Aiming for the GHGs (Official)

[gadgetgirlil]

Greetings!

Got today’s update posted. I’m going out to dinner with a friend I made at the Ice Age Trail conference in April. We hiked together and have a lot of common interests. My hotel isn’t too far from where she lives. I’ll actually be riding fairly close by her place on Saturday but she will be away camping.

Fun times!

[pepper]

Howdy!

We’ve had a couple of remote employees in the office this week, and man do they like to talk. I’d like to sit quietly and do my work, please.

People are dropping like flies with that bug that’s going around. We had a lot of people out sick yesterday.

We have to have regular reports and gov’t inspections of our space for doing classified work. One of them is past due and we have been unable to reach the gov’t guy who is in charge of it. Turns out he’s been in the hospital with covid for the last 3 weeks. I need to check the symptoms for that new strain; maybe that’s what we all have/had.

I have no plans for the weekend except continuing ed. Whee?

Have a great day!

[gadgetgirlil]

Happy Friday!

I had a nice time with my friend last night. We went to the nearby Applebees and the food and service was great. So good catching up on her adventures.

Today is an out and back to St Cloud. Will be nice to ride a bike that doesn’t weigh so much since I leave most of my stuff at the hotel. Weather looks good.

I’ve made my reservations for tomorrow and Sunday nights. I will be back to Rochester on Monday.

Waiting for Perkins to open so I can get caffeinated and fed before heading out.

Have a great day!

[sherrydorlando2]

Morning Ladies:
The play was a one man autobiography musical on George M. Cohan. He was fabulous! Lunch was great but I didn't get any cheesecake. UP close to 2 pounds from the salty restaurant food. Went to Publix for meds and BOGO's. We had a bunch of storms all evening. We needed it tho. Babies not done yet.

[newmoose]

Good morning!

It's been a wild morning already. DH has been driving a car that has over 200,000 miles on it. The dashboard has been lit up like a Christmas tree for months, though no one could figure out what was going on. Yesterday it died. It seems there was something going on with the transmission and it's dead. So now we are going to bring it home and donate it to a charity--probably our local NPR station. DH called me at 9:00 to come and get him. I was dead asleep and I still feel

Three days until we head out west! I am so ready to hug my guys!

I am going to finish my laundry and pack the things I can.

I hope you all have a great day!

[gadgetgirlil]

Greetings!

Yesterday was the best day of my trip thus far as well as the longest. 88.7 miles which is the longest I’ve ridden since last June. Full report on Facebook.

When I got back I got all my cycling clothes washed using the guest laundry. I wash my cycling shorts every day but the bathroom sink just isn’t the same. Nice to have a fresh start for today.

Waiting for the rain to move out of the area before I depart. There is a brief gap in the showers so I’m getting breakfast. Perkins again since I only have to walk across the parking lot. These are things you have to think about when traveling by bike.

Have a great day!

[pepper]

Howdy!

We should hit 100° today. I’m going to have a short run then get to work on a little bit of work and a whole lot of continuing ed. I will NOT delay my continuing ed until the last month (June) next year. I have a huge report for work due to the gov’t on June 30 along with regular keep-things-moving-forward stuff, so June is just a busy blur this year.

I’ll get to the garden tomorrow, probably, before it gets too hot. Maybe I’ll catch a movie later just for a nice break. And some popcorn. 😁

Have a great day!

ETA:  I just read my NextDoor and a lot of people in my area have been diagnosed with covid. Staying home is looking better and better.

[sherrydorlando2]

Good Morning Ladies:
Very hot out already. I need to get up at 6:30 to give them a long walk even if I need a nap at 10..... I'm up l.5 pounds and haven't lost an ounce in 3-4 weeks. Less meals and more protein shakes coming up. Last night I made lime sauteed shrimp with goat cheese and herb risotto. I only had 4 shrimp. Damn doc is right--I don't lose unless I am under 900 calories a day. pfftt. Today will be the dogs baths finally.

[newmoose]

Good morning!

Two more days until our trip!

Today is more laundry, more packing and last minute shopping.

Last night we went to the local brewery to hang out with friends and listen to music. I love this town so much!

I hope you all have a great day!

[gadgetgirlil]

Greetings from Newport, MN!

I had another nice ride yesterday, post is on Facebook. Very much a suburban/urban ride. Today will have a lot more miles out in the countryside with what looks like a 30 mile gap between services. Also some big hills to go up. I will end up in Pepin, WI, across the river from where I stayed my first night in Lake City, MN. very pretty area.

The motel I’m at in Newport is absolutely bare bones but also only $65. The nicest places I stayed were $175+ a night. newmoose what are you seeing for your lodging costs? Have you made reservations? I’m glad I did as the hotel in Elk River sold out.

My food options on this trip have been very random. This town has a Burger King and Speedway about 1/2 mile from the motel. I really like Kwik Trip better than Speedway as they have a better selection of food. Gas stations have few options for gluten free. I will be glad to be back home eating my normal food.

Have a great day!

[pepper]

Howdy!

