Countdown

One. More. Day!! Then it's vacation time!
I think tomorrow will be the longest day on record. I'd better have something to keep me busy at work, or I'll go absolutely crazy!

Well Deserved

It recently came to my attention that Sweetest Day is Saturday, October 20. Why is that important, especially since my husband "doesn't believe in that made-up holiday"? (Maybe some handsome stranger will give me flowers and make him jealous)) It's important because I got called in to work the rush at the flower place the week before.

I'll be working Friday, Saturday at Giggles, Sunday at flowers, Monday at Giggles, Tuesday at flowers, Wednesday at Giggles THEN I get to leave on Thursday! Throw in a late-night LMS gig (welcoming the veterans home at the airport from the Honor Flight) on Saturday night just for fun. Wow, I'm really going to need a vacation after a week like that!

In preparation for my ride at the Krempels King of the Road Challenge (sponsor me here, get your friends to sponsor me too- I'd love be in the top 10 fundraisers) I took advantage of a beautiful fall day yesterday, and planned to go for a nice long bike ride. I was all ready to go, excited because I hadn't been on my bike since the ill-advised ride on July 4. It took a while to get my bike out, there are bikes and doors and bales of wood shavings in the way. I did finally extract it, leaned it up against the house, and here's what I found

Needless to say, I was mad. I found out that someone who shall remain nameless, but lives in my house and owns a lot of bikes, took my pedals and put them on his time trial bike. I am not a bike mechanic, I was not going to reattach my own pedals. So, I changed plans, got out the old mountain bike (and had to put on a water bottle holder, but that was not a surprise), and took a little trail ride. The scenery was beautiful and I left the camera at home. I surprised myself by making it up "hospital hill" without a problem, and riding over the floating boardwalk was fun (but against the rules). It was over too soon, and the rain started to fall just a few minutes after I got home. I hope I'll have time to ride a few more times before I leave, but I doubt it.

Which is it?

I'm either the coolest Mom in the world, or the dumbest.

It's semi-permanent, which means it washes out in about 2 months.

In other news, this past Friday, I attend my high school band's alumni reunion. It was homecoming, so the alumni get to join the current band on the field for the pre-game. I had a good time, even though there weren't very many people there. I'm mad at myself though because I forgot to take pictures while I was there. But, here is one of me practicing at home:

 

  Yeah, that's my high school band jacket, AND IT STILL FITS! It's funny how you hear 4 drum clicks, and you immediately mark time. I still got it.

Anticipation!

Four more weeks. Four more weeks. Four more weeks until my vacation!
These next four weeks are going to take forever, and my four day vacation will go way too quickly!

When I come home, I'll go right into Christmas mode at work.

Maybe no one will notice if I never come home?

Versus

                              

     VS 

   I've decided to donate a hand knit item for a benefit. The benefit is for an old friend, so I want to donate something that will actually bring in some decent cash. At first I was thinking I'd give a sweater, but after some comments I've seen on Ravelry, I'm having second thoughts. Maybe socks would be better since I have knit a lot more socks than I have sweaters. 

  With the Christmas shopping season approaching, I won't have any time to knit at work, so it might be April before I'd have a sweater finished. Socks, on the other hand, are much quicker. 

Please weigh in, what do you think I should do? I have about a week to decide.

A Little Ouchy

  So, I had a root canal today. I'm lucky enough not to have had one before (thanks for the healthy choppers, Dad). It was not horrible, but also not on my list of things I like to do. It turns out, that the throbbing pain in my mouth was caused by Irreversible Pulpitis. Sounds fun, doesn't it? According to Wikipedia, I had all the symptoms. Root canal is the only treatment. At least the anesthetic numbed the pain for a few hours. 

I did get to stop for lunch with Karl on the way home from the dentist. We wanted to stop at our favorite gyro place, but found it has closed. :(

Then I remembered about a restaurant we haven't been to in a very long time - a stereotypical Wisconsin supper club kind of place. On the lake, boat parking (and snowmobile parking in the winter),they bring your soda still in the can with a glass of ice. I had the walleye sandwich. Not too bony. A little lemon juice and a hint of tartar sauce. YUM! It was worth the mouth pain.

My mouth is still pretty sore (I skipped the carrot sticks at dinner), and it is actually swollen. I hope it's better by Saturday because I have a gig with LMS.

What I did on my summer vacation: a photo essay

  My summer vacation was very busy. 

I played my trumpet. A LOT!

Thank goodness for a few measures of rest!

We built a chicken coop and got some chickens (not necessarily in that order).

The girls love their house!

We took a trip to the Land of Lincoln (literally!)

Rub his nose for luck!

No offense to the flatlanders, but the Wisconsin State Fair is better.

I did ride my bike a few times before it got obscenely hot

Woo-hoo! I'm in the lead!

But it was a really hot summer,

So I stayed inside a lot. 

The garden failed. We did get some potatoes though.

That's the extent of the harvest!

We're fostering a little weenie

Her name is Jazzy

 And now that school has started, maybe life will be a little less crazy.  

Probably not.