Goals & unavoidable delays

OK, last week I promised myself to start writing again (it seriously has been years).  I dusted off the old works in the basement (still looking for more) and was just about to start when working on a work project took priority.  So, no typed or written pages for week 1 to share but I am jotting down ideas.
Christmas cards are addressed (as far as I have gotten).  No gifts have been purchased (yet, sorry kids).
Tonight I am going to try and relax and watch John Corbett in a new Lifetime movie without working on any work projects (maybe a notepad for brainstorming).
I also have an endless pile of magazines I need to "read".  That could be a whole 2 day project.  Why do I sign up for them?
Good Luck to all of you on your end of the week projects.

Promises...I will not post again until next week...

I am not a mathematician but I can discern that maybe 89.9 percent of the people we know think about what their life would be if they had turned a different corner.

Corners are all around us.  They sometimes appear where you least expect them (love handles, grey hair and wrinkles).

I was raised on inspirational and motivational books.  My father inspired me to read and read.  I started writing at a very young age (unpublished but inspired) my first best friend was my first typewriter (same old story right)….I have notebooks filled with inspiring stories (some good and some well…).

My most inspiring moment happened just a few years ago when my mother said she wished she had encouraged my writing and hadn’t discouraged it.  Weird thoughts and that last sentence was weird.  She did discourage my writing because she thought it was a waste of time.  I am my worst critic and the only published work I have is a postcard of a first with 1-5 written on it stating there are 5 good reasons to write that was published in the Writer’s Digest magazine (postcard was meant for my cousin Jen).

So what do you do when you have a sweet job preserving history (LIW & Walnut Grove, MN) and still feel the need to write?  I am not Hemingway or heck even Mr. King but….I do feel (as probably 87% of the population on Minnesota think) I have a GREAT story in me.

So, by 2012 (late 2012) I will be submitting a novel to an agent or publisher (no sorry not LIW related because I will save that one for gravy).  What will that novel be about….I will keep you posted.  I have missed writing.

Bedtime

is a time that most children try to postpone and then there is a time when the teenagers don't want to get out of bed and as adults we wish we could stay in bed but we have to take care of the kids, house, jobs....now kids take care of themselves (mostly) and house...well it will always be there. Bedtime has turned into a chore in its own. That old cyber story (emailed to many people) is true...I don't just decide to go to bed but in the process of saying I am going to bed things get completed...not that I am a saint or successful at household maintenance...but that is the deal.
Now...I dread bedtime.  The dread of the things I didn't accomplish today (there is that missing TO DO list), the pending list for tomorrow, the phone calls I should have made (I love you Mom) and hopes I may fall deep asleep (hehehehe, doesn't happen).

I have to admit I am still that kid that dreads bedtime.  My mind wakes up (weird) at dusk and wants to play (like my sweet dog)

So another night watching the clock saying..."I'll go to bed in 10 minutes"....over and over.

Wednesday and where did the month go

I woke up late this AM (even thou I do have the day off) and felt fuzzy because I had already dreamed my morning.  Now I feel more fuzzy and concerned because my day was going great in my dreams (as always but wasn't being chased by vampires or anything).
Now to get the real morning started...where to start? Shower and clothes make sense but...can't I be lazy in my robe?  Youtube helps motivate...kitchen dancing again.
Remember that To Do list I should be "writing" well coupons need to be clipped, laundry washed, dishes put away and clutter de-clutterfied on the kitchen counter....but water is boiling for the 5# lobster and I think I am going to make some garlic butter pasta for a side dish and tune into Julia Child's "The Lobster Show" for inspiration.

Have a great day!

Thursdays...what to do on a Thursday

well according to my horoscope
This is a day to use however you wish. Like the middle square on a Bingo card, it can be utilized in any way that suits your purpose. But keep in mind that the universe doesn't hand these days out so you can waste them on boring detail work that would be better suited for another time. Cherish this time and use it to tune in to people around you. Spend the day sharing philosophies and expressing your feelings. Whether they are good or bad, your inner thoughts deserve a public hearing.

