The Naughty Chair makes a comeback...

Once upon a time and many years ago, I bought some chairs for $5 at a 'rummage' sale. At that time I used to babysit for my neighbor's 4 children.
Yes sometimes the kids misbehaved.

So I created the 'naughty chair' which was originally blue in color and sat in the kitchen --or outside if necessary.
Kids who misbehaved got a 'time out' in it.
10 minutes is an eternity to a young child.
[Especially if there was no talking allowed.]
And...
there are many 10 minutes in a day!

My newer 'naught chairs' were brightly painted, one had a crack in the seat so if the 'naughty' child had to sit in it~they had to sit still. I painted an elephant on it, and for some reason, the kids got a kick out of having to sit on an elephant while they were 'timed out'.

I loved my old chairs and when I moved here with Rich...they got stuck in the garage...not to be seen for 12 years!
I pulled them out and decided to fix up the dings in them. They were going to make a comeback, at least in my house they were.

I found a third chair I purchase that is quite unique. I can't wait to start mixing up bright colored paints and get it started.
I really think they'd make a nice bunch of chairs to go around the kitchen table.

I'm not sure hubby appreciates them the same way I do.

Oh, I am attempting to fix the crack so people won't get their bums bitten...
;-)

One month, 3 days...

One month, 3 days...and I remount the ever beloved Badger.

The surgeon said 3 months of recovery. 3 months of working the tendon. I've been a good and compliant patient.
I have followed every rule set before me.
Rehab 3X daily with wieghts to increase the strength in the tendon.
I've progressed to 2lbs now and going for 3.

So after cleaning some of the garage/tack area yesterday...I decided that lifting saddles wasn't an issue.
Repeat motion with the reins could be.

So if Badger would neck rein nice and sweet...why could I not ride?

Well.
Ok.
I went.

And it was the most peaceful wonderful incredible thing I've done in weeks.
I rode in my English saddle.
It is light so I can lift it easily.

I felt like a million bucks...
I felt like...I was on top of the world.

There is not one drug or drink that can do this to you.

It is awesome.

Ride.
Riding is more important to me than breathing...

I know, it doesn't make sense.

But there you have it.

Bored out of my skull...

I NEED to ride. I need to get out and do something! One month since surgery, and I have behaved. I feel good and have been doing my exercises.
I have been careful.
I have been a compliant patient.
I've made applesauce, canned tomatoes, made a cake, baked bread, cleaned and organized the pantry...

I cannot take anymore!

mmm, do I sound like a maniac?

