Beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

 .... not really, no snow, and it was 60 yesterday, 40 today. Because of new kitty, probably won't have a tree.  But will get a visit from all the kiddos!!!

Old Business:

• Still plugging away at my Hands Heal book
• Chores are getting pretty consistent.  That's all I'm looking for...
• Kings of the Wyld is still a good read!
• Got my message done at Eel River.  Was so much fun, they are a great group of people
• Again, starting to get consistent with work/GR
• Need to get back on the NCBTMB bandwagon
• P4S, oof
• Magazines, again, pretty consistent
• Garage, always needs attention
• Still need to switch insurance
• Trading is still barely afloat
• 2025 book is getting fleshed out
• Still no scrapping or painting, just don't seem to have enough energy any more
• Finished 3 lanterns!
• Thanksgiving was a blast!
• Possible new therapist is looking like a good potential.  Keep praying!

New Business

• Christmas meal on 12/24
• Mending pile
• Figure out ingredients for lasagna so I can go shopping!

Giving Thanks...

 Most of us really do have a lot to be thankful/grateful for. We woke up, we have people we care about, animals we care about, food to eat, shelter, water to drink, and clothes to protect our bodies.  It's easy to forget that you only need to make $30K to be considered in the 1%.

Old Business:

• Still plugging away...
• Chores, doing pretty good, getting at least 2-3 done a week (outside of like laundry, cooking, cleaning kitchen)
• Got back into Kings of the Wyld
• Have 1 more message this year to give, on the 15th
• Working towards consistency of scheduling work and GR duties
• NCBTMB took a dive with message preparation
• P4S is dead lol
• Magazines, doing pretty good again
• Garage, have done another minor cleanup, and that feels good
• Still need to do website - actually wondering if I still need it, or if MassageBook would be enough
• Still need to get insurance switched
• Dinner was good, but not sure that I really felt any connection
• Trading schedule took a dive again!  LOL
• Working on getting 2025 book squared away for Q1 and scheduling Fridays for Church Admin.  Hoping to get there at 8 (last time I was lucky to be there by 9, so pray for me!)
• Career Panel went really well, and met a gal who might be interested.  We talk on 12/7
• Pie was delicious!
• Still need to work on scrapping and painting
• Did start the next lantern project, so might have 2 ready soon

New Business:

• Family get-together for Thanksgiving tomorrow (Saturday). Baby brother already here
• Have a mending pile
• Need to make soup and pies for tomorrow

Noxious November...

 ... very upset at the outcome of the election.  Not doing to do a dump here, however. And going to try really hard to not hold it against November.  LOL

Old Business:

• I'm about halfway through Hands Heal.  Good review in a lot of instances, and learned new things too
• Doing pretty good with keeping up with chores, so that is encouraging
• Haven't read Kings of the Wyld lately, been busy putting together a couple of messages for church
• Trying to be more consistent with scheduling work activities, good weeks and not as good
• NCBTMB I haven't done for a couple of weeks, see comment about sermons
• P4S - still horrible!
• Magazines, good until I started working on the messages
• Garage, has been on hold....but is manageable
• More weeding done at work, so that is cool, done for the year, and hopefully will get an earlier start next year
• Website still needs done
• Still need to get insurance done
• Responded to the ask for dinner, we go on the 18th.  Keep me in your prayers!
• Message at Wabash CoB went really well
• TSA pre all done
• Trading schedule better

New Business:

• I'll be going back to the church admin position, temporarily.  So my schedule is going to change
• Participated in a Career Panel at IWC and met a gal from Marion, so hopeful about that
• Made a couple of pies for 2 different charity auctions and decided to make one for myself too!
• So need to get back into scrapping & painting
• And house projects - hopefully this winter

Finally Fall...

 ... yeah, I think we are finally there.  Have had a couple of frosts and then a bit warmer.  Today, it cools down and brings some rain, which we definitely need!

Old Business:

• Still eating a bite of Hands Heal every morning.  Didn't do great when I was at conference, but back on the bandwagon
• Chores have made a comeback, and I've been successful the past couple of weeks of getting 2-3 non-daily activities done
• Still reading Kings of the Wyld, very engaging!
• Work game plan ebbs and flows.  I need to do a better job at scheduling times to work on them intentionally
• NCBTMB has been shaky this week, but it is going.
• P4S - horrible!  LOL
• Magazines, pretty good, but still piling up.  Need to put in another shelf in the closet to help. That makes me sad. But there is at least 1 that is no longer in print, so as I read those, it frees up space. "Trouble" is when I hit an MTJ or National Geo or another that I like to read cover-to-cover so they take a while.  Some of them I just flip through.
• Got conference memorabilia put away, just a couple of odds and ends here and there now
• Garage - I did bring in all my potted flowers that I try to overwinter, and some perennials that I didn't get planted, so I cleaned up that section a bit.  I've also done a big sweeping all over. Still several projects out there that I need to finish up - getting the lanterns painted (I want them all black) for the solar lights; converting the desk to a table saw station, etc.
• Guitar - Week 55 baby!  Who-hoo!
• Bloodwork done, cholesterol climbed back up a bit.  Was very frustrated about that.  Had a check up on Monday to go over it.  That was all she wanted to talk about.  Didn't even want to discuss my possible POTS symptoms (which I am thinking more and more is correct - K&K agree). Had my med checkup with my psych NP and they gave me a recommendation to another cardiologist here who works with POTS patients.  So thankful I said something!  So I'm working on getting that appointment set up, along with Cleveland Clinic and Johns Hopkins POTS clinic in TX.  We'll see which one happens first...
• Was able to continue west from the east patio, so the walkway out to the shed that cuts through the gardens is done, as well as 1 whole side on the west patio. I've had to make a lot of it significantly larger due to bush growth (such a great thing!, so I've had lots of clumps to help fill in where the sewer line was repaired and settled. And doing the edging as I go along made so much sense.  I've used up almost all the vinegar bottles I've been saving over the past couple years.  And I probably still have 2 of the 3 truckloads of woodchips unused yet!  I don't know how much more I'll be able to get done this year (ground is back to being hard!) but I will keep going if I can.  What is left is the west fenceline, south fenceline, and the alley.  I've got several flowers that need to be divided and transplanted, but I need places to put them!  Acutally, I have done some of that already and/or moving stuff around, and just cleaned out the area where I wanted to put them, and that does work too.  I guess it just depends on what mode my brain is in that day.  Being this close gets me excited about the other projects that I want to do out there.  I've got more of the embossed brick to finish that walkway from the patio to the yard, I want to pull up the stepping stones out to the shed and put down woodchips and about half-way down, I have a small brick project that I want to put in, and then put a birdbath with a solar fountain in it.  and I have a brick patio idea that I want to do in the south-east corner fenceline.
• Izzy has been growing more independent as she has gotten more comfortable.  We are pretty much over trying to scratch on the furniture (and trimming her nails helps too), but still having trouble with jumping up on dining table, kitchen counter, stove, and crafting box on the wall.   We will get there.  She cuddles less, so it's wonderful when she does.  Although at night, she is always in there with me, either above my head, or down at my feet. Love her to pieces!
• GR work is done, and the RFP  
• Raises so far have been OK
• Weeding at work done, looks better.  It is taking less time each time, so I'm able to go a little bit further each time.
• Website still needs done
• ISP for E is done, that was a lot of fun to go up to the workshop and meet all the people he works with
• Still need to get insurance switched over
• Finally got to work at Chili for Charity this year!  GG receives funding from them, so we are supposed to work the event.  Every year, it's been when we are celebrating H's birthday.  I was so glad it worked out.  It was a beautiful weekend for it, and I got another elephant ear!
• Earlier in the month I did a motorcycle ride for Riley with a friend of mine's husband (she doesn't like to ride), his sister, and his cousin. That was fun, and got an elephant ear there too!  Probably should be done with the sweets for awhile!  LOL
• Had H's birthday at Bob's.  That was so much fun!  My brother and his wife were there, and I surprised E with it.  He had such a great time!!! and V came down from Grand Rapids.

New Business:

• I've been asked about to coffee or dinner by a friend's cousin and I've not responded back yet.  I'm nervous.  I don't trust myself.  But I know I should not leave him hanging.  I'm not sure I've ever done just dinner or coffee before.  It seems like it always turns into something serious right away,  and I know I don't want that.
• Giving the message at church in November, so I've been working on that, and then Eel River in December.
• Need to follow up with the lawyer on E's guardianship papers
• Need to get my TSA Pre renewed, doing that today!
• Gotta get my massage trading schedule worked out better, I think that is part of the reason why my symptoms have been worse lately, I'm only getting every other week.

Second Summer...

 .... Yup, we are back to the 80s.  Not had rain in awhile, so grass is looking bad.  Should not have mowed before I left, but maybe it would not have made a difference...

Old Business:

• Keep plugging away on Hands Heal
• Was gone last week, so chores were on a hiatus
• Reading Kings of the Wyld, very good!
• Again, gone last week at conference, so work tasks were at a minimum. However, am getting better at scheduling the game plan for the week
• Plugging away at NCBTMB
• P4S - BAD! LOL
• Magazines, not bad, even though I was gone, I did read several pages in the airplane to and from
• Memorabilia is back, now that I'm back from conference, but it is just the 1 event!
• Garage - got the sanding booth repaired with a lot of help from my baby brother. Rest of it still needs attention, but trying not to add to it...
• Guitar - week 51, go me!  I was afraid conference was going to undo all of it!
• Bloodwork is on the books for this Thursday
• All of East patio is connected now to the inside east fence, so A LOT done! It is so nice to look out from my desk here and NOT SEE WEEDS!  LOL  What I've previously done is still looking pretty good too.
• Gourds are butternut squash, and so far I have 2-3 fruits.  It's been really dry.  Did get 1 good tomato so far, and 3 yellow squash.  I also have a pepper growing!
• Had a great visit with the baby brother; yes, we had cheeseburgers and milkshakes!
• Izzy is so wonderful!  Some behavior issues, but she's not quite fully grown, and coming from the shelter, rules are just different, but we are working on it.  She is a cuddler and such a delight.  She did not like me being gone for the week; the neighborhood kiddos were so good with her, I was so pleased.