I can do anything today!  Well, I may do just that...I choose to go to work and finish resizing photographs for the website gift store.  Since the Museum's physical gift store is closed in preparations for construction (it is strange seeing it EMPTY) customers can still cyber shop and the director has put on some awesome Winter specials!  www.walnutgrove.org/store is your quick link to easy shopping for everyone. Since the Museum is a non-profit your purchases help keep the doors open and the lights on.

I get to come home right after work and have a family meal.  I think I will make a Turkey inspired casserole to use up Sunday's leftovers. There is a light layer of white stuff outside but thankfully it is just that...light dusting. Have a wonderful & inspiring day!  Maybe I can work on Christmas cards tonight (to try & get into that Holiday spirit).

Does the new white can for Coca-cola taste different than the red can?  Curious.  What is your opinion?

Ok...I know it is wrong

leading your life by your horoscopes but
The best way to shed light onto a particularly vexing situation is to open yourself up to new, fresh ideas. Despite all evidence to the contrary, you do not have all the answers all the time. This is an important time to seek out innovative, even uncomfortable ideas and find out what value (if any) they could add to your life. Becoming too complacent in your daily routine will not lead you forward into a larger awareness ... it will narrow your focus until everything is vague.


I am having creative blockage on the upcoming Quilt Exhibit so I will have to consider uncomfortable ideas.  I am also going to contact other Museums with quilt exhibits to get their advice.  This worked very successfully with the Main Street (General Store) hands-on exhibit.


Now if I could use the advice from my horoscope to take care of one more vexing situation....house cleaning & organization!  I'd love to put up some X-mas decorations (thou not my favorite holiday...just thinking about X-mas makes my tummy hurt) but to do that I need to CLEAN and organize the downstairs.


Have a GREAT day and wish me luck on finding the motivation to ugh...CLEAN!

Beginning of another week....

"Before you tackle that next wonderful goal, you need to concentrate on finishing some things up today. Check those last few items off your list, and you will be immediately rewarded. Right now you have to prove to yourself (and to everyone else) that you can follow through with things."


Wow, my horoscope has been right on lately!  I need to get the Veterans exhibit moved and start putting together the quilt exhibit.  I would also like to find some more of my desktop.  The last sentence is key!


But the really GREAT news is I have turkey leftovers for lunch. I even made coffee this morning (odd).

Finally got back to Cooking

Using page 118-119 of Julia Julia's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" I made Poached Eggs on Canapes with Cheese Fondue Sauce.  The sauce is amazing and should be used with many dishes (broccoli).
I cooked the poached eggs using her "short-cut" I learned from watching her "The Way to Cook" DVD.  Simply pierce the large end of the whole egg with a pin (use a stick pin not a needle), place in boiling water for 10 seconds and break into water (with 2 tbsp vinegar) for 4 minutes, remove with a slotted spoon to cold water to stop the cooking and remove the vinegar.  You can refrigerate the poached eggs for future use reheating them by placing in boiling water with a slotted spoon for 1 minute.

I opted to also make to make broiled steak for the boys! Turkey should be done around 2pm!

Heading for Thanksgiving

t-minus how many hours until you have to put the turkey in the oven. I have never been a fan of getting up at 4am to put the turkey in to eat at noon.  Usually have tons of appetizers for noon and then Turkey whenever it is ready.
I guess we are eating at 1:30pm today (on the dot...I don't care).  I made my salmon dip and bought the eggnog so my chores are done!
Have a safe & Happy belly filling Thanksgiving!
What am I thankful for?  My loving family, my AWESOME jobs and it is supposed to be warm tomorrow so I am not wearing a winter coat.
Good luck and smile much!

