the Big Dig

this past weekend is the time I had set for the big dig. My perennial garden had not had much attention since I planted it 8 - 10 years ago. The grasses and weeds were starting to over run the entire garden. So after lunch on Saturday I started. I dug up all of the perennials and put them on a tarp. I had hoped for about 50 degree weather, but it was in the 80's. The sweat was running off of me. On top of the sweat, those little tiney black bugs were out. After 4 1/2 hours I had everything out. Then all of the ground got spaded over. That was enough for one day! Besides which, we wanted to stop and watch the Twins. We lit the fire pit and turned the TV so we could see it from the fire pit. Needless to say, the Twins did NOT look good. They lost and are now out of the World series hunt. Sunday afternoon it was back to the perennial garden. Leon tilled it for me and then I started putting things back. I broke up the clumps of perennials and put just some of everything back. It looks great again. And even better a friend came and took all the left overs. I hope she enjoys the plants.

Today, it was back to reality - work. When I got there I could not get into 2 of the main programs I use all day. Soon I also realized the phones were not working. Yipes! What a start to the week. Because it was Columbus Day we were not very busy. I think people thought we would be closed. We may pay for that tomorrow. Wednesday I head to Springfield to do training. I hope that goes well. It could be a looooooong week!

A Big Week

I sure has been a productive week. Monday night we came home from Michigan. I was very sad as always, but it was good to get home. Except that we came home to a wet basement. When we left the prior Thursday morning it was pouring rain. It had actually rained all night long. By the time we left we had gotten over 5 inches. But, the basement was dry and the city crew had beenout and started pumping the manholes. We thought we were home free so we left for MIchigan. It took us 6 hours to drive out of the rain. by the time we got to Michigan I had contacted a friend and they checked the basement. Bless their hearts, they found out it was wet so they went and got a shop vac and got it all dried out. But when we got home on Monday night, it smelled very musty in the house. Tuesday, after a very hectic day at work, I went and rented a carpet shampooer. I spent 3 hours shampooing, but it smelled a lot better when I was done. The rest of the work week was spent catching up from being gone, training a new employee in Fulda, and getting yet another project completed. Friday night we went to the Homecoming Game here in town. I don't know many of the kids out there anymore, but it is still fun to be at high school sporting events. Saturday morning I worked. That is okay. I always get a lot of catch up work done on Saturday mornings. This particular Saturday morning was very very busy so I helped the tellers, but I still got a lot of stuff done. Saturday afternoon we worked in the yard. We got the vegetable garden totally cleaned out and the remains taken out to the tree dump. They have a compost pile out there that you can put garden waste in. It was kind of sad that the garden is done, because I love to be able to run out to the garden and get things for a meal. ON the other hand I am tired of canning salsa, tomatoes, and green beans and dicing onion and peppers. Today I spent putzing and cleaning. I did a lot of cleaning I have not had a chance to do the last few weeks. I dusted, scrubbed floors, cleaned bathrooms, etc. I feel like I have gotten a lot done! It is a really good feeling. Now, tomorrow is Monday so I have to get ready to do it all again.

Stressful Week

This is such a stressful time for me. One of the big projects we are working on right now is strategic planning for next year. This project is so hard on me. I feel the weight of the world on my shoulders during this time. This year is extra hard as they have added a few new catagories to the project. This is also the time of year when they do our performance reviews. I just wish they would do mine. I have heard a couple of comments about my review and it makes me nervous. I don't think there is much more I could have done this past year. I practically lived at the office, especially the first 3 -4 months after the merger. Next we have the fact that I have a ton of account type things to work on! Probably the most I hve ever had to do in one week. That being said, we are going to have one employee gone today and one on Thursday. Yipes!!!! And my last stress for this week is the fact that for some reason they feel the need to do an assessment of how well I know my job. Sometime this week I need to take a test (51 questions) that will gauge how much I know. I am not sure where this is coming from. They don't do a teller assessment or anything - only the FSR's. Can't figure that out. Well, I want to get to the office early so I better get going.

