Ian Abel

POETS, and why not 😀 Good rehearsal yesterday, although I managed to have the only tenor who can't sing sitting next to me. Having an open and inclusive environment has its drawback. Today, work and should be fairly peaceful, MRs has a 5-7pm interview for a study we're involved with, not sure how THAT particular time-slot happened! This weekend is, as yet, fairly "free", however given the Mrs started hauling Christmas decorations up from the basement while I was at rehearsal, I've a pretty good idea of ONE task that'll be on the agenda. Sunday evening is the second of our concert series, this one "Rainy Days and Mondays, the music of the Carpenters" by a local tribute band. They performed various concerts around town that we've attended and this should be a good one. Weather here still defying the odds for December in Minnesota, 4c first thing, mostly cloudy, 8c the expected high. Ranging between -3c and 4c over the weekend. Forward to the weekend activites...

BIN day Yesterday quiet and peaceful, nothing to see here. We did venture out and obtain a Christmas tree early evening, positioned awaiting the decorating phase. Today will be much the same, some "report lunacy" to deal with but otherwise a normal work day. Tonight, the choir embark on the first of three rehearsals for our Christmas services, expected to be a breeze as we pretty much always sign the same catalog. Will be a pre-rehearsal happy hour and some pizza and beer consumed to fortify us for the task ahead. Weather surging into mid-autumn state, 2c at BIN time, sunny and headed for 8-10c for a high, 5c overnight and 10-12c the high expected tomorrow.

HUMP day Little to report from yesterday, slow work and slower post-work activity! Our Christmas meal is usually NOT turkey, as explained a couple of weeks back, I have to take second place to turkey being to elective for Thanksgiving, seems it's something that is IMMOVABLE! Not that I care a lot for that particular bird anyway. Once we've "done turkey" on Thanksgiving it's deemed TOO SOON to have a second go at it for Christmas. I'll settle for glazed ham, besides, this year we're on our own for Christmas so can do as we ("I") please 🤣 Today other than work, picking up the various prescriptions for my "camera up the arse" appointment this time next week, oh joy! There's also a small chance we'll sally forth and obtain a Christmas tree tonight, not certain yet. Weather improving to unseasonal again, -2c first thing, but a high of 5c expected with above zero overnight the next two nights AND 10-12c for highs next two days. Onward.

TW3 - That Was the Weekend That Was! Whew! Friday evening a nice long Zoom with friends, Saturday, brief late wakeup, then off to a high-school matinee performance of "The Lion, witch and Wardrobe", the Mrs. great niece in. Saturday evening, neighborhood Christmas party, well attended, much fun, too late to bed! Sunday up at "o'crack sparrow..." to get to church for 8am and sing at two services, race home, nap, back for a 3:30pm Advent Evensong performance by the schola, THEN, out for dinner/drinks with the schola and partners. Excellent evening, but did me in completely... Monday, tired and barely conscious most of the day, struggled through it all <yawn> Today awoke to a mere inch of snow on the ground, expected to disappear as it's supposed to warm up the next two days. -2c first thing, high of 2-3c expected. Warming trend 6c tomorrow, 11c Thursday and 7c Friday for highs, no precipitation in our immediate future. Carry on.

Happy birthday @grandadbob POETS, and I'll probably take advantage... Yesterday was a looonnggg rehearsal as we had to cover both the regular service music and the Evensong stuff (schola only), so I was well pleased to be done by 9:30pm Today sees the start of a way too busy weekend; Tonight a Zoom with our temporarily transposed Arizona friends Tomorrow I'm told we're "invited" to matinee show for one of the Mrs great-nieces, pretty much a "have to go" thing! Then in the evening one of the neighbors annual Christmas party. Sunday I have the pleasure of singing starting at 8am, at two services, take a brief break and then sing again at 4pm for the Evensong, after which the schola and partners are off for a dinner and drinks. If I am able, I'll try and wake up in time for work on Monday <yawn> 😀 Rant Mode on What is it with EVERY business establishment I've visited in the last two days, they ALREADY ALL PLAYING Christmas music NON-STOP <grrrrr> Rant Mode off Finally, just was informed by the pharmacy that two new prescriptions have been ordered, what??? Oh, yeah, a nice pair of items destined to be consumed around the 12th. so that some poor soul can shove a camera up my arse on the 13th,! Great reminder. ☹️ All the local seaweed twirlers are bemoaning the fact that December is the second snowiest month here, BUT, there's none is sight, and even though we have a 75% record of several inches of snow on the ground at Christmas, it's currently looking rather more a slim-to-none possibility. Weather more seasonably cold (missing se snow, see above), -3c first thing with a high of zero expected. Weekend lows around -2c and highs 2-4c Enjoy the start of the weekend.