Board Meetings & the future

Tonight is the last board meeting for the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum until March.  Budget finalization, review of construction phase 2 progress and maybe TREATS?  It should be as usual a great meeting.
Also tonight the Walnut Grove Legion is sponsoring a "Featherless" fun night!  Bring a dessert or appetizer to pass and come for some socializing.  This is the first time I heard about this event but I guess it used to be a big hit back in the day (20 years ago) before everyone got so busy!  I hope to partake!
Salmon Dip & Eggnog are my only Thanksgiving responsibilities so I guess I got off easy!
Have a wonderful day and what is your mantra to make yourself feel inspired?

Quick & Fast

Time always seems to slip by getting ready in the morning.  Seems there is so much to do in a short time....I imagine the day I can get my lazy butt out of bed at 6am and all I could accomplish if I didn't hit the snooze button 3x!  Well...I will one day (I hope).
Thought for the day.....after contemplating yesterday horoscope....I really want to create some affirmations to keep myself on track.  What would you suggest for an affirmation?

Horoscopes?

My Yahoo Horoscope today "Your imagination, dreams and fantasies are offering you some amazing insight into the questions you've been asking yourself, and they could confirm a few suspicions. The visions in your life give you a glimpse of the truth, of the accurate reality you see from outside your biased lens. You've been in a fog about someone for a while, and it's time to be up front and crystal clear about what you need and what you want. Go right to the source and don't leave things open to interpretation"


Quite an inspiring horoscope.  I have been having some "strange" dreams and musings of late.  That said, how much does a person really read into their daily horoscope?  Visions of my life....glimpses of the truth....accurate reality.


I think I will work on my visions today and maybe jot down a few ideas of a 5 and 10 year plan for myself and the Museum.  I know one of our goals at the Museum is to build a REAL schoolhouse that can be used for programming year round.  I would also like to add more interactive kiosks into the exhibits.  How many people in the world have heard Laura Ingalls Wilder's voice?  A vision of the glittering cloud?  Sound of "Pa's Bell" ringings?  Those are audios and visuals I want to add to exhibits (to start).


Time to get ready for church and then a trip to watch the next Twilight movie and maybe eats at Applebee's.  Tonight Legion & Legion Aux supper!  It is and will be a great day!  I will strive to look outside my biased lens.

Wow, what happened to the week

Friday already? This is interesting! What is your favorite go to song to start the WEEKEND? I love youtube.com!  Pretty much any music you want to listen to is there and some people get creative with the video. I don't have that fancy phone feature where you hold it to the sound and it tells you the song but...type a few words into google and you can add to your play list.
What to wear to work today?  I feel like brown & gold...wish I had some great boots...dang JcPenney & Kohls have gone to start at size 6 and Payless doesn't have a stellar variety of size 5.  Ugh...what to do about this discrimination for size 5 women?  I'd have a closet full of shoes if I had bigger feet.
SOME DAY......have a GREAT day and if you can't hug random people....how about a quick smile and a hello with sincerity...I think I need to write letters to above companies and start a campaign for Size 5 shoes!

Thirsty Thursday?

Brrrr....did I complain about the cold last week?  I was crazy...today (and last night) is COLD!
Muppets have taken over GMA! Who is the weird monster with the small head?  My favorite memory of the Muppets is the Brook Sheilds episode with "Got any wine?"  "There isn't any wine?"  followed by a crazy bahahahaha laugh.  We repeated that line over and over in my childhood.
The Museum Gift Store is closing today for construction but you can still buy off the website www.walnutgrove.org/store or via telephone 888-528-7898.
OK....time to get going and get to work!  HAVE A WONDERFUL AND SUCCESSFUL DAY!

Fall Tidings

Well, the weather has been exceptional but you know the cold is right around the corner.  Yesterday Westbrook had a Red Cross Blood Drive!  Even though only 15 people showed up 14 of them were viable and that makes me happy!  I even was able to donate (yes)!  Thank yous go out to all my volunteers & donors!
Time to get back into the work routine....4 days off from the Museum is too long (I miss it).
Here are a few LIW tidbits I posted in an email and partial on my FB!

