Wednesday, December 21, 2022

Polar Vortex... :(

 Oh, my goodness it is going to get cold out there! I am NOT a fan of the cold.  I can't believe it's been since April since I've written anything.  Let's see how I've been doing...

Old Business:

  • 8th Day of Creation is finished, as is How to Bill Insurance as a Massage Therapist. I'm now on to So I think you need to Talk to Someone.  Wow, look at me go, 2 books finished, and the next about 1/3 done.
  • Caves is finished, and now I've started a collection of short stories from a Czech author called Lovers for a Day.  Very different style of writing, but I find it intriguing.
  • Trail Guide - been hitting it pretty consistently.  Have finished: shoulders, neck, arms, and hands.  Currently working on head and face.
  • Planning for success, kinda got out of it, need to get back into it.
  • Magazines are plugging along slowly.  Very sad that Martha Stewart has been discontinued.
  • Neck and shoulder exercises are going OK.
  • Running has been up, down, and all over the place. I got COVID in October, so that really slowed me down, and then by the time I felt like I wanted to start trying again, it got cold.  Refer to comment at the top! LOL
  • Have done 2 more career fairs, 1 in Indy and 1 in Ivy Tech Fort Wayne.  Ever hopeful that I will find someone.
  • I got a bit of weeding done during COVID, when I felt OK (and of course all summer long), but never made it back to the alley beds. That was discouraging.
  • Craft table is cleaned, and photos all put away.
  • Cleaning is still a back and forth, but I just keep trucking forward.
  • I have moved into the new space in Marion!  It is just gorgeous!  That happened in July.  Now to find more workers to put in the rooms!
  • Playing guitar more steady.  At least 1-2 times a week.
  • Sewer line is all done, was finally able to start mowing and such over the trench.  There are a few holes yet where it settled funny, but I'll figure out how to fill those in.
  • Have been able to spend a couple more weekends down with Brother and fam.
  • Had a couple of small visits from the kiddos.  It's never enough!!

New Business:

  • Goodness, where to start. Celebrated brother and nephew's birthdays in May.
  • June 018 came up to do the Aventura camp again, so that was wonderful.
  • In June I had to fire S at the Wabash office.  That was hard.  Lots of reasons.  Lots of learning experiences.
  • July was moving the offices, and going to Indy to visit the fam.
  • August was going to AMTA nationals in Cleveland on the Government Relations team. That was way cool! And a fun city to run in!
  • September was a trip to Fort Myers Beach, FL. Soooo good.  We got back about 3 days before Ian.  So sad.
  • Most of summer was full of mowing and weeding.  We had a lot of trouble finding straw to cover the beds, and that made a significant impact.
  • October was Fall education for AMTA-IN chapter in Brown County.  Really good!  And then came back and got COVID. Spent 16 days fighting that little bugger. My neighbors helped me get a wood chipper (I paid for it, they fetched it since I was contagious) and left in my driveway!  LOL But that really helped with getting rid of a huge brushpile they had dragged to my house, and I could use it to cover the flowerbeds. Later, they would bring down a bunch of leaves (I had already collected mine with my little push rake), and I was able to cover more of the beds that way.  One of these days, I'm sure the amount of weeding is going to decrease if I can keep them covered better.  In fact, they brought me so many leaves, I still have a huge mound in the backyard that I can start using in the spring. Oh, we celebrated 018 turning 019. I was still positive, so we did it in the backyard - the weather was perfect that day and everyone could stay away from me!  And I got stung by a hornet, in my lip, when I didn't check my drink.  Ouch! And my dad had his knee replaced!!! Yea!  He feels so much better.
  • November, I was back to work, and trying to manage energy levels and expectations of myself. Thanksgiving was wonderful, and we were able to have a houseload of people. I started back in on some house projects, and took the kids' bedroom door off.  It is currently out in the garage sanded and stained.  It is waiting on me to clean the paint off an old doorknob set that I found. One of the old glass ones.  I love those!
  • December, just kinda chilling.  For an early Christmas present, I got myself a folding treadmill.  It's currently set up in the Laundry room so I can see the backyard while I walk and run.  So far it has come in very handy.  I'm back up to being able to run a mile, and I'm hoping this will help me be more consistent with it over the winter so I don't have to start all over in the spring.

Tuesday, April 19, 2022

April Showers...

 I know, not the most original... :( But we have had rain and snow.  After Easter!

Old Business:

  • Boundaries is finished.  Have started 8th Day of Creation. It is about learning how to discover and accept your gifts.
  • Still reading Caves, but it's forward movement.
  • Trail Guide - up until a couple of nights ago.  I need to get more of the workbook sheets so I can continue.  Temporarily doing a legacy workbook, Planning for Success.
  • Magazines, we're trucking along.  Massage mags seems to take longer.
  • Neckersizes are no worse, so that is good.
  • Running has been good some weeks, not so good others.  I got used to running at home, and then the weather got cold again and I keep forgetting to pack so I can go to the wellness center.
  • Did a career fair at Ivy Tech in Marion today.  That was pretty cool.
  • Have weeded a bit more. Really looking forward to getting back out there.
  • Most of the stuff on the craft table is put away, along with 2/3 of the photos that I had last had printed out!
  • Getting into a better routine for cleaning the house.