BIN day... BINs went out last evening while the Mrs was out at some Christmas event with friends. BINs processed early this morning Another busy day shaping with some panicked request for report changes as NOW someone wants to look back beyond the 5 year window we agreed upon an eternity ago! Oh well, good thing they pay me well to buqqer about like this 😀 Pre-rehearsal happy hour tonight, followed by the obligatory rehearsal. Extra time this evening as after the full choir rehearsal - for Sunday Advent services - the schola will rehears for an additional Advent Evensong we're performing at Sunday at 4pm! May as well take a cot and camp out on Sunday sounds like!!! -2c and sunny at BIN processing time, headed for 3c for the high. Carry on.

HUMP day... Yesterday mostly uneventful, cold, and Jemma stopped by for dinner and to drop Whitney off (again). She only had a one day home before off on another 6-day trip. Today, needed to let the chimney folks in to do the necessary work at the rental house. Then back working Warming "some" here, only -3c first thing, sunny and a high of 5c expected. Next few days we're not expected to see a high above Zero, lows -2c to -4c, so pretty mild - FOR US...🤣 Carry on.

Afternoon... Bust weekend with various get togethers with friends/family, singing twice on Sunday resulted in me deciding a nap was in order Sunday evening! Yesterday continued busy with the work reports lunacy, Jemma came over in the evening to pick up Whitney. The moon was suitably photogenic as she was leaving so I took this; Seems we DO qualify for a roof replacement on the rental house (yipee!), though it'll NOW have to wait until Spring as it's too cold <bah> Asphalt roofing shingles of the type installed in most of the US require a decent temperature (4c - 26c) as roofing shingles have a thermally activated asphalt sealer that needs heat/sunlight to properly seal. Weather currently 12c first thing and -1c the expected high. Looking at average of -3c overnight and 1c-2c for highs for the week, so no roofing happening. Carry on.

Well, that's Thanksgiving done and dusted, and since yesterday was a public holiday, that makes today BIN day! Plenty to put out there, especially recycling after the wine-o'clock festivities yesterday. The entire dinner went particularly well, everything very tasty, and the Yorkshires were as good as I've ever made, no idea why 😮 The Mrs requested a family photo, so here we are - the bar was deemed the appropriate locale; Today is also that rather idiotic of days "Black Friday", where everyone is enticed to buy yet another bid-screen TV. I though by now pretty much everyone that could afford one had several!! Other than possibly needing to shop for milk and a couple of other items we won't be anywhere near those stores specializing in fleecing folks out of their last disposable dollars. Weekend should be fairly quiet, a get together with neighbors tomorrow evening, choir for two services Sunday at 9 and 11am, them an evening Zoom with friends. Weather has decided it's WINTER now, the beginning of SoDDING cold now with -7c and sunny first thing, high of -3c expected! Enjoy the start of the weekend.

ARRGGHHH... Stupidly busy weekend and week so far, at least I get a 4-day weekend given tomorrow is Thanksgiving and we get the Friday off also. Weekend Dooby Brothers/Eagles concert was excellent, the venue (XCEL Energy center) a far better place, that the awful Vikings stadium the week prior. Amazing how all those ageing rockers can still play and sing so well! 🤪 What with crazy work requirements and rushing back and forth to the rental property for various contractors, I NEED a break. Tomorrow, we host the kids and partners AND all three dogs. should be a very fun day. Only non-traditional Thanksgiving item will be Yorkshire puds, requested by all members of the family, they've become our particular tradition, I'll happily make them. Weather cooling off sharply here, -3c first thing and the high expected to possibly make 2c later, at least no snow forecast here, can't say the same for much of the US. Tally ho.

BIN day.. those went out very late last evening and were duly "processed" this AM. Yesterday once again punctuated with handling various vendors of services for the rental property! Tokens spent on replacement window and screen that were damaged, THAT will come out of the security deposit before I finally return the balance to the prior renter. Contractor finally able to start on the kitchen ceiling repair, then we'll be able to have the new island vent hood installed. Also managed to work some, fitting it in between phone calls and meeting above mentioned vendors at the rental - <phew> way too busy for me. Today, after YET ANOTHER trip to the rental property first thing, I'm hopefully "just working", until it's time for the pre-rehearsal happy hour", then off to choir rehearsal. Another lovely day here, 4c first thing and sunny, high of 17c forecast. Tally ho.

AWOL again... Busy with a never ending stream of people doing work on the rental and scheduling them, arranging sh!t. Work also rolling along oddly, nothing else to report 🤪 Weather very unusual for the time of year here, 6c and sunny first thing, 15 for thehigh, very nice but also ODD. Onward.

