Marvelous Monday Update 8/19/13

Where has the time gone??  Summer has flown by so fast.

HEALTH
I've been nursing tendonitis in my elbow for the past four weeks or so.  I believe I injured it trying to start the weedeater a few weeks ago.  A couple weeks ago, I helped the BF trim my hedges.  He did most of the work since I can't really hold a hedge trimmer at arm's length with my bum elbow (and of course it's my dominant arm).  Can you say mistake?  Even with the little bit I did, the injured area hurt so bad the next day.  One day last week, it felt like it was almost gone but the next day it was back. Boo.  :(

GARDENING
Despite the vegetable garden not doing as well as expected, my flowers are doing beautifully.

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

My tomatoes are starting to ripen.  The cherry ones are only ripening about 1 or 2 at a time so they don't even make it inside the house before I eat them, lol.  I had a Big Boy ripen last week and had it for lunch.  Yummo!!

 

 

THE COUNTY FAIR

Since the BF's employer is an ag dealership and service center, he was able to score some free passes to one of the local county fairs.  I hadn't been to the fair in about 15 years so I thought it would be fun to go.  I used to love seeing the "home ec" exhibits and the animals.  Plus, who can resist "fair food"?!

 

The midway... When I was a kiddo, I loved the rides.  Now, in looking at them, I'm not so sure how safe they are, lol.

 

 

The Grand Champion bunny.  He's so fuzzy and adorable.

 

Check out that stripe!

 

As I was taking photos of other sheep, this little guy jumped up on the fence like he was thinking, "Hey!  What about me?"

 

A couple of tiny cluckers

There were BIG tractors....

 

Old Tractors...  

 

Even Older Tractors...

 

And small tractors.... 

I was pretty disappointed in the number of textile displays.  In the counted cross stitch category, there were two entries.  This Mill Hill kit...

 

 And this self-designed counted cross stitch piece.

Each one was the only it their respective categories.

 

 

In the needlepoint category, there were two entries.

 

WORK

I've passed the eight month anniversary of starting the "new job".  Things are still going pretty well.  I experienced my first state audit last week.  Talk about time consuming! 

I think I may have mentioned that there's a nice walking path just up the road from the building where I work. The wooded path meanders perpendicular to the road and then crosses it to circle around a man-made lake. There’s also another path that branches off and runs along side a creek. Taking a walk on my lunch hour is very peaceful and beautiful.

 

Last week, I spotted a critter in the distance.  As I moved very, very slowly toward him, he continued to eat his lunch.  I could tell he was eye-balling me while I took photos and got closer.  I stopped on the path when I saw him stop eating. 

 

 

I thought he was getting ready to scamper off into the woods, but he didn’t. The brave little one started hopping toward me. 

 

 

  

 

When he finally stopped, he was about three feet away.When I moved, he then took cover in the woods.My guess is the critters are probably used to humans on the path so they aren’t as scared as others might be.I see the same behaviors on the college campus.

 

Have I mentioned what a great place my employer is to work for?!  Just a couple more examples to share… 

#1 -  Last month, they had their annual sales meeting.  It’s held all over the country, a different place each year because our sales force is all over the country.  This year, it was in Chicago.  The company hired SEVEN buses to transport the sales force to the corporate offices (“Podunk”, USA).  The company gave the corporate staff matching shirts and glove clappers.  We all congregated outside the building along with the local high school’s band to welcome the sales force.  The looks on the faces as they came off the buses was awesome!  After the meet-n-greet was finished, everyone was treated to a wonderful catered dinner with live entertainment under a big white tent on the grounds.  We were even given two drink tickets.  I was good and only had one very early in the evening since I had a 45min commute home.

#2  -  The husband of one of my coworkers has been diagnosed with lung cancer.  Last week, he was hospitalized and we were told he’s going downhill fast.  To help them, the company has held fundraisers and bake sales.  So far, we’ve raised a little under $3,000 not including the recent fundraisers.  To do even more, a bunch of us are putting together a quilt to be auctioned off at a benefit being put on by his coworkers and friends.  The theme was Americana in reds, whites, and blues.  I dug through my fabric stash and picked out some fabrics I thought would work and settled on the St. Louis block.

Here are the quilt squares I made yesterday:

 

Once this quilt is put together, we are planning on doing a memory quilt for the coworker to keep.  We plan to “sell” quilt squares and embroider the purchaser’s name on it.  Of course, the ladies who stitch the squares, will also have their name on one.

STITCHY STUFF
I haven’t been doing a whole lot of stitching due to the tendonitis I mentioned earlier. I have been stitching, though. I have the front done and about 1/3 of the back done.I can’t show photos until it arrives at its new home, though.

I can, however, share a photo of my latest acquisition.  I found this custom framed piece at a thrift store for $3.99.  The photo doesn’t do it justice, though.  It is so beautiful!  I’m pretty sure it’s a Stoney Creek design.

COOKING
Raise your hand!  Who loves chocolate?  Look at this moist, scrumptious brownie!!

The photo is a bit washed out, but trust me… These were G-O-O-O-D!  So as to not eating them all myself, I sent four home with the BF for his son who is by his words, a “brownie connoisseur.”  The young man is always wanting brownie mix!  He said these were the best homemade brownies he’s ever had.  I also took a plate full to work.  They were gone in a little over an hour!

I saved the best part for last.  These are zucchini brownies.  You would never know it, though.  The BF was skeptical when he saw me spooning the mix into the pan (It didn’t look “normal” or pretty, lol).  Not being a chocolate fan himself *gasp*, he did say they were fantastic.  They definitely are melt-in-your mouth, rich chocolatey goodness.

Until next time,