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.

Summertime!

 Well, it is officially summer in the northern hemisphere.  The first week of the equinox was a HOT and HUMID one here. This week has been wonderful with rainy days and cooler temps, but the blast furnace is coming back... Butterfly bushes, Melissa, Salvia, Coneflowers, Daylilies, Garden Phlox are all in bloom.  It is definitely my happy place!

Old Business:

• Picked up Hands Heal which is a guide for LMTs on insurance work. Yea, I've been doing it for awhile, but thought the book might help smooth out some of the rough edges.
• Doing OK with chores, but sometimes I get to one that takes more than a day to get done, and find that it then lingers for way too long, and my brain won't let me jump over it to the next one.
• Have been good at planning small things to do at work to keep some momentum and make sure things are done in a timely fashion.
• Started reading the Sirens of Titan by Vonnegut. Fascinating!
• Still doing NCBTMB test prep instead of trail guide
• P4S still bad
• Magazines are good.
• Have my pulmonology consult the end of July.  The really hot/humid days I notice are hard.
• Finished 020's version of what makes you smile LO, now I need to put away some memorabilia and decide what is next.
• Garage - definitely ebbs and flows.  I've been working on mulching flower beds (see more below) and got to the spot where I want to put the rainwater tank, so that's out of the garage now. Trying desperately to not put  more in it!  LOL
• Guitar - I'm at 40 weeks! That is super exciting!  Just wondering when I'm gonna get good at playing! LOL
• Guardianship still needs to be done, and I have it on my short list to do finally.

New Business:

• The electric company has been going through doing tree trimming around the power lines, and they have very generously dropped off 3 truckloads of chipped/shredded wood for me! It's a lot! Has come in very handy, and I have managed to get all of the front & east side of the house done, and bits and pieces of other places around the fence as I've been transplanting/planting new. I've done probably close to 40 wagon loads, and you can barely tell!  LOL
• We had State Education conference and board meeting at the beginning of June.  That was so good and I received an award for my volunteer efforts that I do.  I was so surprised and it still just about makes me want to cry!  So sweet!
• Stick pile is actually growing now as I've trimmed several bushes, and we've had storms that have knocked more branches down.
• Baby brother spent another weekend with me, and this time we DID get to ride the lawnmower.  He was super excited and would wave as we were buzzing up and down the yard, just like we were a parade.  It was so cute!  Of course, we also had hamburgers and milkshakes, and went to church.  He's so much fun!
• Stained the back steps.
• Found a free desk, older student kind, that I'm going to build up a bit, and put castors on and that will be my saw workbench.  I'm excited to get that project done.
• Also need to do bench repair.
• And scrub north facing window frames and paint the ones that didn't get wrapped.
• And paint the doors.
• Have zucchini, peppers, and tomatoes planted.  And rhubarb!!! Volunteer cukes in the compost!

May flowers...

 They are definitely here!  Lilacs, creeping phlox, iris, and allium are all in bloom.  Daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, crocus have all passed away.  I even have some salvia being brave and sending up blooms. Peonies are getting ready to open.  This is so my favorite time!

Old Business:

• Done with Power, did the workbook sections. Nailed down a few things I need to concentrate on and put into practice.  Not sure what I am going to pick next.
• Chores and downtime were one of those things.  Listened to an interesting podcast from Hidden Brain (SO! recommend it) regarding scarcity and even how that can affect our view of rest and recharge. I am getting more consistent with putting these in my schedule book.  I remember a time when I was in college when it seems like I was better at this.
• Eleanor is SOOOO good!  It is almost done, and then I will have to decide what to read next.
• Trail Guide is still iffy.  I had to do another subscription to NCBTMB test prep as in taking the practice tests I realize how much I need to study again!
• Still bad on P4S
• Magazines are going pretty good.
• Health - next step is Pulmonology
• Finished 023's challenge LO of what makes you smile, working on 020's version
• Garage - ebbs and flows.  I did get all of my potted plants that I overwintered outside this weekend, and that has helped.  I also finally (!) got around to drilling some drainage holes in the big ones.
• Guitar is now at 32 weeks!!
• Still need to do the guardianship stuff