Morning <yawn> VERY busy and tiring weekend, though a lot of it was fun-centric. Friday evening, we joined about 50,000 folks for the Billy Joel and Stevie Nicks concert - really TWO concerts, with Stevie Nicks kicking off the first set of an hour-and-a-half, stage reconfigure and then Billy Joel for another hour-and-a-half plus! Didn't make it home/to bed until past midnight!! Both performers were excellent, only marred by the DREADFUL acoustics in the Vikings stadium. A subject well discussed and reported by critics and performers! It's a large echo chamber and we'd have rather seen them separately in one of the better venues in town. Traffic in and out was berserk - even WITH a pre-paid parking spot, and staggering around with 50,000 others leaving at the same time was pure folly 😮 wouldn't have missed it though as it's probably the last opportunity to see either without travelling very long distances, and paying much higher prices. Saturday we "tried" to recover some, though we had to meet a couple of workers at the rental property, THEN off to town for the second show of the weekend - Trevor Noah. He was excellent and a most enjoyable routine/set. The BEST part was it being in a smaller theatre venue so the crowd was manageable. Sunday, another recovery day, some outdoor cleanup as the weather was good, and Jemma returned from Madrid and joined us for dinner picking up Whitney in the process. So here we are, Monday and minor panic at the client as they - ONCE AGAIN - are pressed to get their financials out but forgot to have me add some new account numbers to a report. Done and dusted now <phew> Very unusual/unseasonal weather here at present, nice for a change, 5c and sunny first thing, 11c the expected high heading for 16-18c through Thursday. Tally ho.

AWOL much of the week with various and sundry work and also comings and goings of people to check/inspect and otherwise review various parts of the rental property. Still awaiting the roof inspection to determine if we can get a new roof on insurance after hail damage. Chimney cleaning and inspection in 30 minutes, so need to dash over there to let them in. Tonight, Billy Joel & Stevie Nicks concert. Tomorrow, Trevor Noah event! Will also be busy with the rental property cleanup/cleanout, I'm sure. Hardly any time to even do "work" it seems, but fitting it in when I can 😮😀 Weather hovering around 0c overnight and 3-4c daytime, although next week expected/forecast to have highs in the 12-14c range, most unusual for mid-November. Later, enjoy the start of the weekend.

BIN day... Halloween went well, though blqqdy cold sitting outside managing the "express" as the trick-or-treaters wandered by. Yesterday, being the 1st., was time to regain possession of our rental house and meet there with the property manager we're hiring. All went very well, house left in reasonable condition, and we decided/determined what we need to do to get it ready to rent again. Today, busy with work, then off to sign at a remembrance service in the memorial garden followed by a short continuation in the church. -1c at BIN time, partly sunny and Bob has decided it's way too cold to bother to venture out the door, he's back asleep on our bed! High of 5c maybe will stay that way long enough for us not to be brass monkeys for the outdoor service, here's hoping! Carry on.

Moaning! AWOL yesterday with large amounts of panic/report changes in hand. Weekend summary: Friday evening wedding and dinner went well, although weird with 9 total in the party, then again, fifth wedding for her and she tends to have "different" events, oh well! Saturday spent most of the day putting down track for the outdoor railway for Halloween train running. Combined that with dog walking and various errands and the knees and legs were quite tired come diner time. Sunday, more outdoor prep including running lights along the front section of track where the train will stop to allow trick-or-treaters to retrieve goodies from the open gondola., and garden work due to impending snow in the forecast. <bah> This AM awoke to the following; Will be QUITE A PAIN clearing that track and hoping/making sure I can get a running train by this evening! 😮 -3c and becoming sunny first thing, hopefully any more snow will hold off (usure forecast as it's SUNNY NOW!) expected to make Zero or +1c for a high. Happy Halloween <boo> 👻👻👻👻

POETS, this IS happening (I think!!!), see below. Yesterday, AWOL as I left early with Jemma to "close the cabin". mostly we are the last step in that process, taking out the water pump and draining all the water lines. All went very smoothly, also took a picture of the cabin and its new siding, completed last week, View showing new siding - requested by the Mrs as she didn't accompany us. The "official" cabin closing picture taken every year. Closing "crew" with the lake in the background. Onto today - POETS is expected as we're supposed to go to the wedding of a longtime friend (her FIFTH!!!). All we know so far is it's a very casual affair and will be around 5-5:30 (her message). We DON'T KNOW where or the attire, other than those SMALL DETAILS, we're good to go 🤪🤪🤣 Quiet weekend planned so far... Raining overnight and a brisk 2c first thing with overcast skies. 10c the expected high and -2c tonight! Tally ho.

