The beautiful bride!

Ok - obviously I've been neglectful in my blogging. I have excuses I promise! :) September and October have become akin to the April I had this year, which was busy let me tell you. I was on the interview trail during April, so much so that I was only "home" 17 days out of the whole month. Yowza!

September was chock full of meetings, fields days, Mom's birthday (the big 6-0), more meetings, beef harvesting (butchering), the Lost Rivers grazing Academy in beautiful Salmon, Idaho and the wedding of an amazing lady to an amazing guy! I was home for half of the weekends in September. Again, yowza!

Turkey number 1 of 3:56 lbs of meat overall.

October has been a bit more laid back than September - I'll be home three out of four weekends. Ha! Meetings, coaching team members from Idaho's state 4H livestock judging team, again with more meetings, a full week of new employee orientation in Moscow on the University of Idaho's campus, poultry harvesting, and my first evaluation as a UI Extension Educator are all on the docket for October. By this time yowza might not cover it. :)

However, my freezer is full, my pantry is going to be full once I get all the produce I picked up in the Yakima Valley canned-up, I've gotten to visit with my equally as busy brother and sister-in-law and parents. My girls (goats) are bred and in 4.5 months the babies will arrive, milk will flow, cheese and yogurt will be made and the bottle feeding of day-old calves will begin. My other girls (dogs) are very happy I'm home (and so am I!) that they want to cuddle all the time. I get a temporary roommate in December (I'm hosting a local ag student teacher).

I am very thankful for the opportunities I've had to re-establish relationships with friends and family, as well as begin new friendships with people in the area. As busy, and a yowza, as my life gets, I enjoy it. But I need a nap! ;)

A Busy, Busy Day

Did you know beagles snore? Loudly! Ruby the Beagle is currently lying next to the laptop snoring away....rip, snarf, snore! You gotta love her though - she brings happiness and joy where ever her beagle nose guides her. After being gone all day she ran up and pawed at my leg like she always does...a joyful smile spread across my face and I loved on her as much as I could for the all of two minutes she was there. And then she was off; nose to the ground and tail in the air. My beautiful baby beagle! :) FYI - Yotee the mini aussie is quietly sleeping on his bed as a well behaved young man should. ;)

Today I had an interview in Moscow, ID for an academic assistant position in the plant, soils and entomological sciences department of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. It went well, I felt. I was interviewed by the people I would be interacting with the most and I found them to be laid-back, affable people. I was told there might be a possibility of transferring my MS over to the U of I which is a considerable benefit. Having my degrees from different Universities looks very well to other Universities I am applying for extension positions. Keep your fingers crossed an offer (from somewhere) comes across soon. My unemployment benefits from the state have run out and I am morally opposed to taking "Obama money." Unfortunately, if an offer doesn't occur from somewhere I may have to. Pray that He sends an offer! :)

While I was in the Pullman area today I got everything in order in case an offer isn't forthcoming so that I may return to WSU and complete my Masters degree. This is my fall back plan - if I have no job I will return to school. I haven't decided if I will move to Pullman and complete it or do it completely online and stay home while this happens. However, I set a deadline of mid-July for this decision to be made so let's hope I have nothing to decide! :)

I also stopped in at Crimson & Grey and picked up two new Cougar t-shirts and a new water bottle while there. I am as excited about the water bottle as I am the shirts! LOL Additionally, I stopped at my favorite restaurant, the New Garden, and ordered the Hunan Chicken with fried noodles.....auh-mazing! I missed that dish so much it's not even funny. I haven't been able to find anything close nor recreate it. I valued this meal a lot! All in all it was a good day. :)

I am continuing to work on my baby blanket and braided rug. I had a stroke of brilliance regarding the rug. Instead of using cotton string to sew it together I am going to use a piece of sheet about 1 1/2 inches wide to weave between the braided parts. It will be more lasting than the string which I believe will fray and break too easily.

Well, I am tired from my massive driving, interviewing and shopping experience today so I am going to sign off from this update. Have a wonderful day! :)

Flamboancy and Interviews

I've been remiss in posting but have a legit reason - interviews. I had my interview with South Dakota today and it went fairly well, while I was defragging from that I received two calls for additional interviews. My schedule as now stands: next week, Tuesday an interview at UI for an administrative assistant in the College of Ag & Life Sciences, Thursday a phone interview with Kansas State University (still sketchy); the week after, Monday is an interview with the WSU Ritzville office for an administrative manager, Tuesday is a travel day for my interview in Montana on Wednesday and Thursday is the travel back day, and Friday is an interview with the Oregon Beef Council for an office manager position. However, I am thinking of letting this one go because it is a $30K/year job in Portland, OR which isn't a living wage there. So I am busy, busy, busy!

So for now I am kicking back to relax watching Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, which was a form of reward for all the interviews I've gotten and I've come to the conclusion there is no one in the world who reacts the way I do to things. I must either over-react like crazy to certain things but I've never been considered by myself, or others, as a person who over-reacts. Also, I've noticed people on this show don't emote like I would. You know like be animated, show emotion. I must just be a more flamboyant person than other people. Hmmmm....I don't think this is a bad thing but it makes me wonder about myself.

So with new interviews on the plate I need to think of some sort of reward for myself...maybe some new clothes or boots. Or maybe some Gilmore Girls on DVD. Any suggestions?

Update - I am working on crocheting a baby blanket to have on hand when one of my friends announces they're having a baby, as well as a braided rug made from a bunch of old jeans I wore when I was really heavy and others that were worn out. It's going to be really neat when I'm done I think. Pictures will be coming Sunday. My medication change is going OK. I'm a bit down at times but for the most part it's going well.

Well, I'm on the way out. I'm on the phone with my great/best friend Jenna and it's a bit difficult to do two things at once. Sorry if it's a bit scrambled and tomorrow will be better. :)

Whining About Opportunities ;)

I have job interviews flowing out my eyeballs! I know this is a good thing but, man it can be overwhelming at times. The interview this week is one over the phone for a position in South Dakota. It would have been nice to be there in person but with no reimbursement for travel, the phone was the only choice. On top of not being able to be there in person and read the faces of 13 committee members, I have to teach a 4H based lesson to these people - getting them involved, over the phone, uh difficult! And on top of this obstacle, I have absolutely no idea what I'm going to teach! Ummmm.....oh yeah. :)

I was supposed to have a job interview with Kansas State University but they don't reimburse for travel and wasting $1500 isn't in my agenda people. I told them I couldn't afford to do that but I was more than willing to do a phone interview, aaaaaand absolutely no contact. So I will call them later this week and find out but I do believe I have been replaced. Actually I am okay with that happening. KSU is uber political and I would have been their token candidate to round out their pool - sooooo okay with that!

The third interview this month is in North Central Montana - Harlem to be exact. I have yet to receive a letter giving me the exact time so arranging flights will have to wait but at least these people will pay for my travel. And actually they pay me for coming out - I think it would be a good University to work for. I have to prepare a 20 minute presentation but that will be easy for me. I'm waiting on my letter before I start working on that one.

Well, I'm off to find something to teach - any suggestions are welcome! Have a great day. :)