Funny that gadgetgirlil just mentioned gas station food. I woke up craving a breakfast taco and a big, icy Diet Coke so I just ran down to the gas station for breakfast. Om-nom-nom! That’s my required road trip breakfast so now the day seems special. 😉

Yesterday was a weird day. I felt really, really cruddy and was afraid I was having another round of whatever-it-was. I didn’t eat much all day, so that explains waking up needing some real food. I’m feeling much better today. Yay!

Today I will continue with the continuing ed, meal planning, grocery shopping, and a stop at the garden.

Yesterday I signed up for a woodworking class to be held the first weekend of July. I’ve never done anything like that, so it should be fun. It’s “Woodshop 101” so we get to do some basic stuff with several different giant tools that make me a little worried about keeping all my fingers.

Have a great day!

[sherrydorlando2]

good Morning Ladies:
This am is "cool" compared to yesterday. It is cloudy and breezy so we took the extra long walk around the hood. No specific plans for the day.

[newmoose]

Good morning!

gadgetgirlil, our rooms are anywhere from $80 to $190 a day, depending on where they are. All told it will be about $2000 for lodging on our trip. That is about what one plane ticket would cost us, so it's not terrible. Our plan is to get breakfast that is provided at each motel, eat lunch that we have packed, and get dinner at a local restaurant in each town we stay in. We will have the dogs, so that will limit our dinner choices.

Today is the day to get it all done! Packing the car and cleaning the floors are the big things going on. I have blankets washing now. When DH gets up, I'll do the rest of the bedding. I want to come home to a clean bed and a mostly clean house.

Yesterday afternoon I got the horrible news that a friend had died. He went to college with us, though he was younger than us. He was quite the character and lived a life full of love for his family, friends and our school. I cannot believe he will not be behind the bar when my favorite place reopens later this summer.

I hope you all have a great day! Tell the ones you love how important they are. You all are so important to me.

[V]

Morning.

I got out with YF for a (emotionally painful) run Friday. We were both struggling hard. But we made it through. We hadn't been out regularly in the last week and that always makes it tougher to get going again. Thursday and Friday I got the east eave mostly done on the house. I got queasy near the end and quit a bit early. But I think I've figured out what's wrong: this time and the last time I felt sick I had been wearing my glasses instead of my contacts. The glasses are no line bifocals. I don't wear them much except at the end of the night after taking out my contacts. So this extended period of wearing them added to the height and exertion may have been the cause of my troubles. Thankfully, since I finished the east eave, I only have "short ladder" (3 steps on the stepladder should allow me to get most of it done) stuff left on the back of the one-story house. I managed to get about 1/3 of that span done last night, so only about 50' left! After that I need to touch up some spots where the ladder blocked access and clean up some drips and drabs.

The guy that I was going to have replace the deck will be coming by this afternoon to give me an updated bid. I figure that supply prices have probably gone up. I don't know if he still charges the same for labor now that his business is no longer "in business." Whether he does or not, it will still be worth it if he's anywhere in the ballpark of his bid last year. He says that he might even be able to get it done this month! Squee!

Not much else is going on in my world. This house project has taken up so much of my time that I haven't done much of anything else. I want to get out to see the Royalty before the end of the month. And YF wants to have game night (I had to beg off last night because I was feeling cruddy at the time). And she wants to sign up for more races and a kayak thing in July. I told her that it will depend on finances and how my house projects are progressing. Fingers crossed, because the kayak thing does sound fun.

[pepper]

Howdy!

I got a LOT of continuing ed done, but it sure makes Monday feel like a drag. I don’t feel rested or refreshed at all. I need to snap out of it because it will be a busy week whether I’m ready for it or not.

Mom’s 84th birthday is a week from today. I need to figure out some giftage.

Enjoy your day!

[gadgetgirlil]

Greetings from Pepin, Wisconsin!

Looks like another great day weather-wise. Looks like I have about 72 miles until I see my car again. I’ve mapped out a route to avoid using the published detour that I was on last Monday that was so harrowing. While there is a section without shoulders it is rated at a much lower traffic volume than that other road. I’ll be on it mid morning so hopefully all the going to work folks won’t be on it.

Yesterday was another good day. Report is on Facebook.

newmoose wishing you safe travels across the country! May you see a minimal amount of orange and not encounter any major detours. Take lots of pictures! I have so many great memories of traveling with my parents out to Washington state each summer to visit my grandparents. I’m sure that is why I love exploring both on foot and on bike.

Have a great day!

[V]

Morning.

Yesterday was relatively productive. I got a spot above a window well done with MG's help. And I hope to report that I will have the house done today or tomorrow. Then on to the shed. And picking up tools in the garage.

