cold, but in the next couple of weeks, it will get warmer
• Got my house/auto switched over.  Small savings on house, BIG savings on auto.  Very excited about that! Working on getting business and workman's comp switched too
• Still need to do that other scrapbook page
• All the drapes have been taken apart, and last week, E helped me get the panels cut out for the shades.  I still have lots left over.  Wonder what I'll be able to do with it!
• Human trafficking webinars were cancelled after you know who took office
• The new therapist agreed, she's also a K haha.  She will be working Saturdays only which should help compensate for me not being there on Fridays.  K1 went to another career fair, and got many resumes, so there might be a #3 in the future.
• Ended up being a cold. So I had E here last week, and he got to go to church and he was SOOOOOO excited!
• Still need to schedule the pulmonologist tests
• Spreadsheet is reworked, but I don't know if it is better
• We have another weather advisory this weekend, so we've been busy trying to figure out how to keep everyone warm.

New Business:

• Need to type up HAWC notes
• Need to get some SM posts out for GR regarding what we are doing for the EO
• Get to be worship leader again tomorrow!

Whelp...

 ... that just happened. I can't believe this is where we are as a country, but I'm not going to let it stop me.  Time to roll up the sleeves and get to work...

Old Business:

• Still chugging through Hands Heal
• Still doing well on chores at 2-3 per week
• Kings of the Wyld, almost done!  Big question now is do I read Bloody Rose next, the sequel, or one of the books that has been on my pile for longer???
• GR, doing better, and have 1 more team member!
• NCBTMB, my subscription to the test prep ran out, so do I just go take it and see how I do???
• P4S not so good, but I have been doing a 2024 recap/2025 goal journal, so maybe that will help
• Magazines, very good
• Garage is not bad, got the light hung up in the sanding booth, and for the most part it has stayed tidy.  Have a couple of garden projects on the work bench, but it's so cold I had to stop the repairs
• Have made contact with potential new insurance
• Still really like my 2025 book
• Have not done that second scrapbook page, but maybe this weekend...
• Have one panel left of the drapes to take apart for my dining room shades
• Adjusting to new schedule routine with being church admin. So far, so good
• AMTA budget meeting is done, and we've got some great ideas in the works!
• Have the second webinar on human trafficking today

New Business:

• Have an offer letter out to another therapist - nervous!
• Hoping to have baby brother here for the weekend, although I woke up with a sore throat today and hoping its just from it being so cold and dry, not actually being sick
• Need to schedule my tests for the pulmonologist
• Need to make my chiro appointments
• Need to rework my spreadsheet for GR so it's more manageable
• With it being so cold, Growing Grounds and the church have been close to overwhelmed with the calls for help getting off the street.  As have several other organizations

2025

 Is in like a lion!  Another round of arctic air on board. Christmas visit with the kiddos and family was wonderful!  Didn't really go as planned, but we all still had a good time.

Old Business:

• Still reading Hands Heal, I'm about halfway through
• Chores are staying pretty consistent.  
• Kings of the Wyld is good, and for Christmas 025 got me the second book! <3
• GR work took a slide over the holidays, but I'm hopeful.  Also looking for more team members!
• NCBTMB really took a hit with holidays and sermons.  But need to catch up to the wagon again
• Same for P4S
• Magazines, doing great
• Garage - did another fix on the sanding booth, have a couple more ideas I'd like to try. Got the wheelstand done for the cross-cut saw and that really helps!
• Still need to switch insurance
• Trading has been thrown a life jacket, so I am hopeful!  I desperately need it
• Really liking the 2025 book so far.  Has enough space in it for a to-do list, a tracking section, a section to list your wins, and a notes section!  It's going to save my from my ADHD LOL
• I scrapped!!!  I had Wed/Thurs off this week, and I did a layout and I have another one planned
• We're going to have a GG call later today, so I'm going to start ripping out the seams of the curtains I bought to make the shades for the dining room!

New Business:

• Started back at the church as the Admin on Friday, definitely a change in the routine/schedule, but I'm hoping it will work out well.
• Getting ready for AMTA board in January.  It's budget meeting time
• Have played guitar now for 65 weeks in a row!!
• Starting a human trafficking webinar next Thursday.