New Business:

• Have had a couple of nights when I've gotten home from work and been able to do some gardening.  I really like that.  My therapist has encouraged me to do some walking barefoot outside to reconnect my energy and I've loved that.
• Sticks are picked up each time now.  I had to buy another woodchipper (I went to use the one I bought last August and it worked for 15 minutes and then stopped!) So I got a gas-powered one this time (more environmentally friendly than another electric one that I'll have to throw away??). I was a bit intimidated with it at first, but we are now old friends. I like using it, and we've already chewed up 1/2 of the pile that was behind the shed, plus the ones off the property, plus the ones that I pick up when I go walking.  Dad says he has some at work he's going to bring home for me, so I can't wait! I'm hoping this will help in keeping the weeds a bit more manageable.  I mean, I do enjoy weeding, but I'm getting a little tired of them constantly taking over.
• Got the oil changed in the mower, and have mowed I think 3 times now. Love it!!
• I did get 1 bush planted in the new section, as well as transplanting some phlox there. And this weekend planting the Asiatic lilies that were in the garage.
• Baby brother spent the weekend with me last weekend.  We got to do all the things he wanted to do: eat hamburgers and milkshakes, clean the garage, watch dog shows (I've seen so much Paw Patrol now!), and go to church.  He was totally stoked! 
• Stained the ramp to the shed
• Repaired the screens in the house windows - love having the windows open, it smells so good, and boy does the house need airing out after winter!
• Pastor's wife has helped me on my crochet project, so it is really taking off!
• Have had a lot of fresh asparagus - yummy!

No Foolin'!

 It is April, and in the typical Birthday Week fashion, rainy and overcast!  LOL but fairly warm. Saturday was gorgeous!  I was down in Richmond, IN at my brother & SIL's for Easter. Got to see my nephew, my aunt, uncle, other brother and his wife, dad, and baby brother. She made a super yummy dinner and we had a great time.  Made sure my baby brother got to ride down with me, as he's always asking.

Old Business:

1. Almost done with Power.  Into the workbook section, so I think that is going to be interesting.
2. Chores and downtime, I think I need to start blocking and gating.
3. Still reading Eleanor.  Starting to get good.
4. Doing OK with trail guide. I signed up for the 3 month subscription for the NCBTMB test, so I need to get cracking.
5. Still bad with P4S.
6. Magazines, doing pretty good.
7. Stress test and echo are done.  While I do have some mitral and aortic regurgitation, he says he does not feel it is bad enough to cause my symptoms. So, back to the drawing board.  I was thankful for my brother and his wife to come up and go with me to it.
8. Have not started the next layout yet.
9. Garage is so-so. Got water inside the last couple times it rained, so that's put a damper on it a bit.  However, did put together the 2 lanterns that were painted, and put the lights in them, and so far, they are staying put on the holders I made for the fence. And lighting up.
10. Guitar is good, at 28 weeks now.
11. Need to set up appointment with lawyer and dad to do the co-guardianship.

New Business:

1. I have been out weeding and edging once or twice a week, just to try and get a little head start.
2. We've had a couple of good windstorms, so I've also been out picking up sticks a few times instead of waiting until I'm ready to mow.
3. Going to change the oil in the lawnmower this week.
4. Maybe going to plant the bushes that I overwintered along the "new" section of the fence so I can start working there.
5. Probably need to mow the yard this week/weekend. Thinking about maybe pushing it to get the clippings.  Will depend on whether or not it goes to seed before I get there.

Crocus are gone already, but now I have daffodils, bleeding hearts, grape & regular hyacinth, and forsythia. I did see a small nub of asparagus peeking up, the magnolia tree has buds that are almost out, and the lilac is starting to bud out. My hydrangeas are starting to get little green growths around the crowns, and my ligularia are popping up. So excited!