November 1, 1875   Charles Frederick Ingalls is born in Walnut  Grove, Minnesota.
November 4, 1947   Garth Williams stopped by the Gordon farm  house and shared
Laura's legacy.
November 10, 1941 Grace Pearl Ingalls Dow passed away.
November 11, 1889 South Dakota became a state!
November 12, 1812 Lansford Whiting Ingalls is born, father of  Charles P. Ingalls
and grandfather of Laura Ingalls Wilder.
November 23, 1881 Mary Ingalls enrolls in the Iowa State Blind School.
November 24, 1877 Reverend Leonard Moses is ordained as minister of the
Congregational Church in Walnut Grove.

More research & touching up exhibits and creating the Quilt exhibit, moving the Veterans' exhibit and other Museum related things to continue for the fall & winter months.  The Museum opens again 4/1/2012 which usually is RIGHT AROUND the corner.

Sundays

Sorry about missing yesterday. I was at Walnut Grove doing a table decorating event.  The table turned out great and the number of women & men that showed up for the event was wonderful.  I even won a raffle basket (of course it had a bottle of wine in it).  Theme for the table for "The Grapes of Wrath" but didn't have anything to do with the book.  Mostly grape dishes, wine, cheese & crackers.
Good luck deer hunters on the last day of open season for rifle.  Be careful out there.
Sundays.....three perfect things to do on a Sunday: Church, watch Football and relax....in that order.
I am not sure what to make for lunch/supper today but took a beef roast out for starters.
My Buffalo Bills play Dallas today so I'll be watching the live stream on http://www.firstrowsports.tv/sport/american-football.html and listening via http://www.wedg.com/ Buffalo, NY's great Rock Station.  It will be a great day!
Read any good books lately: No, but I listened to a Sandra Brown audio-book "Play Dirty" and it was wonderful. Not I have to find another audio-book.
Have a great day!

Happy Veterans Day

Please show your love & support for all veterans and those currently serving in the military!  Are you eligible to be a Legion or Legion Aux member?  Sign up today!  It is a great organization.
The turkey meal went over great serving around 70 veterans and their spouses!  It is a good feeling having all the members in one room!
Have a pleasant Friday and plan something special for your family or friends this weekend!

Good Morning, Thursday!

Veteran's Day is tomorrow but I tend to celebrate Veteran's Day everyday by respecting and being friendly to all veterans.  Though the exhibit is coming down for 2012 the WG Veteran's Exhibit housed over 320 local veterans' photographs.  It was a wonderful exhibit and will be re-installed with extra features in 2013.
I am trying to get excitement for the Quilt exhibit I am currently working on and yes quilting is pretty darn cool...I think I just need to "throw myself" into the project and start....after the Fall/Winter 2011 newsletter is complete and in the mail.
Off to peel potatoes and start cooking the Turkey's for tonight's WG Legion/Aux Veteran's day supper.  If you get a chance today why don't you thank a veteran (the really proud ones where hats telling you they have served in various wars) and heck give them a hug (I try to do that too).
Good luck on this Sunny (and snow free) Thursday!

Blogging and thoughts

Well, once again I have put my fingers to typing and started yet another attempt at a blog.  Sadly, I only have a few moments before I have to head off to work at the Walnut Grove Bar & Grill but I wanted to start and start simple.
Three things I love in my life: my family, my cooking (even though I don't usually end up eating it) and my jobs.
I am excited about the Fall/Winter 2011 Newsletter I am working on, I love heading to work at the Walnut Grove Bar & Grill and seeing all the locals and I get excited doing newsletters for Fond Memories at the Creamery.  I include those as my jobs....
I do not include sweeping, mopping, dusting, dishes, laundry, putting away laundry, making my bed or anything to do with CLEANING (especially the bathroom)....that JOB consumes a lot of my time but so does watching Cheers on Netflix, catching up with Bones or streaming video from my computer to my TV.....great things to distract from the JOB!
Wish me luck on my avoiding the JOB and finding more time for simple Walnut Grove research, LIW musings and of course my family!