New Business:

  • Remodeling has started in the new Marion space. Looking really hard for more therapists to join.
  • Have gotten back to playing guitar (and still painting).
  • Had to have the sewer line replaced. Seems like there is something big each year for the house.  I'm hoping this was it!
  • Got to stay with my brother & fam over Easter. Lots of fun catching up.
  • Looking forward to summer and visits from 021 & 018!

Monday, March 7, 2022

Lamb in Lion's Clothes?

 It's March, and I think it has come in as both a lamb and a lion!  LOL This weekend was gorgeous, and now... not so much! Oh well, what are you going to do, it's Indiana!

Old business:

  • Still reading Boundaries, but very near the end... Land of Painted Caves, long way to go, but it is a big book!  LOL  New rhythm seems to be do read Boundaries over breakfast, and Caves in the evening.
  • Trail Guide - back on the wagon, been reading it/doing workbook before I do fun reading in the evening.
  • Magazines - still on the wagon.
  • Neckersizes, about the same
  • Given up trying to ride the bike, and have gone back to running, at least when I am in Marion.  I can go to the Wellness Center and just pay for the days I'm there.  Wabash Y is not nearly as accommodating.  They want a yearly membership.  I really only want it when it is cold. Sigh.
  • Shoe organizer hung
New Business:
  • Started weeding this weekend - go me!  I mentioned it was gorgeous, right?  Goes so much faster in the spring because there's just less of those suckers!  LOL And, I think it is an investment as they will not be going to seed making new ones either!
  • Cleaned garage over the weekend, that really needed done. Need to figure out how to saw and sand outside!  HEHE
  • Been painting again, that feels good.
  • Been chipping away at pile of stuff on craft table to put away.

Wednesday, February 2, 2022

Oh, the weather outside is frightful...

 ...unfortunately I have no fire to be delightful!  Well, welcome to 2022 and Winter Storm Landon!  LOL We took today (Wednesday) - Friday off  (closed the offices) and this morning it looked like it was a bad call, but now... not so much.  Have been enjoying my snow day, have a batch of bread rising, some marinara simmering on the stove, and have shoveled the driveway 2 times, and even got some old birthday cards mailed out.  Yea, I still do it. I know it is probably goofy, but with the past two years, I think it's appreciated.  Let's see, it's been a hot minute since I've done this.  Have really lost (or maybe acquired a new) my pace/rhythm on things...

Old business:

  • Pictures put away, homework put away!
  • Finished Essential Spirituality. Now Reading Boundaries as my "work" book, and Land of the Painted Caves for fun.
  • Trail Guide - ouch fell off the wagon!
  • Magazines, every day, before I do my fun book reading. This has been a fun new rhythm right before bed.
  • Neck and shoulder exercises (Neckersizes as the boys like to call them) are better, 3-5 days a week.
  • We had our 1 year anniversary at HC in Wabash, that has been fun. It has been a rough couple of years for massage, but we are hanging in there.
  • QUIT church!  Yea, I know, can you believe it? Last day was in October. Replacement gal is perfect for it.  It was such the right thing to do, I feel good about it.
  • Finished up fall gardening stuff, but unfortunately did not get all the weeds pulled before the ground froze. I reckon they will probably still be there in the spring.
  • 018 is off to IU!
  • Boys' and my closet rework is done!
  • Continued with running as much as I could, 2-3 days a week.  Now that it is so cold, I've switched to riding my bike. Not as successful, 1-2 days a week.
  • Have donated many things to Goodwill.
  • Built a bench for Wabash office.
  • Bought S a lift table, and then made an extension so she can work on tall people.
  • Starting hiring process for Marion.
New Business:
  • 018 and 020 suggested I move them into the same bedroom since they are both in college now so I can have my studio back. So there has been LOTS done to get that going:
    • Built a loft out of piping for 018's bed to go over 020's.
    • Moved shelving in from laundry
    • Moved office stuff out of 020's room
    • Made crafting table from old countertop the neighbor's gave me
    • Bought a super-cute rug to go under so hopefully my feet stay warm
    • I get to look outside the double window into the backyard, yea!
    • PURGING as I move stuff in and around
  • That set off a chain reaction to reorganizing the laundry room a bit and 018's old bookshelf went out there to be a butler's pantry for me
  • Built more pipe covers for the laundry room to keep the cold air out
  • Sand/stain boys' bedroom door
  • Sand/stain my closet and bedroom doors
  • Sand/stain studio doors
  • Hang shoe organizer for boys
  • Hang punch organizer for me
  • Keep on keeping on!