HUMP day. Quiet again yesterday both work and home - maybe before the "storm"?? Who knows. Today, up early as the autumn window cleaning was scheduled, plenty of carp to be removed from in front of the windows so the guy can get access. Later, nothing planned, and unsure as to the dinner plan as yet, the Mrs probably has something in mind, but she's off running errands so I have no clue. Rain yesterday evening and overnight, cloudy and damp this am, started out at 10c heading for a high of 14c. Onward.

YES 🤣 Actually, my preference is (b), home made of course. Others in the family choose any/all of the above. They delight in my lighting of the pud when served, though that CAN be fraught with potential issues, depending on how much brandy is consumed before dribbled over the pud! Chooseday. Yesterday essentially quiet, Whitney retrieved by Jemma once she got in from the Austin F1 Grand Prix trip. The local area colours are peaking - taken over the weekend walking Whitney; The homestead; Weather today, 12c and overcast first thing, showers expected most of the day with a high oc 16c Back to work...

Morning... barely! Weekend was busy and included some decent activities. First up, Saturday, got busy laying track for the outdoor railway - all was taken up to have some landscaping done. Discovered it's a BLQQDY LONG WAY DOWN to ground level buGGering about with track, back, knees and shoulders all complaining bitterly by dinner time! Managed to get it all connected and run a loco around for quite some time while I tweaked the track for loose connections resulting in slow running. Sunday, off to hobby shop to get track cleaner and smoke fluid for the loco and cabeese (I THINK that's an optional plural for caboose!!) 🤣 Sorted the running, and have smoking loco and caboose running well. More knee/back aches though into the bargain. Sunday afternoon, Mrs off to the Homeschool Cooperative 25th Anniversary get-together with her friend, the two of them were the founders of the Coop. I headed off to a Peter, Paul and Mary tribute concert. Our first of the season, well attended and a great show. Weekend over, back to work. 11c and sunny first thing, headed for 18c high, possible chance of showers later. Tally ho.

POETS Good evening with happy hour and a decent choir rehearsal. Will be taking off today to start re-laying the outdoor railway. Having had to take up the track for some landscaping work, it was too hot most of the summer to be out there. Now need to get a move on as I need the railway running for Halloween. All the kids around here have been bugging the Mrs on her walks asking if the train will be running again. Several other outdoor tasks to address this weekend, then Sunday evening is the first in our church concert series. This one a tribute trio doing Peter, Paul and Mary. Weather is decent, with a 8c first thing, sunny and 18c the forecast high. No precip expected until later Sunday best we can tell for now. Enjoy the start of the weekend.

BIN day... all placed there VERY late last night after a long and enjoyable dinner! Yesterday a very nice "last supper" with friends before they leave for Arizona. Good wine and an excellent Indian meal from our favourite restaurant. They will, at least, be back for Christmas so we'll see them then, though there will be several Zoom dinners in the intervening weeks. As luck would have it, I received an email touting the "British Arrow Awards" being presented at our local art museum yesterday, something we four try and attend. So, with them here we were able to determine a date and get tickets, result. 😀 Today, minor work panic - manages to happy at the oddest times - rush to change some "much needed" reports! Pre-rehearsal happy hour and then choir rehearsal on the cards for later. 9c overcast and light drizzle at BIN time, supposed to be overcast most of the day with intermittent drizzle, high of 16c expected. Carry on.

HUMP day. Quiet again yesterday, Whitney dropped off, nothing more to report. Today will be slow again, then dinner will be with our friends and will be a "last supper" since they will then be leaving for their winter retreat in Arizona. 12c and overcast at newspaper time, 15c later with a chance of rain late evening. Onward.

Chooseday. Yesterday was a non-starter in terms of anything to report, hum-drum and quiet working then a simple evening meal. Today, we will again welcome Whitney for several days (almost a week I'm told) as Jemma and Brendan head to Austin for the F1 Grand Prix - I MAY have falsely reported that a week ago, mistaking their trip this past week for a trip to CA to attend a wedding. I can only blame age for the error 😮 or maybe I wasn't listening?? The Mrs suggests I am prone to that problem occasionally, usually when I've been asked to carry out a task I'm not exactly interested in doing, oh well! 7c and sunny first thing, 16c the expected high. Back to work...

Monday rolls around again... Fairly quiet weekend, Saturday errands then a nice evening with friends, music and dinner at a supper club. Sunday, tired but managed to get some house chores accomplished, walk the dog and fit in a nap 😀 Jemma and Brendan picked up Whitney in the evening and we relaxed for what was left of the weekend. 6c first thing, sunny and expected to reach 14c later. Sun predicted all day no precipitation until the weekend! Carry on.