What I'm Loving Wednesday Tired Style

I'm loving that harvest has started in my neck of the woods! It's still early in the season, but I did catch Dad unloading the last of the corn in his first field last week.

Unfortunately, the crop has been affected by the drought that many of us experienced this summer so harvest will probably be much quicker this year. However, we are thankful that there IS a crop out there. Many farmers can't say the same this year.

I'm loving that I have the next four days off of work! I have a silly habit of hoarding my vacation time until the end of the year (our year end is 9/30) and then having to take several days off so as not to lose them. Luckily, I work for corn & soybean farmers and they are a bit busy right now (see above) so our office slows down a bit this time of year.

I'm loving that I spent my first day of vacation with my two nieces and one nephew as a stand-in babysitter. We built a cool sheet tent behind my big red couch. Why? Because my nephew asked me to.

We had a good time, even with my youngest niece deciding to "paint" herself with her own poo (sorry for the oversharing but I had to) during her afternoon nap.

I'm loving that my baby sister asked me what I got done today. I told her that I watched a 19-month-old, 23-month-old and a 4-year-old. That's what I got done today! That and some browsing on Pinterest...

I'm loving that Starbucks has decided to load their free drink rewards coupon (that will come after 12 drinks, not 15) right to my card instead of sending me a postcard. I swear that I don't always get them!

However, I'm quite sad that they are taking away the free syrups. I may have to start re-considering my signature drink OR try to re-create it at home like I did this morning...

I'm loving that I spent last Friday night with a handful of ladies - both farm gals and not - touring some wonderful farms in Johnson County, Indiana - including Keegan Poe's farm in Franklin. He talked to us about how he raises his cattle, how he sells freezer beef, pork & lamb direct to consumers, and we visited the pasture to meet his herd, including this gal (or fellow, I'm not sure).

We finished the farm tours at Mallow Run Winery in Bargersville and learned that unlike the corn and soybeans, Indiana wine grapes endured and even flourished in this summer's drought. After the tour of the vineyards and the wine-making barn (not sure what to call it), we even got to taste! Yum.

I may or may not have taken 4 bottles (the box fits 4 bottles!) home with me and wishing I bought a couple others.

I'm loving linking up to What I'm Loving Wednesday over at this kind of love.

Floating Down the River

Last week I took a tour of the Ohio River and the McAlpine Locks near Louisville, Ky. for work. Originally we were supposed to float down the river on a barge but at the last minute we switched to the Spirit of Jefferson.

Now, while I have a secret fantasy of floating down the Mississippi on a barge to New Orleans, I wasn't too upset that we made the switch.

It was 90-plus degrees out and the Spirit has air conditioning...and a crew that serves cold soft drinks.

The barge has a canopy and a cooler of pop.

The trip is designed so that participants learn a bit more why the river system is so important to farmers. Quite a bit of our corn and soybeans are shipped on our inland waterways.

It was an enjoyable morning on the water. (I love the river...love being on it or near it NOT in it! Unlike another person on the barge...I do NOT want to reach out and hug the river. I admire it from afar.)

We saw a few barges...

We went under a railroad bridge...

We enjoyed a day on the river...

Linking up to Pinke Post.

Ending the Week OK

I've had a long week. I'm getting to the end of a really big project at work that is going to be awesome (more about that later) but there's still a lot of work to be done.

Take a heavy workload add a looming deadline and that equals STRESS!

But no matter how much stress I have at work, I need to keep it all in perspective.

So here are a few things I learned at work today...

First, that I have some AWESOME coworkers. On my desk this morning, I found a pick-me-up card and this...

What can I say...they get me! (Also, I'm loving Instagram on my iPad.)

Second, don't order 8 milkshakes and a Coke Zero in the drive-thru during Happy Hour at Steak 'n Shake and expect to get them in sooner than 20 minutes.

Third...

Source: wanelo.com via Megan on Pinterest

Fourth, a 20-minute wait for milkshakes is worth it when you surprise people with a Friday afternoon treat.

Fifth, I have always known that my brain works in a different way and that I have a habit of starting a conversation somewhere in the middle, not the beginning. However, I never realized how bad it is until we got a new intern and he point blank tells me - repeatedly -that he doesn't understand what I'm talking about.

Source: None via Megan on Pinterest

I guess he just doesn't get me!


Finally, I love the work I'm doing and that I get to things like this and consider it work!

TGIF, my friends!


Enjoy your weekend.

Buried in Email

Source: etsy.com via Megan on Pinterest

It's 10:49 p.m.

I just finished responding to work e-mail that was sent to me today.

Well, not all of it. I have 156 emails from TODAY in my inbox.

That's not counting the 89 from today that are in my deleted folder and another 20-plus that I filed in Outlook folders.

What did people do at the office before e-mail?

Source: 2.bp.blogspot.com via Megan on Pinterest