Someone stop me before I tackle the dust 'bison' under the beds and attack with great fury...all the cob webs that have mysteriously appeared in the past month.
~~~
I think the cobwebs should stay until after Halloween don't you think?

Have a great evening!

Say it Ain't So....

Say it ain't so...
The want ads, the jobnet searches...all are pretty pitiful.
So I am still searching and searching.

Today.
Today I applied to Walmart.
Ok, you going to cringe?
My fear is that they WILL call me.
My fear is that they will hire me.

But look at the options.
Income versus no income.

I'll take the income.
There simply are not many jobs withing reasonable driving distance.
Especially with our winters and roads.
I guess I finally found one drawback to living in the sticks.

Can you all tell I have NOT been able to go riding in ONE month?
I sure hope I get the okay soon.

Do Bears Poop in the Woods?

Oh yeah, they do.

Tuesday while on a hiking in the woods,...just strolling along my regular hiking path I stopped to look at something I'd never seen before.

I suspected that it may have been Bear Scat. In other words, Bear Poo. I didn't freak out, as it looked a day or so old. I'm taking Rich back this afternoon as he is better at looking for old tracks and signs than I am.

It would more than likely be a Black Bear, we've had sightings of one in this area about a mile away.

Okay so not a pretty picture, but think of it this way~~~you are now an informed reader.
Wednesday found me on the road very early on my way to Reedsburg, WI. I interviewed at a place called QTI which stands for Quality Temps Inc.
I had to take some computer tests as well as interview.

My score for data entry was 4,650 keystrokes per hour with 98% accuracy.
My score for typing was 65 words per minute with 99% accuracy.
The lady who interviewed me said...Impressive!!!

I thought this would be interesting to work for an agency in more than one place...the job they are looking to place me into right now is in Viroqua. The pay is equivalent to what I was making in June or a bit more.

On to today, Thursday.
Today was domestic day.

Homemade applesauce.
Not the easy way. I have no grinder.
So it was
peel,
chop,
dice,
cook,
call in Rich to see if the cinnamon was to his liking...
and viola...
YUM.
[Yes there are two pints of tomatoes there...had to can them, too many to eat!]

I think I'll take the rest of the apples I have and make applesauce, ...this is good stuff, not the grocery store garbage with tons of sugar or syrup and artificial stuff.

Ingredients: Apple and cinnamon

I can think of a few people who might want to have a pint.

Last but not least ... ~~~
Some Zinnias for my son...Better than Bear Scat eh???

Team Camera Ladies?

I have to give up the Canon Rebel Digital XT today and relinquish it back to its owner. Yep, this sort of makes me very sad.
It made a huge difference in shooting the Devil's Lake Challenge yesterday. I was able to shoot rapid fire with it and the Canon did awesome.

I was able to catch one shot that made my day...unfortunately...it is not in focus, but I'll post it here because the image does say so much.
My son was coming in to finish for Team Man...and the wives were heading out for the final leg of their 1/4 mile swim in the frigid lake, a 15 mile grueling bicycle ride, and then a 5k [3.1 mile] run.

I enjoyed running back and forth with the Canon. Joy was so fantastic to take on my FujiFinePix camera and take photos of everyone near the finish line.

I owe many thanks to 'Team Camera Ladies' for making this a real great weekend.
Of course thank you my nice son for inviting me too...

Job searching

I got an email from my brother this morning asking about my job situation. I sort of felt embarrassed that I hadn't found anything yet. Seems everywhere I looked was a dead end. Of course as I browsed the job 'ads' I did find one that set my heart fluttering.

I spent most of the morning writing a clear concise cover letter. The job was not related to my new degree in Healthcare, but it was right up my alley. Not only that, I'd heard nothing but wonderful things regarding the company.

So as of today I have 5 applications and resumes out 'there' waiting for a reply [this is not counting the other 15 or so that I have put out in the past two months---eeeks!]. I know that I won't support myself on being a photographer, but doing what I love as a hobby that sometimes actually pays is a good thing.

Well let us keep our fingers and toes crossed. I'm really looking forward to getting a job interview.
Although, I must say that I have enjoyed my gardening, making jams, jellies, canning tomatoes and being a home-maker for the past couple of months. But I do yearn for that outside experience...the workplace.

;-)
Plus it pays better than being a home-maker!
Have a great day!

Wedding Fun

You never know what is going to happen in a Wedding, that is what makes these outdoor wedding so much fun to photograph.
You turn around and your hubby is smooching the bride...
[and she was loving it!]

The flower girl refuses to come down the isle, while the ring bearer tosses his pillow and makes a made dash down the isle. I couldn't get the groomsmen to smile until I asked them to do a dance...yeah.
And they did...though I am not sure I wanted to see them on the dance floor later!!!


Then we had the prettiest little gal show up in a pink dress...

And last but not least, the beautiful Mr. and Mrs.:

It was a great day and we had so much fun.
I must say that the lent camera made all the difference in the world, thanks to my Carquest buddy and good friend Darin. You are a peach.

a thought on grandkids

everyone should experience them. everyone should have a 4 yr old wrap their arms around you and call you 'grandma'.

a grandparent has more patience than when they raised their own. it makes sense, i'm not worrying about the diapers, the bills,...gosh, been there and done that.
;-)

it is a second chance to reach down into those 'mommy' feelings and get to relive them.

....and the kids always behave so much better for grandparents!
....and then you can send them home....though, i'd rather not.



they like to help with chores...run, play, and just have fun...
and grandma doesn't want to miss a lick!

so given the opportunity...have fun...play with your grandkids if you get them.
and if you have a camera, take tons of photos!

sky so blue and rambling

this morning i decided to get back into hiking.
oops, mistake.
hiking requires two good arms the way i do it...i tend to rock climb and go into ravines..and such.

with a stern lecture from hubby and a promise that i would not go rock climbing, i headed out for some very much needed fresh air.

i probably shouldn't claim 'hiking' as to what i was doing...more like dawdling along looking at everything.

today i was struck by the incredible blue skies and the wild cloud formations that came with the cool ... downright cold breeze that gave me a hint of fall and winter.

i meandered along the roadside and then detoured through a field with crop strips. morris and i explored the hay field and walked between corn strips up to where we saw 'the top of the world'...
okay not the top of course, but we had quite the view, we could see for at least a mile east and west!

i just stopped and enjoyed.
the grasshoppers announced our steps by flying up and away with each step we took. the wind whistled in the crab apple trees that grew in the fence row.

i wanted to stay right there and not go another foot.

i thought of things.

how my life has changed over the past 15 years. how lucky i was to be standing next to a corn field and enjoying the brisk air with my jack russell dog...no organized thoughts, just rambling happy thoughts.

i felt good 10 days after surgery...i felt happy and content and more alive than most people.
i felt like i could just sit there all day and watch the skies.

well reality of course broke in...and i made my way home where the 1 1/2 armed bandit carefully chopped up 10 lbs of apples and cooked them down. I strained them and got enough juice to make apple jelly tomorrow.

yes i am enjoying myself.
[and if anyone is wondering...yes, i AM applying for jobs, just haven't had too much luck lately]

so for now, i'm going to get 'healthy' and enjoy every doggon minute i have.
that's a fact.

happy anniversary ed and joy...

sweet summer sounds

smack
crack
giggle...

crickets, wind, a child's laughter...
the belly laugh of grandpa
the laughter of dad...
a refreshing breeze after a hot muggy day...

grandpa playing softball with his 4 yr old grandaughter.

when my husband came outside he wandered over to where we were gathered i handed him the plastic baseball. [my hubby played baseball with his heart and soul in high school]

i watched him grasp the ball and his hands began to search the ball for the stitches in the leather, while his eyes got this look of deep pleasure.
he said to his grandaughter:
'you want grandpa to play ball with you?'

'yes grandpa'

such sweet words on this cool september night.

..and they played until dark.

peals of laughter floating in the evening air.
the smack of a ball
cheers
and so much happiness that i could only lean against the garage out of sight and savor it by not breaking into their private little session.

what beautiful medicine for the heart and soul.