Maintaining an even keel.

After I typed the post title, I wondered what that even meant? Somehow I knew it was a nautical phrase.

Anyway, this past week was to have been my third and final week of training at my new job. But then I was struck with bronchitis and unable to muster energy or stop coughing long enough to make it to work. I went to the doctor, was prescribed antibiotics, which I'm just finishing up. I've been fretting about being behind in training but spoke with my supervisor yesterday and she's already devised a one-on-one plan to help me catch up once I return to work.

Prior to getting sick, we had a wicked storm come through the metro. Wind, hail, non-stop lightning, thunder, rain. We lost three trees, our roof was damaged and hail cracked holes in our siding. The insurance adjusters totaled our roof (Yay, new roof!) and are attempting to locating matching siding for repairing it. If they can't match it, they'll total it (Yay, new siding!) and if that happens, my husband says we might as well replace the gutters, soffits, fascia and get all new windows while the siding is being replaced. (Yay, new windows!)

Our 1970 home is a mish-mash of colors and weathered materials. The wood trim around every window is painted a dark green which is peeling off. The roof is a nasty tan color. The siding is a cold grey "putty" which doesn't coordinate with the roof, the brick front or any other part of the home. There are raw wood posts in front that no one bothered to dress up with columns. So, when the insurance check is cut, I plan to select colors that sync well with each other. And finally having attractive, functioning windows - windows that open for easy cleaning or to let in breezes; windows with proper airtight seals!

My only lament is that we somehow didn't manage to get hail damage IN the house. Like on the medieval cabinets, the gold-fleck Formica counters or the yellowing linoleum floor. Darn it.

Summer ruminations.

Even though it's not August yet and school doesn't start here until the day after Labor Day, it feels like summer is winding down. It doesn't help that because of drought conditions here, some trees are starting to turn already. Not to mention all the Back To School sales. Sheesh.

I have "Buy a new snow shovel" marked on August in my calendar. Because we need a new snow shovel. And you can't find a single snow shovel in the state of Minnesota during winter, we discovered last January.

I've been busy doing all the things I won't have much time for once I begin working full-time. As you can see from the photo in the previous post, the garden is starting to give back to me for all my hours of care and labor. Yesterday I snapped beans, chopped them into bite-sized bits, blanched them and put them in a freezer bag. I'll serve them for dinner while my parents are here so they can be suitably impressed at my green thumb. Well, I'd like to think they'll be impressed but they tend to be stingy with the praise.

My butternut squash plant has grown like crazy, starting to encroach my blueberry bush and, soon, the lawn. I'll need to try to train the vines in other directions. I don't even know what to do with butternut squash, really, other than seed it, bake it and then mash it with seasonings and butter or something. But I've started searching for recipes and hope to find a few things to make.

In preparation for my parents visit, I'm making these cinnamon rolls, which I've made before and are a big hit. The Pioneer Woman has some great recipes. I love her and wish she'd be my best friend but she has a kajillion friends already.

A tree guy is supposed to drop by today or tomorrow to give us a quote for cutting down the tree that lost its branch. We'll also need a quote for cutting down an even larger tree that has a split down the middle. I hate losing trees in our yard. I'll miss them.

Today's bounty

I picked these this morning:

Nature

Here's a shot of part of the oak tree branch (yes, BRANCH) that fell on the neighbors fence. You can see the bent fence in the background.

A yellow jacket. Ick.

First crop of Sugar Snack tomatoes from my garden. Nature's candy.

C R A S H.

Early this morning I heard the sound of wood cracking and splitting and then the crash of branches and leaves hitting the ground. It didn't sound horribly loud or like it hit anything important, so I rolled over and fell back to sleep.

My husband is outside now with a chainsaw, cutting up a HUGE branch which fell from our tree onto our neighbor's chain link fence. Earlier he went next door to see if they were home (Sue and Sue are the neighbors), and they weren't. He's cleaning up the mess and plans to fix the fence, as well. Fortunately it's his day off.

My mom finally texted me. She's turned into a wuss in her old age - she only lasted a week before breaking the silence.

Since my house is already clean from having a recent house guest, I invited her and my stepdad to visit before I start my new job. They'll be arriving Sunday. I'm taking my mom and daughter to the Mall of America and maybe, just maybe, she'll buy her grandkid some back-to-school things. You know, to make up for being such an ASS.