Construction Guy came over and remeasured. He will be giving me a quote for all the honey-do's separately so that I can see how things shake out. I want: a 12x17 (plus a spot that's 4x5) with railing and a 4' wide stair, an 8x12 cement slab with a stair for the bottom of the deck, about 34' of railing on the front porch, and the assembly of the small railing around the garage platform that I never got around to completing. I have most of the materials for the last railing. The front porch and garage railing are to be priced separately and I asked for a price of both Trex floorboards as well as treated lumber for the main deck. He said that the various railings would probably be metal "building block" sections that would bolt together. He recently started working at the railroad, so his business isn't "full-time" anymore, but he will have a regular enough rotation that he should be able to tear it out one weekend and install it with the help of his buddy on the following one. He's talking about being here in just a couple of weeks provided that the estimate is to my liking, and we get a contract in place. At this point anything under $20 is acceptable. I could have a brand-new house in place by the 4th of July!

I'm sending YMV to the superintendent's office today to see if they have any openings for janitorial staff at either of the public schools. We have a Jr/Sr high that is one sprawling complex and an elementary school that are public. Plus, there are 2 parochial schools in town. I talked to a couple of friends of mine from the high school office that have known YMV forever and asked if they would put in a good word for him. The retirement and benefits of that position would more than compensate for a middling salary. I hope there is something available. For everyone who says they cannot find people, no one has called on any of the applications he has put in. The plumber friend from a couple of weeks ago has his kid working the desk after school, so that is a dead end at this point.

[sherrydorlando2]

Good Morning Ladies:
NO, the baths didn't happen yesterday......today will be it...LOL. I spent most of the day in the bathroom.....It was very nice this am for our walk ( going earlier) so we took the extra long route. Going to a concert tonight at a big old refurbished mansion close by. Not my fav, but all of the ladies wanted to get out...so out I go.

[pepper]

Howdy!

Is it time for the weekend yet?

Have a great day!

[gadgetgirlil]

Greetings from Rochester!

It was such a perfect day yesterday to wrap up my adventure! Bonus was my friend riding out to meet me 15 miles from the end. What a wonderful surprise! Post is on Facebook.

It was nice sharing a meal with her and her parents last night. She cooked up bacon wrapped pork tenderloins and I went out to the grocery store for baby potatoes and broccoli. Both were pop in the microwave packages. Nothing like a simple home cooked meal.

After dinner I sat outside on their lovely front porch. Their front yard is mostly perennials and so relaxing. I watched the antics of the birds while I talked with DH.

I’m waiting until 6am to get up and cook my breakfast. I will start driving home this morning. It will be good to be home.

Have a great day!

[V]

Morning.

I'm THISCLOSE! to being done! I got about half of the last of the eave done last night. Other half, then touch ups, then DONE.

I know that all you smart people know that if you hit your hand with a hammer it will hurt. BUT did you know if you hit your (stationary)hammer with your hand...it also hurts? I found out the hard way. It's not swollen, but hell it is black and blue.

That is all.

[Cyn]

Hi,
Been reading, but not much to post.
Another unsuccessful platelet donation attempt Sunday. I got my hemoglobin up nicely, w a combo of lots of slinach and Flintstones vitamins. However, my veins weren't cooperating, so I now have big contusions on one arm, where they tried 2 different ones. Possibly dehydrated. Ugh. Also, apparently the buses don't run in that area on the weekends, so I had to walk from the L to the donation center in the noonday sun, which I was not prepared for. I will try one more time again, and just go back to whole blood donation if it doesn't work.
Yesterday was gorgeous, cool, sweatshirt weather. I spent about 4 hours walking, sitting watching the birds, walking some more. Ran into a photographer friend, so hung out w him at the Night Heron rookery by the zoo watching those crazies for awhile. A lovely, peaceful start to the day.
Getting ready to go walkabout w Sophia, who leaves for an amazing looking trip to Africa later today. She srnt me her itinerary, it gave me goosebumps. And travel envy!
Sending lots of travel, Covid avoidance, reasonable estimate, lower heat/humidity and just overall mojo out to you friends!

[newmoose]

Good morning from O'Fallon, MO!

Yesterday was long driving day, but we knocked out a huge chunk of our trip. Today will be 7 hours to Hays, KS. We are driving right into the huge heatwave that is covering the western part of the US. It will make traveling with the dogs (and eating outside) more difficult, but thank goodness for AC!

We did get to see DS3 and his family for lunch yesterday. He looks so healthy and happy! His wife seems much less stressed and the kids are all doing very well. It was great to see.

V, is your phone number the same as it was years ago? I hope we can try to meet up on our way back across the country.

Cyn, I saw a heron flying over a lake yesterday and thought of you. I think it was a blue heron, but I couldn't be 100% sure.

I hope you all have a great day!

[sherrydorlando2]

Morningish Ladies:
The concert was not so much my thing...but I had a good time with the ladies. Seems like I am not going out as much and miss them. The rest of the day and this am has been washing all of the sheets, spreads, blankets, comforters, throws, pillows and decorative pillows on every bed and seat and couch in the house....lots of scent beads!! I love the fresh linen one. Today will be putting it all back. It was tiny bit cooler this am, but extremely humid and cloudy....supposed to rain several days straight.

[pepper]

Howdy!

This is one of those extremely busy but extremely boring-to-anyone-but-me weeks, so I’ve got nothing. We’ve got a holiday coming up next week, so YAY!

Have a great day!