HOliday Weekend

It has been a very quiet holiday weekend! I worked Saturday morning, but that is okay. I got a lot of things done. I got one big project completed and got a lot done on another. Spent the rest of the afternoon cleaning house. It really needed it too. I had not had a chance to clean for a couple of weeks. The floors were really dirty and so was the bathroom. Saturday evening we spent on the patio. The weather was perfect. A nice night to just enjoy the end of a Minnesota summer.

Yesterday we took Millie to church. It didn't go too bad. She got around better than I thought she would. After lunch I spent time working in the gardens. PIcked tomatoes and beans. There were actually enough beans to can another batch. I think I have canned 60 - 70 pints of beans so far! NO MORE!!!!!! I also refuse to can any more tomaotes. What ever we pick from now until the first freeze is only for fresh eating. Last night we spent on the patio again. The weather was perfect, but the bugs drove me in around 9:00.

Today was cool and it rained off and on all day. Since I couldn't be outside, I spent the day with my sewing machine working on the wedding quilt. I was nice to cacoon myself in my sewing room. I kind of feel relaxed and refreshed. But on the other hand, I haven't had any outside contact with people so I feel lonesome.

Well, I suppose I better get some stuff done to be ready to go back to work tomorrow. I need to get my outfit picked out and pressed, some laundry done and some snack foods picked out. Not really looking forward to going back to work. It is going to be really wild. We are always busy on the day after a Monday holiday. Put that together with having 2 employees gone - let's just say it has potential for a very long day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, today is the last day of the county fair. That is always a relief for me. We always have so much to do for the fair that we don't get to enjoy it too much. Leon is at the races with the fire truck so I am home by myself. I don't mind though. I enjoy being home alone sometimes. I get to do what I want and watch whatever I want on TV. I have enough to keep me busy that is for sure. I have the bathrooms cleaned and floors scrubbed. I have one more load of laundry to do and a report to do for work. Then I am going to enjoy some time on the patio.

Thursday night Randi, Travis and the kids are coming home. Yay! I haven't seen them since Kruse-a-palooza. They are only staying a couple of days, but at least I will be able to see them. Then the end of September we are going to head out there the kid's birthdays. I am really looking forward to that!!!!!! It will be nice to get away from work and actually relax. Between now and then I have a ton of stuff to get done at work though. I have 2 big projects that need to be done - one by the end of the month and one by September 12th.

Well, I have a date with a mojito!!!!!

I need some sleep!

Well, as good as it was to be on vacation, it is now back to the real world. The last couple of weeks since vacation was over has been incredibly busy!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't know why, but at work it is like the dam burst. The customers are coming out of the woodwork! I just can't get caught up! And there are a couple of other things going on as well. It is incredibly busy at home as well. The yard needs tending to, the cleaning needs to be done, I need to get beans canned, and I seem to have meetings all the time. That feeling of drowning is coming back. I didn't sleep last night. This seems to happen every time I feel too stressed. I took a "Simply Sleep" a few minutes ago so I hope I can sleep tonight. I think after next week I will feel better. Some of the issues I have at work should be worked out by then. I sure hope so anyway. Our parade season and the county fair should be over as well. I just need some down time. Some time to spend with a cocktail out on the patio. I spent a few minutes out there last Saturday, but it wasn't nearly enough. Maybe I will have to invite friends over and have a bonfire on Saturday. Maybe that will help "the altitude of my attitude".

Kruse-a-palooza 2010

Well, another edition of Kruse-a-palooza is in the books. Starting with the wedding which was incredibly fun!!!!!! Everything was perfect!!!! The rest of the week was a lot of fun as well. At least I hope everyone had as much fun as I did. Lots of good food, beer, fun things to do, and most importantly getting to see all the people I love. Even though I had a ton of fun, it is nice to have my house back. Curt and Andrew stayed and spent the morning helping us take down the tent, put things away, clean the house and all the stuff that goes with the after math of Kruse-a-palooza. I took us about 2 1/2 hours to do what it normally takes us 2 days to do. I am now very lonesome. It is very quiet around here. I miss everyone so much. I am not really looking forward to going back to work on Monday either.