Less Hustle More Coffee

We ended up getting a couple of inches, but I took this once the snow started to cover the ground. I was really surprised that we got so much less. Then I thought for sure I’d be at work Monday. However, the reports from news was that roads were fine on main roads, not fine on secondary and overpasses and on ramps, etc. All of my route to work is on secondary routes. The interstates are dangerous on a regular day, lol. So since I had all my stuff at home and it was a good day to do so, I just worked from home. The only thing I couldn’t do was print, but I will do those this morning. It’s all ready to go. Now this morning fog has moved in and we are in the 20’s and black ice has formed so I’m just going in when the sun comes up and that gives other motorists that are more adventurous time to heat up those roads for me. And the sun will help. So therefore, it gives me blog time this morning. Going in early for Mom’s doc appointment (make up time) doesn’t really matter so much this month. I will be working around the clock from now til end of month to get QE/YE returns and w-2 reporting done. I have developed a plan in the last 24 hours, with the help of God’s leadership to get it done. And I can tell you that every force on earth (mostly non-intentional unless Satan is behind it nonchalantly) has been trying to usurp my time so that I cannot get it done. But I have a plan now.

So I set up a makeshift office in the bedroom. Here we are yesterday before the sun is even up good – around 6 or 6:30 – complete with sausage and egg biscuit leftover from the day before. I was amazed that I was able to get not only my daily list done and also do some tax returns, but was able to work longer hours from start to finish while including laundry, washing dishes, and being able to eat lunch at home and work on Roger’s tribute for an hour. It was great.

So now that this desk is set up, my plan is to work on Sunday from home – who knows I might also be working from home Thursday as we have another system coming through if it messes up everything that morning. I have to leave in time to get Mom to her heart appointment anyway. We’ll see what happens. Anyway, I also have the following weekend also to work on returns so it makes me feel better to be able to do these at home where I can intermittently stop and do laundry or work on things I need to at home. It helps with the synergy of getting it ALL done instead of just compartmentalizing all of it. I also may bring a couple of returns home to work in the evenings of the last week of January if it appears that things are really not going to happen by the 31st. I have a copier box to wag my calculator and files in. A brief case is not big enough. But at least I don’t have to wag the monitor back and forth. I just told IT during COVID – just know that I have monitor, keyboard (actually I think the keyboard was George’s), mouse, and a blue ethernet cord. So I will keep this set up going I guess through the end of the month. I know it can snow in Feb and March but I’ll probably go ahead and put it up and just get it back out again if needed once QE/YE returns and reporting is done.

Sunday I made pork stew. It was a different recipe. Matter of fact I didn’t really go by a recipe 100% but I did peek at one for ingredients. I added tomato paste in it and made a roux of sorts with flour, tomato paste, olive oil, balsamic glaze, cinnamon honey, red wine, Worcestershire sauce. I can’t say that it started out well. I don’t think I seared the beef right and some of the saucy tomato paste mix kinda burnt in the pan a little (oops). It’s just different from the way I normally build up my soups and stews. I don’t usually include flour and tomato paste when searing the meat, just onions and salt and pepper and olive oil. So that was interesting. But anyway, I added chicken broth as that is what we had and let it cook for an hour or so. Then I added potatoes and carrots and let them cook for an hour or so. Then I added little green peas and let it cook for 30 min or so. We enjoyed the stew for a couple of days.

How Did We do on the Fall thru Christmas Bucket List?

We checked off quite a few things. It’s impossible to get all the restaurants and excursions checked off but we like to have them on the list in case we should find ourselves with free time and need to get out and do something or work a restaurant in here and there when we can with friends and family.

I didn’t get to spend time with camera lessons or do a fall photo shoot. Just no time for that. I know enough to get photos and videos taken so I have a tendency to ignore it and keep it on manual settings. When I do the lessons I forget what I have learned. But I’m not giving up. I’ll keep trying. It’s a hopefully one day kind of item, along with a lot of other things that I’ve not tried to force. We didn’t have time to shop local shops for Christmas but had to shop where we found ourselves and also on line as we had time. We did a lot of shopping in Waynesville, NC though and in Knoxville on our trip.

We got tires for George, tires for Mom, got mother/daughter mammograms, lol. We hosted a great family Christmas, had a pretty good Thanksgiving as well. I learned a new way of setting challenges. We celebrated birthdays. So it was a good and busy quarter, not to mention setting Mom up in a new household and taking her shopping numerous times for appliances, beds, etc. We accomplished a lot. So there’s how the bucket list turned out and here’s the new one.

2022 Winter into Spring Bucket List

I was able to get this done Sunday and was excited to get it done. I can see I need to check of “pork stew” as I did it already. I think we have a pretty good line up of fun stuff. I love having this list and being able to check things off of it. It’s fun to write down things you would like to do, accomplish, and watch it come to fruition.

Taking George on the Antioch excursion is “taking him to see where I work”. I think it’s important for a spouse to know where you are and envision you in your work space. There is a tea shop a friend told me about nearby and she thought I’d like it. Slim and Husky’s is a pizza place nearby as well. We’ll make a day out of it. And check the area out. Sounds like a good Saturday or Sunday excursion. Hopefully Yellowstone, Good Girls, Ozark, and Flight Attendant’s next seasons will be out. Currently we are watching Manifest and Imposters, both of which are very good and keeping our interest.

At some point in Spring, I’ll do a summer one. Or Spring/Summer. I will consider in April doing the next quarter or I can leave this going until Summer. I may just do that for the sake of time. Here’s where I post our bucket list. It’s on the edge of our kitchen in a blank spot by the basement door. George also has a list of restaurants that we made about a year ago when deciding where to go for Valentine’s Day.

We have decided we are doing Asian for Valentine’s Day – cheap and not as many crowds. We have our foodie friends booked for a Saturday in February! Katy is looking at places to stay for our March trip to Hot Springs (please Lord no spring snows on spring break).

I always include George in on the bucket list as he enjoys crossing things off. Mostly it is created by me and includes my goals. He throws in wineries, breweries, restaurants, etc.

Lots of things to look forward to.

So I’m going to finish getting ready and head to work. I am waiting for the sun to shine so I can see icy patches and other cars can kinda melt the ice off before me. I have to go over a pretty long bridge over the lake so that kinda scares me as this freezing fog settles in. The sun will burn it off but I don’t feel like I can wait til 9 to go in, so I’ll just wait on the sunrise at least. Maybe that will help. I’ve asked God for protection.

Do you have a bucket list? Whether you do or not, do you have a list of things you want to do, places you want to go, or things to accomplish within the next three months? I’d love to hear them! Even if they are in your head and thought about, you can still accomplish them. But for me writing it down helps make it happen. Since there are two of us, we can see what each other’s goals are and help each other to work it in our busy schedule. If you haven’t done this, it’s fun to do!