New Business:

• Get my PLA and GR notes taken care of, and the RFP that goes with them
• Gave myself a raise, we'll see how that works out.  I'm a bit nervous.  Also gave K a raise
• Probably need to do some weeding at work soon, been trying to stay on top of it too
• Need to get website updated
• Need to get in touch with Baby Brother's house manager to coordinate his IAP
• Need to get my house & business insurance (maybe) switched over
• Been working on getting old Growing Grounds Case files put into our Google Drive
• Just keep plugging away and trying to enjoy each day as it comes
• National Conference in Tampa was amazing!!!

False Fall...

 ...last week was full of 70 degree days and gorgeous!  Aaaannnndddd, then on Saturday 90 and oppressively humid! I was able to do some weeding and mulching; felt like I took more breaks than I did work, but, something is better than nothing, right?

Old Business:

• Still reading Hands Heal
• Last week was a good chore week, this week is not bad
• Finished Sirens, started a new book, can't remember the name. Fantasy genre
• Last week was a good week for work tasks, this week not bad
• Plugging away on NcBTMB
• I'm about to take P4S off this list! Ha!
• Magazines, not too bad.  For some reason, when I hit an MTJ, it takes longer.
• Memorabilia is DONE! Go me!
• Garage still needs about a month of time...
• Guitar, I'm on week 49!!!!
• Got all of my tasks done for the lawyer on the guardianship
• Bloodwork still needs done.  It's fasting, so yuck!  I have to do black coffee.. :(
• The entire east fence is done (inside and out! go me!!!) and I have about a third of around the patio done.  I'm finding that in a lot of places, I'm having to cut deeper into the yard due to things growing.  Not a bad problem.  Trying to keep a better eye over what I've already done and pluck out the stray that pops up.
• They are gourds growing out of the compost.  So cute!

New Business:

• Want to get back into scrapping & crafting
• Have put out job postings at a couple different schools.  Would love to get another therapist
• Baby brother is coming to spend the weekend - really excited about that
• Need to fix the sanding booth.  Something happened the last time the door got opened.  Need to try and get it fixed before water delivery day
• I got a kitty cat!  Her name is Izzy, short for Isabelle - she has first vet visit today
• Got some new sheets and blankets at work - always energizing!

Dog Days...

 ...we are full into Summer.  And.... school started back up this week.  NUTZ! We've had alternating hot and muggy and some of it cool and sunny.  Butterfly bushes, Melissa, Salvia, Coneflowers, Daylilies, Garden Phlox are all still in bloom, I love it!  And my fig tree is COVERED!  I can't wait!  But, I don't want it to be fall. Sigh...

Old Business:

• Working through Hands Heal, and of course I'm learning a lot!
• Chores are the same, sometimes I get going in a good streak, sometimes not.
• Same for the work tasks. Good weeks/bad weeks.
• Still reading Sirens.  Almost done with it though.  It has been interesting.
• Still working through NCBTMB, same as chores, sometimes good, sometimes bad.
• P4S bad, sigh.
• Magazines, pretty good.
• Pulmonology went well,  I really liked him.  He's ordered some more tests.  I"m starting to think its POTS.
• Craft table got cleaned off, but still need to do memorabilia.  Dan, 2 months and not done yet.  That's shameful.
• Garage, same as the rest! LOL But I did get the old electric chippers stripped (yes, parts are still on workbench) but the big parts are gone!
• Guitar, at like 46? Last update was really cool!  I need to just put it on my schedule!
• Met with lawyer regarding guardianship and have a couple things I need to do.
• Had a mini Roudy vacation with the ex & his wife, 023 and her partner 024, and 020.  It was just a weekend and way too short, but better than nothing!

New Business

• Have to get bloodwork done.
• Flowerbeds, I have almost the entire outer east side of the fence done.  About 8' to get to the alley.  Then I'm hoping to work around the patio.  So many weeds!  Please tell me it's going to be better next year! I've told myself that each year. Sigh.
• Zucchini ended up being squash.
• Not entirely sure they're cukes in the compost.  Nothing has fruited yet, but lots of flowers.  Do have a volunteer gourd growing in one of the front pots.
• Will be going to Tampa for AMTA NC in September, looking forward to that.