Idiots and barking dogs

Yesterday someone parked a mini van directly in front of our office and left. There were two huge dogs in it and the windows were rolled down about 2 inches. Every time a customer stopped, a person walked by, or even a car drove by the dogs hit the glass with force! Growling and barking and scaring everyone. The entire block was open on both sides of the street, why would they chose to park directly in front of our door? What a riot!
No one came back and it was going on two hours so I was about to call the police, I was worried about the dogs. But then a gal came walking up and hopped in and drove away. I guess she works at the gas station across the street. All I could think of was that I hope she isn't planing to park there everyday!

Other than that I have just been working and busy. Tonight Shannon's friend Sara and I are going to get together. Fun Fun...

Great Day

Today as you might have read is my Birthday (59 but don't tell) and it was great. First thing in the morning Shannon called that started my day off right.

I was missing my mom so I went through her jewelry chest drawer by drawer. The chest is a piece of furniture about 2ftx2ftx2ft, it is an old map chest that has about 8-10 drawers. Mom kept all her jewelry and small things, keepsakes and costume jewelry in there. It was always packed to the hilt. And every little girl who came over played dress up with all the sparkly's. Shannon love to play with the jewelry and find little treasures. Today I did. It was like spending the day with mom. I decided I am taking it back to Florida with me this summer so my granddaughter can play with the stuff in it someday too and hear stories about her great grandma. (Love you Mom)

After that I relaxed mostly. I did make John a nice pot roast dinner with gravy , potatoes and carrots. I ate a black bean burger and a salad (trying to be good here) but I am going up to drink some wine for my birthday treat! I draw the line at giving up wine. After all I'm drinking for three. (Shannon, Erin and Me!)

Snow flakes keep falling...

Hard to believe but we are having yet another big snow storm!
What the H E-double hockey sticks is going on here. I have been home two weeks and we have had a storm both weekends. And it is MAY in three days folks! At this rate maybe we will have the 4th of July parade in the stuff.

Last night we had a dinner with family out. (I had salad...being good.) But everyone was blown away with their meals. The only complaint was that it was snowing out and freezing and yet the restaurant had their air conditioning on. It was even cold for me! The other odd thing was that when we first sat down I said I didn't want anything to drink because I had a terrible head ache. All of a sudden our waitress started massaging my neck and putting pressure in spots in my back. Becky looked at her and asked, "do you I know her?" She said, "I'm a massage therapist." Everyone thought she was strange. But it worked I felt better in just a couple minutes. I took her card for future use!

Then today we cleaned the office from top to bottom-Spring cleaning-even though it is still Winter! I am sore to the bone. I will be flat-backing tonight. With wine for medicinal purposes only of course.

Three good things

1. Have you ever tried freezing regular yogurt? A couple days ago I wanted something cold and I spied a yogurt in the frig. I put it in the freezer and that night I ate it. It was frosty and yummy. Better than real frozen yogurt. Crazy good.
2. The last week at work the gals in the office have been complaining about Angel barking a lot, from upstairs. You know how sometimes you can't really tell where a noise is coming from, and I kept saying, I don't think it's her. Well today I heard the barking and ran out side and found it was the neighbors little dog and not Angel at all.
3. Tomorrow is my day off and I am going to an annual all day garage sale in Pierz. They always hold it the last week in April. So I think of it as my personal birthday treat. I have gone every year now for about fifteen years. Practically everyone in town puts out stuff and it is a blast. Especially this year when I can look for baby girl stuff!

Thinking back

Ever since I found out Shannon was having a girl I have been thinking a lot about when Shannon was born. I was cutting & fixing hair at the time and I used to put an ad in the paper each week in the classifieds for advertising. Each week's ad would be a poem. (corny I know)
So when Shannon was born and I was in the hospital my mom put one in for me, I still remember it:
Can't think of a cut
Can't think of a curl
All we can think of
Is our baby girl!

When we got home across the front window of my shop was a huge pink sign 4 ft by 4ft

with ---It's a Girl--painted on it.

That was so sweet of her. She was excited for us. Just like we are excited for them.

Think Pink

I haven't posted for a few days because you can't email from cloud nine. Which is where I've been ever since I found out I was going to be the Grandma of a healthy baby girl! I can't think of anything but pink!

So Much Love

I forgot to mention how great it is being home. Unless you are from a small town in MN you most likely can't relate but knowing everyone in town is wonderful. My first day home I ran to my local grocery store and with in 15 feet of the front door two people had hugged me. Then I saw the asst. manager and got a warm welcome back. And the checkout girl from another lane yelled..."hey stranger, so glad you are back." There is something so special about feeling like people care. In larger cities, no one cares! There might be a bit more to gossip about in a small town but when the chips are down everyone shows up.
The first three days I was home I had family and friends over each night for dinner. My social calendar is already full. I am making plans for the big Pierz all day all city garage sale next week! So much excitement! To think people say small towns are boring...(In my younger years I was foolish enough to think so too.)

Mission Organization

Yesterday was a busy one. Everything I touched was given a permanent home or found one in the garbage. While I was busy doing that I nursed along Bar-B-Q Chicken and Ribs the long slow way adding a bit of liquid every 15 minutes. We had John's sister and husband over to dinner. We also got a call from some old friends to come to Aitkin for a fund raiser for grad-blast last night. A band playing at the 40 Club convention center. We went and had a couple drinks, bought lots of lotto tickets for prizes and tried to visit. Which brings me to a question? I know this makes me sound old but...Why are bands so loud? My ears are still ringing, seriously. Cindy and I went out of the dance area, through a long corridor past two closed doors and the music was still so loud we could hardly hear ourselves talk even then. I have a sore throat from yelling so loud all night. Four times during the night the manager asked them to turn it down as they got so many complaints. But it never got any quieter. It is as if their manhood and the volume was directly connected!

Snow Bound

We woke up to about 8-10 inches of snow and it has snowed steady all day! What is up with that? It is supposed to dump another 6-8 inches tonight. Here is yet another reason I am glad I am not a man...the plowing and shoveling! Yuk. The good thing is they called off school...I used to love that when I was a kid.
My mom told me that one year (I forget the year) the only month all year that didn't get any snow was July! They had a minumn of atleast a flurry every other month. Hard to believe but Mom never exaggerated. Now if I had told the story--a different story--I am all about the exaggeration.

The office was slow so I cleaned out lots of paper crap to get a start on my organizing. I just can't get my husband to throw anything away.

The thing I always hate about getting home is finding that the house wasn't kept up to my standards. Well it wasn't too bad over all. But want to hear something so funny...when I got home the Christmas decorations were still up! In the house and office. I almost died on the spot. He said he didn't know where to put them, which is why I am going to be ruthless while I reorg! But with the snow now they don't seem so out of place. Ho ho ho.

The "white" stuff

Managed to get home without a single problem. It was a sunny day and warm about 45 above...just lovely. Then last night on the news what do I hear? That tonight we are going to get 12-16 inches of SNOW! Oh the sweet joy of living in Minnesota!
Going to get groceries after work to stock up. If we shovel out tomorrow I will post!

One More

C-I will have to re-tally their population sign...there will be one more. I am heading home. Today I am cleaning and washing everything...yuk. I hate closing up but I am excited so that helps. Cleaning out the frig etc. I even sprayed the driveway for weeds this morning. Bathrooms are next...see ya.


Hello B...thanks for finding me again. I am ready to go home so I will email you. I haven't been able to use my old email in awhile, I am going to try it again today. Did you check out Shannon's blog? If you have time--she has pictures posted!

Lake Cabin

Did I ever tell you that the cabin in the photo on this page is a cabin my dad built in the 1940's? He built 10 of them all different. And that spot it is the exact spot I will be putting another bigger cabin he built, for our summer home? I really can't wait! As you can see it is a lovely spot to sit and enjoy the lake. Also, the lake is filled with fish--that you can actually eat! I love fishing. Well, except for the cleaning them part.

Heading to the movies....

Good Days-Good Times

Seems like Shannon and I have had a good week. Got some stuff done at home & enjoyed ourselves .I will have a busy couple of days coming up getting ready to go home on Wed. But I am looking forward to it! I miss my hubby and family and friends. So Minnesota here I come! Shannon feels like I am leaving her in the lurch when many important things are ahead, but I will be back before she knows it.........
The only person (I use this term lightly) who is not looking forward to going home is Angel. She will be very happy to see her daddy, but she will miss FL weather, daily walking, Shannon's fenced in yard and most of all she will miss her best friend, RIO.
I could just leave her here, Jon???????????????????

Calling all dogs...

I love the Dog Whisper! (Okay I really love Cesar Millan--he is sooo cute! I love watching him.) But I also enjoy watching the dogs and him fixing them. No matter what issues they have-presto-all fixed. If you haven't watched it and you have a dog or love dogs, set your DVR to your National Geographic Channel at 2:00 PM daily, also Friday nights, and get a real treat. I warn you, you will get hooked. This Sunday was an all day Dog Whisper...episode after episode. All day and all NIGHT with Cesar, I was in Heaven.
I know my dog is still a barker...but she has come a long way since I started watching and putting his information into practice. I cured her from begging for food. From coming in the kitchen while I'm cooking. From not walking on a leash at all to loving the leash and walking right beside me. (Not out front ahead of me.) And today I started teaching her not to shred everything that falls on the floor. We will see how that goes...

Although I warn you it's a two edged sword--if I keep on curing her myself I will never get Cesar to come to meet me!

Comments to comments

I'm not sure you can copy to dark brown construction paper? And if you could it would cost more than they pay those grade school teachers. When I think of how many hours she must put in just on those art projects not to mention the planning etc, wow. I guess I am happy to help even though yesterdays marathon of ants was beyond the call of duty. Need I say, I am happy we aren't doing it next year!

I have tried yoga, with my arthritis it was awful but those meditation tapes sound interesting, where do you get them? Because it seems hard to turn my brain off. Jon suggested the ocean sounds too, I guess I am ready to try something. Although, I'm going home next week and I always sleep better there.

Oh and last night I had another great night's sleep! Maybe I am getting back in the swing...or maybe it was the 3 glasses of wine? Atleast I went to bed happy.

Today should be more fun...day 2 of Shannon's week off. Baby stuff to do.